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Welcome to ARAM II.

Pirates deal Nady and Marte for Bobby Hill, Jody Gerut, Ryan Vogelsong, and Brian Meadows.
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Pirates fire manager Tracy, 3 in front office

Friday, October 05, 2007

By Dejan Kovacevic and Paul Meyer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Pirates today fired manager Jim Tracy after two losing seasons, as well as director of baseball operations Jon Mercurio, director of player development Brian Graham and scouting director Ed Creech.

Pirates fire manager Tracy, 3 in front office

Friday, October 05, 2007

By Dejan Kovacevic and Paul Meyer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Pirates today fired manager Jim Tracy after two losing seasons, as well as director of baseball operations Jon Mercurio, director of player development Brian Graham and scouting director Ed Creech.

Tracy, 51, went 135-189, including 68-94 in the season that ended Sunday, since former general manager Dave Littlefield hired him Oct. 11, 2005. Littlefield was fired earlier in the month, and the decision regarding the manager was left up to his replacement, Neal Huntington. Team president Frank Coonelly also was heavily involved in the process.

Tracy was informed of the decision in a meeting at PNC Park this morning.

Tracy had a year left on his three-year contract at a salary of $1 million. The fate of the rest of his staff --- pitching coach Jim Colborn, hitting coach Jeff Manto, first base coach John Shelby, third base coach Jeff Cox, bench coach Jim Lett and bullpen coach Bobby Cuellar --- remains unknown, even though all have contracts that expire at the end of this month.

Also, assistant general manager Doug Strange was demoted to special assistant under Huntington.

"Since my appointment as general manager, I have worked diligently to gather information about the inner workings of the organization," Huntington said. "After a systematic evaluation of that information, I have come to the difficult conclusion that, to transform the culture and chart the course for future success, these changes needed to be made."

"I fully support Neal's decisions and share in his opinion that these changes were necessary to provide a new voice and a new direction for the baseball operations department," Coonelly said. "We are now fully engaged in putting together a new leadership team that will implement our vision for the club's future. I am confident that we will attract outstanding baseball professionals to these open positions who will institute the systems, principles and philosophies necessary for us to acquire, develop, retain and teach our young players. Although the challenges that we face to restore the pride of the Pirates are real, I firmly believe that we are well on our way to changing the culture of the organization."

The firing of Graham, 47, came as perhaps the most significant surprise, a month after he was named interim general manager upon Dave Littlefield's firing. At the time, owner Bob Nutting called Graham "a tremendous asset." He oversaw the minor-league system for six years.

Mercurio, 42, just completed his 20th season with the Pirates, his 12th in baseball operations.

Creech, 55, joined the Pirates as scouting director in November 2001 and oversaw six drafts that most in the industry viewed as poor.

Tracy's tenure included the 14th and 15th consecutive losing seasons for the Pirates, matching the second-longest droughts in professional sports history. The longest is 16, set by the 1933-48 Philadelphia Phillies.

Before coming to Pittsburgh, Tracy was the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers for five years, with a 427-383 record and one first-place finish in 2004.

The next manager will be the Pirates' 38th overall and the fifth in the 11 years since Jim Leyland left in 1996.

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More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

First published on October 5, 2007 at 12:44 pm

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Grade Neal Huntington

This is going to be an ongoing process which I will link to the right for future references.

Basically what is going to be done is Neal Huntington's moves and decisions are going to be graded on a point scale. People leaving recommendations in the comments section for grading will be accepted and put towards Huntington's Point Grade for that specific move/decision.

This Point system is not etched in stone. If there are any recommendations, feel free to leave a comment...

10 points Maximum for a Trade. A great Trade = 10 points. A Littlefield-esque Trade = 1
10 points Maximum for Free Agent Signings.
10 points Maximum for 1st Round Draft Pick.
10 points Maximum for overall Draft thought. If you think his overall draft was a success he gets a 10 if you think it sucked he gets 1 and so on...
10 points Maximum for a Hire or Fire. Based on whether that Hire or Fire was a good decision, 10 Being good, 1 being bad.
10 points Maximum for making the Pirates a true player in South America (includes the Dominican)
10 Points Maximum for making the Pirates a true player in Japan
50 Bonus points for the Pirates reaching .500 or finishing with a record above .500
50 additional Bonus points if the Pirates win the division.
40 Bonus points if the Pirates make the playoffs via Wildcard.
100 Bonus points for each Pirates Playoff Series win.
250 Bonus points if the Pirates make it the World Series.
500 Bonus points if the Pirates win the World Series. Read more!

The Plan

We're going to talk about THE PLAN. The Plan hasn't been unleashed in it's fullest but we can discuss what we know from things that Bob Nutting, Frank Coonelly and Neal Huntington have said.All of the recent actions by Bob Nutting leaves me believing that he truly had no clue about how this Organization was run. Bob Nutting was mainly the guy that approved a specific budget just as his Father did before Bob took over this process. The Pirates had another guy dealing with the Organization in Kevin McClatchy dealing with off the Baseball and Franchise things. At some point Bob Nutting decided to become more involved. At what point isn't clear. He could've been attending all of the All-Star Festivities in Pittsburgh in 2006 and got to talking to many people that told him that his Organization was a complete joke. This sounds probably because it took him less than 5 months to take the Chairman position of this team (January 2007).

Since Bob Nutting has come into the Public spotlight and has taken on more of a role for this Organization everything he has promised has come true. He forced former Chairman and CEO, Kevin McClatchy out. He fired GM, Dave Littlefield. His replacement for Kevin McClatchy was an out of left field hire by highly regarded and respected Frank coonelly who appears to know everybody in the MLB from Organization staff members to all of the upper management guys in MLB itself. Frank Coonelly hired an out of left field guy in Neal Huntington who was a Number 4 guy with the Cleveland Indians organization. Afterwards it has become very apparent that Frank wants to model the Pittsburgh Pirates after the Cleveland Indians. If this would have been business as usual as some speak about Bob Nutting, we'd have some old retreads in these positions like Ed Wade as the Pirates GM, however Bob Nutting went outside of conventional thinking and so did Frank Coonelly. Both Coonelly and Huntington are younger guys, and young minds. They are what people refer to as the "New Breed".

The first order of business for these men is to turn around the Organization in just about every aspect. South America needs more attention, Dominican Republic needs a real facility, The Pirates need more International Scouts and even more U.S. Scouts, the minor leagues need addressed when it comes to player development and talent evaluating, the Organization as a whole needs improvements in talent evaluating, scouting and player development. All of these things, Bob Nutting, Frank Coonelly and Neal Huntington have stressed.

Now, diehard Pirates fans can easily write this off as just useless babble. Bob Nutting and his new minions are just spewing spins to buy more time to reap more profits. The problem with that thinking is that all of these guys are saying the wrong things if that is the case. Let's face it, there aren't many die hard Pirates Fans left. The majority that go to PNC Park go as Family Outings and/or for Free hand outs, lousy post game concerts and Fireworks. They don't care about what the Pirates do in South America, the Minor Leagues or in Japan. Even die hards appear to not care that much as we have seen by the Protests. Nutting, Coonelly and Huntington could have just said that they are going to bring more talent to the team and WE WILL win, but they have all outlined the same direction for bringing success to this team. Things that most people don't care about. Things that die hards know about. It is my belief that the Pirates are on the correct path.

The one thing that both casual fans and die hard fans know about is that the Pittsburgh Pirates do not spend money. They do not spend the amount of money that teams in similar markets spend on player payrolls. Sports writers from bob "Bozo The clown" Smizik to talk show hosts like Mark Madden say one thing - The Pirates are cheap and won't win until they spend a lot more money. Frank Coonelly has said that the Pirates next season can be competitive and win with a payroll of $45-50 million. If you are trying to win over a fan base and media, saying things like that aren't going to help out your cause. Neal Huntington took it a step further saying that he's been assured that resources will be made available in the future as far as payroll is concerned.

What we have is basically Frank Coonelly saying that the team as it is constructed now, is not good enough to plug in a few Free Agents and become division winners and World Series contenders. If you consider what players make in Free agency and that the Pirates are near the $50 million mark in payroll salary now, this appears to make sense. The Pirates would first have to shed salary. Doing this would take away some of their most productive players like Jason Bay and Jack Wilson. Contracts like Matt Morris' is going to be more difficult to get rid of because he stinks and nobody wants him. Simply put, the Pirates are more than a coulple holes away from being World Series champs and upping payroll by $20 million into the realm of the Milwaukee Brewers isn't going to guarantee the Pirates much. There's practically little depth in the minor leagues as it stands, the starting rotation is putrid after the 3 inconsistent starters of Gorzelanny, Snell and Maholm. The bullpen reeks. The Pirates have nocatchers in the majors or minors, no Power hitting prospects, a bunch of injury plagued players, a Third Baseman with little power for that position... I could go on, but basically this team needs more than what $20 million in Free agency will get them and to spend that right now would almsot be foolish because the Pirates aren't going to get much further..

However, if the Piraes can trim some fat on the roster, replace guys like Ronny Paulino with better talent (not all0-Star talent) for the cheap, get rid of some contracts and fill holes with some risky gambles in Free Agency and in South America, the Pirates could be a more improved team next season. Add a new Manager and Coaching staff that doesn't operate like it's 1978 half of the time and the other half like they're in a coma and the Pirates could come within reach of .500. It will take shrewd moves, risky moves, unpopular moves like Neal huntington pointed out in his interviews and good Talent Evaluations, but it can be done. Us Pittsburgh Pirates fans have just never seen it be done, so we don't believe it and likely won't until we do.

On to the part about Neal Huntington stressing that the money will be there and he was assured that it would be there in the future to retain players. This makes sense. It appears that bob Nutting is willing to pump more money into payroll, just that this team and Organization as it currently sits needs more than money to be fixed and to dump an additional $20 million now would end up in spending more money on another loser. The Plan from how I see it is to build from the ground up. To be a major player in South America/Dominican Republican and Japan. Neal Huntington talked about Free Agency and Rule 5's. You also have the Aamteur Draft. The Pirates plan on being major players in all of these areas, to build a team for the future and continue pushing out prospects in the system. Sounds reasonable. Sounds like what other successful teams do. Once the Pirates put together some decent teams and some good talent, the money will be there to keep some of these players and allow Neal Huntington to hit free Agency as well to fill a couple of holes.

As with anything, seeing is believing when it comes to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Right now, the correct things are being said. A lot of it is being met with skeptisism and rightfully so. you have to believe that bob Nutting, Frank Coonelly and Neal Huntington know this and expect this. Transforming this organization is about action instead of talk. Making die hard fans and the media believers will be a result of actions rather than talk. so far the talk as been good. Read more!

Neal Huntington Named As New Pirates GM

This isn't exactly news anymore but yesterday - Tuesday September 25, 2007 the Pitsburgh Pirates announced the hiring of Neal Huntington to replace Dave Littlegield as the Pittsburgh Pirates GM.

Neal Huntington has spent much of his time with the Cleveland Indians...Huntington started off his career in 1995 as Assistant Director of Player Development for the Montreal Expos Minor Leagues. Here is an outline of what Neal Huntington's job duties have been throughout his career -

1995 - Assistant Director Player Development | Montreal Expos Minor Leagues
1996-1997 - Assistant Director Player Development And Scouting | Montreal Expos Minor Leagues
1998 - Assistant Director, Minor League Operations | Cleveland Indians
1999-2001 - Director, Player Development | Cleveland Indians
2002-2004 - Assistant GM | Cleveland Indians
2005-2007 - Special Assistant to GM | Cleveland Indians

As you can see, Neal Huntington has done basically a little bit of everything. He's developed minor leagues, players, he's been a talent evaluator, scout, he was an Assistant GM for 3 years. We won't pass by the fact that his most recent work has come with the Cleveland Indians, a team with low payroll that has built the most impressive stock of young players. The talent evaluations, scouting and player development in Cleveland has been nothing short of excellent. All of those things in which Neal Huntington has had a big hand in.

Most people, including Pittsburgh Pirates beat writers are cautious about this hire due to the fact that Neal Huntington was seemingly demoted from his position of Assistant GM in Cleveland to Special Assistant to GM. After being asked about this, Neal Huntington has explained that he approached Cleveland Indians GM - Mark Shapiro about moving back into a position of Scouting, Talent Evaluation and player development. His job has been more of scouting others team and the Indians for games and evaluating players on both sides. It is curious in either way, why he chose to take a lesser position.

One thing about the Cleveland Indians is that they have a logjam of "Assistants" to the GM. This is something you don't see often. There appears to have been 3 people under Mark Shapiro with the one closest to Mark Shapiro being Chris Antonetti who is the Vice President of Baseball Operations and then John Mirabelli being the Assistant GM. It appears that Neal Huntington was pushed out of his role as Assistant GM but nobody knows why. Neal Huntington in recent interviews claims that he was not demoted and Mark Shapiro has said that Neal Huntington was one of the most important voices in the Club House. It is also being said in small circles that Mark Shapiro recommended Neal Huntington as being easily ready for a GM position as new Pirates CEO - Frank Coonelly was conducting his interviews.

It is interesting as to why Neal Huntington ended up with a lower position in Cleveland. I personally do not believe that it matters much. He's already been an Assistant GM. He has done a little bit of everything at different tiers in an organization. Reading on the Pittsburgh Pirates Website about this hire I came across the following :

"I wish I had an answer for you," Huntington responded. "I will do it respectfully and graciously. I've been on the other side of the equation, with a new executive coming in and wondering what my future held. But I want to make sure the process is thorough, and I want to make sure the process is fair."

Perhaps I am reading too much into this, but it appears as if there is an underlying tone of animosity by Neal Huntington. The above quote was taken from Neal Huntington's response to a time table in which he'll be making decisions on who gets fired. It sounds like when Mark Shapiro brought in another executive, Neal Huntington was ousted in what seems like a less than unprofessional way and he wants to make sure that he he conducts business more professionally.

It will be fun and interesting to see what this new regime of Coonelly and Huntington have in store. they are saying all of the right things and unlike Kevin McClatchy and Dave Littlefield, they appear to have a real plan in place. The execution of this plan is what is going to mater the most. Read more!

Can We Get Morgan Out Of The Lineup??

It is a very well documented fact that Jim Tracy is a moron. With his job on the line (thankfully) he isn't doing anything to change this face. Case in point is playing Nyjer Morgan day after day while players like Nate McLouth and Stephen Pearce sitSo what is the beef with Nyjer Morgan? The guy can't hit. Plain and simple. He's a poor hitter. He is getting a chance to play because he made a couple of nice catches and can run fast. Sounds like other Center Field failures the Pirates have had in the past.

What is inexcusable is how Nate McLouth is being completely overlooked in CF. Not only has Nate McLouth done a good job defensively, he also hits the ball, gets on bass, draws walks and steals bases when he gets his chance to start. McLouth was a big reason for the August splurge by the Pirates that had some idiots believing that this team could compete for a division championship. Unless the Pirates feel that they have gotten enough of a look from Nate McLouth and know what he is capable, the decision to give Morgan all of this playing time is beyond ridiculous.

Today I looked at the starting lineup and saw McLouth, Morgan and Bay starting in the outfield. Here's where we start questioning Jim Tracy's even more. Where the hell is Steve Pearce? The Pirates finally get a kid that can hit .300, and hit for power and they refuse to playhim so guys like Nyjer Morgan can continue producing sub .250 averages and laughable OPS's of 69

Steve Pearce

AB 47 H 14 RBI 5 BB 4 K 7 BA .298 OBP .353 SLG .426 OPS 101

Nyjer Morgan

AB 66 H 16 RBI 3 BB 6 K 13 BA .242 OBP .315 SLG .333 OPS 69

Also look at their fielding and Pearce has been flawless. Granted, Morgan has more range, but Pearce has not played bad defensively at all.

Perhaps they got enough of a look at Pearce to see that he's the better player than Morgan, but why would you start Nate McLouth over Steven Pearce unless you wanted to get Nyjer Morgan more AB's despite the fact that Morgan hits as well as the other Center Fielders the Pirates have pushed out there since Andy Van Slyke. This looks more like Jim Tracy wanting to get Nate McLouth some AB's since he drove in the 2/3 of the Pirates runs the other night but can't let go of Nyjer Morgan because he makes a ncie catch and can run fast.

Plain and simple. Steven Pearce is getting screwed. We won't even talk about Josh Phelps getting completely screwed since he hasn't started in over a week, but Jim Tracy will hurry up and run a bum like Maldanaldo out there. Hey, that Maldanaldo is a great receiver even my Grandmother could hit better than him. All Phelps has done since he's been here is hit .362 in 69 AB's with 5 HR's along with an OPS of 196.

Clear examples of why it won';t be soon enough that Jim Tracy and his entire coaching staff get shipped out here. They are a joke when it comes to in game management. they are a joke when it comes to putting the best talent on the field to win games. They are a joke when it comes to working with the players to make them better. They are a joke in the dug out as Jim Colborn has displayed wonderfully with his poor personality.

There's no excuse for Nyjer Morgan getting all of these starts while players that have shown that they can hit and playing good defensively like Steven Pearce, Nate McLouth and Josh Phelps continue to get either no playing time or less AB's than Morgan.
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The New GM Search

It's an exciting time to be a Pittsburgh Pirates fan. Kevin McClatchy and Dave Littlefield are gone. McClatchy has been replaced by CEO Frank Coonelly who appears to be a pretty solid hire by Bob Nutting. The GM search is on and the one name that is appearing is Tony LaCava. I can't speak for anyone else involved with this Blog but Kipper endorses the hiring of Tony LaCavaSo what makes tony LaCava so appealing? The guy can flat out evaluate talent. If there is one major thing the Pirates organization has been poor in since 1992 it has been talent evaluation. Consider that the Pirates have finished under .500 for 15 years and have drafted high. The Pirates should have churned out more prospects than they have. ven bad teams would have churned out more prospects than the Pirates. The Pirates have been worse than bad in this area. Having someone like LaCava who guys like John Schuerholz - Atlanta Braves GM and Mark Shapiro - Cleveland Indians GM swear by is a good thing. Tony LaCava worked under both of those guys.

There's always that feeling of hesitation because Dave Littlefield was thought of highly when he came from the Florida Marlins organization. It became apparent that Dave Dombrowski was the architect in Florida and Dave Littlefield was likely the guy filling up Dombrowski's cups of coffee. Tony LaCava has gone to a few different organizations and has gotten high marks wherever he has gone. That right there seperates him from Dave Littlefield. Tony LaCava has proven that he hasn't been some GM's coffee vendor since he has been successful whever he has gone.

I have read various thoughts on Message Boards in regards to Tony LaCava. The majority seem to be inf avor of LaCava. A few look at the Toronto Bluejays and are hesitant. Toronto plays in a rough division. If you put Toronto in another division they are likely finishing with a better record. Because the Blue Jays are in a division with the Leagues highest spenders in the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, they get their fair share of loses. Toronto has a nice payroll budget but J.P. Ricciardi is the guy with the ultimate say there and the ultimate plan. Tony LaCava works under him.

I personally endorse Tony LaCava and hope that Bob Nutting and Frank Coonelly choose this guy. It's reported that LaCava wants this job. He's turned down the GM position with the Boston Red Sox, he is a Pittsburgh guy, he knows the history of this franchise and would be vital in helping Frank Coonelly restore the pride back into this organization like Frank Coonelly spoke of in his interviews.

There is also word coming out of Jack Zduriencik who is the Special assistant to the GM in Milwaukee and is their Scouting Director. Zduriencik is another Pittsburgh guy and nobody can say that Milwaukee hasn't been doing things correctly for the past few years. Zduriencik was also the Pittsburgh Pirates Scouting Director from 1991-1993. The Pirates didn't exactly draft well in those years as Jason Kendall and Tony Womack are the only notables from those years. The Pirates also didn't acquire any impact players between 1991 and 1992 in trades and free agency so there are a lot of question marks surrounding Jack Zduriencik. Read more!

Will Bob Nutting Spend More Money?

There appears to be a lot of optimism out there amongst Pirates Fans. Who can blame them, with Dave Littlefield being fired, Kevin McClatchy gone, Jim Tracy and staff of bumbling fools likely on the way out things appear to be looking brighter. Factor in Bary Bonds who will likely retire after this season and the curse of Barry Bonds could be ending as well. With this optimism comes this feeling and belief that Bob Nutting is willing to spend more money

I have listened to stremaed video's of Bob Nuttings press release. I've read every article in the Pittsburgh Pst-Gazette, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Beaver County Times searching for some sort of implication that Bob Nutting is willing to spend more money next season. I'm not talking about a $5 million increase, we're talking about a payroll budget that is competitive to teams in similar markets as the Pittsburgh Pirates. I haven't found anything to suggest such a thing.

Mike Prisuta from the Pittsburgh Tribune had an article yesterday that talked about Bob Nutting needing to spend more. The following are a couple of quotes from Bob Nutting in regards to payroll;

"I really don't think (payroll) is the only issue," Nutting said. "I think that how effectively we deploy those assets is critically important to our success on the field."

"We can all go back over the past couple of years and look at how dollars have been allocated and re-think, in hindsight," Nutting said. "It's easy to second guess. But I think that effectively deployed we can be much more successful than we are today."

Bob Nutting appears to be more concerned that the budget he has approved for the past few seasons (which has been the same) is spent more wisely and more productively. Bob Nutting wants to see what occurs when his small payroll budget his spent more intelligently. Perhaps this is a wait and see philosophy. Let's see what happens first and then determine how much more is needed to truly compete.

One has to figure that considering how ugly the Pirates organization is in almsot every aspect from the Minor Leagues to South America to national and world wide scouting that a rebuilding plan is goiing to be in place. The Pirates have no blue chip prospects in the minor leagues. Nobody in South America ready to contribute in the minor leagues. The Pirates scouting department has stockpiled the system with poor prospects. Depending on the direction the Pirates choose to go next season, we might not see a payroll increase even if the money is there.

If you take a look at teams like Tampa Bay and Washington they're doing what the Pirates will probably end up doing. Carrying a low payroll budget while they try to build up the minor league system, reshape the organization and prepare for the future. How much money they decide to spend on the Major League roster is going to depend on how far away they believe the Pirates are from contending and also Free Agency. What players are available and if they are a good bargain for what they want and if they can be helpful to the team.

I'm extremely pessimistic about any sort of Payroll increase next season. I believe that Bob Nutting needs to increase payroll to match what other teams in Pittsburgh's market is spending and he might very well be planning to do that. We just might not see it right away considering the state of chaos that this entire organization is in, and the things that are going to be needed to get the Ship sailing again.

I am currently interested more in seeing who is brought in to be the new CEO. Who is brought in to be the new GM. Who and what these people bring into the organization. How these people are going to rebuild this organization. The timetable. Expectations now and in the future. These things will likely shed more light on payroll. Read more!

The Barry Bonds Curse

We all have heard about the Curse of Barry Bonds. Since Barry left the Pirates, the Pirates haven't had a winning season. Well, for some reason with the tides appearing or feeling like they are beginning to change for the Pirates, which is likely coinciding with the Bonds retiring after this season, could the curse of Barry Bonds be starting to peel off this organization?

I suppose that we will find out when Bonds does indeed retire and see what the Pirates do, but all of the irony is starting to fall in place. Yours truly believes in the Curse of Barry Bonds for no other reason than it's something fun to think about. When Barry Bonds retires the Pirates will begin their swing back towards being a respectable franchise again. Read more!

Great Day For Pirates Fans!

Today is a Great Day For Pirates Fans. The best day perhaps since Cam Bonifay was fired. Can you smell the irony? Hopefully the results this time around are better than the last time....After 6 years, Dave Littlefield has finally been fired. Many people could say that Littlefield should've been fired years ago and I would agree with them. What is important is that the worst GM in Baseball and perhaps all of the Major League sports world is now gone from the Pirates. What happens next should be interesting and fun. I hesitate on saying that the next hire couldn't be any worse than Dave Littlefield, but I said those words when Cam Bonifay was fired and we all saw the results.

Ironically Bob Nutting fired Dave Littlefield the morning after the Pirates got smacked around like a rag doll by the St.Louis Cardinals 16-4. A game in which we saw Bryan Bullington get a start and look like Zack Duke's brother. A game in which we saw JVB and Davidson, 2 minor league pitchers making appearances and getting smacked around badly. There's no doubt that this showing by what our are prospects most closest to the major leagues was the final nail in the coffin that Dave Littlefield made for himself years ago.

Bob Nutting believes in the small market system that you build from within. You don't build through Free Agency. Considering that the guy is cheap and this is a small market he is right. Nutting has also bought into the belief that you build around pitching. This likely killed Dave Littlefield as 3 AAA pitchers were brought up and got hit on, scored on and brutally abused.

Some people have questioned why Bob Nutting would approve of the Matt Morris deal when he knew he was going to fire Dave Littlefield. Bob Nutting said in an interview that he made his decision based on months worth of evaluating. This sounds fair. Bob Nutting likely is the guy that approves a budget and let's the guys hired to do the job of spending it, spend it. That is how businesses work. That is why you hire these types of people. Dave Littlefield likely had a $50 Million payroll to start off the season. At the start of the season it was at $38 Million. Littlefield believed all season long, along with his incompetent manager, Jim Tracy that the 2007 Pittsburgh Pirates were playoff contenders. They never gave up on this belief. It also helps explain why Matt Weiters was passed up on by Dave Littlefield. It had to do with money. It wasn't because Bob Nutting wouldn't let Dave Littlefield spend, it was because Dave Littlefield didn't want to spend what he was saving up for trades.

If you look at the Cesar Izturis trade. First it is a desperation move. You don't take on all of that salary if you're not desperate or retarded. Secondly, you don't trade for infield depth at that sort of price if you aren't seriously believing your team is contending for something. The Matt Morris trade is the same thing. Desperation and mental retardation. Dave Littlefield could've signed Jeff Suppan in the offseason for a similar amount of money and didn't. Dave Littlefield was simply pretending to e a GM with a playoff contending team and making moves that a playoff contending GM makes.

In the end, Bob Nutting gave Dave Littlefield a budget to work with and until Dave Littlefield was fired it was his job to spend that money wisely. Dave Littlefield didn't. Bob Nutting likely has seen the results of $15 million that Dave Littlefield spent on 2 players and Dave's days as a Pirates GM were definitely numbered at that point.

So what next? Nobody knows. The Pirates need a new CEO and a new GM. Considering that Bob Nutting has been interviewing CEO candidates, I would expect a new CEO to be hired first. I expect the new CEO and Bob Nutting to interview GM candidates and decide on that. I also would not be surprised if Jim Tracy and his staff is fired at the end of this season. If Bob Nutting doesn't do it, I am sure that a new CEO will or a new GM will. A new GM wants to bring in his own guys. Same thing goes for a new CEO. It appears as if Bob Nutting is clearing the paths for this to occur.

One thing that is a definite FACT is that this will be an interesting, excited and fun Off Season for a change in regards to baseball in Pittsburgh. Presently we're all still hoping against the worst. That hasn't changed, but I personally have more faith in Bob Nutting making a good hire than I did in Kevin McClatchy. McClatchy proved that he was incompetent when it came to hiring the right people. Bob Nutting hasn't had the chance to prove this. Bob Nutting is cheap. He's a profit first type of guy. Let's hope that he can hire the right people. Read more!

Pittsburgh Live Message Board Shut Down!!!!

For All Of Us who post regularly on Pittsburgh Live the board has been shut down for the time being.
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Dave Littlefield Fired

Pirates fire GM Littlefield; interim replacement is Graham

Friday, September 07, 2007

By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

(First published at 11:01 a.m.; updated 11:42)

The Pirates this morning fired general manager Dave Littlefield near the end of his seventh losing season.

He will be replaced on an interim basis by Brian Graham, the team's director of player development.

Littlefield, 47, took the post July 31, 2001, and his teams went a combined 442-581 in his tenure, never approaching .500. That included 67-95 finishes in 2005 and 2006, and the current edition's 61-79 record.

His contract, which was extended on opening day last year, was to run through the 2008 season.

The firing was made by principal owner Bob Nutting, who already had been searching for a new CEO to replace outgoing Kevin McClatchy and now will add the general manager's post to that list.

"After eight months of listening and analyzing the situation, it has become clear that this decision was necessary to move our organization forward," Nutting said. "While there are many bright spots for us to build from, I am not satisfied with the overall performance and progress that has been made. I'm committed to building a successful organization, and this is an important step in that process."

Nutting previously had stated he would wait until after the season to decide the fates of Littlefield and manager Jim Tracy, whose contract also runs through 2008.

"I felt the time was right to announce my decision to ensure that the organization is in the best possible position to attract the very best general manager candidates," Nutting said. "In addition to allowing us more time to search for a replacement, it should allow more time for our new general manager to make the necessary evaluations and staffing decisions."

The firing of Littlefield will not affect the search for CEO, Nutting added. One person will be hired for each post.

"The search process for our new club president has clarified for me that the president and general manager positions are two distinct functions. I believe both individuals must have strong baseball backgrounds. The president will lead the overall day-to-day operations. It is clear, however, that most successful teams also have a strong general manager in place with a single-minded focus on leading the baseball operations."

Littlefield carried the additional title of senior vice president.

Nutting strongly suggested Graham will keep the post only on an interim basis.

"Brian brings years of industry experience and is a tremendous asset to our organization," Nutting said. "I'm confident he will be able to steer our baseball operations forward in the interim."

Graham, 47, has more than 26 years in professional baseball and six in his current post. He also was a major-league coach and, for nine seasons, a minor-league manager in the Cleveland Indians' system.

Littlefield accompanied the Pirates for their four-game series to St. Louis and, according to those close to him, had been behaving as if he were confident he would be back next year. The Pirates flew back to Pittsburgh last night after their 16-4 loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, and Littlefield was notified of the decision at roughly 10 a.m.

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More details in tomorrow's Post-Gazette.

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Barry LAMAR Bonds

I love the middle name "Lamar". Nothing says Sanford And Son junk collecting like the name "Lamar".

With that out of the way it is time for another Barry Bonds post and opinion. BGK left one hell of a post, but who the heck can't talk about Bonds in some sort of way?

I remember watching Bonds for the first time. I can remember him in the tight 1986 Pirates get up. I can remember him wearing the striped hat in 1986 and yellow batters helmet. I can remember Bary Bonds weighing a buck fifty with the little mustache. What I remember most was watching this guy for the first few times and just having this feeling that this guy was going to be great. It had nothing to do with knowing who is father was. At the time I didn't know that Willie Mays was his Grandfather it was the player on the field. The way he played. The way he hit. You could see it and feel it. In 1986 there wasn't a whole lot to see and feel good about. Much like now. We had poor pitching and poor hitters but there was Barry LAMAR Bonds coming up from the Pirates AAA team in - Hawaii.

Bonds became a great player with the Pirates. We won't discuss his weak ass arm in the playoffs as Sid Bream ran with one leg from 2nd to home to win that game but, Barry Bonds was a great player. Bonds is a Hall Of Fame Player and should be inducted into the H.O.F. not for the tainted Home Run Records but for what he accomplished before he admitted using drugs and Game of Shadows revealed. I also believe that Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson should be in the Hall Of Fame as well for their accomplishments on the field.

So where does this leafe Barry Bonds? A guy that was jealous seeing Sammy
Sosa and Mark McGwire likely using performance enhancing drugs breaking home run records. A guy that wasn't getting any younger having his best power numbers when his game should've clearly declined and was starting to until the 2000 season. A guy that admitted "unknowingly" taking steroids and whose personal trainer wasa busted for them. It leaves what could've been a great career, one of the best of this generation nothing but questions of lies, cheating and illegal use. It leaves Barry Bonds legacy not of one that had a great career who was a great Left Fielder and great hitter and perhaps the biggest asshole in all of sports... It leaves his legacy as a cheater amongst a majority of baseball and sports fans. Barry Bonds had to one up the other drug abusers. He had to get his taste of fame and get his name out there. He had to quickly turn around what was becoming a career in decline as he naturally got older. He had to use Steroids to get the Home Run Records he coveted. The Home Run records he desired. The Home Run records he felt that he was being left out of.

It is almost sad to think back to the 1986 season and remember Barry Bonds as a rookie. To look back and remember the feeling I had when I first watched him play. To remember all of those years Barry Bonds was a Pittsburgh Pirate and to know now that this guy's legacy will be forever tainted because of his greed, arrogance and ignorance. Barry Bonds the personality stepped into his playing career and forever put that career as a big question mark for life.

















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Bonds used steroids...errr, i mean... Bonds breaks record!

Well, it happened. Barry Bonds has broken Hank Aaron's home run record. He hit #756 tonight at home against the Washington Nationals.

Here are some things to think about when considering whether or not you will cheer or jeer this moment.

For all you Bonds-huggers out there (people who feel he is unjustly being chastised as the only baseball player who used steroids, and who also believe that MLB is throwing him under the bus) consider this:

people need to understand one thing...The fact that this is Barry Bonds is of little or no importance. Yes, there are probably some Pirate fans who hate Barry for leaving Pittsburgh. Yes, there are probably some people who who hate Barry due to certain run-ins they or their children may have had with him because he is widely regarded as unapproachable.

But the fact is, we all KNOW how wide spread steroids is. You would have a very hard time convincing me that anyone in the general public truly believes that steroids are limited to Bary Bonds alone. The problem is that Ken Caminiti, Jose Canseco and Roger Clemens are not about to break what is arguably the most cherished record in all of sports. If they were, they would be going thru the same thing Barry is going thru right now.

Barry Bonds supporters always cry that Barry is being unfairly portrayed as the only person who ever did steroids. He isn't, he just happens to be the only one who did steroids who is about to break one of the greatest records of all time. The thing about Bonds getting so much attention is because there has been about a 7 year leadup to this point. About 6 or 7 years ago people started thinking it was possible for him to break this record and we have been following it the WHOLE TIME. And the steroid controversy happened in the middle of his quest. Not to mention the undeniable evidence supporting all claims that he used steroids. Including, but not limited to...HIS ADMISSION OF USING STEROIDS!

Honestly, If Zach Duke comes back from rehab with an added 5mph to his fastball and he strikes out 21 in his first game back, then the next day he tells a grand Jury he used steroids, will it get the same publicity? No, because it didn't happen over the course of 6 years with a cloud of steroids over his head the whole time, but will it be just as wrong? Yes!

If you like Bonds and don't care that he used steroids to break the record, fine, thats your right. But don't try to convince anyone that he didnt do anything wrong, or that he is being unjustly accused...because it just ain't true. Read more!

Q&A With Dave Littlefield

Pirates fans, now is your opportunity to ask general manager Dave Littlefield your questions.

The Pirates have launched the Dave Littlefield Online Q&A exclusively on pirates.com. Fans can submit questions, and Dave will answer a limited number, posting the responses here at pirates.com on a regular basis.

I like the Matt Morris trade. We got a veteran starter without the long-term contract risk. Why did you make the move now rather than in the offseason?
-- Joe M., Cranberry Twp, Pa.

Ummm. I had some money left over that I was saving for our run for the division and Matt Morris was there for the taking. We're still in it, you know?

Matt Morris eats a lot of innings and won 20-plus game afew years back. Did I mention that Matt Morris won 20-Plus games a few years back? He's a veteran presence that our pitchers really need since Jim Colbourn ain't worth a shit.... Umm, oops did I say that? I love Jim, he's a great guy.

Thanks for being the 3rd person besides the 2 Pirates announcers to like this trade, Joe. You aren't retarded or anything?

What kind of impact do you think Morris will have on young guys like Ian Snell, Tom Gorzelanny and Paul Maholm?
-- Buddy C., Bethel Park, Pa.

He should have a great impact. Due to the incompetence of Jim Colbourn to teach guys how to pitch... Uhhh, that kind of accidently slipped out huh? Matt Morris will help the young guys and mentor them. He's like having a real pitching coach in the dugout.... Whoops.

Was there a lot of interest in our relievers [prior to the trade deadline], and why did you hold off on making any of those moves?
-- Ron B., Tampa, Fla.

There was a great deal of interest in our relievers, but you see, we're aiming for the Playoffs this season. That was our goal coming in and that is our goal until the end. Don't let our record fool you. With the exception of a couple of bad games after the All-Star Game this team has played very well and I am pleased with the direction we are moving in. We need the 2 or 3 good relievers we have since guys like Jonah Bayliss suck ass... Did I just say the "A" word? My mother is going to kill me. Oh shit... Shit!, did I just say the "S" word? I need a wine cooler.

Is there any chance of seeing Cesar Izturis at second and Freddy Sanchez back at third? I have heard Izturis has some experience at second base.
-- Nate W., East Liverpool, Ohio

The entire Cesar Izturis thing hasn't gone to plan like I wanted. I was actually trying to get rid of Jack Wilson so Cesar could be out starting SS but other teams wanted us to eat some of Jack's contract or didn't understand the value of Jack Wilson and were unwilling to give him up for a couple of good prospects.

Initially I made this trade for Cesar at the request of Jim Colbourn and Jim Tracy. Jim Colbourn hates Jack's guts and has been rumored to sneak into the Clubhouse before the players get there and urinate in Jack Wilson's ball cap and ejaculate in his shoes. Jim Tracy has a perpetual hard on for any Dodgers player that he once coached so this was a no brainer. I have faith in my coaching staff to make great decisions for me. Now I just need to get rid of that Box of Donuts.....errr.... I mean Jack Wilson.

Why was John Van Benschoten sent to Triple-A instead of putting him in the bullpen to work with pitching coach Jim Colborn?
-- Mike B., Doylestown, Ohio

Jim Colbourn doesn't work with our pitchers unless there's nothing wrong with them. If he's not doing that, he spends a lot of time pretending to be a fielding coach.... ummm... I mean helping out the fielding coach and stuff.....

I have recently read that Yoslan Herrera has greatly improved his performance in Double-A. Do you think he will make an impact on the big-league club next season?
-- Bryan C., Sandwich, Mass.

Beats the hell out of me. I don't really plan that long in advance. When next season comes, we'll attack this question. Right now Yuslan is pitching very nicely. I might call and see if we can turn him into a Center Fielder.
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Dave Littlefield's Ipod

I received some great inside information from a reliable source about what songs are in Dave Littlefield's "Favorites" folder on his Ipod


1. It's Raining Men - The Weather Girls

The Song Writer behind this gem.... None other than Paul Shaffer.

2. Macho Man - Village People
3. You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) - Sylvester
4. Hold On - Wilson Phillips
5. Take Your Mama Out - Scissor Sisters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzDLeEggMQ8
Words can't describe the singer for the Scissor Sisters

6. Loser - Beck
7. Afternoon Delight - Starland Vocal Band
8. If You're Not here (By My Side) - Menudo

This picture speaks for itself

9. Outside - George Michael

The ONE guy in 1985 that every 13 year old girl wanted but could never have.... EVER

10. I'm Too Sexy - Right Said Fred
11. You Think You're A Man - Divine

Dave Littlefield's kind of woman.

12. Love Is Love - RuPaul
13. Dancing Queen - Abba
14. Constant Craving - K.D. Lang
15. Homosapien - Pete Shelley
16. Michael - Franz Ferdinand
17. Want One - Rufus Wainwright

Dave Littlefield's kind of man.

19. Bang And Blame - R.E.M.
20. Handsome Devil - The Smiths
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An Exorcist?

Dr. Evil: "The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you!"

Bob Smizik wrote one of those 'sad but true' articles today. I won't say much as the article does just fine by itself.

If you look closely at the picture though, I think that's the ghost of Tike Redman in the bed...

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/07215/806622-194.stm

Needed: Exorcist for Pirates' woes
Forget about the CEO, what Pirates need most is an exorcist

The most difficult challenge facing the Pirates' next CEO will not be upgrading the team's current talent level or expanding the Latin American base of operation or persuading owner Bob Nutting to increase the payroll significantly.

Those are only secondary issues to what makes the Pirates perennial losers.

The primary and most difficult job for whomever succeeds Kevin McClatchy will be to erase the pervasive culture of losing that has brought down almost everyone who has been connected with the organization for the past 15 years.

The Pirates, understandably, don't know how to win. But that's not the half of it. They don't know how not to lose.

Every season, brave words come out of spring training. Every season, they ring hollow.

Managers, coaches and players join the organization full of confidence and inspired by the belief that they can alter this culture of losing. No one has. And there are legitimate doubts as to whether anyone can.

Good men have tried and failed.

Jim Leyland, arguably the best manager in baseball, had a sense of being overwhelmed by the defeatism that infused the organization and got out with his reputation intact in 1996, but not before four consecutive losing seasons.

Gene Lamont, an astute baseball man and with a previous stint of managerial success with the Chicago White Sox, simply couldn't handle it.

Lloyd McClendon confronted it as well as anyone and, even in the end, seemed to be battling, as opposed to giving in. But fighting the good fight against this foe isn't enough.

We can only imagine what Jim Tracy is thinking. He arrived believing this was a challenge he could handle. He understood the problem was a culture of losing but believed he could create a winning atmosphere. As he nears the two-thirds point of his second season, he's overwhelmed by the immensity of the task. He doesn't say it, but it's clear he never has seen anything like this. He won't leave with his reputation intact and could well follow Lamont and McClendon into a lifetime of coaching, but not managing.

Nor have players been immune from the beating down of steady defeat.

Who was more mentally tough than Jason Kendall? Not many. But even he was trampled by the losing. He arrived in Pittsburgh a rookie with a veteran mind-set and ready to take on the world. He left sullen, bitter and often a bad teammate because he could do nothing to alter the tradition of defeat.

Who thought Jack Wilson would get crushed by this? But he has. Wilson can't wait to get out. Every time the phone rings he's hoping it brings official word of the much-reported trade that will send him to Detroit and the promised land of a winning team and an upbeat atmosphere.

When the Pirates announced their only trade Tuesday, the last day a non-waiver deal could be made, there was one joyous player and 24 unhappy ones. The player smiling, Rajai Davis, had been released from the prison of defeat that is the Pirates' clubhouse. His 24 teammates were left wishing they could join him in departure.

This isn't to suggest the Pirates have a clubhouse of losers. They just have a clubhouse full of players who can't overcome the losing.

The culture of losing does strange things to how the game is played. Is there any other way to explain the team's ridiculous failure to execute the most basic fundamentals? Techniques they should have mastered as Pony Leaguers, if not Little Leaguers, are too often beyond these players. Even Nate McLouth, who for a time looked like a moderately talented player but at least one who knew how to play the game, has succumbed. All of a sudden, McLouth is throwing rainbows to home plate from center field when he has to know that's not how it's done.

The losing just eats away at focus, which is so vitally important to staying sharp at the highest level of baseball.

Players like Kendall and Wilson resisted the losing culture to the end. By all indications Joggin' Ronny Paulino isn't as mentally strong. How else to explain his plunge from rookie-of-the-year candidate to second-season flop. Sure, he might have played over his head in 2006, but that doesn't explain his current steep decline, particularly in catching the ball.

What a jolt this atmosphere must have been to Adam LaRoche. He came from a situation where not just winning but championships were expected to one where defeat is ingrained.

It's not always all downhill. There are peaks, like the current two-game winning streak. But there are far more valleys, like losing 14 of 16 after the All-Star Game. In the end, the tradition of losing prevails and grows stronger.

There's not even a clue as to who Nutting will hire as his new CEO. He needs to be a man familiar with all facets of baseball and sports administration. It also wouldn't hurt if he knew a thing or two about exorcism.

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What Can Save The Pirates?

In the aftermath of Dave Littlefield's Matt Morris trade (If you can call it a trade), I've read various opinions on the reasoning behind this trade. The worst part is that all of the opinions I've read sound like they could be accurate yet all of the are different from each other. Personally I think Dave Littlefield wanted a Veteran Pitcher and had some money left in the bank and snagged up Matt Morris. He did this without thinking long term. He did this without thinking about the money that Morris is due to be had. Littlefield just simply in panic mode made this move to save his rear.

I've given up trying to come up with rational explanations for what Dave Littlefield does. I can understand why murderers murder or why 2 year old kids can sometimes act of out line. I can't understand exactly what sort of retarded hamster is running the wheel in Dave Littlefields head.

Right now, Dave Littlefield is in panic mode. Bob Nutting stated in the media that he won't make a decision on Dave Littlefield and Jim Tracy until after this season. It doesn't matter what type of assurance Bob Nutting gives Dave Littlefield behind closed doors, making a statement like this in the media is in Dave Littlefield's head. Take that and combine it with how horribly the Pirates have been playing since the All-Star Break and Dave Littlefield is scrambling to save his job. Even in panic mode and when it comes to spending over $10 million on a player, Dave Littlefield still can't make a good decision.

I've also read opinions about why Bob Nutting agreed to sign off on this trade. We have to sit back and realize that Bob Nutting although cheap is not Kevin McClatchy. Kevin McClatchy liked to think that he knew baseball and players. That his opinion mattered. Bob Nutting doesn't do this. Nutting is strictly the money guy. He gives Management a specific amount of money they can spend per season and let's them have a go at it. Bob Nutting also has a belief in Dave Littlefield or perhaps the believe is more in Littlefield's scheme of building a team through drafting and the minor leagues, developing pitchers, trading assets to fill in spots and signing key free agents to fill in holes. It all sounds good if you have a competent GM making these decisions. Unfortunately for Bob Nutting he doesn't know any other GM's, since he's been around Dave Littlefield all of this time. It's comfort to a certain degree. Bottom line is that I personally don't think that Bob Nutting cared who was being signed. Dave Littlefield could've shown Bob Nutting that Matt Morris won 22 games in 2001 and that was good enough for a guy who knows very little about baseball like Bob Nutting. As long as the deal fell within budget lines, Bob Nutting doesn't care.

With all of this fun that has occurred we all ask ourselves, "What can save the Pirates"? We all know it starts with new Ownership but that is likely a pipe dream. MLB doesn't seem to care about the Pittsburgh Pirates, local and state officials don't seem to care that this ownership group over the years has a publicly funded stadium that they are reaping benefits from and not fullfilling promises of fielding a competitive team on. Something HUGE will have to occur for Bob Nutting to sell. Considering that we can't get Pirates "fans" to walk out into the concourses for an inning, I don't hold much faith in Bob Nutting selling anytime soon.

What might save us fans is this new CEO hire. Not so much the hire but the interviewing process. There cannot be a competent CEO candidate out there that has a good word to say about Dave Littlefield. I'm sure one of the things that would be discussed during these interviews is dumping Dave Littlefield and the reasons why. Perhaps hearing candidates speaking against Dave Littlefield will open Bob Nuttings eyes (if they're not already opened which I doubt). Bob Nutting won't be able to hire a competent CEO if he throws Dave Littlefield and Jim Tracy on them. That will be a short interview since competent CEO's will likely decline the job. However, the more Bob Nutting hears negatively about Dave Littlefield and the reasons why (which should all be very similar) maybe it will trigger something in Bob Nutting's brain.

Let's face it, Bob Nutting is a penny pincher. He, like most businessmen don't get where they are at if they aren't getting the most bang for their buck. Dave Littlefield has spent money irresponsibly and has made irresponsible trades. Bob Nutting is not getting the most bang for his buck. You need to spend more than Bob Nutting does to field a competitive team year in and year out but you can also field a somewhat competitive team with Nutting's 40-50 million payroll as well, as long as you are spending the money on the right people and in the right places. The wrong places would be Matt Morris, Cesar Izturis, Jack Wilson, Jeromy Burnitz, Joe Randa, Tony Armas Jr., Daniel Moskos. You're talking about $30-40 million right there per year on those players. Anyone out here in the Blog World could spend $30-40 million better than this. We're not even going to talk about drafts either, since Dave Littlefield and Ed Creech have assembled some of the poorest drafts.

Bob Nutting doesn't want to be the guy in charge when the Pirates are tying and breaking a Major Sports record for longest losing tenure next season and the season after. If he thinks he has negative attention now, it will increase 10 fold in the sports world during the next 2 seasons. Bob Nutting has also shown that he doesn't like being questioned and doesn't like negative publicity. He felt the need to issue a crap statement on the day of the June 30th protest. While he spewed the regular Pirates rhetoric, he still stepped up and said something. He also sounded a little irritable when he made his "Don't question by commitment" speech. Businessmen and money men don't like negative publicity. Keeping Dave Littlefield around after this season will get Bob Nutting a lot of negative publicity. He has a huge off season coming up where he must hire a new CEO. The future of the Pirates in the eyes of the fans and the entire sports world hinges on the decisions that Bob Nutting makes this off season. Not firing Dave Littlefield will tell the fans and the sports world exactly what Bob Nutting's plans are and it isn't fielding a competitive team, holding management and decision makers accountable, investing and showing a commitment to winning. Read more!

Dave Littlefield, The Dastardly Dealer

For some strange reason, the Trade Deadline always brings a sense of excitement to the air for baseball fans and Pirates fans. I'm not exactly sure why, as Pirates Fans we get excited about this time of the year. Perhaps it has more to do with the fact that we would like to be like Fans of other teams who have something to look forward, who can feel hope and get excited. It must be a psychological thing because it's not realistic.

Realistic would be knowing that the Trade Deadline, just like the season is met with huge disappointments. If The Pirates aren't dumping a salary or 2, they are trading what 1 or 2 decent players they have for some Bullpen Prospects or mediocre, career minor league position players. Not this season.

Just when you think Dave Littlefield can't top himself in the decision making Department, he goes out and gets veteran pitcher, Matt Morris in a trade with the San Francisco Giants that sends the Giants, outfielder Rajai Davis and a Player To Be Named Later. The kicker of this trade is that Matt Morris is making around or close to $10 million per year. The guy has been on a big decline and is far from being the 20 game winner he was in 2001. Littlefield needed a Veteran pitcher to anchor the staff to start off te season and the Pirates didn't get involved in the spending spree to bring one in. There's also a big difference in a veteran pitcher than can still pitch that costs a few extra million per year than what we're all used to seeing the Pirates spend and a guy like Matt Morris.

This wasn't the only mind boggling move that occurred yesterday. Jack Wilson was supposedly offered in a trade with Detroit for some scrubs as a salary dump move and the trade also ended up involving Damaso Marte if Detroit would take all of Jack Wilson's salary. Detroit ended up declining. It's apparent now, that Dave Littlefield fully intended to trade Jack Wilson, even before he got Cesar Izturis in a trade with the Cubs. The plan was to replace Wilson bt getting Izturis and then finding anyone willing to take Jack Wilson. Dave Littlefield figured it was fool proof. Dave Littlefield ended up being the fool as usual since nobody was willing to deal for Jack Wilson. Now we're on the hook for close to $10 million for 2 short stops for the rest of the season thanks to Dave Littlefield's incompetence.

The other mind boggling move that happened or didn't happen yesterday was the fact that neither of Marte, Torres or Shawn Chacon were traded. Most Pirates fans were ready to willingly accept that these guys would get traded for some chumps and nothing happened. This might have been the best trade of the day for Dave Littlefield. Pirate Fans are better off not having Dave Littlefield make any decisions and/or moves. In some ways we're better with the crap Dave Littlefield has already gotten us in the past years than him upgrading the crap, with new, but not improved crap. It's a catch-22 since all crap is the same but there's no doubt that Dave Littlefield can go out there and find the biggest pile of stench available.

There were also rumors of a Jason Bay trade to the Mets that fell through. I don't know how credible this was and I for one am happy that whatever it was didn't happen. I can see Dave Littlefield giving up Bay for practically nothing.

The sooner Dave Littlefield gets fired the better off we'll all be. This is of course considering that Bob Nutting brings in a good competent CEO that replaces Dave Littlefield and replaces Littlefield with a good competent GM. That's asking for a lot of competence from an organization that has shown nothing but incompetence since 1992. Read more!

Ronnie Paulino Catching Clinic

Pittsburgh catcher, Ronnie Paulino will be putting on a catching clinic for litle leaguers and other fans on August 26th outside of PNC Park. The clinic isn't just for the position of catcher, Ronnie's main desire is to help kids catch balls under pressure and in normal game situations.

"I want to give back to the community and being that I have a pretty good glove, this seemed like the right thing to do", Ronnie Paulino said.

When asked about dealing with adversity when it came to defense, Paulino commented,

"Sometimes you get throws from your teammates that aren't perfect. This happens often enough. You can't catch them all. If you catch all of them, then you are helping promote bad throws and you want your teammates throwing the perfect ball with the perfect speed to you. Sometimes I'll purposely drop a ball to make a point."

This catching clinic is Free and Ronnie will personally be handing out Ronnie Paulino bobblehead leftovers to those in attendance.

"The marketing Department told me that some extras of my bobbleheads and recommended this idea to me. It's a great idea and opportunity for the youngsters. Not only are they getting a Major League clinic on how to catch balls from myself but they are also receiving one of these great bobbleheads", Ronnie finished saying.Type Your Summary Here (Delete this message when you are finished). Read more!

Random Thoughts, Trade Deadline Edition

Well Littlefield just pulled off another eye-roller of a trade. Some thoughts:

-Yes, I'm quite sure that other GM's chuckle and have to compose themselves and hide their giddiness when the secretary says, "It's Dave Littlefield on Line 2".

-They (the Pirates) claimed they didn't have enough money to sign a player like Weiters, who a scout described as the next Johnny Bench, yet they can fork over $5ish million this year and $9.5 million next year for a 33 year-old pitcher who's been in a decline the last few years and only under contract until 2008?

Ridiculous.

The money they're wasting on Morris for less than 1 1/2 years could have gotten them a franchise catcher.

- If they ever come up with a swashbuckling School, I think one of the courses should be Laughing, Then Jumping Off Something.

-Matt Morris is selecting which Pittsburgh bridge he's going to jump off of upon arrival.

-Acquiring Matt Morris is inexcusable.

The last thing the Pirates need is another starter who gives up more than a hit an inning, but they got one in Morris. And unlike their other hittable starters, he's expensive. Morris is in the second season of a three-year, $27 million deal, so unless the Giants are kicking in some cash, he'll take up nearly 20 percent of the Pirates' payroll while contributing little or no value. To make matters worse, Morris has been pitching poorly of late, and he'll no longer get the protection offered by AT&T Park to pitchers with fringy stuff. There's no justification for this trade -- given how low the Pirates' payroll is, they just handicapped themselves for the next two years and it's not like they're making a push for the pennant this year. The Pirates are going nowhere right now, and with this deal, they're not going anywhere in the near future, either.

- Children need encouragement. If a kid gets an answer right, tell him it was a lucky guess. That way he develops a good, lucky feeling.

-We will now pay Morris ($9.5), Jack Wilson ($6 I believe), and Cesar Izturis ($4 I think) roughly $20 million next year. Most likely these 3 turds will make up half of our payroll.
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Dave Littlefield screws us again

Well, the non-waiver trade deadline has come and gone, and once again the Pirates make a move that can only make one ask... "who the F hired this complete moron as our GM?" Dave Littlefield has stuck it to us yet again. In a very strange move that usually only gets made by contenders making a push for the post-season, DL has acquired veteran SP Matt Morris and his $10million per year salary from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for Rajai Davis and a PTBNL.

Apparently Dave Littlefield, seeing the writing on the wall, realizes he is going to be fired the day after the season ends, and he decided to burden the Pirates with the same problem he claims he faced when he took the reigns. In the years after Dave Littlefield was hired he immediately began to shed payroll claiming that the Pirates need to free themselves of the burden of the large contracts that they currently had in their system to give them "financial flexibility". Well, after paring the roster down to nothing more than a glorified AAA ball club, DL decided that he was going to burden the next GM with the same problem Cam Bonifay left him.

Not only did DL fail to trade Jack Wilson, a deal that seemed written in stone only 4 hours ago, but he also managed to add $10 mil per year to the payroll for a declining pitcher. Not to mention the $4-5 mil that he took on in the Ceasar Izturis deal.

Pretty much the only thing left for him to do would be to go out and sign Jeromy Burnitz to a 3 year $21 mil contract and Joe Randa to a 4 year $20 mil contract with a player option for a fifth year at $7 mil.

Congratulations Dave Littlefield, I didn't think you could make any more moves that would look dumber than some of your previous moves, but once again, you show us that there is absolutely no limitation on your stupidity.Type Your Summary Here (Delete this message when you are finished). Read more!

Combing Baseball for a New CEO?

Is it me or have we been waiting an awful long time for this great savior of the Pirates, this wonderful new CEO that we (probably foolishly) are trusting Nutting to hire?

This coming weekend will mark the one month anniversary of Nutting beginning his search for the new CEO. I'm sure he's looking far and wide for the best man for the job (please note sarcasm).

My question is, why haven't we heard a single peep from him? What's Nutting doing? How about at least an update as to the interview process? Is that too much to ask?

I'm in the mindset that the new CEO will simply be more business than baseball and us fans yet again have to simply bend over and take it. I think the picture below sums it up nicely.


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Trade deadline...

Twas the night before the trade deadline and all through the Burgh, not a pirate was stirring, not even DL.

Well, its all quiet on the trade front. I haven't really heard anything signifigant to talk about, and I am finding myself happy about this. Do I really trust DL to make a trade that will benefit this ballclub? ... NO! I would rather sit here and talk about all the non-movement than sit here and try to rationalize yet another mind boggling trade from Dave Iknowlittle. I truly believe we are better off hanging our hopes on Bob Nutting actually bringing in a CEO who is smart enough to fire DL and Jim Tracy, than we are holding out hope that DL actually makes a trade that benefits OUR team. Read more!

The Pittsburgh Parasite.

PITTSBURGH—Just two weeks after settling on Dave Littlefield as its next host, a Pittsburgh–area hookworm whose lifecycle depends on the performance of the general manager's digestive system said it is beginning to question Littlefield's ability to stay fresh and produce consistent, quality nutrients on a daily basis.
"It doesn't take much to be a decent host—you just have to sit there, generate a couple cell lines every few minutes, and let me systematically tunnel my way through your internal organs," said the Necator americanus hookworm, a 10-millimeter-long nematode parasite of the Ancylostomatidae family, from Littlefield's small intestine Tuesday.

"I've been trying to suck the life out of Dave, but it's difficult when there's absolutely no life to work with," it added.

The hookworm first came into contact with Littlefield during his usual late night routine, while Littlefield was handling human fecal matter as part of a bizarre fetish. The parasite immediately introduced itself into Littlefield's bloodstream, and underwent a weeklong "feeling-out process" in order to familiarize itself with Littlefield's circulatory system. In the following days, reports began to surface that the hookworm had officially attached itself to Littlefields's intestinal wall for the remainder of its project.


"At the time, Dave seemed like a perfect fit," the hookworm said. "All I was looking for was some new blood—a personality that I could immediately latch onto, someone with a lot of energy that I can really feed off of."

"Also, I figured that, with Littlefield, my telltale symptoms—low-order cognitive impairment, a calloused rash on the palm of his right hand where I penetrated the skin, and mild itching and irritation of the anus—would go virtually unnoticed," it added.

Yet the hookworm would soon express regret for choosing the "first host [it] found," wishing that it had followed its original plan of overseeing a long and more thorough selection process.

According to the hookworm, nearly everything that crosses Littlefield's lips is either bland, disgusting, or completely and utterly tasteless.


"His bodily instincts are way off, he has no idea how to keep the juices flowing smoothly in his digestive tract, and even his best cell material is weak," said the hookworm, who was warned by a tapeworm that tried out Littlefield as a host from 2002 to 2003 that he is "an acquired taste."

"His timing and delivery of antigens seem forced and almost totally random, and he never reacts to any of the simple metabolic waste products I'm constantly feeding him. And they're good, solid metabolic waste products, too," it said.

The hookworm also assailed Littlefield's "predictable" routine.

"Every time I burrow a hole through his stomach lining, I can sense the same tired, worn-out immune-system response coming from a mile away," said the parasite, who was similarly critical of Littlefield's inability to endure three or four hours of host duties "without just falling flat on his face."

"I never thought I would say this, but after having to interact with Dave Littlefield for two months, I long for the days when I was living in human shit," it said.

The parasite, however, hinted that Littlefield would likely "not last very long" as a host, noting that it had perforated Littlefield's lungs, blocked blood flow to his liver, triggered a massive iron deficiency, depressed his immune system, and destroyed blood cells at such a rapid rate that Littlefield is beginning to display early symptoms of aplastic anemia.

"I think it's safe to say that he'll be gone by December," the hookworm said. Read more!