It's more cyclical in baseball. I always think about the Florida Marlins. They suck for a handful of years, they draft well, then they win a championship, then the blow it up and start all over then they can't afford their top tier talent, and then start all over.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
Well, in 1997 the Marlins owner bought that championship.
This is almost how the Indians are run as well.
__________________ "I don't know what the stronger emotion would be, the joy of winning or the pain of losing"-Sidney Crosby.
Frustration is one thing....but you obviously let it get to you even when they do something good. Thats a jaded mind set. Some fans just want to watch the team fail so they dont invest their time. Its sad.
Nonetheless - lets keep things civil around here!!
Not entirely sure who this is aimed at.
As for myself, the resident Pirate/Nutting critic on this board, the signing is basically a
'yes, but' thing.
I gave unreserved praise for the move.
But the Pirates, and this ownership in particular, have earned the 'but' part. You would be an idiot not to be skeptical after the last twenty years of being screwed by this ownership and them lining their pockets. The team still has a bottom five payroll. So really nice, needed move. You will gain me back if you follow through on the next few steps including a payroll other similar markets like Cincy, Milwaukie, etc can have. But I will give credit for this move and say that you got my attention. Now lets see what you do next. I would think signing Walker is next on the Nutting rehabilitation tour if he is at all serious. Then a dozen more moves culminating in a $80 million plus payroll, or the equivilent within a year or two.
As for myself, the resident Pirate/Nutting critic on this board, the signing is basically a
'yes, but' thing.
I gave unreserved praise for the move.
But the Pirates, and this ownership in particular, have earned the 'but' part. You would be an idiot not to be skeptical after the last twenty years of being screwed by this ownership and them lining their pockets. The team still has a bottom five payroll. So really nice, needed move. You will gain me back if you follow through on the next few steps including a payroll other similar markets like Cincy, Milwaukie, etc can have. But I will give credit for this move and say that you got my attention. Now lets see what you do next. I would think signing Walker is next on the Nutting rehabilitation tour if he is at all serious. Then a dozen more moves culminating in a $80 million plus payroll, or the equivilent within a year or two.
How is that not fair?
I meant the literal term of the word.... I was not taking a shot at ya! It was in response to glm
Maybe actually cares about this city, and wants to see this team get back to better days?
I was going to say the same thing. Maybe he actually likes it here?
Maybe he likes being a big fish in a small pond? Maybe he likes being a cornerstone? Maybe he likes the moves we're making and he knows it will pay off before his contract is up? I mean, Cutch just "bought in" so to say. That has to say something.
I was going to say the same thing. Maybe he actually likes it here?
Maybe he likes being a big fish in a small pond? Maybe he likes being a cornerstone? Maybe he likes the moves we're making and he knows it will pay off before his contract is up? I mean, Cutch just "bought in" so to say. That has to say something.
No...can't be.
Cutch is a minor deity in Pittsburgh...I mean he's not likely to reach the level of fame by a top Steelers player or Sid or Geno, but he is the best thing the Pirates have had in two decades now...and that cuts the kid a ton of slack. When he has a good game he's going to hear about it from the faithful for a while, when he has a cold stretch it's going to be allowed...
Pittsburgh is not a bad place to live in, and if you're making the kind of money that McCutchen will be during this deal you can live like a god (whereas his option year would be a down payment on a parking spot in Manhattan). It's not out of the realm of possibility that McCutchen signed this deal because he actually likes Pittsburgh...
The deal is favorable in every single way to the Pirates. Even with Nutting's history I can't see him being so cheap as to avoid paying Cutch what he's owed in this deal. Even in his option year he wouldn't be making absurd money by MLB standards...Nutting may be able to save money by trading Cutch during this deal, but the negative PR and fan alienation would cost him more money.
I was expecting this deal to be for 5 years and $60 million if it got done (taking up one year of free agency and having no option years)...and I was far from certain that it was going to get done.
__________________
“The most terrifying fact about the universe is not that it is hostile, but that it is indifferent. If we can come to terms with this indifference and accept the challenges of life within the boundaries of death, our existence as a species can have genuine meaning and fulfillment. However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light.” - Stanley Kubrick
Guess I will be one of those that is happy with length of deal "but" this will still be a tradeable contract in years 5 & 6 to large market team. In fact very much so if Cutch lives up to potential which I think he will. So I don't see as big change in Pirates actions yet. Now if they sign Walker to long term I may be a little more optomistic.
Edit: Still do not trust ownership. I don't know how anyone can. This is a no lose deal for Bucs.
The thing with the Cutch deal is complicated. I think the a lot of fan excitement was relief, because for a while it seemed like it might not get done. Plus, every time the Pirates make the right move, they gain a little bit of the benefit of the doubt they make the right move, and I get willing to give them another chance. They draft consensus BPA three out of four years, I give them three more chances. They draft Josh Bell and pay him way over slot, they get another chance. They lost one for taking out the Yankees' garbage for them, but with McCutchen's deal (6 years + 1 team option was longer than most people expected) they get a big one back.
It's one of the two Indian players that were signed in what appeared to be a publicity stunt. Is it just me or does the ball just look a lot harder to hit coming off his hands than it does other pitchers? I was looking at other videos from that angle and I think there might be somethign to this Rinku Singh guy.
As for myself, the resident Pirate/Nutting critic on this board, the signing is basically a
'yes, but' thing.
I gave unreserved praise for the move.
But the Pirates, and this ownership in particular, have earned the 'but' part. You would be an idiot not to be skeptical after the last twenty years of being screwed by this ownership and them lining their pockets. The team still has a bottom five payroll. So really nice, needed move. You will gain me back if you follow through on the next few steps including a payroll other similar markets like Cincy, Milwaukie, etc can have. But I will give credit for this move and say that you got my attention. Now lets see what you do next. I would think signing Walker is next on the Nutting rehabilitation tour if he is at all serious. Then a dozen more moves culminating in a $80 million plus payroll, or the equivilent within a year or two.
How is that not fair?
Please list the specific moves that have been made under Bob Nutting's ownership which you disagree w/.
I don't think you need to look any farther than Grady Sizemore to see why McCutchen would sign a long-term, somewhat discounted contract at this stage in his career. Sizemore signed a similar contract, and was financially secure when the injuries derailed his career. McCutchen gets that same financial security (barring any Trottier/McCarty/T.O./Jack Clark/... ****-ups) and the chance to sign one more huge contract at 21. Great deal for both sides.
Wonder why the Pirates didn't wait six months or so to announce McCutchen's extension? Heard they like to wait a few months normally for this type of thing
Do believe Coonelly once saying something along the lines of extensions for Pirate employees was something "not relevant to the fans."
Do the Pirates even have a PR team? Not sure if the secret extensions were worse than Coonelly (of recent DUI fame) going after that bar last season for the gall of having some fun at the Pirates ineptitude.
It's one of the two Indian players that were signed in what appeared to be a publicity stunt. Is it just me or does the ball just look a lot harder to hit coming off his hands than it does other pitchers? I was looking at other videos from that angle and I think there might be somethign to this Rinku Singh guy.
I am guessing that is a 2seamer he is throwing.
Rinku always was the one with a chance to get out of the low minors but apparently he's doing even better than anyone expected. I don't necessarily think that there's something as in major leagues but I really believe he's going to get a shot at AA and honestly AA is pretty damn good.
I think Burress can forget about being a Steeler again. He had his chance last season but went to the Jets and we signed Cotchery instead. The Steelers just cut a franchise WR in Hines Ward, why would the Steelers cut Ward and sign a former WR who doesn't care about this team as much as Hines?
I think the Steelers made it clear that they want to bring back Wallace and Cotchery and draft and develop another receiver, sorry Plax, Pittsburgh will not be suitors.
He sees the Eagles as an ideal fit and that could work. Jackson, Maclin and Burress would be a good trio.
I also think the Giants could bring him back. There was talk about Mario Manningham not returning to the Giants so if that's the case, he's a player familiar with Tom Coughlin, Kevin Gilbride and Eli Manning.
Rinku always was the one with a chance to get out of the low minors but apparently he's doing even better than anyone expected. I don't necessarily think that there's something as in major leagues but I really believe he's going to get a shot at AA and honestly AA is pretty damn good.
i taped the segment of them that showed up on ESPN's Outside the Lines. suffice to say i'm a huge Rinku fan (or at least a fan of the story of them winning that gameshow). glad to hear he's doing great.
i wouldn't want to levy the onerous burden of being a trail-blazer on him but i will share this: in elementary school PE every time i struck out at the plate, the coach would make somekind of cricket-related comment - the one that still sticks with me, all these years later was "bet your people only know how to use flat sticks." #casualracism makes me laugh more than it should.
Burress gets on my nerves. I can remember many times when he trashed Ben and the Steelers after he left. Now he's old and desperate for work so he's kissing Ben and the Steelers ass. I guess it could work if the Steelers get desperate if Wallace leaves, but that's about the only scenario where Burress may wind up back here.
The Steelers also want Cotchery back, but it seems the Wallace situation is holding that up. They need to know if Wallace is leaving or how much it's going to cost to keep him around before they can figure out how much, if anything, they have leftover for Cotchery.
Please list the specific moves that have been made under Bob Nutting's ownership which you disagree w/.
I will start with a bottom five payroll every year since 2004
Then there was the Huntington hire which was universally panned at the time as a guy Cleveland demoted for being inept and useless. His record has been spotty, especially with trades overall which he should have culled more talent for in the aggregate. The draft as well, when you spend as much as the Pirates have, all that overslot money, where is the talent other than the obvious picks? Yeah, it remains early to a degree, but not that early. Some of that talent from this plan of theirs should have shown itself, aside from the Coles and Taillons, and not enough of it has, enough so to begin to cause some concern.
Just all in all, there have been a few positive signs, this signing being a good thing and one of them. But it does not erase the earned bad will over the past couple of decades. Most of all Nutting has to show a financial commitment and so far he has acted like he is willing, but still has most of his cards left to play on that account.
i taped the segment of them that showed up on ESPN's Outside the Lines. suffice to say i'm a huge Rinku fan (or at least a fan of the story of them winning that gameshow). glad to hear he's doing great.
i wouldn't want to levy the onerous burden of being a trail-blazer on him but i will share this: in elementary school PE every time i struck out at the plate, the coach would make somekind of cricket-related comment - the one that still sticks with me, all these years later was "bet your people only know how to use flat sticks." #casualracism makes me laugh more than it should.
Dinesh Patel is the other guy right?
Yeah thats right. I know there were lots of fans who were kind of annoyed when the two indians and Gift Ngoepe were signed - as if neal was trying to distract us with unusual international signings - but Rinku is doing alright and Ngoepe might have a shot at SS.
I would definitely rather follow an international signing with a story to it than to have just another random american filling up that roster spot.
I was not taking a shot at ya! It was in response to glm
