Winning By Losing

  
A report from the Associated Press revealed this morning that the Pittsburgh Pirates have enjoyed recent financial success despite an historic display of consistent futility.

The report notes that financial documents were leaked from the organization to the AP, detailing how the club made almost $30 million in 2007 and 2008 while fielding one of the league's least competitive ballclubs.  One economist explained the contrast by stating that teams have the choice to either maximize winning, like the Yankees, or maximize money in the market, like the Pirates.  However, the Pirates counter the claim that they aren't trying to win by arguing that just because they have slashed payroll doesn't mean they aren't trying to be competitive, citing examples of winning clubs in Tampa Bay and San Diego.  They argue they are able to use profitable years to invest back into the club so that they can develop competitive teams in the future.  I have included links of these reports in a couple paragraphs below.

As a Pirates fan, I admit it's troubling to read such news.  The loyal fan in me wants to believe that the management knows what they're doing now and really does want the team to succeed.  The optimist in me hopes that they're now turning things around, having learned their lesson, and have gotten to the point where they're figuring out how to run the club well financially so that they can reinvest in the club to develop and improve the team.  At the same time, the pessimist in me sees that the club has been on the wrong side of .500 for 18 seasons now, and they still are seemingly in a pattern of dumping talent once demands for higher pay are heard, replacing it with often a weak bunch of prospects.  The realist in me guesses the truth is somewhere in between, and perhaps this most recent "leak" will place pressure on the team to start getting results in the wins column sooner rather than later.

I can't help but also draw a comparison to my faith.  As a Christian, I must recognize that in my life I win by losing, as odd as it may seem.  Despite my failures and inability to work out salvation for myself, I win through the perfect work of Christ on my behalf.  I win because Christ sacrificed His life for me.  I am called in turn to lose my life for Christ's sake that I may find eternal life (Matthew 10:39).  We read in Phillipians that we are to "count everything as loss" in order that we "may gain Christ and be found in him" with "the righteousness from God that depends on faith" (3:8-9).  At the same time, we don't win by taking our eyes off the prize.  Just as a team is expected by its fans to pursue building a competitive team rather than cushioning the bank account, I must evaluate ways in which I allow money, comfort, approval, success, and other things to become distractions before my true purpose.  I am challenged to continually evaluate where my priorities lie, and how I live in light of those stated priorities.

I encourage everyone to get both sides of the story, whether or not you are partial to one side or the other.  To read the AP article, click here.  Also, to read the Pirates' press release response to the report, click here.