Osushawn wrote: ↑Wed Jan 17, 2024 8:05 pm
Yariel Rodriguez signs with Blue Jays for 4/$32mil. Can't believe the Bucs couldn't afford that.
They can afford that. The owner chooses not to.
The Pirates could afford that and probably had to beat it to be seriously considered by Rodriguez. Maybe he didn't want to sign with Bucs no matter what but the Pirates should have at least made an offer better than Toronto's. Just matching other team's contract offers is not going to get many players to think they should sign with the Pirates. Why sign with a perennial loser if I have other opportunities?
I have no doubt that there are players who won’t sign here because they know what the owner and the organization are like. It’s a reputation that must be awful among their ranks. Therefore, the Pirates have to overspend to incentivize players to sign with them. Nutting has no intention of ever doing that. My greatest fear is that the team will rarely, if ever, have a chance to seriously compete for a title under the urgent ownership. I suppose it could happen, but it would be a miracle.
I was eight years old in 1960 and I still vividly remember how excited the adults were that the team was back in the World Series. 35 years had gone by since they were in the last one, but that meant nothing to me at that age. Now I understand. Now it’s been 46 years since we were there the last time. I have two children who are in their 40s who have yet to see the Pirates in the Series and I’m becoming more convinced every year that they’ll never see them there. How sad, and pathetic, is that?
The Pirates could afford that and probably had to beat it to be seriously considered by Rodriguez. Maybe he didn't want to sign with Bucs no matter what but the Pirates should have at least made an offer better than Toronto's. Just matching other team's contract offers is not going to get many players to think they should sign with the Pirates. Why sign with a perennial loser if I have other opportunities?
I have no doubt that there are players who won’t sign here because they know what the owner and the organization are like. It’s a reputation that must be awful among their ranks. Therefore, the Pirates have to overspend to incentivize players to sign with them. Nutting has no intention of ever doing that. My greatest fear is that the team will rarely, if ever, have a chance to seriously compete for a title under the urgent ownership. I suppose it could happen, but it would be a miracle.
I was eight years old in 1960 and I still vividly remember how excited the adults were that the team was back in the World Series. 35 years had gone by since they were in the last one, but that meant nothing to me at that age. Now I understand. Now it’s been 46 years since we were there the last time. I have two children who are in their 40s who have yet to see the Pirates in the Series and I’m becoming more convinced every year that they’ll never see them there. How sad, and pathetic, is that?
I'm not sure it is an accurate memory but I think when the Bucs signed Russell Martin it was for more than what Martin expected in free agency. That resulted in him signing quickly (I guess it took about a month). Possibly one of few times the Bucs have over paid for a big contributor. Of course it has turned out they have overpaid a lot for free agents that haven't worked out (like Walt Terrell)
Osushawn wrote: ↑Wed Jan 17, 2024 8:05 pm
Yariel Rodriguez signs with Blue Jays for 4/$32mil. Can't believe the Bucs couldn't afford that.
A sad sad sad situation!
Reports that Rodriguez was looking at a 4 year $40M contract was was being circulated. The Jays and Pirates were mentioned as possible finalists. $10M a year for a middle rotation pitcher is minimal in today’s market. To see that the Blue Jays got him for $8M a year just screams that the Pirates are not series about obtaining something of quality. This was a potential huge upside move they could easily afford. Get ready for the scraps at the bottom of the dumpster!
The Pirates could afford that and probably had to beat it to be seriously considered by Rodriguez. Maybe he didn't want to sign with Bucs no matter what but the Pirates should have at least made an offer better than Toronto's. Just matching other team's contract offers is not going to get many players to think they should sign with the Pirates. Why sign with a perennial loser if I have other opportunities?
I have no doubt that there are players who won’t sign here because they know what the owner and the organization are like. It’s a reputation that must be awful among their ranks. Therefore, the Pirates have to overspend to incentivize players to sign with them. Nutting has no intention of ever doing that. My greatest fear is that the team will rarely, if ever, have a chance to seriously compete for a title under the urgent ownership. I suppose it could happen, but it would be a miracle.
I was eight years old in 1960 and I still vividly remember how excited the adults were that the team was back in the World Series. 35 years had gone by since they were in the last one, but that meant nothing to me at that age. Now I understand. Now it’s been 46 years since we were there the last time. I have two children who are in their 40s who have yet to see the Pirates in the Series and I’m becoming more convinced every year that they’ll never see them there. How sad, and pathetic, is that?
I'm not sure it is an accurate memory but I think when the Bucs signed Russell Martin it was for more than what Martin expected in free agency. That resulted in him signing quickly (I guess it took about a month). Possibly one of few times the Bucs have over paid for a big contributor. Of course it has turned out they have overpaid a lot for free agents that haven't worked out (like Walt Terrell)
I don’t remember the details regarding the Martin signing, either, but I think that overpaying for him may have helped create the Bob Nutting we know today. Between 2013-15, he spent more on payroll than he ever did before and, when it didn’t avert quick exits from the playoffs, I believe he concluded that he had wasted money. Increased spending guaranteed nothing. In spite of spectacular attendance increases, I believe he determined it was in his best interests to operate the team the way he has since 2016. His revenues aren’t as great but he’s virtually eliminated his risk. MLB keeps giving him money for just being an owner and that seems to be satisfying enough.
I just wonder if the delay with the signing of some of the middle tier starting pitchers has to do with the eventual signing of Snell and Montgomery. It seems that this offseason has been slower than some of the previous offseasons. Besides pitchers their are some decent position players still out on the free agent market. I am not sure if as we get closer to ST their salary demands will be lower.
I have no doubt that there are players who won’t sign here because they know what the owner and the organization are like. It’s a reputation that must be awful among their ranks. Therefore, the Pirates have to overspend to incentivize players to sign with them. Nutting has no intention of ever doing that. My greatest fear is that the team will rarely, if ever, have a chance to seriously compete for a title under the urgent ownership. I suppose it could happen, but it would be a miracle.
I was eight years old in 1960 and I still vividly remember how excited the adults were that the team was back in the World Series. 35 years had gone by since they were in the last one, but that meant nothing to me at that age. Now I understand. Now it’s been 46 years since we were there the last time. I have two children who are in their 40s who have yet to see the Pirates in the Series and I’m becoming more convinced every year that they’ll never see them there. How sad, and pathetic, is that?
I'm not sure it is an accurate memory but I think when the Bucs signed Russell Martin it was for more than what Martin expected in free agency. That resulted in him signing quickly (I guess it took about a month). Possibly one of few times the Bucs have over paid for a big contributor. Of course it has turned out they have overpaid a lot for free agents that haven't worked out (like Walt Terrell)
I don’t remember the details regarding the Martin signing, either, but I think that overpaying for him may have helped create the Bob Nutting we know today. Between 2013-15, he spent more on payroll than he ever did before and, when it didn’t avert quick exits from the playoffs, I believe he concluded that he had wasted money. Increased spending guaranteed nothing. In spite of spectacular attendance increases, I believe he determined it was in his best interests to operate the team the way he has since 2016. His revenues aren’t as great but he’s virtually eliminated his risk. MLB keeps giving him money for just being an owner and that seems to be satisfying enough.
Martin was coming off a career low BA of .211 after 5 consecutive seasons of diminishing BAs. So they didn't have to overpay him. In his last year in NY he made 8.5 million. He signed a 2-year deal with the Pirates for 6.5 and 8.5 million. He did well for the Bucs and revived his career. He signed a 5-year deal with Toronto worth 82 million.
Productive FAs in their prime avoid the Pirates like the plague. The owner doesn't pay and the team doesn't compete. They will have to grossly overpay such a player to sign him and that will never happen with Nutting. What we see is what we get.