Letters: Milledge another Hamilton?

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re: Letters: Milledge another Hamilton?

Ron Burgundy — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:38:02 GMT

I don't want to sound like I am defending David Littlefield, but he wasn't the worst GM of all time, as one of the letter writers suggests. McCutchen and Lincoln were first round picks of his, and he would have drafted Wieters if not for Bob Nutting not wanting to pay for him. The only reason Huntington drafted Alveraz was because the public outcry over passing Wieters was so loud.

The Brian Giles trade was a success, as was the Ollie Perez trade that landed Nady. We could go on and on about DL's failures, there are many, but Cam Bonifay was a far worse GM that Littlefield was.

(Bonifay, not Littlefield, made the trade that brought Giles to the Pirates. -- Bob Smizik)

re: Letters: Milledge another Hamilton?

Wilver Dornell — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:59:20 GMT

Bob I really so enjoy your insight and most of the time you are correct, but your comment that baseball can compete in a capitalist system is dead wrong. First, not just anybody can have or start a baseball team in the MLB; unlike your local resturant. Second, baseball enjoys an anti-trust exemption that your competing local resturants do not. Third, prior to free agency baseball was ruled by the reserve clause...players were stuck with their team; no if or and about it (and this was not fair to the players).So, the prest system has only survived 40 nyears not over 100. Next it is true small markets teams can compete, but they do it on a rotating basis...Tampa for a while, Minnesota for a while...you get the picture. Small markets teams cannot compete on a year-in and year-out basis. Continuing...you will never see another players enter the Hall of Fame from these small market teams...the teams just can't keep them long enough. Oh, and college sports have a whole bunch of field leveling rules...amount of scholorships...how many vists a prospect can make..what they can do when they visit, when they can visit..when they can sign...where they can sit when they attend games...how many coaches each program can have. Although the NCAA does leave room for some differnces in each program they try to even things up as much a s possible. Like I said you are usually correct, but here you are wrong. Keep up the good work and keep us thinking. Thanks.

Morning links: Highs, lows of first half

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Josh Hamilton | Worldwide News

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josh hamilton | ArticleLux

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josh hamilton >> Mauer takes a spot in…. Do you agree with Sherrington's…. | Total Info

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:05:48 GMT

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Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:01:28 GMT

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Josh Hamilton | Jamming Online

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re: Letters: Milledge another Hamilton?

pittfaninlioncountry — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:44:35 GMT

Everyone calling for a salary cap forget it,it is never going to happen. There is some myth floating around that the industry as a hole is suffering. The exact opposite exists, the industry is stronger now than it ever has been. The majority of teams are very competive, with a select few not withstanding.

The NHL had to revert to a salary cap because they had to. The league had multiple teams considering bankruptcy. The league's finances have been in the toilet for a long time, and they have no bargaining power when it comes to maximizing television rights. They have to give their product away for free. The NHL went to a salary cap for their very survival, not to insure compitive balance for everyone. This does make the league stronger as a whole, no doubt, but Major League Baseball is not in the same position.

Ask Mr. Nutting if he is interested in a salary cap. If he were to be honest is answer would be no. The Pirates though being garbage for the better part of 17 years, are very sound financially now. Don't forget if he gets a salary cap, they most likely lose revenue sharing. This means the Pirates would have to pay their own bills and not rely on corporate welfare.

Thats money that comes out of his pocket and removes any built in excuse they have now, shifting all the blame to the big evil large market teams.

We all need to stop living in a vacum, the Pirates problems are not the same problems that exist with the rest of baseball. It is pretty simple, maybe Major League Baseball has out grown a market the size of Pittsburgh. This is not 1960 anymore.

Take a look at all the teams that have made the playoffs since 2000. I know people will say that is catching lightning in a bottle and we want to win every year. Those days are gone.

The Yankees with all the money they spend have not one it all since 2000, and in that time have lost to the small market Marlins. Big market Dodgers have not won since 1988, The large market Cubs have waited 100 years for their advantage to kick in. The Mets have been waiting since 1986. Some one has been winning the Worl Series and it is not large market teams more often than not.

Yes large market teams have an advantage overall, but there are many markets that have been able to compete as well.