While some Chicago Cubs fans might argue their team didn’t do enough to upgrade this winter, Pittsburgh Pirates player David Freese believes it’s his team that didn’t do enough to make up ground in the NL Central.

The third baseman made the observation shortly after he reported to training camp on Friday. "I walk in every day, and the demand to win just hasn't been in the air. That's what you need."

The problem for Pirates fans, is that it’s hard to argue that idea. The Pirates have had talent on the roster but haven’t been able to make a run. This offseason, they traded away their best pitcher in Gerrit Cole to the Pirates.

Shortly after that deal, they send long time superstar outfielder Andrew McCutcheon to the San Francisco Giants.

Freese wants to go up against the Chicago Cubs

When Freese joined the Pirates, it looked as though they were moving in the right direction. They had ended a 20-year run of losing seasons and looked to be contenders. Since he came over in 2016, they have posted two more losing campaigns. It appears the former St. Louis Cardinal is getting fed up with excuses for losing, as well as rebuilding modes.

The third baseman has also noticed that while the Pirates have been going back downhill, the Cubs have gone from a few moribund years, to three straight NLCS appearances and a World Series Title.

While Pittsburgh has a record of futility, it doesn’t and didn’t match the more than 100 years that passed between the Cubs’ world championships. Perhaps the biggest sticking point with Freese, is that other professional teams in the city have managed to put together championship runs.

Pittsburgh has become a winning city

There’s very little that sticks in the craw of Freese the way the other pro teams in his city have managed to win.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have won two straight Stanley Cups. The Pittsburgh Steelers are at least competing for the playoffs every year. And then there’s the Pirates.

While every team is going to go through some ups and downs, the Pirates have almost exclusively been down. David Freese is someone who isn’t used to this kind of losing.

He’s someone who has finally made it clear that the players he plays with are not happy the team is doing what it’s doing when it comes to selling the future.

The long and short of it is that the Chicago Cubs aren’t going to be challenged by the Pittsburgh Pirates this year. Perhaps his comments can get the team going in the near future.
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