Come On Pirates Do Something

fjk090852-7 · Post by **fjk090852-7** » Sat Dec 22, 2018 8:38 pm

Since the Winter Meetings ended teams have signed players , some have made trades, and the Bucs have done nothing. If they wish to compete in 2019 we all agree they need a shortstop, additional pitching especially lefties, and possibly another veteran to come off the bench. We are approaching the week between Christmas and New Years when not much happens involving player movement. Hopefully they add players shortly after the New Year. Right now on paper we may be the fifth team in our Division.

JollyRoger · Post by **JollyRoger** » Sat Dec 22, 2018 9:45 pm

373B3A6168616964637C66510 wrote: Since the Winter Meetings ended teams have signed players , some have made trades, and the Bucs have done nothing. If they wish to compete in 2019 we all agree they need a shortstop, additional pitching especially lefties, and possibly another veteran to come off the bench. We are approaching the week between Christmas and New Years when not much happens involving player movement. Hopefully they add players shortly after the New Year. Right now on paper we may be the fifth team in our Division.

After what the Reds just did; we ARE the 5th place team

mouse · Post by **mouse** » Sat Dec 22, 2018 10:49 pm

I remember reading an article once that said a team like the Pirates has to give its fans hope in the offseason, even if the moves don't work out. Regardless of the team NH is (or is trying to) build(ing), he has failed on that hope side of the job. It's just hard to see them competing in the foreseeable future. The moves of one or two of those teams may not work out, but that can't all have bad seasons, and that's what it likely would take. Just a discouraging note to end the year on.

Ecbucs · Post by **Ecbucs** » Sat Dec 22, 2018 11:03 pm

383A202630550 wrote: I remember reading an article once that said a team like the Pirates has to give its fans hope in the offseason, even if the moves don't work out. Regardless of the team NH is (or is trying to) build(ing), he has failed on that hope side of the job. It's just hard to see them competing in the foreseeable future. The moves of one or two of those teams may not work out, but that can't all have bad seasons, and that's what it likely would take. Just a discouraging note to end the year on.

IMO, the lack of hope created in last year's off season was the primary reason for loss of attendance.

ArnoldRothstein · Post by **ArnoldRothstein** » Sat Dec 22, 2018 11:07 pm

I think you might see them wait a while, expecting a glut of players looking for jobs as occurred last year.

Roberto218 · Post by **Roberto218** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 12:00 am

The Pirates make money even if lose or go 82-79. However, with a tv contract coming up, it would be fiscally prudent for the Bucs to try to win 95 games. A shortstop, and a couple of other players would help fan's psyche and the bottom line.

fjk090852-7 · Post by **fjk090852-7** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 1:04 am

112C212631372C71727B430 wrote: The Pirates make money even if lose or go 82-79. However, with a tv contract coming up, it would be fiscally prudent for the Bucs to try to win 95 games. A shortstop, and a couple of other players would help fan's psyche and the bottom line.
I agree we need something to get excited about. The Bucs don’t even have a rumor to get the fan base excited.

BenM · Post by **BenM** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:18 am

7944494E595F44191A132B0 wrote: The Pirates make money even if lose or go 82-79. However, with a tv contract coming up, it would be fiscally prudent for the Bucs to try to win 95 games. A shortstop, and a couple of other players would help fan's psyche and the bottom line.

I'm not sure about that. Given that the contract will be ten plus years, a single year of performance probably won't make any difference in the final value.

Quail · Post by **Quail** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 4:54 pm

597E75561B0 wrote: The Pirates make money even if lose or go 82-79. However, with a tv contract coming up, it would be fiscally prudent for the Bucs to try to win 95 games. A shortstop, and a couple of other players would help fan's psyche and the bottom line.

I'm not sure about that. Given that the contract will be ten plus years, a single year of performance probably won't make any difference in the final value.

I wonder what the criteria are for network executives to determine what a TV contract is worth for a professional sport franchise. Is it based at all on the expected performance of the franchise? Is it simply the number of potential viewers of that particular franchise's fanbase circumscribed by the broadcast reach of the network? Is it something else??

Given how predictable the Nutting regime's operating method has been over the past decade or so, I doubt that a network could be hoodwinked by an outlier of a year if Nutting should open his wallet wide for the first time this year.

Bobster21 · Post by **Bobster21** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 5:07 pm

7551454D48240 wrote: The Pirates make money even if lose or go 82-79. However, with a tv contract coming up, it would be fiscally prudent for the Bucs to try to win 95 games. A shortstop, and a couple of other players would help fan's psyche and the bottom line.

I'm not sure about that. Given that the contract will be ten plus years, a single year of performance probably won't make any difference in the final value.

I wonder what the criteria are for network executives to determine what a TV contract is worth for a professional sport franchise. Is it based at all on the expected performance of the franchise? Is it simply the number of potential viewers of that particular franchise's fanbase circumscribed by the broadcast reach of the network? Is it something else??

Given how predictable the Nutting regime's operating method has been over the past decade or so, I doubt that a network could be hoodwinked by an outlier of a year if Nutting should open his wallet wide for the first time this year.

Good point. And it's already well established throughout MLB that when a small market team does well on a low payroll, it doesn't last long. There's the usual sell off and rebuild after a couple years. Accordingly, TV ratings will fluctuate. Any long term contract would take that into consideration. In the Pirates' case, they haven't even given the impression that they wanted to succeed after 2015. Having a good season in the year leading up to a new TV deal would at least let AT&T Sports know the Pirates would attempt to improve and increase ratings. But if they fall flat without making much effort it might be a real cause for concern with AT&T when they sit down to bargain.