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He is 0 for 2 -- but eager for his next at-bat.

"We're as committed and as hungry to win as we've ever been," he said.

Still, these are the facts: Three years after moving into PNC Park, the Pirates, according to McClatchy, have lost $30 million. They're also six days removed from completing their 11th consecutive losing season.

Some would label the situation preposterous. McClatchy would agree.

"I've read a lot about, 'How could this happen?' and 'It's ridiculous.' And it is ridiculous, but it's not just here," he said in an interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I think it's important to understand that the baseball industry itself has not been in great shape.

"You've got new ballparks in Milwaukee and Detroit, Pittsburgh and, maybe, Cincinnati that have lost money.

"We need to get our own affairs in order, but I don't think you can look at the Pirates without looking at an industry that has gone down the wrong road financially and now is trying to correct itself."

McClatchy, 40, believes the Pirates took a large step toward correcting themselves with a flurry of trades that began in mid-July.

High-priced veterans such as left fielder Brian Giles and closer Mike Williams were dealt, along with an expensive young player in third baseman Aramis Ramirez and short-term veterans such as center fielder Kenny Lofton and Randall Simon.

McClatchy admitted the Pirates didn't get good value in some of those trades, but he likes the fact that money was freed and young players were acquired. He believes alienated fans will return if the team starts winning.

"We know that until we do our job properly, we're not going to get maximum support," he said. "I think this is a good sports town. That was a bet I made a number of years ago, when I first got here.

"Some people say it's just a football town, but I think it'd be a pretty good baseball town if you put the right product on the field."

Similar to when he bought the team in 1996, McClatchy is promising to build around youth. The question is, even if the Pirates produce young stars in their latest youth movement, will they be able to keep them?

What's to stop the cycle of losing good players because the team can't afford them?

"Winning would stop the cycle," McClatchy said. "We haven't won."

He added, "You also have to have a system that's deep enough where you can lose a player and not feel like the world's crashing down."

It will take time, McClatchy said, but he doesn't like to use the word 'rebuilding' and flat-out rejects the idea of the dreaded five-year plan.

"I would say we're retooling. When people say rebuilding, I think that's when you have a winning organization and you're coming off going to the playoffs and getting rid of a lot of the established guys.

"I think we're just trying to get better, younger players to go with an already strong farm system."

McClatchy refutes the notion that he had to make certain trades to keep the Pirates' debt-to-earnings ratio satisfactory for MLB.

"Did we have to make an exact move at an exact time for payroll? No," he said. "Did we start making changes because it had something to do with finances? Yes."

The Pirates' payroll at the start of the season was nearly $55 million. By the end, it was around $42 million, which ranked 27th in the majors. McClatchy declined to say what his target payroll is for next season but said it would be reduced from $42 million.

Surprisingly, McClatchy said there is room in the budget for the team's two highest-priced players, catcher Jason Kendall and pitcher Kris Benson.

It is widely believed that the Pirates would like to rid themselves of at least part of Kendall's contract, which will pay him an average of $10 million a season through 2007. Benson will make $6 million next season.

McClatchy admitted it's not prudent for a team to tie up a large portion of its payroll in one player -- not to mention having two players take up almost half a payroll -- yet he insists that both contracts are manageable.

"They're in our budget for next year," he said. "We saw Jason take a big step this year and really improve himself. And we're counting on Kris to do the same thing next year.

"You'd be amazed at how quickly it can turn around with good starting pitching."

Major changes likely will occur at third base and in the bullpen, which McClatchy largely blamed for the team's bad first half.

He pointed out that the Pirates, who finished 75-87, have improved their record in consecutive years and played their best baseball late in the season.

"After June 14, our record was 50-48," he said. "We actually played better with the younger players. Not many people in this marketplace know that."

A lot of people, however, were shocked when McClatchy announced he'd lost $30 million since moving into PNC Park.

That, despite the fact that the team drew a franchise-record of 2,436,139 fans in 2001, 1,784,993 (sixth-best) in 2002 and 1,636,751 this season.

Toward the end of the Pirates' second year at PNC Park, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review asked McClatchy if the team was in any serious financial trouble. His response: "We're fine."

McClatchy said the Pirates had lost money each of their first two years at PNC Park, perhaps several million the second year, but the $30 million figure midway through year No. 3 took many by surprise.

Some observers questioned McClatchy, who points out that the team's revenues have gone up while its attendance has dwindled.

But, $30 million?

"I'm not going to open up the books," he said. "I don't know many teams that do. We are where we are. The main people that I need to have understand it are the bankers."

It is McClatchy's hope that other teams are becoming less inclined to hand out lavish, long-term contracts. He also believes that MLB's improved revenue sharing plan will help mid- and small-market teams, although payments for this season have not yet been doled out.

Finally, he insists that his ownership group is stable -- "I don't anticipate any major changes" -- and that he has not once thought of selling his interest.

"There's always speculation," he said. "But I've put a lot of time and energy into the Pirates, and I would like to see us take the next step.

"I don't want to ever walk away from something without completing the job. And I haven't completed the job."

McClatchy on other topics:

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