Official Game Thread - 6/18 - Bucs vs Reds

[3pirates3]

https://oneburgh.com/2024/06/18/bucco-b ... ere-for-it

[Doc]

We've been frustrated as Pirates fans for most of the past 30-some years, but this year seems worse. Watching the fantastic starting pitching this season being hamstrung by an anemic offense, poor coaching, and an insufferable management, is really sad.

I keep wondering why we haven't traded away this amazing pitching talent we've stockpiled in the minor leagues for a couple of legit bats. It's finally dawned on me: there is no amazing pitching talent in the minor leagues. Just like they've done to us so often in the past, they're lying about the abilities of those players. How often have we been told about the help that's coming only to be disappointed time and again. Since 1993, how many guys have come through our system who've been good, reliable day-to-day major leaguers over a five to eight year stretch?

They're slowly taking the life out of me.

Players who have already established themselves as legit bats come with high salaries. Nutting won't pay them. Think about all the players the Pirates have traded in recent years and the return on them. It's always young prospects. It's hard to imagine they have never been offered a legit bat in any of those trades. I strongly suspect they have often settled for less in trades than they were offered because they won't pay the salaries of better players. So when we start thinking about who they could trade to acquire legit bats, the problem is very likely that they are not interested in acquiring those bats.

I’ve been convinced for years that the Pirates have traded for, or even drafted, lesser players because it would be more cost effective in the future. There’ve been exceptions, like Skenes, but they had to draft him or they’d have been vilified. I believe with every fiber in my body that every player personnel decision is based first and foremost on spending the fewest possible dollars.