Part of deciding to go teach English in a developing country was accepting that I wouldn't be able to watch the Pirates as I have the past twenty years of my life. But we were in the midst of an ugly season that was only getting uglier (2010), and sometimes, you can't let a team that has let you down for so long rule the direction in your life any further.

And then the unthinkable happened: despite a lackluster first month, the Pirates climbed back to .500, then edged into contention, and now I get back to Pittsburgh on the morning of Friday, July 22 just in time for the series that is being billed as the biggest series in PNC history.

So instead of taking my father and sister up on one of the best meals Pittsburgh has to offer, I forced them into a bar to watch Paul Maholm take on the Cards (only the second game all season I was able to watch; as from where I had been, games were in the middle of the night). I also went to the game on Saturday, while I spent a gorgeous Sunday camped inside watching the game on TV. So here are are some quick thoughts on a guy who finally got to see his favorite team play meaningful summer games in his home town, that is swept up in Bucco Fever.

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19-year old SS out of Cuba is supposedly the "next big thing." Here's a link to some other links about him.

I know Cuban defectors are not exactly a sure thing, but it would be nice to see the Pirates make some sort of splash in the LA market, especially considering the top two Cuban defectors from this off-season signed with fellow small-market franchises in KC and Cincinnati (Arguelles and Chapman, respectively).

In no way am I advocating spending for spending's sake, but if the kid's legit, it would provide us with a possible SS of the future and might quiet the masses (for at least a few days).

Thoughts?