The Pirate Way

[Gnats Eyelash]

In another thread, I wrote:

"The Pirate Way has already been established:  Lie to get public funding for a stadium.  Strip down the payroll.  Increase profits and pay down debt."

That's probably both accurate and inflammatory.

Seriously, though, if Frank Coonelly wants to change the culture of the Pirates, it has to be through all areas of the organization.  Translation:  You cannot demand accountability from everyone other than ownership.  If the owner is on board and has bought into the program, then it has a chance. 

If the owner is not on board, it doesn't have a chance.

We've heard some of that in the off season with the comments of Bay, Nady and Morris.  You can't have the owner coming out and saying he'll invest in the payroll of the team when it is ready to contend, and then not invest in the team that he hopes will contend.

That is the most telling development of the off season.  If you think last year's team has a legitimate chance because it underachieved, then add to it and see if if flourishes.  If you think last year's team "is what it is," then have enough guts to dismantle it and take the PR hit.  If you're not going to contend, you aren't going to do it with Gorzelany, Snell, Sanchez, Bay and LaRoche.  Get what you can for these guys and maybe you can get enough to make some noise in three years.

But we have neither scenario playing out.  The current Pirates aren't good enough to invest in, and they apparently aren't good enough to trade off. 

Unfortunately, for a team trying to define the Pirate Way in its own words, you can't get there from here unless everyone is on board.  Owner, President, GM, Manager, Coaches, Players and everyone in between.