Under normal circumstances, Spring is a time for hopes, dreams and the promise of your team accomplishing something. Not for my beloved Pirates. A problem team may have some things go right and with the right rookie and the right guy having his career year, make something happen down the stretch. I still remember Dave Parker's first at bat. Not for my Buccos, though. A bad team could realistically hang tough until a "June swoon." Nope -- that's not going to happen either.

Here, we a have no hope. No reason to watch. There is some guesswork of the loss number ending between 90 and 110. But that's pretty much it. The owner won't sell; the owner won't spend. The management will give away the little talent to teams that give the most profit sharing. The manager is soporific. There will be many sad post-game interviews, as these unskilled kids eventually rotate out of the profession and into the mundane high school coaching jobs or bartending. Broadcasters will have to drink heavily to endure loss after loss. A small set of bloggers will obsess over statistics and far-fetched scenarios.The listless fan will pass by the Mazeroski statute. An aging Manny Sanguillen will mingle as needed. The three rivers roll on. . .