Feb 6, 2005 By Commentary John Mehno 3 min read

PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Pirates said they just needed a new, publicly-funded ballpark to be competitive. Now we know that’s not true. Turns out they also need a level playing field.

You’ve heard that phrase a lot lately, ever since CEO Kevin McClatchy’s carefully-calculated rant about baseball economics. The level playing field (LPF hereafter) is needed to give every team a chance to win.

Smaller markets can succeed under the current system but they need a nucleus of young talent that blossoms before it becomes too expensive. Oakland and Minnesota have been doing this. The argument is you can’t sustain success and it’s probably accurate. But when was that ever guaranteed?

Baseball used to have an LPF. Arbitration didn’t come until 1974 and free agency followed by two years. Until then, the reserve clause was in effect.

Players couldn’t go anywhere. They could sign the contract or stay home. Hard-line general managers like the Pirates’ Joe L. Brown had the hammer and used it.

So did parity rule in this LPF utopia? Not really.

The Boston Red Sox managed two first-place finishes in 56 years from 1918-74. The Chicago White Sox finished first once in the 64 years from 1920-83.

The Philadelphia/Kansas City/Oakland Athletics went 39 years (1932-70) without winning anything. The St. Louis Browns/Baltimore Orioles finished first once from 1900-65 and the Browns’ 1944 pennant came when talent was diluted by World War II.

The Cleveland Indians had two first-place seasons in 74 years. The Chicago Cubs went 38 years without winning. The Philadelphia Phillies had one first-place finish in 60 years.

The Pirates were first once in the 42 LPF seasons from 1928-69. They actually did better in the non-LPF years when they won three division titles from 1990-92.

What was the formula then? A productive farm system and smart trades. That still works. But you have to draft Barry Bonds instead of Chad Hermansen, John Smiley instead of Clint Johnston. You have to find Tony Pena in the Dominican Republic so he can be used in a roster-building trade. When you deal a good pitcher, you have to get Bobby Bonilla, not Brant Brown.

Or else you keep losing, keep seeking inexpensive temporary patches and keep blaming the system.

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New Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt continues to make smart moves.

Adding personable Duquesne coach Greg Gattuso as recruiting coordinator gives the Panthers’ staff an “in” at most high schools in the region.

College coaches are salesmen and Wannstedt and Gattuso know the territory and its quirks. If they show up at a recruit’s house on a snowy night, they’ll know to respect the kitchen chair that’s holding a cleared parking spot.

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Word is a couple of the sports talk radio guys are feuding.

Oh, for the days when those things were settled with pistols at 20 paces.

Sports correspondent John Mehno can be reached at johnmehno@lycos.com.