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Official 2022 Pirates Owner/Front Office Bitching Thread

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 7:30 pm
by 2drfischer@gmail.c
332B292E2E39282F323325400 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.
I am convinced after watching incompetence ad nauseum the Pittsburg area is content with losing baseball.  The era of excellence has been replaced by complacency.  If you don't understand how bad that is, look it up the dictionary.    Why else would a community put up with the sorry management of this baseball team.




Can you advise us on the ways the community can address this issue?  Can you provide a list of the ways all of us, working together, can change Bob Nutting into an owner who places winning as the chief priority?


The first thing you should do is not show up to games.  Businesses would start to recognize loss of business.  The chamber of commerce might  recognize how much the community could prosper if the Pirates were competitive.   The answer is always the same, follow the money.  The Community needs to let Old Bob know he's not welcome in Pittsburg.  The Sports media could also put pressure on old Bob.  Just do something except puff pieces about what a great job Shelton and Cherington are doing and we'll get them next year.  Quit accepting the clown show we now have to watch.


Coordinating an effort to get the million-plus baseball fans in this region to stop going to games is an impossible task.  There will always be more than a few thousand fans who'll buy season tickets or attend games.  The planned walkout a few years back indicated that it's not a popular move.



The Chamber of Commerce doesn't hold much sway in these matters.  They can't force an owner of a firm like the Pirates to simply do what they want him to do.  It's his business, and his profits to be made or lost.



I don't recall reading puff pieces about Cherington.  The plan he's undertaking is one that people in the media recognize as one that takes time.  BC started with nothing and is only in his third year.   Until his draft picks begin arriving and demonstrating their abilities, there's little sense in expecting a playoff contending team, especially with the constraints placed upon him payroll-wise.  Pretty much every other rebuild done in every other organization has gone the same way.  Why would it be different here?  Of course he's made mistakes, as all GMs do.  Those have been reported.



I believe the best recourse the community has is government pressure on Nutting.  Against the wishes of many in this area, PNC Park was built because the Pirates claimed it was needed, especially the luxury box revenues, in order to compete.  With the exception of a three year span, we haven't seen it.  The Pirates haven't upheld their end of the deal.  But, in the end, it's still his privately-owned business.  I'm not sure what the local and state governments can legally do to force him to run a competitive baseball franchise.  I don't even think embarrassing him could make him change his ways.


This team is worse than when Cherington took it over, it's obvious.  A boycott of this creep (Nutting) is definitely in order.  If the community can't get that done then it goes back to what I said previously, the community is accepting losing baseball.  I'm seeing this malaise all over the country.  Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell would be rolling over and over in their graves if they saw what was going on with the Pirates.  Such a shame.  [highlight]I for one can't watch it anymore.[/highlight]




For someone who can't watch them, who recommends that the team be boycotted, and who doesn't seem to care even a little bit about them anymore, you sure spend a lot of time complaining about them.

Official 2022 Pirates Owner/Front Office Bitching Thread

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 12:21 am
by 2drfischer@gmail.c
133E33222534236360510 wrote: Cherington started with nothing isn't exactly the case.  I'm not sure that any team does, unless it's an expansion club.



What he started with was an incomplete roster, which has been the club's issue on and off for a long time.  That's not the same as nothing.
When BC was hired after the 93-loss 2019 season, he wasn't expected to immediately turn over the MLB roster into a post season contender for an owner who refused to pay for the acquisition of productive veterans who might reasonably be expected to turn over the MLB roster into a post season contender.



Whether he succeeds or not, BC's mission was very clear: build up the team internally via drafting and trading for prospects. And he literally started with nothing! Covid eliminated all minor league play when BC started in 2020. There was no minor league play, no minor league development. Even the draft was reduced to 5 rounds. Even the MLB season was a mere 60 games with the distractions of health concerns, never knowing from one day to the next if the games would be played, in empty ballparks with crowd noise piped in. Essentially the entire 2020 season was a wash and a complete 1-year hiatus for the minors. And when they finally resumed a normal season in 2021, the talent BC was inheriting at Indy and Altoona was very thin.



So whether we like BC or not or think he's doing a good job or not, the fact is that he took over a 93-loss team trying to rebuild via the minor leagues in a year when there were no minor leagues. So "starting with nothing" sounds pretty accurate. 


Of course Cherington started with nothing. He had very little to work with in the way of players who had successful careers. Probably the best players he traded were Bell, Musgrove, Taillon, Stallings, Frazier, and Marte. I’m sure I’m missing someone. But just considering those players, in the 31 combined seasons they played here, there were four All Star seasons and eight playoff games played (all by Marte) among them. Combined, there were four winning seasons, three of them, again, during Marte’s time only. It’s not like these guys had made the Pirates a scary playoff contender.



In addition, with the exception of maybe Stallings and Frazier, none of their agents were going to allow them to sign here. They had to be traded.

Official 2022 Pirates Owner/Front Office Bitching Thread

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 12:49 am
by WildwoodDave2
437D7870637B7B705075627126140 wrote: Cherington started with nothing isn't exactly the case.  I'm not sure that any team does, unless it's an expansion club.

Well stated, doc

What he started with was an incomplete roster, which has been the club's issue on and off for a long time.  That's not the same as nothing.
When BC was hired after the 93-loss 2019 season, he wasn't expected to immediately turn over the MLB roster into a post season contender for an owner who refused to pay for the acquisition of productive veterans who might reasonably be expected to turn over the MLB roster into a post season contender.



Whether he succeeds or not, BC's mission was very clear: build up the team internally via drafting and trading for prospects. And he literally started with nothing! Covid eliminated all minor league play when BC started in 2020. There was no minor league play, no minor league development. Even the draft was reduced to 5 rounds. Even the MLB season was a mere 60 games with the distractions of health concerns, never knowing from one day to the next if the games would be played, in empty ballparks with crowd noise piped in. Essentially the entire 2020 season was a wash and a complete 1-year hiatus for the minors. And when they finally resumed a normal season in 2021, the talent BC was inheriting at Indy and Altoona was very thin.



So whether we like BC or not or think he's doing a good job or not, the fact is that he took over a 93-loss team trying to rebuild via the minor leagues in a year when there were no minor leagues. So "starting with nothing" sounds pretty accurate. 


Of course Cherington started with nothing.  He had very little to work with in the way of players who had successful careers. Probably the best players he traded were Bell, Musgrove, Taillon, Stallings, Frazier, and Marte.  I’m sure I’m missing someone.  But just considering those players, in the 31 combined seasons they played here, there were four All Star seasons and eight playoff games played (all by Marte) among them.  Combined, there were four winning seasons, three of them, again, during Marte’s time only.  It’s not like these guys had made the Pirates a scary playoff contender.



In addition, with the exception of maybe Stallings and Frazier, none of their agents were going to allow them to sign here.  They had to be traded.



I like your argument doc

Official 2022 Pirates Owner/Front Office Bitching Thread

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 1:07 am
by 2drfischer@gmail.c
033D3830233B3B301035223166540 wrote: Cherington started with nothing isn't exactly the case.  I'm not sure that any team does, unless it's an expansion club.

Well stated, doc

What he started with was an incomplete roster, which has been the club's issue on and off for a long time.  That's not the same as nothing.
When BC was hired after the 93-loss 2019 season, he wasn't expected to immediately turn over the MLB roster into a post season contender for an owner who refused to pay for the acquisition of productive veterans who might reasonably be expected to turn over the MLB roster into a post season contender.



Whether he succeeds or not, BC's mission was very clear: build up the team internally via drafting and trading for prospects. And he literally started with nothing! Covid eliminated all minor league play when BC started in 2020. There was no minor league play, no minor league development. Even the draft was reduced to 5 rounds. Even the MLB season was a mere 60 games with the distractions of health concerns, never knowing from one day to the next if the games would be played, in empty ballparks with crowd noise piped in. Essentially the entire 2020 season was a wash and a complete 1-year hiatus for the minors. And when they finally resumed a normal season in 2021, the talent BC was inheriting at Indy and Altoona was very thin.



So whether we like BC or not or think he's doing a good job or not, the fact is that he took over a 93-loss team trying to rebuild via the minor leagues in a year when there were no minor leagues. So "starting with nothing" sounds pretty accurate. 


Of course Cherington started with nothing.  He had very little to work with in the way of players who had successful careers. Probably the best players he traded were Bell, Musgrove, Taillon, Stallings, Frazier, and Marte.  I’m sure I’m missing someone.  But just considering those players, in the 31 combined seasons they played here, there were four All Star seasons and eight playoff games played (all by Marte) among them.  Combined, there were four winning seasons, three of them, again, during Marte’s time only.  It’s not like these guys had made the Pirates a scary playoff contender.



In addition, with the exception of maybe Stallings and Frazier, none of their agents were going to allow them to sign here.  They had to be traded.



I like your argument doc


Just listing some facts in response to Bobster’s treatise.

Official 2022 Pirates Owner/Front Office Bitching Thread

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 1:19 am
by WildwoodDave2
316771656A70606B667143646E626A6F2D60030 wrote: Cherington started with nothing isn't exactly the case.  I'm not sure that any team does, unless it's an expansion club.

Well stated, doc

What he started with was an incomplete roster, which has been the club's issue on and off for a long time.  That's not the same as nothing.
When BC was hired after the 93-loss 2019 season, he wasn't expected to immediately turn over the MLB roster into a post season contender for an owner who refused to pay for the acquisition of productive veterans who might reasonably be expected to turn over the MLB roster into a post season contender.



Whether he succeeds or not, BC's mission was very clear: build up the team internally via drafting and trading for prospects. And he literally started with nothing! Covid eliminated all minor league play when BC started in 2020. There was no minor league play, no minor league development. Even the draft was reduced to 5 rounds. Even the MLB season was a mere 60 games with the distractions of health concerns, never knowing from one day to the next if the games would be played, in empty ballparks with crowd noise piped in. Essentially the entire 2020 season was a wash and a complete 1-year hiatus for the minors. And when they finally resumed a normal season in 2021, the talent BC was inheriting at Indy and Altoona was very thin.



So whether we like BC or not or think he's doing a good job or not, the fact is that he took over a 93-loss team trying to rebuild via the minor leagues in a year when there were no minor leagues. So "starting with nothing" sounds pretty accurate. 


Of course Cherington started with nothing.  He had very little to work with in the way of players who had successful careers. Probably the best players he traded were Bell, Musgrove, Taillon, Stallings, Frazier, and Marte.  I’m sure I’m missing someone.  But just considering those players, in the 31 combined seasons they played here, there were four All Star seasons and eight playoff games played (all by Marte) among them.  Combined, there were four winning seasons, three of them, again, during Marte’s time only.  It’s not like these guys had made the Pirates a scary playoff contender.



In addition, with the exception of maybe Stallings and Frazier, none of their agents were going to allow them to sign here.  They had to be traded.



I like your argument doc


Just listing some facts in response to Bobster’s treatise.


What I like is that you two list facts and examples to support your argument.

Official 2022 Pirates Owner/Front Office Bitching Thread

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 1:37 am
by 2drfischer@gmail.c
4E70757D6E76767D5D786F7C2B190 wrote: Cherington started with nothing isn't exactly the case.  I'm not sure that any team does, unless it's an expansion club.

Well stated, doc

What he started with was an incomplete roster, which has been the club's issue on and off for a long time.  That's not the same as nothing.
When BC was hired after the 93-loss 2019 season, he wasn't expected to immediately turn over the MLB roster into a post season contender for an owner who refused to pay for the acquisition of productive veterans who might reasonably be expected to turn over the MLB roster into a post season contender.



Whether he succeeds or not, BC's mission was very clear: build up the team internally via drafting and trading for prospects. And he literally started with nothing! Covid eliminated all minor league play when BC started in 2020. There was no minor league play, no minor league development. Even the draft was reduced to 5 rounds. Even the MLB season was a mere 60 games with the distractions of health concerns, never knowing from one day to the next if the games would be played, in empty ballparks with crowd noise piped in. Essentially the entire 2020 season was a wash and a complete 1-year hiatus for the minors. And when they finally resumed a normal season in 2021, the talent BC was inheriting at Indy and Altoona was very thin.



So whether we like BC or not or think he's doing a good job or not, the fact is that he took over a 93-loss team trying to rebuild via the minor leagues in a year when there were no minor leagues. So "starting with nothing" sounds pretty accurate. 


Of course Cherington started with nothing.  He had very little to work with in the way of players who had successful careers. Probably the best players he traded were Bell, Musgrove, Taillon, Stallings, Frazier, and Marte.  I’m sure I’m missing someone.  But just considering those players, in the 31 combined seasons they played here, there were four All Star seasons and eight playoff games played (all by Marte) among them.  Combined, there were four winning seasons, three of them, again, during Marte’s time only.  It’s not like these guys had made the Pirates a scary playoff contender.



In addition, with the exception of maybe Stallings and Frazier, none of their agents were going to allow them to sign here.  They had to be traded.



I like your argument doc


Just listing some facts in response to Bobster’s treatise.


What I like is that you two list facts and examples to support your argument.


Imagine that.

Official 2022 Pirates Owner/Front Office Bitching Thread

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 4:05 am
by skinnyhorse

This team is worse than when Cherington took it over, it's obvious.  A boycott of this creep (Nutting) is definitely in order.  If the community can't get that done then it goes back to what I said previously, the community is accepting losing baseball.  I'm seeing this malaise all over the country.  Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell would be rolling over and over in their graves if they saw what was going on with the Pirates.  Such a shame.  [highlight]I for one can't watch it anymore.[/highlight]




For someone who can't watch them, who recommends that the team be boycotted, and who doesn't seem to care even a little bit about them anymore, you sure spend a lot of time complaining about them.
Always the smart ass, I'll always root for the Pirates but I won't watch the product being sold to the Pittsburg community today.  An incompetent manager who obviously supported by a incompetent GM and a incompetent owner.  I really really encourage the Pittsburg community to demand better, but I see no urgency in the community to fix it.  It's not going to change if the community gives bad Bob their money.  I won't watch it because it is a waste of my time when we all know the outcome and doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results is insanity. 

Official 2022 Pirates Owner/Front Office Bitching Thread

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 12:37 pm
by 2drfischer@gmail.c
51494B4C4C5B4A4D505147220 wrote:
This team is worse than when Cherington took it over, it's obvious.  A boycott of this creep (Nutting) is definitely in order.  If the community can't get that done then it goes back to what I said previously, the community is accepting losing baseball.  I'm seeing this malaise all over the country.  Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell would be rolling over and over in their graves if they saw what was going on with the Pirates.  Such a shame.  [highlight]I for one can't watch it anymore.[/highlight]




For someone who can't watch them, who recommends that the team be boycotted, and who doesn't seem to care even a little bit about them anymore, you sure spend a lot of time complaining about them.
Always the smart ass, I'll always root for the Pirates but I won't watch the product being sold to the Pittsburg community today.  An incompetent manager who obviously supported by a incompetent GM and a incompetent owner.  I really really encourage the Pittsburg community to demand better, but I see no urgency in the community to fix it.  It's not going to change if the community gives bad Bob their money.  I won't watch it because it is a waste of my time when we all know the outcome and doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results is insanity. 


Calling me a name won't change the fact that you spend nearly every post complaining about the franchise in one way or another. 



You can watch them, not watch them.  You can root for them, not root for them.  Do what makes you happy.  But if in two years the team is competing for the playoffs under the current owner and GM, will you watch them then or will your hate for them prevent you from doing so?

Official 2022 Pirates Owner/Front Office Bitching Thread

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 4:25 pm
by DemDog
Hey, skinnyhorse. I see where you seem to have a battle going on with Doc. Battles are okay but when it comes to insulting the other poster that is a no-no. So consider this a warning. Any further comments like that and you will get a vacation from OBN.

Official 2022 Pirates Owner/Front Office Bitching Thread

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 4:33 pm
by Osushawn
603620343B21313A372012353F333B3E7C31520 wrote:
This team is worse than when Cherington took it over, it's obvious.  A boycott of this creep (Nutting) is definitely in order.  If the community can't get that done then it goes back to what I said previously, the community is accepting losing baseball.  I'm seeing this malaise all over the country.  Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell would be rolling over and over in their graves if they saw what was going on with the Pirates.  Such a shame.  [highlight]I for one can't watch it anymore.[/highlight]




For someone who can't watch them, who recommends that the team be boycotted, and who doesn't seem to care even a little bit about them anymore, you sure spend a lot of time complaining about them.
Always the smart ass, I'll always root for the Pirates but I won't watch the product being sold to the Pittsburg community today.  An incompetent manager who obviously supported by a incompetent GM and a incompetent owner.  I really really encourage the Pittsburg community to demand better, but I see no urgency in the community to fix it.  It's not going to change if the community gives bad Bob their money.  I won't watch it because it is a waste of my time when we all know the outcome and doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results is insanity. 


Calling me a name won't change the fact that you spend nearly every post complaining about the franchise in one way or another. 



You can watch them, not watch them.  You can root for them, not root for them.  Do what makes you happy.  But if in two years the team is competing for the playoffs under the current owner and GM, will you watch them then or will your hate for them prevent you from doing so?


I thought it would make sense to say that it isn’t like BC just cherry picks the guys he trades for. It is certain he gets feedback from scouts and if he is getting bad info, then why aren’t we hearing about scouting turnover. He can only act on the info given to him.