I was a bit out of touch over the weekend, so I hadn't really noticed — or cared — what the Pirates did against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

As it turned out, I didn't miss anything.

After hearing about the win Friday night, I was too busy over the weekend to watch the news, so I was pretty disappointed when I saw the Pirates were shut out both days, 7-0 on Saturday and 9-0 Sunday.

Sixteen-to-zero in two days. Have things really gotten this bad? Eight hits and three walks but no runs on Saturday, just five hits and no walks on Sunday.

I understand the rebuilding process, and with every new manager, general manager, ownership group, the Pirates have had to scrap everything and start again, only to go sideways.

Is this as low as it goes? I also understand trading marginal talent — first baseman Adam LaRoche, outfielder Nyjer Morgan and pitcher Sean Burnett and even outfielder Nate McLouth, for example — but the returns are marginal, at best.

The past problems of the organization had left the minor-league system in a free fall with very little talent advancing through, and when it did, it never made a sizable dent.

Most of the team's top players the past 10 years, Brian Giles, Jason Bay, Jack Wilson, Freddie Sanchez and Reggie Sanders, didn't come from within the team's minor-league system. All came in trades or signed as free agents.

Even the team's only 15-game winner since 1993, Todd Ritchie (1999), was an import, as was Jason Schmidt and Oliver Perez (2004), and Kip Wells (2002-03).

Of course, none of those players make you think about Cy Young, but we'd settle for Kevin Young, the last strong first baseman.

With the poor play of last weekend — did the Pirates actually score 10 runs in Friday night's win against the D'Backs? — the Pirates have sank to a new depth.

They've been shut out 11 times in its 55 losses and are 12 games below .500 with a 43-55 mark entering last night's game in San Francisco.

Oddly enough, they are only nine games out of first place because, once again, no one seems to want to run away with the National League Central.

Had the Pirates been playing .500 ball this year, they would be tied for fourth place with the Milwaukee Brewers (49-49) but only three games out of first place.

Mediocre baseball would pt the team in the thick of the race. Maybe that would have meant guys like McLouth could have been a lot of help to make that push, but we'll never know.

Instead, the shutouts Saturday and Sunday pretty much cemented a major-league record of most consecutive losing seasons at 17.

The Pirates could reel off 12 straight wins but would have to go 26-26 to prevent a losing season.

I'm sure with the Steelers training camp set to open Saturday, most of the attention will be turned to them — and rightfully so.

But it's sad to see what might have been a promising season slip away again. Even if I'm not watching.

Sam Tallarico is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.