Pirates’ Winter Caravan visits Uniontown today
The Pirates have struggled in their quest to put a winning team on the field for over a decade Even so, baseball fans in the area are giving manager Lloyd McClendon’s squad a strong show of support this offseason.
At least that’s the outlook taken from the popularity of PirateFest 2005, held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center this past weekend and the Pirates Winter Caravan, which treks into Uniontown today.
The former drew over 14,000 people, doubling that from the 2004 event.
The latter has already been a hit in Erie, Punxsutawney, Franklin, Johnstown, Indiana, Greensburg, Altoona, Washington, New Castle, Beaver and Butler as well as in the Weirton/Steubenville area of Ohio.
The Caravan will wrap up its tour today, first with a luncheon stop at Mon General Hospital in Morgantown, W. Va., at noon, and then with a free autograph session in the Uniontown Mall at Dunham’s Center Court from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Almost all luncheons so far have been sold out while all autograph sessions have drawn long lines.
“We have been overwhelmed with the response from the fans for both the caravan and PirateFest,” Pirates Director of Media Relations Jim Trdinich said. “Bucco fans came out in record numbers for the three days of PirateFest, and the players had a great time interacting with them.”
Expected to be in Morgantown and Uniontown for those visits are Pirate players Craig Wilson, Mike Gonzalez and Tike Redman, general manager Dave Littlefield, play-by-play announcer Lanny Frattare, former Pirate 1971 World Series pitching hero and current color commentator Steve Blass, and McClendon.
Ticket sales are reported up heading into the 2005 season, as the team is likely getting a boost from having PNC Park chosen as the site for the 2006 All-Star game.
The Pirates are coming off their 12th consecutive losing season following three straight division championships from 1990 to 1992, but they have several enticing players returning this season, including All-Star shortstop Jack Wilson, National League Rookie of the Year Jason Bay, hard-throwing left-hander Oliver Perez (major-league leader in strikeouts per nine innings), free-swinging Craig Wilson (career-high 29 home runs and 82 RBIs) and up-and-coming lefty reliever Gonzalez (staff-best 1.25 ERA in 47 appearances).
Those who visit the Uniontown Mall this evening can form their opinion on Craig Wilson’s new hairstyle (gone is the long, stringy blonde hair of 2004, replaced by a buzz cut), and get a look at Pirates’ potential closer of the future Gonzalez (55 strikeouts with only six walks in 43 1/3 innings) and possible 2005 opening-day center fielder and lead-off hitter Redman (.280 batting average with 51 RBIs and 18 stolen bases).
They can also toss questions at McClendon, Littlefield, Frattare (“The Voice of the Pirates”) and Blass.
The Pirates begin spring training in Bradenton, Fla., on Feb. 17, and open the regular season at PNC Park on Monday, April 4 with a 1:35 p.m. game against the Milwaukee Brewers.