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Brandon Lowe\/Photo provided by Eddie Provident \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tBrandon Lowe\/Photo provided by Eddie Provident \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The 20th anniversary of one of the Pittsburgh Pirates\u2019 most embarrassing moments passed unnoticed earlier this year. Not that the Pirates would want anyone to remember it.<\/p>\n
The Pirates\u2019 2006 home opener was one of the worst days in franchise history. The Pirates had already lost six of seven games to begin the season and fell 5.5 games off the pace in the National League Central. Postseason hopes were essentially gone one week into the season.<\/p>\n
The Pirates were booed during pre-game introductions and throughout an 8-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park. I\u2019ll never forget the beleaguered look on poor Jim Tracy\u2019s face during his first post-game press conference as manager with the hometown media.<\/p>\n
Yet the most embarrassing moment came after actor Michael Keaton threw the ceremonial first pitch and was asked about the Pirates\u2019 lack of success and low payroll. The Pirates were coming off a 12th straight losing season in a streak that eventually stretched to 20, the longest run of futility in major North American professional team sports history.<\/p>\n
Said Keaton: \u201cFor my money, that\u2019s disrespectful. At some point, you either have to write the check or do something and not assume, well, we\u2019re OK and, ultimately, the franchise is valuable, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, why dredge up a bad memory? \u00a0Simply because the Pirates need to heed Keaton\u2019s advice this winter.<\/p>\n
The Pirates haven\u2019t been to the postseason since 2015, but they\u2019re poised to contend in 2027, if they make one very bold and expensive move.<\/p>\n
The Pirates need to re-sign second baseman Brandon Lowe as a free agent. He was the biggest reason they improved by 11 wins this year, going from 71-91 to 82-80.<\/p>\n
Yes, the fans expected the playoffs this year because team president Travis Williams oversold the Pirates\u2019 postseason potential at the end of the 2025 season. However, the Pirates wouldn\u2019t have had a winning season if Lowe hadn\u2019t hit 35 home runs, driven in 96 runs, played stellar defense, and brought much-needed professionalism to the clubhouse.<\/p>\n
Re-signing Lowe won\u2019t be cheap. Most MLB executives I\u2019ve polled expect him to sign a three-year contract worth an average of $20-25 million per year.<\/p>\n
Offering a 32-year-old free agent three years and $75 million isn\u2019t something the Pirates would be comfortable doing. Owner Bob Nutting is extremely risk-averse, though general manager Ben Cherington convinced him to sign a nine-year, $140-million contract to shortstop Konnor Griffin this year, even though the 19-year-old made his major league debut less than a week earlier.<\/p>\n
Bringing Lowe back does represent somewhat of a gamble. He is 32, and no one knows when Lowe might enter the decline phase of his career. However, Lowe takes his craft seriously and doesn\u2019t seem to be affected by making big money.<\/p>\n
With baseball\u2019s collective bargaining agreement set to expire on Dec. 1, no one knows what the sport\u2019s economic system will look like when next season begins. Nor is it clear what the ramifications of signing Lowe to a big contract would be for the Pirates.<\/p>\n
However, history suggests that players will stand firm in CBA negotiations against a salary cap, the owners will cave, and things will end up pretty much the status quo.<\/p>\n
Regardless of how the labor situation plays out, the Pirates need to sign Lowe. The franchise hasn\u2019t won a division title since 1992, and its last postseason series victory came in 1979.<\/p>\n
At some point, the Pirates need to have some pride and go for it. Bringing back Lowe would signal that the franchise seriously wants to win.<\/p>\n
Maybe bringing back Lowe wouldn\u2019t work. However, it would be nice to see the Pirates take some risk for a change.<\/p>\n
As the man said 20 years ago, sometimes you got to write a check.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article:Brandon Lowe<\/a> Pittsburgh Pirates<\/a><\/p>\n