PITTSBURGH — The curtain closed on the Pirates' 2024 season eight days ago, but I'd like to revisit something that occurred before it mercifully kicked the bucket: Isiah Kiner-Falefa missing a $200,000 performance bonus and the absurd way it went down.

Four plate appearances shy of 500, Kiner-Falefa was out of the lineup for the Sept. 29 finale before someone from the Pirates approached him "maybe an hour before the game and gave me the option to play."

Pause there for a second.

Five days earlier, general manager Ben Cherington defended the Pirates designating Rowdy Tellez for assignment when he was the same number of plate appearances away from a $200,000 bonus and insisted that "I'm aware of the contracts that all players have."

If Cherington knew, why was Kiner-Falefa out of the lineup and then basically backed into a corner, where he had to pick between his own finances or giving younger players major league experience and perhaps their one-and-only shot to play at Yankee Stadium?

What the Pirates did came off as slimy or clumsy. It was also not an isolated incident when it comes to this regime's actions making it appear like it's detached from reality.

We're talking similar stuff to nearly taking Bryan Reynolds to arbitration or the tone-deaf nature of Cherington's season-ending press conference, when he insisted there was "clear evidence" of progress.

Honestly, I've never seen this fan base more agitated or insulted when it comes to how the Pirates have functioned, starting with owner Bob Nutting for inconceivably staying the course in Year 6 of a rebuild that has netted 76 wins each of the past two seasons.

In addition to finding new ways to irritate fans — including the last week by how they treated Tellez and Kiner-Falefa — it's almost like they couldn't be more oblivious if they tried.

Here's more of what I mean:

The highest level

Nutting has insisted he sees the Pirates as a family business, describing the responsibility of stewardship he feels when I asked why he continues to own the team during a March 2021 interview.

"My goal would be to steward and steer and help the Pirates flourish to the greatest degree that they can for as long as possible," Nutting said.

That's not happening.

Not even close. On myriad levels. Once again:

— The Pirates have finished last in eight of Nutting's 18 seasons as owner.

— They've averaged just 74 wins per season and have yet to win a division title in that time (since 2007). Meanwhile, the Guardians, Rays and A's have combined for 13.

— Only the Marlins have allocated fewer dollars to major league payroll since Nutting became owner.

My point: Nutting isn't performing some sort of noble deed. It's the polar opposite.

He's making a lot of good people angry by basically taking a civic responsibility — the Pirates might technically be a private business, but they're a public trust — and shirking it.

Or at least that's how it appears when you combine (mostly) bad results and insufficient spending.

Since the Pirates' season ended, I've received close to 100 emails from fans, the majority of those folks steamed over what has been happening at 115 Federal Street.

Check that. I've actually yet to hear from someone who truly believes in what the Pirates are doing. Some threaten to cancel their season tickets. Others get (understandably) very mad about the financial aspect.

They're valid points. But my takeaway is bigger.

If 95% or more of your fan base feels a certain way, they might not be wrong. But the Pirates, their heads reaching new depths of sand by the day, seemingly don't want to consider reality or outside opinion.

It starts with the owner, obviously, and it continues with an accountability that has seemingly vanished.

For example, Nutting said in January and reiterated in June that making the playoffs was the Pirates' goal for 2024. That obviously didn't happen. So why make only cosmetic changes?

Their frustrating acceptance of mediocrity should cause all of us to ignore those same overtures next season. Compete for the playoffs in 2025? Great.

What happens if you don't? Yeah, probably nothing.

Alternate reality

A common misunderstanding of the Pirates' plight involves thinking that it's one singular thing. It's always bigger.

Manager Derek Shelton didn't get enough out of what should've been an 83- or 84-win team. Cherington's trades and free agent signings have been lousy. This led to changes in professional scouting, research and development and international scouting.

There's also a wonky corporate structure when it comes to the positions immediately under Nutting: president and GM.

Travis Williams has the first title but has little involvement with baseball. He's responsible for the fan experience, sponsorships, concessions and more on the business side. Cherington handles baseball, we're told over and over.

The organizational structure means Cherington essentially answers directly to Nutting, without being challenged by anyone above him, and it's hard to see how that has worked out well.

It certainly comes off as Cherington living in some strange parallel universe where he thinks the following is actually true:

— "We're winning more games"

— "We've figured out a lot about what leads to success with hitters at the major league level."

— "I believe [Shelton] can help lead us toward winning in 2025."

— "[Payroll] is just not my primary focus, candidly."

— "I'm confident because I'm fully energized by the job."

Those are real quotes from last week's press conference.

That last one is subjective, obviously. Hard to say he's wrong. But it's quite an answer for why fans should expect things to be different in 2025.

I also don't blame fans. After back-to-back 76-win seasons, a payroll that ranked 29th in MLB in 2024, a farm system that dropped into the bottom third of MLB, and people running the show believing all is well, they're well-within their rights to be mad.

Since Cherington and Shelton took over, the Pirates are 29th with 2,776 runs scored — one better than the Marlins. Nobody has a worse team OPS than Pittsburgh (.674). They have most definitely not figured out what leads to success with hitters at the major league level, hence firing the hitting coach.

I'm not the only one who believes they need a new voice, and when your payroll is perennially puny, maybe it should be more of a focus.

Connection frayed

Business aside, there's an interpersonal incongruence when it comes to how the current regime relates to fans.

We prefer direct language over word salads. We also prefer coaches and executives to function as humans.

It's why Jim Leyland resonated. It's why Jim Rutherford will always hold a special place in the heart of Penguins fans.

The Pirates showing that they care as much as their fans might be at an all-time low.

It's also the lack of realization with where things stand — from how long they've been rebuilding (30 years, I know) to Kiner-Falefa's bonus, seemingly being OK with last year or even simple interactions with those of us covering the team.

Until recently, when we'd ask what a young player might've been working on — fairly essential during a rebuild — Shelton would laugh and inform us that, "You know we don't talk about development."

Cherington, meanwhile, seems to play defense with words. He averaged 182 per response last week. My suspicion is that it limits follow ups and dilutes any actual points made.

From a baseball perspective, the disconnect from reality or what fans want resides in habits that have been allowed to perpetuate.

Stuff like failing to hustle to first or staring at a deep fly ball that turns into a double and nothing happening to those who violate said rules; lineups that always change, and this past season had Connor Joe batting cleanup despite driving in five runs in two months; recurring issues with fundamentals and poor in-game decisions; and basically the same temperament after every loss.

For myriad reasons, that connection has frayed. And I have a tough time seeing how it will start any differently in 2025, when Shelton will almost assuredly be the rare manager booed during introductions at PNC Park.

It's all such a shame, honestly.

The Pirates had an easy solution with Terry Francona available. They chose the status quo. Now, the Reds will make the NL Central that much harder. But even if it wasn't the New Brighton native, I'm willing to bet the majority of Pirates fans would've been OK had the organization done something to show it cares.

The scary part is what happens when paying customers start to follow in the team's footsteps.

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