OT: Raise the Jolly Roger: Offseason at the Crossroads

[ImporterExporter]

I still think they will add some one good, but not elite.

Every media outlet in Pittsburgh (national ones don't give a shit) needs to hammer the Pirates on this. It's pathetic that they try and run the narrative of "well we're an incredibly small market team that has no resources to compete".

Nobody is saying we need a 150M payroll. But trying to pass off 75M as some sort of realistic benchmark to keep the team in the black is asinine.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Given GM-speak, I'm not going to put much stock in Lyles as Nova's genuine replacement. If anything, he might be the replacement in the sense of being one possibility for an opener on the #5 starter day, with Kingham and maybe a guy like RichRod also in the mix. After Kingham's hot start, my memory is that he struggled early in games, so it's maybe not the worst idea.

But I wouldn't rule out some other dominos falling. The offseason is young. My hopes are low - I want to see the SS situation decisively resolved and another RP brought in, so that whatever remains in the cheap budget (whether it's 75 or last year's opening day budget which was about 10 million higher if memory serves) might be able to go towards a one year prove it contract for Dozier.

 

[cookthebooks]

i am having troubles coming to grips wiht the penguins possibly having a higher payroll than the pirates

 

[Richard]

Anyone who buys a ticket is a dolt.

 

[Still Apps]

With attendance down ~450K in 2018 from the previous year, payroll spending down ~ $20M, and wins increasing from 75 to 82 in that time; Nutting probably figures that the correlation between the amount of money spent on payroll/number of wins/& attendance is ambiguous enough to make anything beyond minimal payroll spending a poor investment.

He's been a consistently reactive owner from a business perspective, and with attendance declining precipitously over the past 2 seasons, he's clearly cutting spending on payroll in response to decreasing revenue; $50M gifts from MLB be damned.

 

[Shwag33]

Most owners in sports number 1 goal is winning.

These owners already have enough money and don't need to make money off their teams.

Nutting is one of the few owners who cares more about making money then winning.

It a shame, Pirate fans deserve better.

I've always said that if you own a sports team and over the years run it at a profit you're an asshole. It's every right of the owners to be an asshole, but they still are.

It's not like there are poor people purchasing sports teams they've made their money elsewhere. It's like buying a ferrari or yacht.

 

[Winger for Hire]

No turning back now...



Also, since I know Gray is on some of your guy's wish lists:

 

[Empoleon8771]

I want to make a joke about Mercer being the last straw that makes me have to take time off from following the Pirates, but I don't want to make a joke about something that could happen with the right (or wrong?) move

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Black pill is that Mercer will thrive in Detroit while whatever happens with Gonzalez and Newman gets uglier as the months go on.

 

[TimmyD]

The thing that really sucks is it’s not like people want them to go and sign Machado, Harper, Corbin, and Happ.... there is no reason they couldn’t sign Machado to play third base and trade for a SS upgrade like Bogaerts and then play Kang at second base. I don’t think those would be outrageous moves for any team.... the Pirates just have a refusal to do it

 

[cheesedanish87]

About 1 year ago the state of PA gave Nutting 1 million dollars to open some event centers that will create jobs at seven springs.

This guy is making so much money off the Pirates and then he has the state giving him more money.

I just can't stand Nutting.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Can't believe we're still hitching our wagon to Searage...

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Glad he's getting paid - might as well just root for the Rays.

 

[cheesedanish87]

I'm sure something similar happened to Cole once he got to Houston.

I think you will see Glasnow be the next former Pirate pitcher to go to another team and have success.


The get you out in 3 pitches or less is such a stupid strategy.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Rays will be really fun to watch if they land Nelson Cruz

 

[Winger for Hire]

Looks like Biretempfel is the new BBWA president and reveled his HoF ballot (maybe partial, dunno) and showed he's still an idiot:

 

[Winger for Hire]

Rule 5 time...

Reds take Conner Jo with the 6th pick


Pirates pass on their pick. They had an open spot on the 40 man. They won't be able to select again until the AAA portion.

 

[Winger for Hire]

 

[OnMyOwn]

Cristofer Melendez Statcast, Visuals & Advanced Metrics | MLB.com

 

[Winger for Hire]

• Having lost Jordy Mercer in free agency, the Pirates have spoken to the Diamondbacks about shortstop Nick Ahmed this week, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports. The defensively adept Ahmed, 28, is coming off a career-best offensive season, albeit one in which he still hit just .234/.290/.411 (84 wRC+) in 564 plate appearances. He’s under control for two more years and will make a projected $3.1MM in 2019. That would be an affordable sum for Pittsburgh, but Berry explains that the team’s content to roll with in-house shortops Erik Gonzalez and Kevin Newman if it doesn’t land Ahmed or another veteran option.

Via MLBTradeRumors

 

[Winger for Hire]

Had a friend say he read a Q&A by Bill Brink today and he insinuated that the Pirates are done spending and the Nova salary dump was "already spent".

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

Had a friend say he read a Q&A by Bill Brink today and he insinuated that the Pirates are done spending and the Nova salary dump was "already spent".

Not exactly what he said

 

[Winger for Hire]

Not exactly what he said

I couldn't find a link or anything? Do you have one, or know what was said?

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

I dont have a link but im sure it would come up on a google search. Iirc it was more alomg the lines of... Some has been spent on lyels and chisenhall but the total is down and nobody know exactly if it will go back up but there is still a lot of time left in the off season

 

[Winger for Hire]

Gotcha, thanks.