As you may know, last year (2012) I bought season tickets for the second half after the Pirates showed they could compete. This blog -- Season Tickets, Baby -- documents a new, changing experience at PNC, a shift in perspective. It hopes to follow a fan base refocusing -- from fireworks and free t-shirts to pennant races and trade acquisitions; from dippin' dots to developing prospects.
I felt satisfied with my purchase last year. I got about a month and a half of good, meaningful games, and I sold enough tickets to make back most of my original cost. But the late season collapse (twice) -- coupled with increased ticket prices this year (seriously?) -- left me convinced I shouldn't re-up my package. My thinking leveled out over the off season, feeling good about Russell Martin, a full year of Wandy, etc, but still didn't think it wise to purchase a package at the beginning of the new year. Why not wait again like last year and see if they demonstrate the ability to compete at a high level consistently?
Now ticket prices have settled down a little bit. No, I'll never get outfield box seats for 12$ a ticket again -- tremendous deal last year -- but it came down from 24$ to 21$. Last year I bought the remaining 45 games -- every home game left -- but right now the full season prorated package only gives you 30 games. I don't know why they don't give the full package, but I actually like it better this way, given the price increase. In other words, I can pay closer to the same overall price, and just get two thirds as many games -- rather than getting the same number of games at a significantly higher cost.
Approaching the midway point this year it sure looks like the Buccos will stay in it. (All of the "Are the Pirates for real this year?" talk started in May, and the team has only improved since.) Of course, it looked that way last year, didn't it? But you can see the obvious differences in this year's team: Russell Martin and Starling Marte; a legitimately powerful Pedro; lock-down, playoff caliber bullpen; an incredibly deep starting rotation; and Andrew McCutchen hasn't fully heated up yet.
The Pirates, on June 28, 2013, reached first place in the NL Central, passing the Cardinals for the best record in all of Major League Baseball, nearing the halfway point in the season. That certainly bodes well. Ruhl well, as we say in the 'Burgh.
Let me consider a few reasons not to buy, though. One, if Tricia starts grad school in the Fall she probably won't attend games with me in September :-(. Two, the Pirates pitching can not sustain this level of run prevention. Three, it's the freakin' Pirates. Three solid reasons, to be sure, but not enough to make the risk outweigh the reward at this point...Let's buy! I think. What do you think?
