OT: Raise the Jolly Roger: Dull days of July

[Empoleon8771]

I think IKF is a better defensive SS than Cruz, but he's more suited as a super utility guy because he's only fine defensively at SS. His value is in him being able to play multiple positions well and have fine defense at SS and CF. If you take out that position flexibility by only playing him at SS, you're just left with a fine defensive SS that will give you like an 85 OPS+ over a full year.

It's basically the Jordy Mercer profile, which isn't horrible but isn't exactly inspiring either.

 

[WickedWrister]

Brownie: "David Bednar has just entered the game with a lead in the 9th inning looking to close things out"

Pirates fans:

 

[since70]

They didn't or barely drew enough fans for a three game series to sell out PNC for one game

 

[WickedWrister]

Shelton was super pissy in the postgame too

 

[ImporterExporter]

Shelton was super pissy in the postgame too

Well, he's a moron.

Seriously, his record is absolutely one of the worst 5 year stretches of any Pirates manager ever.

Ever. Let that sink in.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Shelton was super pissy in the postgame too

When you hit life’s lottery, you should become very humble. Life has a way of balancing everything out.

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

Earlier in the season I think I said this team is so likable, especially when they win.

They are now so unlikable that I might actually hate them, with only a couple of people aside.

As much as I can't stand him, he's not wrong.

Dejan Kovacevic​

4:10 PM - AUGUST 28, 2024
Forty-one runs for the Cubs in three games.
Forty-one.
It's Year 5. Everything's regressed. Not just in this series. Not just in this collapse. Everything. That can't be isolated to the manager. It's the entirety of baseball ops.
Don't let them get away with scapegoating.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

They didn't or barely drew enough fans for a three game series to sell out PNC for one game

They only have 10 home games left. You can pretty much guarantee they push skenes next start til Washington the start of that homestretch and fit 2 starts in that stretch. Cutch will play the OF in both weekend series Washington and KC

 

[Empoleon8771]

Earlier in the season I think I said this team is so likable, especially when they win.

They are now so unlikable that I might actually hate them, with only a couple of people aside.

As much as I can't stand him, he's not wrong.

I don't disagree with DK, but the weird thing to consider here is that this team is on pace to have the same exact record this year as last year. On this day last year, the Pirates were 59-73. Right now, they're 62-71.

This team is just in a weird spot because the vibes are terrible around them but they're also no worse than they were last year. I think everyone expected them to take a step forward, especially when they were 55-53 at the deadline, but they've just shit themselves since then.

 

[metalan2]

I don't disagree with DK, but the weird thing to consider here is that this team is on pace to have the same exact record this year as last year. On this day last year, the Pirates were 59-73. Right now, they're 62-71.

This team is just in a weird spot because the vibes are terrible around them but they're also no worse than they were last year. I think everyone expected them to take a step forward, especially when they were 55-53 at the deadline, but they've just shit themselves since then.

The team is in the same spot they've been in since 2015.

 

[ImporterExporter]

Let's say everyone from Travis Williams on down was fired. Meaning everyone but the owner.

Fans rejoice but what would actually change? I want a complete stranger to explain how Bob Nutting gets this franchise pointed in the right direction.

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

Let's say everyone from Travis Williams on down was fired. Meaning everyone but the owner.

Fans rejoice but what would actually change? I want a complete stranger to explain how Bob Nutting gets this franchise pointed in the right direction.

It would start with who is hired in the Travis Williams role.

 

[WickedWrister]

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Let's say everyone from Travis Williams on down was fired. Meaning everyone but the owner.

Fans rejoice but what would actually change? I want a complete stranger to explain how Bob Nutting gets this franchise pointed in the right direction.

When Cuban said he wouldn’t do much different if he bought the team I gave up on it being an ownership issue
Baseball didn’t want a salary cap or floor. They need to spend 110 million a year to even compete

 

[ImporterExporter]

It would start with who is hired in the Travis Williams role.

I don't think it makes any difference but this is the most logical answer.

 

[ImporterExporter]

When Cuban said he wouldn’t do much different if he bought the team I gave up on it being an ownership issue
Baseball didn’t want a salary cap or floor. They need to spend 110 million a year to even compete

So MLB is just fine keeping teams like the Pirates as nothing more than feeder AAAA org's.

I agree it's not necessarily Nutting in a vacuum. He's a cheapskate but MLB has also organized a league that subsidizes losing. Handsomely when you look at what the Yankees of the world kick back to the Buccos. Not to mention the guaranteed TV money.

 

[TNT87]

Pittsburgh sports. Where accountability means shit for any team.

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

I don't think it makes any difference but this is the most logical answer.

If they bring in someone who cares more about the amenities at PNC Park, like Travis Williams, then the baseball side of things will continue to be secondary.

It's the business side of things, and I get it, it's what Nutting cares about the most, I just don't want to hear the company line of "our goal is to win a World Series" when everyone knows it's meaningless.

 

[MrBrightside]

I don't disagree with DK, but the weird thing to consider here is that this team is on pace to have the same exact record this year as last year. On this day last year, the Pirates were 59-73. Right now, they're 62-71.

This team is just in a weird spot because the vibes are terrible around them but they're also no worse than they were last year. I think everyone expected them to take a step forward, especially when they were 55-53 at the deadline, but they've just shit themselves since then.

The difference is that this year they have Skenes and Jones and a full season of Cruz. It's also a year further down the path of the "rebuild," so even if they finish with the same record as last year (and it would take a remarkable pulling out of this death spiral to do that) it would have to be considered a significant disappointment.

 

[Coastal Kev]

When Cuban said he wouldn’t do much different if he bought the team I gave up on it being an ownership issue
Baseball didn’t want a salary cap or floor. They need to spend 110 million a year to even compete

This is such BS and Cuban is FULL ON BS. Tell me how the Brewers due it??? Look at their spending and look at their prospect rankings.

BS

 

[Factorial]

Oh God, leadoff single off Bednar

I'm guessing Skenes picked the jersey. Brown said that the starting pitcher usually gets to pick it. I'm not sure we've seen Skenes in the all whites.

 

[BusinessGoose]

Imagine telling someone you scored 10 runs in a baseball game..

... And still lost

 

[td_ice]

Pittsburgh sports. Where accountability means shit for any team.

Yeah, I was thinking this exact thing lately. It's a shame.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

This is such BS and Cuban is FULL ON BS. Tell me how the Brewers due it??? Look at their spending and look at their prospect rankings.

BS

There payroll is propped up by by Yellich. Christian is owed 100 million over the next 5 seasons

Brewers seen as baseball 'success story' despite small market, payroll

Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said the 2024 season has been "as much fun as I’ve had since I’ve owned the team" as Milwaukee heads toward its sixth postseason berth and fourth division title in the past seven years.

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

 

[bigdaddyk88]

So MLB is just fine keeping teams like the Pirates as nothing more than feeder AAAA org's.

I agree it's not necessarily Nutting in a vacuum. He's a cheapskate but MLB has also organized a league that subsidizes losing. Handsomely when you look at what the Yankees of the world kick back to the Buccos. Not to mention the guaranteed TV money.

Yes that’s why they extended the playoffs to make it look more interesting and more surface level parity,
The draft is boring you can’t trade picks and most of them take years to get the the majors the reds owner said last season no need to spend 100 million with out the playoffs