Littlefield's Legacy: Lynchburg Loses

(this is the first of a possible series illustrating the mismanagement of the Pittsburgh Pirates under former General Manager David Littlefield)   The Lynchburg Hillcats fell Friday night, 7-3, to the defending Carolina League Champion Frederick Keys. The significance of one minor league team's victory over another is largely muted by the buzz of the multi-billion dollar business that is Major League Baseball. It is dulled all the more by the fact that Lynchburg is merely the High-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Frederick belongs to the Baltimore Orioles organization, and both of the parent teams are years away from contending. What is significant about this particular game (to a follower of either franchise, or any casual baseball fan wondering how deeply the troubles of the Pittsburgh Pirates run) is this: Baltimore Orioles first-round draft pick Matt Wieters hit a pair of home runs in his professional debut, going two-for-three with a walk. Last week , I noted how the ... [link]