OnlyBucs

2C373A3B323E315F0 wrote: With all of the can kicking going on in this thread, I feel it is necessary to expand the excuses and alibis to 11 instead of 10 as follows:



Here are the top 10 excuses and alibis for not acquiring a player.



1. He is an aging veteran on the decline.

2. He is too injury prone.

3. Acquiring him would bring us no closer to a championship.

4. He would never sign to play in Pittsburgh.

5. He would be a clubhouse cancer.

6. Acquiring him would upset the team chemistry.

7. Signing him would lose financial flexibility for a 1 year player.

8.We already have players just as good as him.

9. We are not the Red Sox or Yankees and they would outbid us.

10.He would block this LMG or that LMG from development.

11. BC can't improve the team because of Covid-19.



Unfortunately, we find ourselves in a position that there is no way BC can improve the worst team in all of baseball.


I spelled it out for you a few posts back how he's intending to improve the club. Just because you don't like that plan doesn't mean it's not a plan. I know, I know. The whole world is wrong and you are right.

I guess my definition of "improving" needs to be changed to "19 and a whole bunch."



What club's he improving? Maybe some other town's team. Certainly not the Pittsburgh Pirates.



The results bear it out.

IMHO the entire first off season was almost a waste because of the late hiring process. It was done in most unusual fashion and timing, which for the Pirates of late, comes as no surprise.



A truncated spring training. With my recollection, there really wasn't anyone that seemed to be busting out, they were doing pretty bad. That couldn't have helped.



But it was obvious this team had absolutely nothing with which to trade for immediate impact, which I believe I have stated on a few occasions.



Now people are questioning MARTE's trade?!?!?!?!? The guy was absolutely excoriated in every forum I was a member. You know, "all that talent, but never realized it"...."ten cent head"...."lazy".....I'm sure there were plenty of others. Yet somehow, BC was supposed to get some immediate quality ML ready player that would satisfy the collective mindset of the fandom? For that guy? What I find amazing is that somehow, Marte suddenly got WAY better immediately after he was traded. He suddenly became a top notch Pirate talent.



Let us not forget, this past draft. Remember, the one with only SIX picks? The Pirates went pitcher and college heavy, to get guys who were closer to being ready because there really wasn't much down on the farm. They used 99.2 percent of their allotted signing money, and signed all of their picks. So, they didn't even get a normal draft for the first go around. I wonder if they even got to pick guys they really wanted due to the fewer number of picks.



Last but not least, didn't improve on ONE position? Am I the only one who noticed they had one of the better starting rotations for the last six weeks of the season?



So yeah, they were terrible. Sure would have been nice if Josh Bell, Bryan Reynolds, Adam Frazier, Kevin Newman would have shown up. You know, they guys whose names seem to be bandied about as actual trade options for really, really, really good talent?



There was nothing to trade to make the team even "one position better". There was nothing turned over. There was no way to even evaluate the players in the system. I hated this last season, but face it, that was their spring training. They did exactly what every single one of us knew was going to happen, and finish last.



Yet somehow, the expectations were, actually I don't know what for last season.



AFAIC, the real work started with the draft, and I'll wait and see what happens from there on forward. This offseason IMHO is really this regime's first.



I'm going to actually see if they do anything for once. One thing you could count on with NH, no need to follow the transactions listing.

6E484F5A535F485E563D0 wrote: IMHO the entire first off season was almost a waste because of the late hiring process. It was done in most unusual fashion and timing, which for the Pirates of late, comes as no surprise.



A truncated spring training. With my recollection, there really wasn't anyone that seemed to be busting out, they were doing pretty bad. That couldn't have helped.



But it was obvious this team had absolutely nothing with which to trade for immediate impact, which I believe I have stated on a few occasions.



Now people are questioning MARTE's trade?!?!?!?!? The guy was absolutely excoriated in every forum I was a member. You know, "all that talent, but never realized it"...."ten cent head"...."lazy".....I'm sure there were plenty of others.  Yet somehow, BC was supposed to get some immediate quality ML ready player that would satisfy the collective mindset of the fandom? For that guy? What I find amazing is that somehow, Marte suddenly got WAY better immediately after he was traded. He suddenly became a top notch Pirate talent.



Let us not forget, this past draft. Remember, the one with only SIX picks? The Pirates went pitcher and college heavy, to get guys who were closer to being ready because there really wasn't much down on the farm. They used 99.2 percent of their allotted signing money, and signed all of their picks. So, they didn't even get a normal draft for the first go around. I wonder if they even got to pick guys they really wanted due to the fewer number of picks.



Last but not least, didn't improve on ONE position? Am I the only one who noticed they had one of the better starting rotations for the last six weeks of the season?



So yeah, they were terrible. Sure would have been nice if Josh Bell, Bryan Reynolds, Adam Frazier, Kevin Newman would have shown up. You know, they guys whose names seem to be bandied about as actual trade options for really, really, really good talent?



There was nothing to trade to make the team even "one position better". There was nothing turned over. There was no way to even evaluate the players in the system. I hated this last season, but face it, that was their spring training. They did exactly what every single one of us knew was going to happen, and finish last.



Yet somehow, the expectations were, actually I don't know what for last season. 



AFAIC, the real work started with the draft, and I'll wait and see what happens from there on forward. This offseason IMHO is really this regime's first.



I'm going to actually see if they do anything for once. One thing you could count on with NH, no need to follow the transactions listing.


Surge, stop making sense.

055345515E44545F524577505A565E5B1954370 wrote: IMHO the entire first off season was almost a waste because of the late hiring process. It was done in most unusual fashion and timing, which for the Pirates of late, comes as no surprise.



A truncated spring training. With my recollection, there really wasn't anyone that seemed to be busting out, they were doing pretty bad. That couldn't have helped.



But it was obvious this team had absolutely nothing with which to trade for immediate impact, which I believe I have stated on a few occasions.



Now people are questioning MARTE's trade?!?!?!?!? The guy was absolutely excoriated in every forum I was a member. You know, "all that talent, but never realized it"...."ten cent head"...."lazy".....I'm sure there were plenty of others.  Yet somehow, BC was supposed to get some immediate quality ML ready player that would satisfy the collective mindset of the fandom? For that guy? What I find amazing is that somehow, Marte suddenly got WAY better immediately after he was traded. He suddenly became a top notch Pirate talent.



Let us not forget, this past draft. Remember, the one with only SIX picks? The Pirates went pitcher and college heavy, to get guys who were closer to being ready because there really wasn't much down on the farm. They used 99.2 percent of their allotted signing money, and signed all of their picks. So, they didn't even get a normal draft for the first go around. I wonder if they even got to pick guys they really wanted due to the fewer number of picks.



Last but not least, didn't improve on ONE position? Am I the only one who noticed they had one of the better starting rotations for the last six weeks of the season?



So yeah, they were terrible. Sure would have been nice if Josh Bell, Bryan Reynolds, Adam Frazier, Kevin Newman would have shown up. You know, they guys whose names seem to be bandied about as actual trade options for really, really, really good talent?



There was nothing to trade to make the team even "one position better". There was nothing turned over. There was no way to even evaluate the players in the system. I hated this last season, but face it, that was their spring training. They did exactly what every single one of us knew was going to happen, and finish last.



Yet somehow, the expectations were, actually I don't know what for last season. 



AFAIC, the real work started with the draft, and I'll wait and see what happens from there on forward. This offseason IMHO is really this regime's first.



I'm going to actually see if they do anything for once. One thing you could count on with NH, no need to follow the transactions listing.


Surge, stop making sense.
Ditto

0F594F5B544E5E55584F7D5A505C5451135E3D0 wrote: IMHO the entire first off season was almost a waste because of the late hiring process. It was done in most unusual fashion and timing, which for the Pirates of late, comes as no surprise.



A truncated spring training. With my recollection, there really wasn't anyone that seemed to be busting out, they were doing pretty bad. That couldn't have helped.



But it was obvious this team had absolutely nothing with which to trade for immediate impact, which I believe I have stated on a few occasions.



Now people are questioning MARTE's trade?!?!?!?!? The guy was absolutely excoriated in every forum I was a member. You know, "all that talent, but never realized it"...."ten cent head"...."lazy".....I'm sure there were plenty of others.  Yet somehow, BC was supposed to get some immediate quality ML ready player that would satisfy the collective mindset of the fandom? For that guy? What I find amazing is that somehow, Marte suddenly got WAY better immediately after he was traded. He suddenly became a top notch Pirate talent.



Let us not forget, this past draft. Remember, the one with only SIX picks? The Pirates went pitcher and college heavy, to get guys who were closer to being ready because there really wasn't much down on the farm. They used 99.2 percent of their allotted signing money, and signed all of their picks. So, they didn't even get a normal draft for the first go around. I wonder if they even got to pick guys they really wanted due to the fewer number of picks.



Last but not least, didn't improve on ONE position? Am I the only one who noticed they had one of the better starting rotations for the last six weeks of the season?



So yeah, they were terrible. Sure would have been nice if Josh Bell, Bryan Reynolds, Adam Frazier, Kevin Newman would have shown up. You know, they guys whose names seem to be bandied about as actual trade options for really, really, really good talent?



There was nothing to trade to make the team even "one position better". There was nothing turned over. There was no way to even evaluate the players in the system. I hated this last season, but face it, that was their spring training. They did exactly what every single one of us knew was going to happen, and finish last.



Yet somehow, the expectations were, actually I don't know what for last season. 



AFAIC, the real work started with the draft, and I'll wait and see what happens from there on forward. This offseason IMHO is really this regime's first.



I'm going to actually see if they do anything for once. One thing you could count on with NH, no need to follow the transactions listing.


Surge, stop making sense.
It is good to read someone who makes sense regarding the state of the Pirates.

5A7C7B6E676B7C6A62090 wrote: IMHO the entire first off season was almost a waste because of the late hiring process. It was done in most unusual fashion and timing, which for the Pirates of late, comes as no surprise.



A truncated spring training. With my recollection, there really wasn't anyone that seemed to be busting out, they were doing pretty bad. That couldn't have helped.



But it was obvious this team had absolutely nothing with which to trade for immediate impact, which I believe I have stated on a few occasions.



Now people are questioning MARTE's trade?!?!?!?!? The guy was absolutely excoriated in every forum I was a member. You know, "all that talent, but never realized it"...."ten cent head"...."lazy".....I'm sure there were plenty of others.  Yet somehow, BC was supposed to get some immediate quality ML ready player that would satisfy the collective mindset of the fandom? For that guy? What I find amazing is that somehow, Marte suddenly got WAY better immediately after he was traded. He suddenly became a top notch Pirate talent.



Let us not forget, this past draft. Remember, the one with only SIX picks? The Pirates went pitcher and college heavy, to get guys who were closer to being ready because there really wasn't much down on the farm. They used 99.2 percent of their allotted signing money, and signed all of their picks. So, they didn't even get a normal draft for the first go around. I wonder if they even got to pick guys they really wanted due to the fewer number of picks.



Last but not least, didn't improve on ONE position? Am I the only one who noticed they had one of the better starting rotations for the last six weeks of the season?



So yeah, they were terrible. Sure would have been nice if Josh Bell, Bryan Reynolds, Adam Frazier, Kevin Newman would have shown up. You know, they guys whose names seem to be bandied about as actual trade options for really, really, really good talent?



There was nothing to trade to make the team even "one position better". There was nothing turned over. There was no way to even evaluate the players in the system. I hated this last season, but face it, that was their spring training. They did exactly what every single one of us knew was going to happen, and finish last.



Yet somehow, the expectations were, actually I don't know what for last season. 



AFAIC, the real work started with the draft, and I'll wait and see what happens from there on forward. This offseason IMHO is really this regime's first.



I'm going to actually see if they do anything for once. One thing you could count on with NH, no need to follow the transactions listing.
______

So, there was absolutely no possible way to improve the worst team in all of baseball?

69727F7E777B741A0 wrote: IMHO the entire first off season was almost a waste because of the late hiring process. It was done in most unusual fashion and timing, which for the Pirates of late, comes as no surprise.



A truncated spring training. With my recollection, there really wasn't anyone that seemed to be busting out, they were doing pretty bad. That couldn't have helped.



But it was obvious this team had absolutely nothing with which to trade for immediate impact, which I believe I have stated on a few occasions.



Now people are questioning MARTE's trade?!?!?!?!? The guy was absolutely excoriated in every forum I was a member. You know, "all that talent, but never realized it"...."ten cent head"...."lazy".....I'm sure there were plenty of others.  Yet somehow, BC was supposed to get some immediate quality ML ready player that would satisfy the collective mindset of the fandom? For that guy? What I find amazing is that somehow, Marte suddenly got WAY better immediately after he was traded. He suddenly became a top notch Pirate talent.



Let us not forget, this past draft. Remember, the one with only SIX picks? The Pirates went pitcher and college heavy, to get guys who were closer to being ready because there really wasn't much down on the farm. They used 99.2 percent of their allotted signing money, and signed all of their picks. So, they didn't even get a normal draft for the first go around. I wonder if they even got to pick guys they really wanted due to the fewer number of picks.



Last but not least, didn't improve on ONE position? Am I the only one who noticed they had one of the better starting rotations for the last six weeks of the season?



So yeah, they were terrible. Sure would have been nice if Josh Bell, Bryan Reynolds, Adam Frazier, Kevin Newman would have shown up. You know, they guys whose names seem to be bandied about as actual trade options for really, really, really good talent?



There was nothing to trade to make the team even "one position better". There was nothing turned over. There was no way to even evaluate the players in the system. I hated this last season, but face it, that was their spring training. They did exactly what every single one of us knew was going to happen, and finish last.



Yet somehow, the expectations were, actually I don't know what for last season. 



AFAIC, the real work started with the draft, and I'll wait and see what happens from there on forward. This offseason IMHO is really this regime's first.



I'm going to actually see if they do anything for once. One thing you could count on with NH, no need to follow the transactions listing.
______

So, there was absolutely no possible way to improve the worst team in all of baseball?
I think many on this site feel that a vast improvement at the major league level won’t happen in one season, as well as during the first 11 months of a new GM. Let’s see what changes occur over the next several months, and if nothing substantial happens we can be more critical.

434F4E151C151D10170812250 wrote: IMHO the entire first off season was almost a waste because of the late hiring process. It was done in most unusual fashion and timing, which for the Pirates of late, comes as no surprise.



A truncated spring training. With my recollection, there really wasn't anyone that seemed to be busting out, they were doing pretty bad. That couldn't have helped.



But it was obvious this team had absolutely nothing with which to trade for immediate impact, which I believe I have stated on a few occasions.



Now people are questioning MARTE's trade?!?!?!?!? The guy was absolutely excoriated in every forum I was a member. You know, "all that talent, but never realized it"...."ten cent head"...."lazy".....I'm sure there were plenty of others.  Yet somehow, BC was supposed to get some immediate quality ML ready player that would satisfy the collective mindset of the fandom? For that guy? What I find amazing is that somehow, Marte suddenly got WAY better immediately after he was traded. He suddenly became a top notch Pirate talent.



Let us not forget, this past draft. Remember, the one with only SIX picks? The Pirates went pitcher and college heavy, to get guys who were closer to being ready because there really wasn't much down on the farm. They used 99.2 percent of their allotted signing money, and signed all of their picks. So, they didn't even get a normal draft for the first go around. I wonder if they even got to pick guys they really wanted due to the fewer number of picks.



Last but not least, didn't improve on ONE position? Am I the only one who noticed they had one of the better starting rotations for the last six weeks of the season?



So yeah, they were terrible. Sure would have been nice if Josh Bell, Bryan Reynolds, Adam Frazier, Kevin Newman would have shown up. You know, they guys whose names seem to be bandied about as actual trade options for really, really, really good talent?



There was nothing to trade to make the team even "one position better". There was nothing turned over. There was no way to even evaluate the players in the system. I hated this last season, but face it, that was their spring training. They did exactly what every single one of us knew was going to happen, and finish last.



Yet somehow, the expectations were, actually I don't know what for last season. 



AFAIC, the real work started with the draft, and I'll wait and see what happens from there on forward. This offseason IMHO is really this regime's first.



I'm going to actually see if they do anything for once. One thing you could count on with NH, no need to follow the transactions listing.
______

So, there was absolutely no possible way to improve the worst team in all of baseball?
I think many on this site feel that a vast improvement at the major league level won’t happen in one season, as well as  during the first 11 months of a new GM. Let’s see what changes occur over the next several months, and if nothing substantial happens we can be more critical.
________

The only suspense for this off season will be what date does BC and Sheltom proclaim that they are "excited to see what the guys we already have under contractual control can do". My guess is February 18th, 2021.

435855545D515E300 wrote: IMHO the entire first off season was almost a waste because of the late hiring process. It was done in most unusual fashion and timing, which for the Pirates of late, comes as no surprise.



A truncated spring training. With my recollection, there really wasn't anyone that seemed to be busting out, they were doing pretty bad. That couldn't have helped.



But it was obvious this team had absolutely nothing with which to trade for immediate impact, which I believe I have stated on a few occasions.



Now people are questioning MARTE's trade?!?!?!?!? The guy was absolutely excoriated in every forum I was a member. You know, "all that talent, but never realized it"...."ten cent head"...."lazy".....I'm sure there were plenty of others.  Yet somehow, BC was supposed to get some immediate quality ML ready player that would satisfy the collective mindset of the fandom? For that guy? What I find amazing is that somehow, Marte suddenly got WAY better immediately after he was traded. He suddenly became a top notch Pirate talent.



Let us not forget, this past draft. Remember, the one with only SIX picks? The Pirates went pitcher and college heavy, to get guys who were closer to being ready because there really wasn't much down on the farm. They used 99.2 percent of their allotted signing money, and signed all of their picks. So, they didn't even get a normal draft for the first go around. I wonder if they even got to pick guys they really wanted due to the fewer number of picks.



Last but not least, didn't improve on ONE position? Am I the only one who noticed they had one of the better starting rotations for the last six weeks of the season?



So yeah, they were terrible. Sure would have been nice if Josh Bell, Bryan Reynolds, Adam Frazier, Kevin Newman would have shown up. You know, they guys whose names seem to be bandied about as actual trade options for really, really, really good talent?



There was nothing to trade to make the team even "one position better". There was nothing turned over. There was no way to even evaluate the players in the system. I hated this last season, but face it, that was their spring training. They did exactly what every single one of us knew was going to happen, and finish last.



Yet somehow, the expectations were, actually I don't know what for last season. 



AFAIC, the real work started with the draft, and I'll wait and see what happens from there on forward. This offseason IMHO is really this regime's first.



I'm going to actually see if they do anything for once. One thing you could count on with NH, no need to follow the transactions listing.
______

So, there was absolutely no possible way to improve the worst team in all of baseball?
I think many on this site feel that a vast improvement at the major league level won’t happen in one season, as well as  during the first 11 months of a new GM. Let’s see what changes occur over the next several months, and if nothing substantial happens we can be more critical.
________

The only suspense for this off season will be what date does BC and Sheltom proclaim that they are "excited to see what the guys we already have under contractual control can do".  My guess is February 18th, 2021.
You may be correct, but I expect some trades that will bring in additional talent, some additions to BC staff, as well as some International Player signings which have been postponed from this past July until January 2021.