What a great day for a ballgame. Let’s play two!

The Pirates 2024 campaign kicked off Thursday afternoon with a 6-5, 12-inning victory over the Marlins down in Miami, Florida.

The Buccos won again on Friday night by a score of 7-2.

Pittsburgh is now 2-0 as I write this article, but that could change by the time you read it. That’s the beauty of baseball: Games just about every day of the week.

As expected, the bullpen has been the Buccos’ strength out of the gate; Pittsburgh’s relievers have given up exactly one run in 10.2/3 innings through two games, and closer David Bednar, the two-time All-Star, has yet to pitch. Jose Hernandez earned the save on Thursday. Josh Fleming posted a three-inning save on Friday. Ryder Ryan was credited with the victory.

The Pirates’ hitters haven’t been too shabby, either, plating 13 runs in two games. The starting pitching, on the other hand? It’s been a little rocky, but that was to be expected coming in.

Anyway, I’m not here to analyze the Pirates’ roster. It’s too early for that. But it’s not too early to be pretty darn excited about them. There’s a different kind of buzz in the air this year for Bucco baseball. Fans, even the most pessimistic, know that these aren’t your slightly older brother’s Pirates. The talent is evident. Don’t let the uniforms fool you, these Buccos have some players.

Oneil Cruz, the 6′ 7″ shortstop with blazing speed and power for miles, tied the game on Thursday with an eighth-inning, opposite-field home run after making what appeared to be less than flush contact. The Pirates don’t just need Cruz to be good or even their best player; they need him to be an MVP-level talent.

If Cruz can be their next Andrew McCutchen, the man who won the 2013 NL MVP just weeks after the Pirates made the first of three-straight postseason appearances, we’ll probably be talking about winning seasons and playoff games around here again.

To reiterate, I’m not here to analyze the 2024 Pirates. There will be plenty of time for that as the season unfolds.

I’m just excited for baseball. I’ve already watched the movie, Major League. I plan on popping The Natural into my DVD player at some point in the next few days.

I often forget how much I love baseball. It’s easy to do if you’re a Pirates fan. The organization doesn’t help with its frugal ways. Combine that with MLB’s financial system that’s slanted against small-market franchises, and it’s no wonder why the start of Steelers training camp is often considered to be the unofficial end of baseball season in the Greater Pittsburgh Area.

But Steelers training camp is currently nowhere in sight. The Pirates are just getting started, and there’s another game today and tomorrow.

The Pirates have one more road series against the Nationals before they head back to PNC Park for the home opener against the Orioles next Friday afternoon.

PNC figures to be filled to capacity that day.

If the Pirates can get off to another strong start–they were 20-8 out of the gate in 2023–and actually remain consistent, you can expect to see PNC full of fans more often than not this summer.

Believe it or not, Pittsburgh loves its Buccos, and we want a reason to care about them on days besides the opener and/or the home opener.

Maybe I’m overly optimistic, but it feels like 2024 might be one of those seasons.

Let’s Go Bucs!