When you cry small market like the Pirates, you have to be able to draft and develop.
The Pirates have not been able to do it, and I don't know if it's cutting corners with paying quality people, or just a failure to find quality people, it's been the Pirates issue since Barry Bonds bailed for San Francisco.
I don't think they cheap out on scouting and development anymore.
It's very difficult to win in the MLB running $80m payrolls. It's very difficult when you don't have great management - as much as I rag on Cherington, he isnt awful, just below average. And it's tough when you don't have that middle of the order positional star like they had with Cutch during their good years. They didn't get their Jose Ramirez or Bobby Witt, Jr.
I also think it's psychologically draining to play in this org, that had 4 winning seasons in 30+ years. Everyone is waiting for the shoe to drop, as it has in the last 10 days.
I do believe the team has some helium and could, COULD construct a winner next year. But they will need the bullpen to be a whole lot better and either make the right decision or get lucky with Hayes and Davis. Hayes in particular - it is so corrosive to have a power position and one of the only guys who has gotten paid be an absolute zero offensively. Could Davis be Hunter Renfroe at least? Maybe, but he has to overcome his psychological hurdles at the dish and stop being a baby about playing the outfield. A lot of things broke badly for the offense this year - Hayes being awful, Triolo being awful, Suwinski being Korea bound, Davis being a psychological Trainwreck, Joe cratering in the last 2 months.
