OnlyBucs

1C4A5C48475D4D464B5C6E49434F4742004D2E0 wrote: The VanMeter types will hopefully be a thing of the past.




I remember Huntington's fans promising the "waves of talent" from his drafts would eliminate any major league and minor league filler.

2D6E776C7F6A7B6D2D1E0 wrote: The VanMeter types will hopefully be a thing of the past.




I remember Huntington's fans promising the "waves of talent" from his drafts would eliminate any major league and minor league filler.


I remember that, too. It would be a constant input of young players year after year under NH. I guess it was possible. Tampa is an example. Oakland is on hard times now but the Athletics always seemed to have young talent on the big league club. It just never happened here under the guidance of “the best management team in baseball, maybe all of sports”.

1345534748524249445361464C40484D0F42210 wrote: The VanMeter types will hopefully be a thing of the past.




I remember Huntington's fans promising the "waves of talent" from his drafts would eliminate any major league and minor league filler.


I remember that, too.  It would be a constant input of young players year after year under NH.  I guess it was possible.  Tampa is an example.  Oakland is on hard times now but the Athletics always seemed to have young talent on the big league club.  It just never happened here under the guidance of “the best management team in baseball, maybe all of sports”.


That is why they were unceremoniously shown the way to the door

76484D45564E4E456540574413210 wrote: The VanMeter types will hopefully be a thing of the past.




I remember Huntington's fans promising the "waves of talent" from his drafts would eliminate any major league and minor league filler.


I remember that, too.  It would be a constant input of young players year after year under NH.  I guess it was possible.  Tampa is an example.  Oakland is on hard times now but the Athletics always seemed to have young talent on the big league club.  It just never happened here under the guidance of “the best management team in baseball, maybe all of sports”.


That is why they were unceremoniously shown the way to the door
I hope they were at least shown the way through the best door in baseball.

Every team will always have VanMeters. Some, more than others, and more often. Varying degrees.. It's just the way it is.



I bet we could look at 30 rosters and create a list.



We have the real deal.

6055424249704242494E42270 wrote: Every team will always have VanMeters.  Some, more than others, and more often.  Varying degrees..  It's just the way it is.



I bet we could look at 30 rosters and create a list.



We have the real deal.
Players like that don't usually last on the roster the entire season. And the Pirates are looking for playing time for prospects. But VanMeter blocks them in order to be and automatic out and be poor defensively. There's no way to make his presence on the team seem normal.

Agree with all.



I dont understand the "why," but there are a lot of things I don't understand.

The Pirates are nothing but a JOKE! The problems begin at the top (Nutting), and now, Cherrington. With the current 2022 season turning into another disaster, lo and behold, the g.m. tells us that Shelton is coming back next year. WOW! Yet, people will continue to put their money in Nutting’s pockets by attending games. Does anybody realistically believe that this team (?) will get better next year? I have, in my own way of protesting the ownership, have cancelled my subscription to watch them.I did this three years ago. And, please don’t tell me that those that attend, in person, games, that they enjoy watching them, or seeing the other teams that come in. Nutting does not care how people feel about him in regard for how he conducts his various other businesses that he owns or has owned. He has run them into the ground.

It turned into a disaster a few seasons ago.



Face it, we had some good seasons, but we had 20 disastrous years before that. So, it's a lot less common when things are good.



They have folks sold on what they're doing.



I don't know what next year calls for. I always look for improvement and hope that the folks in charge make the legitimate steps for it.

6B5E4949427B49494245492C0 wrote: It turned into a disaster a few seasons ago. 



Face it, we had some good seasons, but we had 20 disastrous years before that.  So, it's a lot less common when things are good.



They have folks sold on what they're doing.



I don't know what next year calls for.  I always look for improvement and hope that the folks in charge make the legitimate steps for it.
If they do, I think it's a pretty small group. I think in general, fans are very frustrated and want the team to become good but are skeptical. Most of us are lifelong fans of the team and have to deal with the reality of how things are. Nutting is not going to open the checkbook and bring in a bunch of productive veterans. Anyone who is sold on the idea of that ever happening is dreaming. The organization was going downhill under NH after 2015 and he was replaced. BC started with little in the minors during a season in which the minors didn't even play so the reality is that even a successful plan will take a few years. So all we can do is hope BC's plan works. That's very different from "being sold" on the idea that it is definitely going to work.



At this point I'm becoming more and more skeptical. Obviously I want the rebuild to succeed because that's the course they are embarked on. But none of the players who moved up to the MLB roster this season have impressed. Most are lost at the plate. Castro seems to be a headcase. There is no consistency by the starting pitchers. The totality of the manager's decisions provides compelling evidence that he is grossly incompetent to run an MLB team. His 3B coach appears unfit for his job. It's hard to believe they even have a hitting coach. Few pitchers have progressed as hoped. And players in the field appear unsure of what they should be doing. And there is very little at AAA this year. And now we've been assured that Shelton will return next year. As if things weren't already bad enough.



But I think Pirate fans these days pay a lot of attention to the minor league players. We don't accept at face value that the team will be rebuilt into a strong team in a few years. If that's the spin the team is selling, then we want to see the evidence. We look at prospect rankings, their minor league performance and their injuries. We have every right to be critical and skeptical until things change at the MLB level, if they ever do. So I don't think they have fans sold on what they are doing. Rather, they have fans who understand what they are doing and are watching very carefully for signs of success or failure. So far, it's not looking good.