The Symmetrical Ying & Yang of the Pirates

Perfect.  On the very day the Pirates laid an egg to become "mathematically eliminated from playoff contention," the Pittsburgh Baseball Club's corporate punjab, Frank Coonelly, president of the team, saw fit to declare -- in a written statement only; no questions please and thank you -- Coonelly announced there would be no changes at the top level of the baseball-side management hirearchy.

That "braintrust" is Neal Huntington, general manager, and his top two right-hand men, the now-infamous Kyle Stark, assistant general manager, and Greg Smith, scouting director.  Their jobs are safe, for another year, apparently.

"Rest assured, everything is just fine, more or less."  At least that's what Coonelly seems to be saying.  Stus quo is okay.  Never mind that the dark yang of the season's second half casts a dark shadow over the bright ying of the once-promising first half.

There is so much ground for discussion here, and not enough time at this particular moment.  Some of that ground is fertile; some is fetid.

There is so much to discuss, and the Pirates' so-called "Best Management Team in Baseball" (Coonelly and Huntington) are just begging (unwittingly, perhaps, or reluctantly) for attention ... not necessarily the kind of scrutiny and criticism they want.  But they deserve it.  Scrutiny and criticism, that is.  And they're going to get it.

Fortunately, the Steelers are in a bye week -- much-needed, apparently, based on their performance in Oakland -- so we will have some time over the next few days to reflect, ruminate and speculate on the Pirates' situation.