OnlyBucs

Sadly, it does me, too, and I'm the guy who wrote it.



As I used to say on our former message board- it takes a certain amount of inner strength to be a Buccos fan.



Problem is? Not sure I have it anymore. )))

It was nice they had BC on High Heat, but honestly, why bother? Same goes true with Orioles, Rangers GM's right now, and probably a few others.



Everything is a canned answer. And the same one pretty much to every question. I do appreciate Chris Russo giving a perfunctory positive comment to open (talking about how the Pirates played hard and were competitive most of their games despite all the losses) and at the same time asking very pointed questions that he knew wouldn't get exactly answered.



Interview on the Pirates site, so no need to go over the details, you can watch if you please. It was eerily similar to the NH days. I think the most uncomfortable question for BC was in relation to the fans patience.

614740555C50475159320 wrote: It was nice they had BC on High Heat, but honestly, why bother? Same goes true with Orioles, Rangers GM's right now, and probably a few others.



Everything is a canned answer. And the same one pretty much to every question. I do appreciate Chris Russo giving a perfunctory positive comment to open (talking about how the Pirates played hard and were competitive most of their games despite all the losses) and at the same time asking very pointed questions that he knew wouldn't get exactly answered.



Interview on the Pirates site, so no need to go over the details, you can watch if you please. It was eerily similar to the NH days. I think the most uncomfortable question for BC was in relation to the fans patience.
Sounds like they were being kind. I don't recall them being competitive in most of their games. Looking back at the results, they gave up 10 or more runs in 19 games (winning 1 of them 11-10) and lost 42 games by 4 or more runs. A lot of games seemed over by the 2nd inning.



But this was not the core of a team on the rise. Most of the 2021 players were placeholders who won't not be around much longer. So it's not as if being competitive in most games would be an encouraging sign of things to come for this group. BC punted on the MLB team and they took their lumps while the focus was on the minors. I hope that the 2022 roster begins to take shape with some of the better prospects so we can see a core begin to develop for better years ahead. If such a roster is competitive in most games it will be an encouraging sign for better years ahead. But I don't think this year's team was very competitive and even if they had been, it wouldn't matter since most will be gone shortly anyway.

Time to get to it, and I'll be the guy who does. Here it is: The 2021 Pirates, Rangers, and Orioles were MLB clubs in name only.   Full stop.



for 3/4 of the guys or more, their obituaries can say that they were major league baseball players.  That's no small accomplishment.  Maybe 1/4 will say a little more.



The 2022 Pirates wont be much more.  I have the hunch that the same will be true of the Orioles and Rangers, but don't know enough about them to say.

6E5B4C4C477E4C4C47404C290 wrote: Time to get to it, and I'll be the guy who does.  Here it is:  The 2021 Pirates, Rangers, and Orioles were MLB clubs in name only.   Full stop.



for 3/4 of the guys or more, their obituaries can say that they were major league baseball players.  That's no small accomplishment.  Maybe 1/4 will say a little more.



The 2022 Pirates wont be much more.  I have the hunch that the same will be true of the Orioles and Rangers, but don't know enough about them to say.
I think 2022 will be a transition between the 2021 "We just need to find 26 guys to fill out the roster" and the beginnings of what they are counting on to be a competitive team going forward. The W-L record probably won't be much better but some of the players taking their lumps will be guys gaining useful experience instead of guys who got their cup o' coffee before getting on with their life's work. It may not show on the opening day roster but I think as the season progresses we will see guys like Cruz, Contreras, Castro, Martin, Mitchell, Fraizer and Marcano instead of dumpster diving to temporarily fill roster spots. The following year we could see Priester, Gonzalez, Peguero and Davis at some point during the season. This seems to be what BC is banking on. It remains to be seen how successful he will be.

36342E283E5B0 wrote: Some interesting comments from Ben at the GM meetings -

https://www.mlb.com/pirates/news/gm-ben ... eason-2022



If he can improve the ML roster as he has the minor league system, 2022 may not be as gloomy as it looks at this point.


I totally expect 22 to be gloomy as hell. Do you really think he will go out and get two good starting pitchers to help this garbage rotation?

In the article he says he intends to give the ML (and AAA) level the attention this year that he gave to the minor league system last year. If he does that (and I have no reason to doubt he will), then yes, I expect improvement next year. How he does that, I can't say. It may or may not call for signing (or trading for) two free agent pitchers. Keep in mind, though -- I'm an optimist.

2B29333523460 wrote: In the article he says he intends to give the ML (and AAA) level the attention this year that he gave to the minor league system last year. If he does that (and I have no reason to doubt he will), then yes, I expect improvement next year. How he does that, I can't say. It may or may not call for signing (or trading for) two free agent pitchers. Keep in mind, though -- I'm an optimist.


I’m an optimist as well and think we are closing in on a Atlanta Braves 1991-1994 run starting 2023. They brought their young guys up early and let them suck for a couple years and learn. Traded a couple of geezers in 1990 and did a little better. Youngsters started clicking in 91 and i think we know the rest of that story. Bring the kids up now and let them get used to the game in the bigs.

635F595F444D5B422C0 wrote: In the article he says he intends to give the ML (and AAA) level the attention this year that he gave to the minor league system last year. If he does that (and I have no reason to doubt he will), then yes, I expect improvement next year. How he does that, I can't say. It may or may not call for signing (or trading for) two free agent pitchers. Keep in mind, though -- I'm an optimist.


I’m an optimist as well and think we are closing in on a Atlanta Braves 1991-1994 run starting 2023.  They brought their young guys up early and let them suck for a couple years and learn.  Traded a couple of geezers in 1990 and did a little better.  Youngsters started clicking in 91 and i think we know the rest of that story.   Bring the kids up now and let them get used to the game in the bigs. 
You make a good point about the Braves of the early 90’s. When they signed Terry Pendleton that was a big move for the starting lineup.

Do you think for a moment that the Pirates have any intention whatsoever to sign the 2022-equivalent of Terry Pendleton?



I do not.