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A day after the deal went through, fans
launched a petition on Change.org imploring Major League
Baseball to force Pirates owner Bob Nutting to sell the team.
The petition was seeking 50,000 signatures as of Wednesday
evening -- more than 36,000 people had signed as of 8:30 p.m.
ET.
"Pittsburgh is a baseball town that is being destroyed by a
greedy owner. There are so many loyal fans who truly care and
support this team through thick and thin. We deserve better,"
the petition reads. "Bob Nutting needs to sell this team, so
that we can see a competitive baseball team year in and year
out. It is obvious that he doesn't want to spend the money to
make that happen. We need an owner who has a competitive spirit
and loves the game of baseball!"
For his part, Nutting described trading McCutchen as "one of the
most emotionally agonizing decisions that we have had to make in
my tenure." Nutting took over as the team's principal owner in
January 2007.
In addition to dealing the 2013 National League MVP, Pittsburgh
sent its best pitcher, Gerrit Cole, to the Houston Astros on
Saturday.
Players also have spoken out against the Pirates' moves, with
veteran Josh Harrison saying Tuesday he would prefer to be
traded if the team is headed toward a rebuild.
"If indeed the team does not expect to contend this year or
next, perhaps it would be better for all involved, that I also
am traded," Harrison said in a statement to The Athletic. "I
want what is best for the organization that gave me a chance to
be a Big Leaguer."
The Pirates finished 75-87 last season, failing to make the
postseason for the second consecutive year after reaching the
playoffs each season from 2013-15.
--Field Level Media
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