263E3C3B3B2C3D3A272630550 wrote: Haha.
Neither was the Titanic
LOL!!!
We'll never know what Littlefield might have done with looser purse strings. But his drafting was weak other than Cutch and Walker. The only other notable picks were Hughes, Watson and Gorzelanny. His first draft was to take Bryan Bullington #1 overall in a year with Zack Greinke, Melvin Upton Jr, Prince Fielder, Cole Hamels, Scott Kazmir, Nick Swisher and Denard Span and proclaim that Bullington had the potential to be a middle of the rotation starter. The Moskos pick was a disaster but was obviously money driven.
Then there was the Matt Morris trade. At that time rumors were spreading that Littlefield was on a very short leash and making a splash at the trade deadline was probably the only thing that could save his job. SF was trying to unload a no longer effective Morris at the end of his career and were willing to pay part of the 10+ mil left on his contract. But on the final day of the trade deadline, Littlefield seemed so desperate to make some deal that he offered to take on the entire 10+ mil for a washed up pitcher whose old team no longer wanted him. Morris had a 6.10 ERA as a Pirate the rest of 2007 and Littlefield was fired that September. NH released Morris the following April after 5 games with a 9.67 ERA as the Pirates ate the 10 mil owed Morris in 2008. The Morris deal looked like nothing more than Littlefield's desperate attempt to save his job and, since it didn't, he didn't have to work around the salary constraints it imposed on the team the following year. Littlefield has worked in the business many years and I'm sure he has some knowledge but his decision making as a GM was very suspect.
What he did to the Pirates was near criminal and he should never been able to get another job in baseball. I'm sure he gave several teams special deals especially SF in return for future employment he knew he was done in Pittsburg. Slugs like him should be run out of baseball he damaged the Pirate brand for more years to come, you never get over an intentional sabotage of the team your suppose to represent.
I think you are being a bit harsh with DL. He is not a bad or dumb person just as you are. He just does not have the mentality to be a GM. Ah, but he does have one great talent and that is coufing his marvelous head of hair. Now maybe he should move on to becoming and super duper Hollywood hairstylist! That would get him out of baseball I am sure!
