OnlyBucs

3E353D3134352E6B6D1A233B3235357439355A0 wrote: Keep McCutchen.



Sign/Trade for the next Burnett, Volquez, Liriano, Worley, Nova...like they always have done.
I like the idea of keeping Cutch for at least next season. Volquez is said to be available now. He is pitching pretty well again.

57564D5C4A0A0D390 wrote: Keep McCutchen.



Sign/Trade for the next Burnett, Volquez, Liriano, Worley, Nova...like they always have done.
I like the idea of keeping Cutch for at least next season. Volquez is said to be available now. He is pitching pretty well again.


I've been thinking about him. In retrospect the move to make might not have been in re-signing happ, but volquez.

5276626A6F030 wrote: Huntington isn't going anywhere. His three year playoff run has saved him a little longer. He is the GM that ended twenty years of losing. That shouldn't be overlooked. Not sure why people think he can't do it again?


Possibly because past performance is no guarantee of future success?




Neither is getting rid of a proven commodity for an unknown replacement.

0B36312B36315F0 wrote: Huntington isn't going anywhere. His three year playoff run has saved him a little longer. He is the GM that ended twenty years of losing. That shouldn't be overlooked. Not sure why people think he can't do it again?


Possibly because past performance is no guarantee of future success?




Neither is getting rid of a proven commodity for an unknown replacement.






Why I would stick with Huntington. Actually, firing him has never crossed my mind. I think he has done a great job overall .

I do like how the Pirates stack up next year. As much as I will hate to see him wearing another jersey, I'm happy that Cutch is playing himself out of Pittsburgh. I have to believe that we can get a good haul from him, probably a starter. Just a guess for an opening day roster:



Bell-1B

Harrison-2B

Mercer-SS

Kang-3B

Marte-CF

Polanco-RF

Frazier-LF

Diaz-C



Freeze

Moroff

Osuna

Back-up outfielder

Back-up catcher (Cerveili will still be under contract, I believe...not sure if we'll want to pay him that much to be a back-up.)



Cole (don't think he gets traded this year)

Taillon

Nova

Legit #2 from McCutchen trade

Kuhl/Williams/Brault/Glasnow/Kingham



That's the makings of a pretty good rotation, at least on paper.



I also think that could be a decent bullpen, with some of the guys who don't win the fifth starter's spot moving to the pen leading up to Rivero.



Now, true...we have to deal with the budget. Whether the Pirates can't pay market value (at least what is market value in the crazy world of MLB salaries) due to market size or depths of the owner's pockets, or whether they won't pay market value, that is the reality.



It's frustrating. I just wish they'd be honest. There have been many times when we as fans have been told that the money will be reinvested in the team. In theory, if $10 million is saved, for instance, on a deal that never materialized, then that should go into a slush fund, a rainy day fund if you will. I feel like we've been adding to that fund for years. There should be about $100 million in that fund alone!



Anyway, I digress. Nutting isn't selling. For better or worse, he's the owner. If I'm going to continue being a Pirates fan, I can't worry about that. If they have no shot at every winning a WS, then I see no reason to continue being a fan. But, I am going to continue as a fan. So, I have to believe that they have a legit shot at winning a title...maybe not the same shot as the New York, LA, and Chicago teams have, but a shot nonetheless.

As an example of what I mean above, by rule, when a player is on the restricted list, that player receives no salary. So, the Pirates are saving roughly half of Marte's salary for the year, and all of Kang's. That's what...$8 million or so? So, in theory, with whatever budget they set for next year, they should automatically be able to add $8 million ON TOP of whatever that number is. It seems to me this happens with regularity in Pittsburgh.