After getting swept by the Padres in San Diego and playing their 20th game in 20 days, the Pirates flew back to Pittsburgh seemingly with the notion of finally getting some rest. You know, like a normal franchise would do. Instead, on their off day that was not an off day, the team was forced to head over to something called the Pirates Charities Sporting Clays Invitational at the Seven Springs Resort, which is naturally owned by team chairman Bob Nutting.

According to the report, the Pirates went from the plane, after landing at 3:30 am, and were taken directly to an awaiting bus for what had to be a splendid 90-minute drive. Hilarious.

Taking a red-eye generally invokes a socially disengaged demeanor upon exiting the plane, so I can only imagine how miserable the players and coaches were after spotting the bus on the tarmac. If the goal of the Pirates organization is to avoid a memorable season and miss the wildcard, they handled this one flawlessly, as evidenced by this inviting quote:

“It’s a pennant race,” one player said. “Maybe everyone around here will realize that at some point.”

Yes, it’s a pennant race … for the first time in well over a decade, one that’s felt like 136 years. Some proper planning would have been the logical way to go, but it’s the Pittsburgh Pirates. You expect the worst and you get the worst.

[via Dejan Kovacevic, Trib Live]

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