Nova and Freese both signed after Liriano was traded. They were both free agents after the trade of Liriano. Nova tested the market, Freese did not as he signed an extension in August.
Why don't you think it is important to extend players? Extending Cervelli, Marte, Polanco, and McCutchen were big moves and of course increases the payroll. Why would you or an average fan think differently? If they went to free agency and then were signed, you wouldn't consider them additions?
Like I said, Nova I'll give you, as they traded Liriano away, and then traded FOR Nova. But, Freese didn't SIGN after Liriano was dealt. He RE-signed, and there is a key distinction between the two. If Freese hadn't been on the team at the same time Liriano was, then I'd say yeah, he was an addition. But, the fact of the matter is that Freese was already on the team. So, in essence, the message that NH communicated (even referencing "financial flexibility" when resigning Freese) was that the Pirates could afford EITHER Liriano, OR Freese, but not both, when the fact of the matter was that both were on the same team at the same time. So, Freese's salary increased, and it meant that they could no longer afford both. And that's sad, as neither had an exorbitant salary by the current MLB standards.
I never said it's not important to extend players. On the contrary, I think that it is important, and a smart move by any team, but especially a small market team. However, let's take a look at a guy like Gerrit Cole. Cole probably won't have his arb years bought out. Are we to believe that if he is awarded, say $13 million in arbitration in two years that he won't be affordable and we either need to trade him, or DFA him? If so, then I see no point in continuing to follow this team. Cole's salary increase is a necessary cost of doing business. Yeah, it means salary necessarily goes up, but only as a bottom line total. It's completely inconsequential to whether or not objective improvements are made to the product on the field. Cole is on the team this year. He'll be on the team next year. Presumably, he'll be on the team the year after that.
When the FO says "salary will increase when the time is right," the average fan thinks that means the FO will invest to putting a superior, meaning better, product on the field, not the necessary salary increase that comes along with simply following the CBA that Bob Nutting signed off on.
It's a natural consequence of the CBA that salary will increase as your players get more experience. If "players acruing more experience"="Pirates can't sing an impact free agent" then saying "salary increased relative to last year" is a distinction without a difference.
I recall when the BMTIB took over and were asked about the low payroll they said it was because many players were young and not at the point where they would get larger salaries. And, of course, payroll would go up when the time was right. (And my dog ate my homework and the check is in the mail)
Of course the time was never right and even when the players evolve into higher salaried players, the team just gets rid of them or someone else to prevent any significant payroll increase. also the Pirates definition of high salary is lower than about any other team.