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Published on October 3, 2005, by Greg for the Ex-'Burgher.
Dear Dave Littlefield, Last night, the Pittsburgh Pirates closed the 2005 season. They lost 95 games, sealing their thirteenth consecutive losing season, their adolescent futility one year ahead of the never-been Milwaukee Brewers, one year shy of the all-time record. They did all this after sitting at .500 after 60 games, meaning they went 37-65 for the rest of the season. And I was there every excruciating step of the way, watching in Pittsburgh and on the road, listening online and trying to eke out a KDKA signal all the way in Illinois. But what did I do as the season ended? Cartwheels. Last month's firing of Lloyd McClendon sends a message to the organization--and to the fans--that failure will not be tolerated any longer. It sends a message that you’re ready for the Pirates to turn a corner, to rush towards the light at the end of this long, long tunnel. It sends a message that your fans, those who have suffered for so long, might finally be rewarded. But you ain’t done yet. Firing Lloyd was great, but it should only be the beginning. Let me help you find where you’re going next:
Or better yet, elect Jim Leyland mayor, give him roster spots for John Wehner and John Cangelosi, and name six or seven North Side streets for the guy. In case you’ve forgotten (or in my case, you were 4 years old), Leyland took a 100-loss team to a winning record and second place finish in only his third season. He won the division in his fifth. And he did it with emerging young talent and an overachieving set of role players and arms. Looking at a team with potential at catcher, second, first and all three OF positions, not to mention a slew of good young hurlers, Leyland can be sure they become Bruce Springsteen and not Billy Squier. And in an age of Pittsburgh sports renaissance on the gridiron and ice, who better to lead the Pirates into the parade than a celebrated ‘burgher hero? Take a look in the booth, too: For a few years, I’ve said the same things about the Bucs: Spend a little bit on a quality pitching coach, and you’ll save yourself millions on pitchers. For a moment, consider the Braves: Last year, Atlanta pitching coach Leo Mazzone made Jaret Wright an All-Star again. This year? Wright’s a flop in New York, and the Braves are cruising to another divisional title on the arms of guys like Jorge Sosa. No, Mazzone isn’t available. And neither is Ray Miller, the guy who made Doug Drabek a Cy Young Award Winner and won with guys like Randy Tomlin, Dave Cooke and Bob Kipper. But there’s someone who’s closer. I don’t know if you’ve been listening to the Bucs this year, but Bob Walk’s gone through an interesting change in his color analysis: Rather than providing the normal “back when I played” or “you know, the other day I ate at Subway” stories of most color men, Walk’s started…coaching. When the Bucs make a blunder in the field (such as the first baseman not fielding a bunt to the right side with a lefty on the mound), Walk doesn’t just point it out. He explains why it’s wrong, and explains what you’d need to tell the player. You’re telling me Walk—a guy who got by mainly on his smarts as a Pirate—couldn’t help head cases like Kip Wells and Ryan Vogelsong…guys with ENORMOUS potential that have never panned out? Guys that could be the next Jason Schmidt? With a guy like Walk, pitchers like those—as well as studs like Duke, Perez, Maholm, Burnett, VanBenschoten, Bullington, Snell, etc.—could become All-Stars in Pittsburgh instead of frustrating Pirate fans as they thrive on other clubs. Figure out the hot corner situation: You and Brian Graham, the Pirates' director of player development, have done a pretty impressive job setting the Bucs up for success in the next season or two. They’ve got a great young double-play combo with defensive standout Jack Wilson and developing-in-the-field-and-at-the-plate Jose Castillo, a solid hustle centerfielder in Chris Duffy, and an absolute stud in left. With the emergence of Brad Eldred moving Craig Wilson to right and two emerging talents behind the plate, the Bucs have a great lineup to support their rising pitchers.
But that doesn’t mean Sanchez is the answer at third. The Bucs need a bat on the hot corner, and like him or not, Sanchez isn’t a bopper. Jose Bautista isn’t ready to be an everyday major leaguer, and doesn’t have the proper power to play third everyday. But you know who does? Ryan Doumit. When Doumit arrived from the minors, there were murmurs in the media that he’d be converted to an outfielder, presumably to unseat Matt Lawton in 2006. Over time, Ryan proved not to be the defensive liability he’d been advertised to be. He’s made a pretty good backstop, and his bat has picked up considerably. But Humberto Cota is still the best catcher on the Pirates. He’s not a standout hitter, but Cota is a rock as a backstop, and comes up BIG in big situations: Twice this season, he’s had a game-winning hit, once in extra innings. You’re telling me you can’t find 400 ABs for this guy? You’re telling me you can’t put him in the 8-hole and avoid costly errors—like the one by Doumit last night that cost the Bucs the game? Putting Doumit at third would require him to learn a new position and go to winter ball, but he’s a rookie who should be going to winter ball anyway. He’s obviously got the arm to play the corner, and you’ve made your lineup a whole lot more fierce. Pay Jason Bay: There’s been a lot of rumors regarding the long-term contract situation with Jason Bay this year, and the word is, you’re not ready to work something out. And I understand that: Bay isn’t eligible for arbitration until after next season, so there’s little chance the Bucs will lose him even then. With the cash-strapped situation of the Bucs and the shallow pockets the owners are willing to offer, keeping Bay at his current salary is the fiscally responsible thing to do. But screw that. Sign the guy. Jason Bay is a bonafide star on a team of budding stars. He’s a 30+ HR, 100+ RBI guy who’s going to steal 20 to 30 bases, and he’s only getting better. He’s surrounded by world-class young talent, all of whom are Pirates, have been Pirates. With any luck, they’ll still be Pirates in a few years and will remain that way for years to come. But if guys like Zach Duke, Brad Eldred, Chris Duffy, Oliver Perez and Ryan Doumit see a producer like Bay being only the 14th-highest player on his own team, what message are you sending to those players and your fans? That you’re happy to play AAA affiliate to the league’s elite? That you don’t want to take that next step—from a team with promising talent to a young, cheap team of winners like the A’s, Twins, or Indians? Take a cue from your neighbors on the North Side: Pay Bay well, as the Steelers did with 86. Don’t make him Alex Rodriguez or T.O., but pay him. Make him stay in a city where he professes to love playing. Show Duke and Eldred that when their time comes, you’ll pay them, too. And show your fans that their time has come. It’s long overdue.
----Greg Back to the Ex-'Burgher. |
Please, please don’t hire from within: The Pirates’ last four managers go as follows: Chuck Tanner, Jim Leyland, Gene Lamont, Lloyd McClendon. Notice a bit of a drop-off there? It’s not a coincidence, and it’s not just the Bucs being cheap: Lamont was Leyland’s Assistant Manager, and McClendon was Lamont’s hitting coach. The trouble with a hiring strategy is simple: Eventually, you’ve diluted the gene pool. Your managers come trotting out from the hooves-and-horns set. At the rate the Bucs have been going, they’ll be signing a bat boy on as manager by ’09.
Now, let me get something straight for you: I like Freddy Sanchez. A lot. I like the way he plays defense, the way he drives the ball to the opposite field, the way he never seems to strike out. I like his attitude. My mom has a crush on him.