OnlyBucs

I just listened to a short podcast where long time Pirates writer John Perotto made a comment about the Pirates so far this offseason not taking the opportunity to add players while they have Paul Skenes on their team at a very reasonable salary. He commented about Bob Nutting selling his ski resorts, and the decline of the newspaper industry. The more you think about the Pirates situation why would a team want to move Mitch Keller less than a year after he signed a long term contract? Why have the Pirates not yet resigned Andrew McCutchen? Why have they delayed in signing the corner outfielder which they desperately need? The Pirates Brass is much smarter than I, and they should know the window to compete is now while they have some of these pre arbitration players. Do the Pirates and Bob Nutting be having financial problems, and the fan base be unaware of it ? Maybe the time to sell the team has arrived!

We've heard the same excuses about the industries Nutting chooses to involve himself in for years now.

Funny how they always have enough money to "hire"/pay off people to parrot these lines.

It's not unusual for the Pirates to wait for the coveted players to be signed so they can freely roam the bargain bin.

3pirates3 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2024 8:23 pm We've heard the same excuses about the industries Nutting chooses to involve himself in for years now.

Funny how they always have enough money to "hire"/pay off people to parrot these lines.

It's not unusual for the Pirates to wait for the coveted players to be signed so they can freely roam the bargain bin.

Yes in the past they have gone dumpster diving after the better players, ones that would fall in their budget, have been signed by other teams. These next two or three years are seasons in which they should “ go all in” because of the young pitching talent, and their players who have not yet attained the years of service to qualify for large salaries. I hope they don’t let these next few seasons slip away.

fjk090852-7 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2024 7:16 pm I just listened to a short podcast where long time Pirates writer John Perotto made a comment about the Pirates so far this offseason not taking the opportunity to add players while they have Paul Skenes on their team at a very reasonable salary. He commented about Bob Nutting selling his ski resorts, and the decline of the newspaper industry. The more you think about the Pirates situation why would a team want to move Mitch Keller less than a year after he signed a long term contract? Why have the Pirates not yet resigned Andrew McCutchen? Why have they delayed in signing the corner outfielder which they desperately need? The Pirates Brass is much smarter than I, and they should know the window to compete is now while they have some of these pre arbitration players. Do the Pirates and Bob Nutting be having financial problems, and the fan base be unaware of it ? Maybe the time to sell the team has arrived!

The Pirates are worth nearly $1.5 billion. It's hard to imagine that Bob Nutting is having financial problems.

There is no way in any known universe the Pirates are having financial troubles.

Surgnbuck wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2024 10:17 pm There is no way in any known universe the Pirates are having financial troubles.

Not when they have Surg to buy those Season Tickets

fjk090852-7 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2024 7:16 pm I just listened to a short podcast where long time Pirates writer John Perotto made a comment about the Pirates so far this offseason not taking the opportunity to add players while they have Paul Skenes on their team at a very reasonable salary. He commented about Bob Nutting selling his ski resorts, and the decline of the newspaper industry. The more you think about the Pirates situation why would a team want to move Mitch Keller less than a year after he signed a long term contract? Why have the Pirates not yet resigned Andrew McCutchen? Why have they delayed in signing the corner outfielder which they desperately need? The Pirates Brass is much smarter than I, and they should know the window to compete is now while they have some of these pre arbitration players. Do the Pirates and Bob Nutting be having financial problems, and the fan base be unaware of it ? Maybe the time to sell the team has arrived!

It seems like wishful thinking to believe the Pirates' customary level of offseason inactivity is due to financial problems restricting them from otherwise acting like a real team and making significant moves to beef up the team. But there hasn't been any indication that the Pirates intended to operate any differently this offseason from what we normally see. Some fans and media want to believe it would be different now that they have a stud like Skenes for a few years. But the team seems to be following its standard operating procedure. This is what they do. There doesn't have to be any big behind the scenes story to explain why they aren't doing something completely different.

Bobster wrote: ↑Wed Dec 18, 2024 1:19 am

fjk090852-7 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2024 7:16 pm I just listened to a short podcast where long time Pirates writer John Perotto made a comment about the Pirates so far this offseason not taking the opportunity to add players while they have Paul Skenes on their team at a very reasonable salary. He commented about Bob Nutting selling his ski resorts, and the decline of the newspaper industry. The more you think about the Pirates situation why would a team want to move Mitch Keller less than a year after he signed a long term contract? Why have the Pirates not yet resigned Andrew McCutchen? Why have they delayed in signing the corner outfielder which they desperately need? The Pirates Brass is much smarter than I, and they should know the window to compete is now while they have some of these pre arbitration players. Do the Pirates and Bob Nutting be having financial problems, and the fan base be unaware of it ? Maybe the time to sell the team has arrived!

It seems like wishful thinking to believe the Pirates' customary level of offseason inactivity is due to financial problems restricting them from otherwise acting like a real team and making significant moves to beef up the team. But there hasn't been any indication that the Pirates intended to operate any differently this offseason from what we normally see. Some fans and media want to believe it would be different now that they have a stud like Skenes for a few years. But the team seems to be following its standard operating procedure. This is what they do. There doesn't have to be any big behind the scenes story to explain why they aren't doing something completely different.

You make very good points, and probably they are not having financial difficulties, but I am of the belief and hope that this offseason will be different than the past years. What Skenes did last year is phenomenal. Why waste an opportunity to play in the postseason when you have that type of talent, and the team is paying him pre arbitration money? If they procrastinate, and not upgrade the roster to compete in the Central Division, I will be very disappointed.

fjk090852-7 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 18, 2024 2:30 am

Bobster wrote: ↑Wed Dec 18, 2024 1:19 am

fjk090852-7 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2024 7:16 pm I just listened to a short podcast where long time Pirates writer John Perotto made a comment about the Pirates so far this offseason not taking the opportunity to add players while they have Paul Skenes on their team at a very reasonable salary. He commented about Bob Nutting selling his ski resorts, and the decline of the newspaper industry. The more you think about the Pirates situation why would a team want to move Mitch Keller less than a year after he signed a long term contract? Why have the Pirates not yet resigned Andrew McCutchen? Why have they delayed in signing the corner outfielder which they desperately need? The Pirates Brass is much smarter than I, and they should know the window to compete is now while they have some of these pre arbitration players. Do the Pirates and Bob Nutting be having financial problems, and the fan base be unaware of it ? Maybe the time to sell the team has arrived!

It seems like wishful thinking to believe the Pirates' customary level of offseason inactivity is due to financial problems restricting them from otherwise acting like a real team and making significant moves to beef up the team. But there hasn't been any indication that the Pirates intended to operate any differently this offseason from what we normally see. Some fans and media want to believe it would be different now that they have a stud like Skenes for a few years. But the team seems to be following its standard operating procedure. This is what they do. There doesn't have to be any big behind the scenes story to explain why they aren't doing something completely different.

You make very good points, and probably they are not having financial difficulties, but I am of the belief and hope that this offseason will be different than the past years. What Skenes did last year is phenomenal. Why waste an opportunity to play in the postseason when you have that type of talent, and the team is paying him pre arbitration money? If they procrastinate, and not upgrade the roster to compete in the Central Division, I will be very disappointed.

I wish I had your optimism but there's no reason to believe the Pirates will do anything differently than they have in the past. The owner has found success (profit) in doing what he's been doing in previous years. He took chances in 2013, '14, and '15 and the result was no championship, just like there was no title in all the other years when he took no risks. He figures, what's the point?

As for Skenes, he's a problem for Nutting. As long as he's here, the expectations will be that Nutting quickly build a team around Skenes, which means acquiring expensive players through trades or free agency. That's the kind of pressure he wants nothing to do with. The quicker Skenes is gone, the quicker the pressure goes away.

Doc, I don't see it as a problem for Nutting. We're all familiar enough with Nutting's ways to know that his interest is in maintaining a profitable sports franchise with little interest in success on the field. I realize when we say things like that it just sounds like we're just bashing the guy. But if we're being realistic, that's the situation. The fans and the media can talk about "now is the time to build a winner around Skenes," but there is a disconnect between what the fans and media want and what Nutting wants. Nutting has always been satisfied with the unsuccessful product on the field. He wasn't waiting for a stud player to turn the franchise into a winner. He was satisfied with how things were before Skenes and he'll be satisfied with how things are after Skenes is gone. While he's a Pirate, Skenes is a great gate attraction and a reason for fans to maintain interest. Nothing more, nothing less. In a few years he'll be traded for a package of prospects who we will be told will turn the franchise around. Eventually.