Pittsburgh Pirates Beginning to Turn the Corner
New Management, Talented Prospects Lead Pirates in Right Direction
Light at the End of the Tunnel
The end of the 2008 Major League Baseball season marked the end of a sixteenth consecutive losing season for the Pittsburgh Pirates. This streak of futility ties the 1933-1948 Philadelphia Phillies for the longest streak of its kind in the history of professional sports. A tiny payroll, penny-pinching ownership and incompetent management have combined to help Pittsburgh become a laughing stock of the Major Leagues. It may sound ludicrous to suggest that there is light at the end of the tunnel, but the recent stepping down of owner Kevin McClatchy, the hiring of new general manager Neal Huntingdon and new president Frank Coonelly have led to management decisions that suggest that may in fact be the case. It may be a very faint glimmer, but is light nonetheless.
The new management team has largely tried to create a new identity in Pittsburgh and taken a no-nonsense attitude, ridding itself of Littlefield-era players Salomon Torres, Xavier Nady, Jason Bay and Damaso Marte, among others. The difference in parting with these players lies in Huntington’s desire to stock the Pirates’ farm system with new prospects. The system had become embarrassingly barren, and the trades of Nady, Marte and Bay brought in a total of eight prospects, including top prospects Andy LaRoche and Jose Tabata. This approach is a stark contrast to previous infamous Pirate trades such as Aramis Ramirez and Kenny Lofton for Bobby Hill, and Jason Schmidt for Armando Rios and Ryan Vogelsong. Not to mention the rejection of a Phillies trade proposal of Ryan Howard for Kip Wells. Ouch.
It is also evident in the demotion of Tom Gorzelanny and demotion and recent demotion and trade of Ronny Paulino. Huntington’s free agent signings have been meant to increase the veteran presence in the locker room. Doug Mientkievich, Jason Michaels and Chris Gomez have brought much needed leadership and stability as role players. Littlefield’s key moves included the signings of Derek Bell and Jeromy Burnitz to act as franchise players, which failed miserably. The two combined for only 21 home runs in a Pirate uniform.
Draft Blunders a Thing of the Past
Perhaps the greatest evidence that the new management team is making strides forward is in the draft. How could anyone forget the 2005 draft when the Pirates took Bryan Bullington first overall and Littlefield projected him as a “number three starter,” passing up the likes of B.J. Upton, Prince Fielder, Cole Hamels, Scott Kazmir, Jeff Francis, Matt Cain, Nick Swisher…and the list goes on. Huntington finally cut ties with Bullington in 2008.
The 2007 draft seemed to be the icing on the cake. Littlefield and the Pirates drafted pitcher Daniel Moskos fourth overall in front of super prospects Matt Wieters and Matt LaPorta due to a lack of ability to sign them. These embarrassing drafts changed in 2008 with the new management team’s first draft. The Pirates took heralded third basemen Pedro Alavarez out of Vanderbilt University with the second overall pick and eventually signed him. They also took a risk on injured pitcher Tanner Scheppers in the second round, although they failed to sign him. This approach signals a clear intention of spending money and taking risks on talent in the draft. With the minor league system now reloaded with talented prospects through trades and the draft, and competent management decisions, light does indeed exist at the end of the Pirates tunnel.
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