Way to go Freddy!

Did you know that the Pittsburgh Pirates have produced more batting champions than any other franchise in National League history? 25 times the NL crown has been worn by a Bucco and yet, people from other places still ask me how I can possibly stay loyal to a foundering franchise. I always ask - you mean the franchise that gave the baseball world Honus Wagner, Roberto Clemente, Bill Mazeroski, the pre-steroid Barry Bonds, Jim Leyland, and so on?

From the Pirates to the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords, baseball is as much a part of the water in Pittsburgh as football... it's just that it is truly more of a past-time than an obsession. That's why Pirates fans continue to show support and gratefulness for acheivements that would seem like an afterthought to any other franchise on the cusp of their 14th consecutive losing season.

Were I wearing a hat right now, I would take it off in salute to Feddy Sanchez, the newest Pirate to etch his name in the history books. By winning the NL batting crown on Sunday, Sanchez single-handedly salvaged some booty from the wreckage of another sub-par season.

What's really terrific about this is that noone expected it from a utility infielder on a poor team who entered the season expecting to be a part-time player.

What's really unfortunate about this is that Sanchez will not get nearly the amount of national recognition from this that he deserves because he plays for a team that was so mired in the standings that the only time you actually got to see the highlights of their games on Sportscenter was when they were playing against a winner.

The reality of the situation is that the Pirates NEED to find a way to keep players like Sanchez and Jason Bay, but ultimately will lose out if they don't pony up the dough. Bay is widely regarded as one of the top players in the majors and you could essentially see a picture of him next to "Fantasy Stud" in the baseball dictionary. With Sanchez' performance over this past year, you know he will be under the microscope next year and if he turns in another fantastic season, I don't see how the Pirates can retain both him an Bay without spending a lot of money.

I don't want to complain about the Pirates' losing ways. I want to commend Sanchez for what he did. It's no small accomplishment to give 25,000 fans a reason to show up, much less give a standing ovation, at the final game of a 67 - 95 campaign. Efforts like the one he gave over a marathon season are not overlooked in the city of Pittsburgh, nor should they be overlooked by the rest of America.

Congrats Freddy! And thank you for the season. Take a couple of weeks off and we'll see you next year.