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| Subject: Leyland sympathizes with Pittsburgh Sat Aug 21, 2010 11:14 pm | |
| Leyland sympathizes with PittsburghBy Jason Beck / MLB.com 08/21/10 7:46 PM ET DETROIT -- Jim Leyland remains the last manager to post a winning season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. That fact alone is astounding.Add in the fact that Leyland hasn't managed the Pirates since 1996, and he finished out his Pittsburgh tenure with four straight losing seasons, and it really has been a long time since the Pirates have won. It's been far longer than Leyland ever would've imagined when he left to manage the Florida Marlins in 1997. "No question about it, it breaks your heart," Leyland said. "I was there for the tough times when I got there, then I was there for the good times, then I was there for the tough times again when they just tore it all apart. So I've seen both sides of it." Leyland was the manager when the Pirates won three consecutive National League East titles from 1990-92, thanks to stars such as Barry Bonds, Andy Van Slyke and Doug Drabek. They overcame the loss of Bobby Bonilla and John Smiley to come within an inning of reaching the '92 World Series before falling to the Braves in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series.The Pirates haven't posted a winning season since. Their 18 straight losing seasons set a record for American professional sports. But Leyland, who still lives in Pittsburgh in the offseason, believes the city will embrace a winner if it can build it again. "We drew 2.6 million [fans] in Pittsburgh," Leyland said. "A lot of people don't know that. You put a good baseball team in Pittsburgh, they'll come out. It's a Steeler town, but they'll come out. And I think they do have some good-looking young players now. You keep saying, 'Finally,' but it's just, I don't know. I don't stay close to it. I try to stay away from it. But it breaks your heart." | |
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