If you thought the Pirates' biggest issue was an inexperienced and inconsistent starting rotation, you were apparently wrong.
If you thought the issue was a daily lineup that lacks a signature power bat, that apparently was off the mark.
If you were thinking those occasional late-inning meltdowns by the bullpen were what ailed the team, think again.
The problem with the Pirates is Sean Rodriguez.
I came to this conclusion after sampling talk radio and social media. There is a groundswell of ill will toward Rodriguez, the 33-year-old utility player who has started in 29 of the Pirates' 79 games this season.
Make no mistake, Rodriguez has been awful. At last glance, his batting average was .145. Pitchers do better than that.
Worse, Rodriguez had undermined one of his most appealing skills (versatility) by playing shaky defense at a variety of positions.
It's been terrible, and no one knows that better than Rodriguez.
The Pirates clustered the three weekend games so he get consistent at bats. He was consistently unproductive, and he heard boos from the fans. A lot of them were in possession of a bobblehead that commemorated the walk-off home run he'd hit upon returning to the Pirates last August.
Every indicator says the Pirates should just release Rodriguez and replace him with either Adam Frazier or Max Moroff. The fact they haven't done so speaks to the respect they have for what Rodriguez has accomplished in the past and the regard teammates have for him.
But there's little doubt Rodriguez's time is running short, especially with Jung Ho Kang working toward a return to the major leagues.
Understand this, though: While Rodriguez hasn't been close to good, he hasn't been close to being the Pirates' biggest problem.
He's a convenient target, like John Jaso was last year. But just like that situation, there are much bigger issues that need to be fixed.
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The headline in the New York Post:
"Body Found At New Jersey Home of New York Giants Star Janoris Jenkins."
Jenkins plays cornerback for the Giants.
This is the time of year that makes NFL coaches and general managers very nervous. The players are on their own.
Teams feel much more secure when players aren't in control of their own time. If coaches had their way, the players would live in dorms year-round.
This isn't to suggest that Jenkins has done anything wrong.
But to use the popular current word, the "optics" of having a dead body discovered on your property aren't good.
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Tony Bartirome, the only MLB player who also served as a trainer, died last week at 86.
He played first base for the 1951 Pirates, then became the team's trainer in 1967, staying until 1985.
Bartirome was part of a lively clubhouse where someone was always agitating someone else. That led him to play a role in a famous episode.
At the 1971 All-Star break, the Pirates' Dock Ellis and Vida Blue had the best records in baseball.
One afternoon in the trainers' room, Bartirome said to Ellis, "You want to guarantee that you'll start? Tell the writers there's no way they'll start two black pitchers in the All-Star game."
Ellis' eyes lit up. Later that day, he delivered his famous, "They'll never let two brothers start the All-Star game" quote.
Guess who started the game?
Ellis said the words, but Bartirome wrote the script that time.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
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