Pirates have received much more support since then, being a key Draft archetype in Commander Masters, receiving an entire Commander precon in The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, and being included in Outlaws of Thunder Junction's outlaw batch
and Jon Becker will contest for the rest of his days the dubious circumstances of his Top 8 non-win)
They have a great balance between explosive power and a short time on the field, save for the few cards that can prolong their presence
That's reliable card flow with your discards since you'll draw, it's not just a one/turn or arrival, and the creatures grow over time to become more and more of a threat
Ill Girl: The lore mentions that the girl has an unspecified incurable illness
Thats not too difficult to accomplish in Mono-Black, with both Sephiroth and Vengeful Bloodwitch offering accessible drain effects