OnlyBucs

4740565E5047000C755258545C591B565A58350 wrote: This is a huge admission by Neal: his goal is to win 78-82 per season.  I can not believe he admits this. 



This alone should be sufficient for MLB to get involved.  I can not believe they will allow owners to put minimal effort and luck into a team. 



This explains 2015.  It explains 2016.  It explains everything: this group has no intention of trying to win the WS, they are now on record stating they are trying to win as many as 82 games and hope the team is actually better than they project.   82 wins plus luck is their strategy.  Can that possibly be ok with mlb??  Surely not.  A bombshell admission.
I don't think MLB cares. They would have to have evidence of mismanagement. To do that, they would have to have access to the team's financial records: the dreaded "opening of the books" that MLB owners refuse to do. That would set a precedent that MLB will do anything to avoid. MLB will definitely not open that can of worms. Nor do they want to acknowledge a lack of integrity by one of their own. And fans and media of other struggling teams would demand equal involvement by MLB to right their ships as well. Makes everyone look bad. No way MLB would get involved unless a team owner was found guilty of some crime or non-baseball scandal.

7E69667E6F7B626F7A620E0 wrote: Chris Mueller at Timesonline.com wrote a piece that I think makes tremendous sense where he calls out the "NUT" in comparing him to two small market teams in the Brewers & Indians, in a clever way.



I work for a company that makes business decisions that I don't agree with at times but I have to sell them as my own.



While I agree that NH hasn't done the greatest job drafting or developing players, he has been adequate. Maybe with different owner who loved baseball NH may have been allowed to add some pieces to that 98 win team the following year.



The biggest problem with the Bucs is ownership and it's said that "it starts from the top" and then permeates through the whole management team.



The article by Mueller highlights this and also makes one think that until there is a change at the top the Bucs will remain in this malaise.



So I guess we have a choice root for another team or continue with what they're putting out.
if they make enough decisions you don't agree with you might look for another job.



If NH really wants to show he is a top gm and win a world series he would not be happy with his employment by the Pirates. Yet he apparently is. Whether he agrees with every decision or not he certainly agrees with enough that he is satisfied.

Big problem with looking for another job is that only 30 exist in MLB.

I kind of feel some compassion for NH and think that maybe he has presented ideas, trades and FA signings that the big Nut wouldn't approve.

Where can he go if he leaves the Bucs?

485F5048594D54594C54380 wrote: Big problem with looking for another job is that only 30 exist in MLB.

I kind of feel some compassion for NH and think that maybe he has presented ideas, trades and FA signings that the big Nut wouldn't approve.

Where can he go if he leaves the Bucs?


IMO, the only the Pirates can win with low revenue and budget is with a great GM.



If NH is even a very good GM other teams would scoop him up if he became available (notice David Littlefield and Cam Bonifay never got another GM position).

585F49414F581F136A4D474B4346044945472A0 wrote: This is a huge admission by Neal: his goal is to win 78-82 per season.  I can not believe he admits this. 



This alone should be sufficient for MLB to get involved.  I can not believe they will allow owners to put minimal effort and luck into a team. 



This explains 2015.  It explains 2016.  It explains everything: this group has no intention of trying to win the WS, they are now on record stating they are trying to win as many as 82 games and hope the team is actually better than they project.   82 wins plus luck is their strategy.  Can that possibly be ok with mlb??  Surely not.  A bombshell admission.
No chance MLB gets involved. The only way to make change is for the fans to not show up at all. I wouldn't mind if nobody showed at this point.

5C5D4657410106320 wrote: This is a huge admission by Neal: his goal is to win 78-82 per season.  I can not believe he admits this. 



This alone should be sufficient for MLB to get involved.  I can not believe they will allow owners to put minimal effort and luck into a team. 



This explains 2015.  It explains 2016.  It explains everything: this group has no intention of trying to win the WS, they are now on record stating they are trying to win as many as 82 games and hope the team is actually better than they project.   82 wins plus luck is their strategy.  Can that possibly be ok with mlb??  Surely not.  A bombshell admission.
No chance MLB gets involved. The only way to make change is for the fans to not show up at all. I wouldn't mind if nobody showed at this point.


I hear you, but that’s a high stakes game: I can see Nutting heading for another city in about 10 years.

I don't think there's any chance that they leave Pittsburgh.



I think Tampa is the only team with a chance of relocating, and it's more likely that MLB expands with a team in LV and Charlotte.

0D302E232C262D0F2730212726420 wrote: I don't think there's any chance that they leave Pittsburgh.



I think Tampa is the only team with a chance of relocating, and it's more likely that MLB expands with a team in LV and Charlotte.


yeah, expansion is good for owners and a lot better than moving teams. Expansion fees are substantial and are like free money for other owners.

Where is Dogknot to tell us that everything NH said yesterday was just, "GM speak?"



It's all just, "GM speak," to Dog...until NH says something he likes. Then he says:



"Didn't you see what NH said about that? He already explained that."



Hi Dog! Hope you're enjoying this Pirates season. Send a postcard!

Tim at Piratesprospects.com is writing an interesting series on the Bucs that sheds some light on why small market teams have such difficultly and big market teams just reload.



Of course that is the problem with MLB, no salary cap no chance for small market teams to compete long term with big market teams.