OT: Raise the Jolly Roger: Down The Drain

[Coastal Kev]

Dejan stirring the pot...



I bet nothing serious comes of this, but it's amusing either way.

MLB should be the ones to force the issue... but they love the current set up. Small markets make huge profits, big markets nearly guaranteed a playoff spot.

Hooray!

 

[DanielPlainview]

I wonder if there’s a point where fan sentiment and media treatment can be too toxic for an owner. Can a sale be forced by pure public will?

 

[Coastal Kev]

I wonder if there’s a point where fan sentiment and media treatment can be too toxic for an owner. Can a sale be forced by pure public will?

Absolutely, but i think it would take some coordination.

 

[orby]

I think Nutting is more likely to move the team at the end of the current PNC lease in 2030 (I think?) than he is to sell it. Barring a miraculous turnaround, I think the Pirates have managed to evaporate a lot of the fan support that kept them in the city's good graces over the past 3 decades or so.

On top of everything else, they've been drastically understaffing the stadium and creating artificial inconveniences which I can only assume are a ploy to ask the city for "improvement" money. I sincerely doubt the city is going to fork over money for major renovations over the next several years, and I don't think Nutting, et al could possibly motivate fans to pressure politicians after all the havoc they've wrought on the franchise. I think there's a real possibility that this situation will eventually result in a situation not unlike the Penguins/Kansas City fiasco.

Long story short...if Sens fans can't get Melnyk to sell, Pirates fans will never get Nutting to sell.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Idk what Peduto can do, but it's at least encouraging that it's getting out that how the Pirates are being run is unacceptable for the fans and city.

Also I just saw this:



I was just expecting Bannister to be named the manager because that's ultra predictable, but it may not be him.

 

[Winger for Hire]

The one thing the city of Pittsburgh might be able to do is use their landlord type status to force the team to open their books to the city, since their rent agreement has things like attendance clauses (something like if the Pirates bring in $50m in ticket revenue, their rent goes up a certain amount) and other escalation clauses. I'm not a lawyer and have only read select exerts from the lease documents and I have no idea what kind of legal recourse the city would have.

All that is to say any action taken by the city would be done with the intent of having the team open it's books publicly. The city can't force the team to be sold, but it can help shed light into the team's financial situation to see if their public statements are true and really turn the tide against Nutting.

 

[ImporterExporter]

Nutting is a puppet for MLB and the big clubs. He is doing EXACTLY what they want. Lining his pockets while ensuring the team will never pose a threat to the long standing power bond that is a handful of teams at the top (NY, LA, Boston, etc).

 

[Winger for Hire]

 

[Pens1566]

Dejan stirring the pot...



I bet nothing serious comes of this, but it's amusing either way.

Dejan likes to watch.

 

[cookthebooks]

lol its a civic institution! thats why the profits are reinvested into the city! we would be better off if every team had an ownership structure like the packers and until that happens acting like these people owe cities anything besides what they can extract from politicians and taxpayers is willful ignorance.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Reds hired Driveline founder Kyle Boddy. Smart as hell move. He'll be working with their MiLB pitchers. Probably the best development move a team could make.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Nutting is a puppet for MLB and the big clubs. He is doing EXACTLY what they want. Lining his pockets while ensuring the team will never pose a threat to the long standing power bond that is a handful of teams at the top (NY, LA, Boston, etc).

You're not wrong

 

[SouthGeorge]

I feel like the Pirates have to suck so the Pens/Steelers can thrive and I'm totally fine with this agreement. Most small markets are begging for one championship. How many have two championship quality teams? All our teams can't be good

 

[ImporterExporter]

I feel like the Pirates have to suck so the Pens/Steelers can thrive and I'm totally fine with this agreement. Most small markets are begging for one championship. How many have two championship quality teams? All our teams can't be good

This is low level man. Come with better material.

 

[WickedWrister]

I wont give a shit about this team until Nutting dies

 

[Winger for Hire]

Here's a nice breakdown on what the numbers said about Mitch Keller's 2019 big league stint:

2020 Vision: What the Heck Happened to Mitch Keller?

 

[DanielPlainview]

Rookies across the league got worked last year. Keller striking out as many as he did was actually pretty impressive. Hopefully he can turn that into fewer hits and p/in, otherwise he'll just be another Archer.

 

[Coastal Kev]

I wont give a **** about this team until Nutting dies

He stated that his daughters will take over after him. The team simply makes too much CASH!

 

[Winger for Hire]

Well, they're cleansing...

 

[Empoleon8771]

I'm surprised Prince wasn't retained but Searage was super obvious. If they clean house outside of Hunnington and Eckstein, I'd consider that a win. I know that a lot of people wanted to completely clean house, but I'm intrigued to see what Hunnington can do without having to deal with bad coaching.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Why Eckstein? I thought most of the hitters made some good strides under him this year... Bell, Newman, Reynolds, Marte all had very good years at the plate. Osuna made some positive strides. Moran tapped into his power more this year (30 doubles).

 

[Empoleon8771]

Why Eckstein? I thought most of the hitters made some good strides under him this year... Bell, Newman, Reynolds, Marte all had very good years at the plate. Osuna made some positive strides. Moran tapped into his power more this year (30 doubles).

No I meant that if they get rid of everyone outside of Hunnington and Eckstein, I'd be happy with that. I think Eckstein has done a good job with the Pirates so I'm happy to keep him.

 

[ImporterExporter]

I can live with Neal staying. Yes, the Archer trade is abysmal but he's done a lot of great things for the club over the years. He's not a world beater GM but I think you could do worse.

The fact they are actually cleaning house in the dugout is shocking to me. I never expected Nutting to go for that, especially considering Hurdle is owed whatever millions over the next 2 years. Still, things will never truly be great with Nutting but at least Hurdle and Searage are gone. That's at least a small win in my book.

 

[Winger for Hire]

No I meant that if they get rid of everyone outside of Hunnington and Eckstein, I'd be happy with that. I think Eckstein has done a good job with the Pirates so I'm happy to keep him.

OK, I gotcha. My reading comprehension has been crap today. I've been saddled with a nice congested head cold for the past two days.

 

[Winger for Hire]

I can live with Neal staying. Yes, the Archer trade is abysmal but he's done a lot of great things for the club over the years. He's not a world beater GM but I think you could do worse.

The fact they are actually cleaning house in the dugout is shocking to me. I never expected Nutting to go for that, especially considering Hurdle is owed whatever millions over the next 2 years. Still, things will never truly be great with Nutting but at least Hurdle and Searage are gone. That's at least a small win in my book.

I think Hurdle and Prince getting their walking papers shows that, at least on the surface, the FO is serious about changing ths culture in the locker room. The manager and bench coach are the two big pieces that drive the clubhouse culture and after the "Real Housewives of Federal Street" this year those two positions weren't carrying their weight, saying nothing about the on-field results.