Many Pirates fans have never recovered from the trade that sent Aramis Ramirez to Chicago for a few scrubs almost exactly 12 years ago. Just this week, I’ve heard from readers who still feel ownership refuses to invest enough in the team, even as it boasts the second-best record in the National League.
That perception endures in no small part because then-general manager Dave Littlefield basically salary dumped Ramirez, a guy who’s gone on to become a fringe Hall of Fame candidate, and didn’t even get useful prospects in return.
Of course, the Pirates have been a different organization for a while now.