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Rick Zamperin: Pittsburgh Pirates fans are in for more tough times

Pittsburgh Pirates fans are not happy with the team after stars Andrew McCutchen (pictured) and Gerrit Cole were traded.
Pittsburgh Pirates fans are not happy with the team after stars Andrew McCutchen (pictured) and Gerrit Cole were traded. AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Ask any sports fan worth his or her salt, what is the worst feeling in the world?

They will most certainly say it’s cheering for a team that has no hope, no chance of achieving anything.

If you know a Cleveland Browns fan, give them a hug.

Pat a fan of the Buffalo Sabres on the back and tell them that it’s going to be OK.

Look a Pittsburgh Pirates fan in the eyes and tell them to hang in there.

Which brings me to an online petition that was launched by a disgruntled Pirates fan who is going ballistic over the baseball team’s latest personnel moves.

The petition is urging Major League Baseball to force team owner Bob Nutting to sell the franchise “so that we can see a competitive baseball team year in and year out.”

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As of 8 p.m. Wednesday, more than 36,000 fans had signed the petition.

Pittsburgh is in full rebuild mode after trading star outfield Andrew McCutchen and pitcher Gerrit Cole to San Francisco and Houston, respectively.

After breaking a 21-year playoff drought in 2013, the Pirates — loaded with talented young stars like McCutchen, Cole, Starling Marte and Josh Harrison — could have been a dominant force for years to come.

But Nutting, who by the way is a billionaire, refused to go all in and sign marquee free agents or trade prospects for proven stars.

Now, Pittsburgh Pirates fans have been forced to endure another lengthy time warp of losing baseball.

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