The Pirates walked off the field Sunday night around 10:15 PM to head home for the break.  On Wednesday evening they have to report to Denver for Thursday’s game.  That means they will enjoy a little bit more than two days of complete rest considering travel and reporting times.

That’s after playing 45.4 games in 48 days and having to go on to play 33 games in their next 35 days - 78.4 games in 86 days including the break. 

Wow. 

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The Pirates want your input on the team’s broadcasters. Follow this link and fill out a one minute survey.  And you even get to tell them thinks like you hate seeing Lanny’s stupid socks and you wish they had slo mo replay.

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It’s hard to believe, but the Pirates are only 5% better on offense than they were last year.  Considering we are 8% worse pitching, you again get to wonder how we are +3 wins.

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I was talking with someone in the game about the Pirates farm system who mentioned the system was on the right track.  My response was as you would expect, the farm can only develop the players they are given.  I mean, it all starts with scouting, right?

As I told that person, the last three main farm directors were all new to the position (Graham,
Tinnell, and Montgomery — I’m leaving out John Green here because I don’t know much about him other than he’s always been a scout and he held the job a short period of time), two of the three implemented “new” processes, and only one of them ever seemed to pull their system together.

Oh - and all three had roots from the Indians organization.  Now we have Kyle Stark who is 1) from the Indians, 2) new to the position, 3) implementing new processes, and 4) trying to pull his system together. 

As a fan, how can you not be skeptical since we’ve heard it all before? 

One of the biggest problems uncovered in the Pirates system over the years was accountability from the top down.  I’ll agree that seems to be changing some from the GM down but I don’t see it from Frank up yet.  The trinkets they have provided the players, the new academy in the Domin, and other such perks could just be the end result of an agreement between MLB and the Pirates that they will spend more of their welfare directly on improving the on-field performance, as it is Nutting saying here’s a few extra bucks.  After all, we all heard other clubs starting to throw knives at us.

So we’ll never know why Nutting spent that money because he’s a recluse and Coonelly beats around the bush on everything he talks about it seems.

But the GM down has opened their door for research, and opened it wide.  To that I give them an A+ because it allows bloggers, newspaper people, or anyone else who wants to closely monitor progress, an opportunity to jump in and see almost candidly what they are doing, and why.

The accountability angle for them is for real so far, that I can vouch for.

And as you might have read in a newspaper lately, there has been some talk that perhaps Frank Coonelly allocated “X” dollars to Neal Huntington for his draft bonuses and ownership might be refusing to budge from that figure.  Some speculate that if Alvarez and Scheppers eat that up, there won’t be any other hard signs getting money over slot unless other slots above them aren’t inked.

My knowledge tells me that’s the way Nutting has conducted business since 2003.  But my senses tell me that’s pookie because Coonelly would quickly move money - even request a few more dollars - to gain the PR the club desparately needs, not to mention harvesting those players.  That’s cheap PR compared to a $100M/6 year contract for one middle order pitcher today.

But let me throw this out at you as a fan - would you rather spend a couple million over a few draft picks in a mediocre draft year, or would you rather spend that money hiring quality bird dogs and other amateur scouts at better than market wages to find you talent? 

No brainer.

So whether or not our farm system is on the right track or not, I believe it all comes down to accountability at the top first, then scouting.  Development isn’t nearly as crucial as finding the toolsy players to stock your system with because tools play, where trying to add tools to marginal talent doesn’t play except once or twice a decade or so.

If Bob Nutting won’t stand behind his new regime’s picks in their first year, he’ll never stand behind them.  And then our skeptism will turn to proof.

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Speaking of concern, did you happen to read this powder puff article on Pedro Alvarez at the P-G today?  Not only did they disrespect both sides by attempting to break the communication silence both sides said they wanted enforced, they then went and interviewed people who know the family in the neighborhood.  Oh, and then they proudly tried to tell us how the family are poor immigrants who seemingly are so money hungry they can’t make any decision except for Pedro to sign.

Wow.

Now I’m all for investigative reporting and I think the P-G is really lax at it with the Pirates, but the editor that suggested they do that piece needs his head examined in my book.  Why risk upseting the family of the best pick we’ve made in a bazillion years? 

Boneheads.

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Speaking of P-G boneheads, how about this lovely article by Bob Smizik at the same place:

“We’re suggesting that before the Pirates trade Nady — and immediately decrease their chances of winning this season and next — they consider keeping their offense together and gamble with the pitchers they have and may be able to pick up as bargain free agents or in lesser trades.

“The notion that prized prospect Andrew McCutcheon will make the departure of Nady bearable doesn’t make a lot of sense.  McCutcheon is going to be a good player, probably better than Nady, but… [i]t’s not like McCutcheon is tearing apart Class AAA.” — Bob Smizik (First published on July 16, 2008 at 12:00 am), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette July 18, 2008

Good Lord - the man doesn’t even know how to spell the name of the organization’s top prospect.  Ok, maybe he dictated it to some intern who posted it for him.  Copy editor? What’s that?  Isn’t that like some kind of accountability thing?

And who is “we’re” in “we’re suggesting”???  Talk about an author out of touch with reality.  I mean, how many players can leave after 2009 Bob?  And he wants to “gamble.” 

Wow.

I’m guessing ‘ole Bob will have the article corrected by the time you get back there to read it because if it goes to print like that he’ll be the laughing stock of Pirates fans.  So here’s an archived copy for your reading enjoyment (click the image to see it full size):

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It was nice to see Jenny Steinbrenner riding with her pop to throw out the first pitch in the ASG last night.  I wonder where Jo was?

And how about Nate? He DOES have an arm.  Oh - AND he can bunt.