123F32232435226261500 wrote: I don't know much about these picks other than what I've read and viewed on You Tube videos. But one thing I do know that's encouraging: Huntington wasn't involved in choosing them.
Jared Jones 6'1"
Logan Hoffman 5'10"
Two obvious NH no-nos. No pitchers under 6'3" in his drafts
Yeah, he wanted all those guys who could throw downhill. Too bad all the hitters hit their pitches down the hill that was beyond the fence.
I gotta say that when I read docs last three posts, I at first thought it was Shedman.
When did you become so cruel?
I just wonder what has become of the mild mannered doc? I guess just too many golf outings with shedman.
While I'll admit Shedman is Lucifer himself, I don't believe he's cast a spell on me. My opinion of Huntington has been consistent since the winter of 2015 when he, either through gross incompetence or intention, no longer tried to build a winning major league roster.
I believe Nutting ordered NH to pull back on the reins after 2015. Up until that time, NH was making good efforts to make the team competitive and it was working. There was also (understandably) a correlation between the talent level and the team's willingness to at least modestly approach the MLB average payroll. They finally topped .500 and made the postseason in 2013 with a payroll only 53% of the MLB average. The payroll increased so that by 2015 they were at 77% of the MLB average. That seemed to be the breaking point. Altho there was a minuscule payroll increase in 2016 it did not keep up with MLB inflation and actually dropped to 74% of the average. Each year thereafter the payroll has drifted further and further away from the MLB average as the talent has declined and last season they were at a meager 52% of the MLB average payroll. I find it hard to believe NH worked to successfully transform the Pirates into a winner and then suddenly pulled the plug by going for cheaper and less talented players (Jaso, Vogelsong, Niese) in 2016 with predictable results. It only makes sense if Nutting told him they had reached their spending limit and were going to cut back regardless of the results.
I think NH knew this earlier. That would explain why AJ Burnett was allowed to leave after 2013. Just that after 2015 NH failed.
When they acquired Burnett in the trade with the Yankees he had 2 years left on his contract at 16.5 million per year. But NY paid 10 million of that each year so the Bucs got him for a modest 6.5 million per year. As a FA in 2014 at age 37 he wanted to close to what he was getting and the Bucs would not pay it. Philly gave him 15 million for 1 year. He returned at age 38 a year later for a modest 8.5 million. Payroll increased from 59.4 million in 2013 to 76.9 million in 2014 without Burnett. I'm sure re-signing him without having the Yankees paying most of his salary was not an option until he reduced his price a year later. Under NH they suffered from some poor drafting and poor player development. Even when they drafted the right players they didn't seem to know what they had or how to develop them. And when the increasing payroll was suddenly decreased, things totally fell apart.
I would say that is a good analysis. Guess that's how you became a global moderator
And it doesn't hurt to cross Possum's palm with silver. ;D
Believe it or not, I still have that thick stack of $100 bills hidden up in by attic behind the clock. They will only be taken out when the Bucs win the Pennant and I treat Bobster, wvbucco, PirateNut, Gunner, VaPirate, and Baltoed to one great victory celebration at the old folks home! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D