OnlyBucs

1031242D152C37243120450 wrote: I probably have the fewest posts of anybody who has been on here since 2016, I tend to lurk and try to stay out of anything controversial. Bobster, I totally get your point about FA, it is not lost on me. So you try to get Anderson right now, you don't wait.



July 15: Tyler you know that we are looking to trade you at the deadline. So far we haven't received an offer even close to the value we believe you bring to our team. We love the way you compete. We love your attitude in the clubhouse and think you set a very good example for our younger players.



We are trying to build something here. We're young and our pitchers need experience, seasoning, and a mentor to help them out. Tyler, we see you as the ideal person to take that role for us. As a FA, we know you'll have options at the end of the year, but to show you our commitment, and how much we think you can help, we'd like to offer you a contract extension of (fill in the appropriate blank) today.



Talk with your agent, let us know if that works. We'd like to keep you as a Pirate. If that doesn't, we'll wish you all the best.





BC has proven he can think outside of the box with a really great draft. Why not with the major league team by at least adding a piece that solidifies next years starting staff just a bit?



I keep feeling like BC is the GM of the Pirate minor league system and not the GM of the Pittsburgh Pirates themselves.



Bobster, you estimate of 98 losses next year. How many years does a rebuild require you to lose 100 games (or the 2020 equivalent)? How many years do you need to draft in the first 5 slots? What I love (hate) about windows is they always slip.



I just think it's time we start building some bridges to that prospect window. We all know prospects don't catch on at the MLB level as quickly as we'd like.



Finally, I like Anderson, liked him a lot. So maybe I'm pushing that too hard. But I'm really tiring of trading everything decent and trying out leftovers.



I'll go back to lurking now. I've made too many posts in the last couple of days.
I was talking about this year. I sure hope they don't lose that many again next year.



Next year I hope roster spots are given to some of the more promising prospects in the minors this year instead of looking in dumpsters for the likes of Kai Tom, Nogowski, Stokes, Fowler or Todd Frazier. Also, not having Polanco will be a plus when they can use RF to get ABs for players with more potential. But pitching will remain a problem unless (gulp!) they at least spend money for a better BP. Other than Bednar, Stratton and Shreve, there's no one who doesn't routinely pour gas on fires. And with a starting rotation than is lucky to go 5 innings, a weak BP makes the situation even worse.

I'm not opposed to dealing suspect(s) to get what I want now. Let someone take a chance on them for the known quantity.



Of course, the deals would need to be made wisely. That's true for every trade, every signing, and any other personnel decision. I state that only because some look for any reason to oppose.

4A46471C151C14191E011B2C0 wrote: The  comment about drafting, developing, trading etc is the way to improve a last place team, is spot on. That is what Ben Cherington and his group are doing, and I have said it more than once [highlight]he would not have come to Pittsburgh if he did not receive assurances that when the time comes he will add pieces for the organization to contend for the postseason.[/highlight]




I wouldn't be surprised that BC received those assurances.  I also wouldn't be surprised if Nutting didn't carry through with them.  Is there anything that you've seen from Nutting since he gained control of the franchise that would suggest he would honor his promise?  Me neither.
You are so right about the way that Bob Nutting has run this franchise. Notwithstanding, I either read, or heard that after the 2019 season the Nutting family, possibly Mr. Nutting , was not pleased how the media and fans were writing and talking negatively towards the family. [highlight]I may be in the minority, but I think the current management group including Travis Williams, as well as BC group have been given the directive to right the organization.[/highlight] I might be wrong, but I am going to continue to remain positive with the current Management Group.


Nutting may well have issued that order but I think I'll wait to see what he does rather than believe what he says.



I, too, like the baseball management team. Unfortunately, they don't have the final word on all decisions. I believe they, and all other baseball people who work for Nutting, will always have their hands tied, unless MLB goes through a big change that levels the field. Until then, they're stuck and we're stuck as fans.

242829727B727A77706F75420 wrote: The  comment about drafting, developing, trading etc is the way to improve a last place team, is spot on. That is what Ben Cherington and his group are doing, and I have said it more than once he would not have come to Pittsburgh if he did not receive assurances that when the time comes he will add pieces for the organization to contend for the postseason.




People accept jobs for any number of reasons.  The guy probably has bills to pay.  Talk is cheap.  I remember years ago- back when the Pirates were looking for Littlefield's replacement.  A former GM, now a host of a program on MLBNR said that "no well-respected general manager candidate should accept the Pirates (GM) job unless he had it written into his contract that the team's payroll would rank 15th or higher" (among all MLB teams.)



What he meant was that the best candidates wouldn't interview for the job without it.  So, the Pirates would either need to agree to it, go with a second-tier or lower candidate pool, or be satisfied with something less than a championship.  Huntington was a first-timer.



In my opinion, Cherington would have been foolish and naive if he didn't insist on that or reasonably close to it.



He can improve the club without a clause like that, but there is only so much that he or anyone else can do without it.



Talking about receiving "assurances" is one thing.  Getting them is what counts. 

5F7E6B625A63786B7E6F0A0 wrote: I probably have the fewest posts of anybody who has been on here since 2016, I tend to lurk and try to stay out of anything controversial. Bobster, I totally get your point about FA, it is not lost on me. So you try to get Anderson right now, you don't wait.



July 15: Tyler you know that we are looking to trade you at the deadline. So far we haven't received an offer even close to the value we believe you bring to our team. We love the way you compete. We love your attitude in the clubhouse and think you set a very good example for our younger players.



We are trying to build something here. We're young and our pitchers need experience, seasoning, and a mentor to help them out. Tyler, we see you as the ideal person to take that role for us. As a FA, we know you'll have options at the end of the year, but to show you our commitment, and how much we think you can help, we'd like to offer you a contract extension of (fill in the appropriate blank) today.



Talk with your agent, let us know if that works. We'd like to keep you as a Pirate. If that doesn't, we'll wish you all the best.





BC has proven he can think outside of the box with a really great draft. Why not with the major league team by at least adding a piece that solidifies next years starting staff just a bit?



I keep feeling like BC is the GM of the Pirate minor league system and not the GM of the Pittsburgh Pirates themselves.



Bobster, you estimate of 98 losses next year. How many years does a rebuild require you to lose 100 games (or the 2020 equivalent)? How many years do you need to draft in the first 5 slots? What I love (hate) about windows is they always slip.



I just think it's time we start building some bridges to that prospect window. We all know prospects don't catch on at the MLB level as quickly as we'd like.



Finally, I like Anderson, liked him a lot. So maybe I'm pushing that too hard. But I'm really tiring of trading everything decent and trying out leftovers.



I'll go back to lurking now. I've made too many posts in the last couple of days.


I have no problem with extending an offer to Anderson, in fact, think we should do more 2 or 3 year deals with vets to show they mean business in trying to get back to the playoffs and won’t be flipped at the deadline.  Whats it going to hurt as long as they aren’t blocking someone



And i have less posts than you?

And now there are only 15 days to the start of the Off Season thread.

7B606D6C656966080 wrote: And now there are only 15 days to the start of the Off Season thread.
Are we going to grade Atlanta signing Morton to an extension?

7E585F4A434F584E462D0 wrote: And now there are only 15 days to the start of the Off Season thread.
Are we going to grade Atlanta signing Morton to an extension?
_______

No, unfortunately for Atlanta, the Off Season has not yet started.

Just 11 more days to the Off Season.

575B5A0108010904031C06310 wrote: The  comment about drafting, developing, trading etc is the way to improve a last place team, is spot on. That is what Ben Cherington and his group are doing, and I have said it more than once [highlight]he would not have come to Pittsburgh if he did not receive assurances that when the time comes he will add pieces for the organization to contend for the postseason.[/highlight]




I wouldn't be surprised that BC received those assurances.  I also wouldn't be surprised if Nutting didn't carry through with them.  Is there anything that you've seen from Nutting since he gained control of the franchise that would suggest he would honor his promise?  Me neither.
You are so right about the way that Bob Nutting has run this franchise. Notwithstanding, I either read, or heard that after the 2019 season the Nutting family, possibly Mr. Nutting , was not pleased how the media and fans were writing and talking negatively towards the family. I may be in the minority, but I think the current management group including Travis Williams, as well as BC group have been given the directive to right the organization. I might be wrong, but I am going to continue to remain positive with the current Management Group.


Agreed. I’ll go further - the current management team is doing an excellent job establishing a foundation to build a team. It or may not be successful, but they are working a plan which is not only realistic but the ONLY realistic plan that has a chance to succeed.



And count me as one that has grown weary of the same posts over and over by a few. I’ve been off the board for two-three weeks as a result.



Go kick your cans down some other lane. Sheeze.



Oh, and I can’t wait to see what this self appointed expert panel is going to bring to the rest of our lives. Oh boy.



Maybe the mods can assign numbers 1, 2 and 3 to those posters who say the same three things over in every thread.



Sorry for my surly attitude. But most of this isn’t baseball talk, it’s a private bi!ch session carried out in public.



(To be clean, I am not referring to Utah’s venting; he was actually offering ways forward).