I am beginning to think that the Bucs have the worst luck of any organization in the major leagues. Yesterday, the wire reports were abuzz with headlines that three Pirates had tested positive for steroids. The news, in of itself, is not too surprising. It seemed inevitable that the steroids scandal would touch the Pirates, but the timing couldn't have been worse. The day before, it was announced that 38 minor leaguers from various organizations had also been suspended.

Thanks to the vagaries of the national news cycles, the news that 3 Pirates tested positive last year got quickly overshadowed the fact that 38 minor leaguers tested positive this spring. This was despite the fact that two of the offending Bucs (Jon Nunnally and Brian Mallette) weren't even with the organization when they tested positive. This was also despite the fact that in the group of 38 announced the day before, the Mariners (8), the Cubs (7), the Angels (5), the Athletics (5), the Rangers (5) and the Padres (4) all had more players suspended than the Pirates. However, because the news of the Pirate suspensions happened a day later, the Pirates got singled out.

In the larger scheme of things, it's not really a big deal. No doubt, more suspensions will come -- likely touching every major league organization. The PR hit was not severe, and will likely not have any long-lasting implications for the team. It was just a minor embarrassment, but unfortunately it was one minor embarrassment in a long line of minor embarrassments. Twelve consecutive losing seasons will do that.

The national media love to typecast, and the Bucs have been typecast as losers. Part of this is justified, but part is because it makes easy copy. Winning will cure all, but the more the minor embarrassments add up, the harder it will be to shake the the image they had been cast.