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Kovacevic: Don't presume, with this management, that this will improve

It's seldom the symptoms. It's almost always the causes.

In turn, it's not the Pirates striking out 13 times at the plate on this Friday night at PNC Park. It's not the third base coach putting up the most absurd stop sign of the summer. It's not a butchered double-play ball to shortstop. It's not the franchise's highest-paid player buzz-killing the only real rally. It's not the franchise's highest-ranked prospect hacking at the first offering after a four-pitch walk.

And be damned sure it's not OK anymore to analyze all this losing -- in this case 2-1 to the Phillies -- in isolation.