Very Well Done Article On Bucsdugout

[Xiga]

I think the minor league development this year is pretty much the single criteria he will be judged on, meaning I disagree with the article's rather tired arguments about lack of off season activity.  At first he says that he wanted the Pirates to exercise the options then agrees that the Pirates made the right market decision, then is not happy with the replacement players signed while acknowledging they are probably a bit better then the players he initially wanted the Pirates to sign for contracts that would have been very poor market deals.  Excuse me, but - "huh?!?!"  

Well, that does seem to be a common feeling amongst some fans. They were incensed that they didn't pick up the options, but then were incensed by the replacement signings. Even though the options all turned out to be way above market value and were correctly declined, and I'd say at worst - as a whole - they treaded water on the replacement signings while saving a bunch of cash. Arguably got somewhat better, but we'll see on that.

I agree with VaPirate. The plan is the draft and it has to come through or else NH failed. Some bad things from last year, like Alvarez and Sanchez bombing, need to right themselves, and they need to get some return on the investment they've made in overslot HS pitching. Things could really turn in the organization's favor this year. On the other hand, there could be a lot of flops and a lot of things that NH has done will have failed. But at this point we don't know what the answer is going to be. I think they've had the right strategy in drafting and building from within and they've been smart not to make a monster signing to appease fans that think that throwing money around will make everything better. But that's only part of it, the plan actually has to lead to success. This is certainly a critical year for the organization and NH's future. I think they need to go a different direction if the plan doesn't start bearing fruit.

[MaineBucs]

This article speaks to the ever growing frustration that encompasses all discussions regarding the Pirates.  We have lost for so long that at some point things have got to get better --- don't they?

Loses upon loses have devastated most everyone's optimism, even when some things are going right.  The inherent problem is not enough things are going right and they are not going right fast enough.  When you look around, the D-Backs went from last to first, the Rays are now admired instead of being derided, the Nats appear to really be rebuilding, and with increased spending, it looks like the Marlins are trying to erase concerns about being Florida (a State) and to embrace being a City (Miami).  Where are the Pirates --- no significant change since the last Division championship; there are still one of the worst teams in the league.

I try to wrap myself around the potential of Tallion, Cole, Heredia, Allie, Bell, Marte, and Grossman, and believing that Owens, Locke, Wilson, Watson, Morris, Sanchez and others will be contributors.  I try to believe that the future will be brighter.  That said, I want to see the major league team win (like they were at the beginning of last season) and to see meaningful ball played in Pittsburgh yet once again. 

As I posted last week, I believe Alvarez's failure to develop last year after showing such positive signs at the end of the 2010 season has really hurt this franchise more than any other failure.  If Alvarez were raking, there would be much less talk about the failures of the top prospects from 2008 and 2009, and folks would be talking up a core of Alvarez and McCutchen, with Walker, Tabata and Presley offering some promise. 

Among all the current 'states' of the major league team, I am most troubled by the starting rotation entering 2012.  I like Bedard, I have some hope for Morton and McDonald, but the team does need more than Karstens, Correria and Lincoln for depth.  As it stands now, I'd be stretching that other McCutchen and Leroux out in spring training.  That said, there certainly were not many options available through free agency, and trading for decent starting pitching sure proved to be expensive (talent wise) this off-season.

Unless there is a sudden infusion of real money into this franchise, unfortunately Pirate fans likely will suffer for at least several more years yet to come and will need to hope that the current prospects are not suspects. 

I liked the article, although I did not agree with all of its points.  Further, NH, like all GM's will be held accountable if there is no signs of real improvement.  To date, I would give NH a low B, but if Alvarez pumps and some of the prospects look like winners, that grade could rsie rapidly.

[A. Senter]

The real problem for NH is that he doesn't evaluate talent (presumably). That is done by scouts and stats and perhaps even an old crone who reads chicken tossed in the dirt behind the team offices. He is at the mercy of those evaluators and evaluations. I suspect it will be another year or two until we know how those pitchers he's been grabbing will work out. Then we will know if he did a good job, or just tried and failed.

What?  NH is at the mercy of the people that work under him?  He's their supervisor, so to speak.  It's his job to constantly be evaluating the results he's getting from the scouts, coaches, instructors/development staff.  If he isn't satisfied with the results then it's his job to make changes and bring in people that he feels will get him the results he expects.

[TNbucs]

The real problem for NH is that he doesn't evaluate talent (presumably). That is done by scouts and stats and perhaps even an old crone who reads chicken tossed in the dirt behind the team offices. He is at the mercy of those evaluators and evaluations. I suspect it will be another year or two until we know how those pitchers he's been grabbing will work out. Then we will know if he did a good job, or just tried and failed.

What?  NH is at the mercy of the people that work under him?  He's their supervisor, so to speak.  It's his job to constantly be evaluating the results he's getting from the scouts, coaches, instructors/development staff.  If he isn't satisfied with the results then it's his job to make changes and bring in people that he feels will get him the results he expects.

Hence the significant changes made back in October.  Moving Kyle Stark to Assistant GM in particular should not be overlooked.

[gamecckfn]

NH has done what needed to be done. He gets an enormous amount of credit for that. He just hasn't done it particularly well.  He is like a doctor who finally gets a diagnosis of a cracked heel correct but sends you to physical therapy for arthritis. We are on the right track but I am afraid someone needs to come in and finish the job in a more efficient manner.

RJR

Not sure on the analogy, but I think most people agree with the rest.  The ownership situation really shrinks the margin for error.  If NH was able to sign players like Edwin Jackson and Carlos Pena instead of Kevin Correia and Lyle Overbay, missing on Clement and Alderson would not sting as much.

[RJReynolds]

NH has done what needed to be done. He gets an enormous amount of credit for that. He just hasn't done it particularly well.  He is like a doctor who finally gets a diagnosis of a cracked heel correct but sends you to physical therapy for arthritis. We are on the right track but I am afraid someone needs to come in and finish the job in a more efficient manner.

RJR

Not sure on the analogy, but I think most people agree with the rest.  The ownership situation really shrinks the margin for error.  If NH was able to sign players like Edwin Jackson and Carlos Pena instead of Kevin Correia and Lyle Overbay, missing on Clement and Alderson would not sting as much.

Absolutely correct. NH's margin for error is close to zero. A team like this cannot just have an average GM to succeed, due to the constraints put on the GM by ownership. This team needs a great GM. And at this point I'm fairly convinced that NH is not that person. Although I am not the one to ask about who that person is or where he would come from.

RJR

[wvbucco]

He just signed a three-year extension, so he is probably going to be here for 2012 and 2013 anyway.  I think it would take a lot for them to let him go one year after signing him up for three.  Can we trade him?  

[A. Senter]

The real problem for NH is that he doesn't evaluate talent (presumably). That is done by scouts and stats and perhaps even an old crone who reads chicken tossed in the dirt behind the team offices. He is at the mercy of those evaluators and evaluations. I suspect it will be another year or two until we know how those pitchers he's been grabbing will work out. Then we will know if he did a good job, or just tried and failed.

What?  NH is at the mercy of the people that work under him?  He's their supervisor, so to speak.  It's his job to constantly be evaluating the results he's getting from the scouts, coaches, instructors/development staff.  If he isn't satisfied with the results then it's his job to make changes and bring in people that he feels will get him the results he expects.

Hence the significant changes made back in October.  Moving Kyle Stark to Assistant GM in particular should not be overlooked.

That was my point.  He can make changes if he feels they're necessary, but he is certainly not, "at their mercy."

[mouse]

There is no perfect GM. They are all gambling on random factors and trying to hit on more than they miss on. Pittsburgh's problem is they have to be at the low stakes table, where the odds of success are even longer.

[WTM]

Although I am not the one to ask about who that person is or where he would come from.

Nobody here is.  If you read the comments at BD, the last line of defense for the people who automatically defend NH on all points is to say, "Name who you'd hire instead."  I have no patience with that kind of argument because none of us is in a position to say even who's available, much less who's the best candidate.  Even DL was once listed by Baseball America as a top GM prospect.  But we ARE in a position to have valid opinions about whether the current GM is doing a good job.  Five years ago I'd never heard of NH, but I'd been arguing for several years by then that DL was incompetent and I was right.

[The Moose]

"Name who you'd hire instead." 

Paul DePodesta.

[bobster]

If you read the comments at BD, the last line of defense for the people who automatically defend NH on all points is to say, "Name who you'd hire instead."  I have no patience with that kind of argument because none of us is in a position to say even who's available, much less who's the best candidate.  Even DL was once listed by Baseball America as a top GM prospect.  But we ARE in a position to have valid opinions about whether the current GM is doing a good job.  Five years ago I'd never heard of NH, but I'd been arguing for several years by then that DL was incompetent and I was right.

I agree completely. My response to that argument is always that these guys who are such "experts" that we commoners cannot understand their moves often get fired for not being very good at those jobs. Just because someone is hired doesn't make him good at the job.