A boycott is in order folks.

this is a post gazette site that just happens to have a baseball section for some lousy club wasting our tax dollars.....

believe what you will, I could care less about the Sucs.  Actually that isn't true.  I dispise the Sucs with a passion.  I want them to relocate.  All Pittsburgh really needs are the Pens & Steelers.  Organizations committed to winning.   

what I find amusing in this discussion is that people don't realize that baseball isn't a ticket drive league.  It has a huge TV deal & the big market teams underwrite teams like the Sucs.  Nutting doesn't care if you show up or not.  He makes his money either way.  And he isn't going to sell the team either.  It makes too much money.  He doesn't live in Pittsburgh, so what does he care about what people say here.....

 LJ,

Thanks for jumping in. I've been supporting my local football teams all day and this evening, so here at 11:30 pm, I'm just now seeing the posts. 

I don't mind opening up my wallet to support our local sports, just as I have supported our Pirates through the years.  However,

A boycot is in order folks.  LJ gets my message.  POPS, there is famous, and there is infamous. There is a difference. Our losing record is infamous!

Not only has Huntington given away an all-star outfield, SS and 2nd baseman, we gave up Sean Burnett.  He got left handed hitters OUT!  Something I guess we don't need because we have right-handed pitchers that can get left-handed batters out. YOI and double YOI 

Why does Neal Huntington have a job?

Why does Frank Coonelly have a job?

I see our Buccos lost again today. 86 = 14 away from 100, and counting.

Dear Dog,

Let me try one more time for ya'.  The name of THIS SITE is NOT "The Post Gazette" Site!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Now see below and read carefully:

The name of this site IS the "Pirates Forum".  The Pirates, you understand, are the baseball team from the city of Pittsburgh.  Pittsburgh is a city in Pennsylvania.  The Post Gazette is a newspaper (media) in Pittsburgh.

WHY DO YOU KEEP POSTING ABOUT BASEBALL AND THE PIRATES ON THIS FORUM IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A BASEBALL SITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  GET A CLUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (Why don't you type about the weather OR SHOPPING on this site since it's a Post Gazette site as you suggest??  WHY?  CAUSE EVEN YOU KNOW IT'S A BASEBALL SITE AND YOU WRITE ABOUT THE BASEBALL TEAM--GOOD OR BAD!!!!)

If you hate baseball, as you claim, what the hell are you doing here???  Go to the Steelers site--you claim to love them and the Penguins  (winnners I believe, easy to love, like all of us do).  Let me help you in one other area, if the Pirates become winners again, that is if Bobbo sells the team, WE WILL ALL LOVE THEM AGAIN!!!  INCLUDING YOU!!!  Now stop being foolish and go elsewhere unless you would like to admit you like baseball, or at least like posting on a BASEBALL SITE for whatever reason.  Then maybe you'll make some sense and some will read what you have to say with credability!!!!!

The Steelers were awful--we hated them!!  The Penguins were awful--we hated them!!!  Suddenly they're winners and people like yourself exclaim "How much I love those Steelers and Penguins!!!"  Now there's something novel, someone loving a winner!!!  How dumb.  EVERYBODY LOVES A WINNER MY MAN!!!

 Our Bucco's  lost again last night, the 88th on the way to 100

 

It was a left-handed batter that hit the walk-off homerun.

 

But how can that be, when we have right-hand relief pitchers that can get left-handed batters out?

 

Why do Neal Huntington and Frank Coonelly have jobs?

Bob Nutt-head, please sell the team.

 Our Bucco's  lost again this afternoon.

The 89th loss and still counting, on the way to 100.

 

Why does Neal Huntington still have a job.

 Boy,

 

You are right.  Neal should have not traded anyone, he should have signed Doug M., and a journeyman pitcher for about 4-5 mil.

 

That way the farm system would still be barren and we would have only been looking at 90 losses.  -  and more importatnly Neal's job would be very secure.......

 

POPS

 POPS,

 

I'm not sure who you are referring to, Doug M and a journeyman pitcher, but when the Pirates start buying a key piece of talent instead of giving it away for prospects that don't pan out, I'll  know there is a different philosophy.

Maybe even a different mindset...... to WIN. 

I can see you have bought into Nutting's words, just as I did when he bought the team.

My optimism went south when I started witnessing his Actions and not his Words.

I will say again, look at the All-Star team he has given away the last two years. I need a reason to believe that if-and-when any of these prospects make it, they also won't be dumped for low pay prospects.

PS. I love your characterture you have chosen. Field Of Dreams is my favorite movie of all time 

Maybe this is just a smoke screen by Nutting, and maybe it isn't, but there are 2 undeniable facts we must look at.

If we had the same team we started last year with we would not have a winning record - so what good does that do us.

Any decent free agent was not going to, and will not come to Pittsburgh.

I think this was truly the only choice they had - because standing pat or bringing in marginal free agents would not have helped in any way (aside from 3-4 wins).

 

 

POPS

 

"You are right.  Neal should have not traded anyone, he should have signed Doug M., and a journeyman pitcher for about 4-5 mil.

 That way the farm system would still be barren and we would have only been looking at 90 losses.  -  and more importatnly Neal's job would be very secure......."

 

Dear Pops,

NO WAY, obviously, you and ol' Neal are right!!!  I mean, just look at our results,  errr, OK, don't look at this 100+ loss season and the 17th in a row Bobbo has given us--just look at what we'll have next year, errrrrr.  OK, don't look at next year as the 18th CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF LOSING to come.  Look at it as the beginning of ........................................   Oh, hell, forget it.  They stink today, and they'll stink for years to come with the minor league talent that no one knows will or won't be major league talent.  And that which becomes major league talent, Ol' Bobbo will trade away cause they'll want paid for that talent.  OH YEAH, we're headed down the right path!!!!  "But look at our farm system!!!"  Yeah, right, Altoona and Indianapolis get to watch some decent talent, not great talent, decent.  As far as Pittsburgh, you know, where the major league team resides--THEY'LL STINK AS LONG AS BOBBO OWNS THE TEAM!!!!  They have for 17 years, and he has "sold you another bill of goods" into believing he has changed his ways!!  Stop being gullable, Bobbo is in it for the money ONLY!!!   All owners, including the Rooneys, are in the business for the money.  But there is a right way of doing it, and a wrong way.  Guess which the Rooneys are, and guess which Bobbo is??? 

POPS, 17 YEARS AND COUNTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -- and obviously 18 on it's way.   And you're still supporting Bobbo & Co as having found the "golden answer", the farm clubs.  Right.  Stop being foolish and gullable.  The losing train is still running and it's been long overdue for the fans of Pittsburgh to get off.  Enough lying:  "We're gonna keep the core players", or "this year's results will definitely mean something" or "we're serious about winning"--after 17 years!!  Right.  No end in sight, my man.

Let me close with this incredible Bobbo quote:  "I'm gonna start investing more when the fans start showing up to support this team and the team starts winning!!"  Now, talk about putting the horse before the cart--what a moronic statement!!  And you're buying all the BS!!!  C'mon, get off the Bobbo train and get a clue.  Unless, of course, you work for the Pirates, or ARE YOU BOBBO???

 "Any decent free agent was not going to, and will not come to Pittsburgh"

Pops,

Have you ever thought about PAYING some great free agent talent???  They'd come in droves as soon as Bobbo gave ANY indication that he was serious about winning.  LIKE PAYING FOR A GREAT FREE AGENT--Now there's a positive sign that someone actually wants to win!!!  Get a clue Pops, Bobbo won't pay, and no they won't come.  Any great free agent would love to come be a part of a "New Era" of winning in any town, on any major league team.  Geez, I wonder why they don't wanna come to Pittsburgh???  Hmmmm.  Get a clue buddy.  Bobbo & Co pick up has-beens on the cheap and hope that they pan out.  If not, nothing lost.  Not a great path to success. 

Pops, stop posting "wouldda, couldda, shouldda" type posts and GIVE US 1, JUST 1, HARD FACT THAT CLEARLY SHOWS BOBBO HAS SEEN THE ERROR OF HIS WAYS!!!  Not pipe dreams now, like look at all this minor league talent type pipe dreams, but 1 FACT!!!  Let me save you some time--THERE AREN'T ANY!!!!  17 YEARS OF THIS CRAP, AND HE'S STILL FLEECING SUCKERS LIKE YOU!!!  STOP!!  Oh, by the way, based on what we're still seeing, there is good news ahead--18 YEARS!!!!!  And a NEW record!!!  All right, way to go Bobbo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 You are missing the point I am making again....I am not supporting them, in fact I am Irate that it has gone this long.

What I am saying is that Neal inherited a train wreck.  If he would have done nothing the Pirates would have lost and everyone would have wondered why he didn't do anything.  On the flip side there was no realistic way that he could do anything to make this team a winner in 2 years.  No free agents were going to sign so there was no way to updgrade the current roster.  If the roster would have stayed in tact, would our major league team be better??? Of course it would, by about 10-15 more wins which is still below ,500----Is that what you want, a losing team with names you know???   That is not what I want.

I am acknowledging that I have bought into the plan....It is in my mind the only option that they had.  I will also agree that I was ok with all of the trades except for maybe the Morgan deal (which I was and still on the fence over).

There was no other way to improve the team other than starting from the bottom.  You have to agree that the bottom is now much stronger than it was.

You may disagree with the way the plan was executed, but there was NO other way to go about this....

There was no way Neal was going to have a winner at PNC for the 09' season so no matter what he did, he was going to be criticized for not putting a winner on the field.  Atleast at this point they have a plan (it may not have been executed the way you wanted).  That is a more than any other regime can say.  It is a start.  They have a lot of work to do, but it is a start......

 

 

POPS

 Nutto as you call him has seen the light.  He paid 10mil for a washed up pitcher and look how it turned out.  This franchise does not need any more Matt Morris's and Derek Bell's - and unfrotunately they are the only ones that will come to Pittsburgh.

I like your passion - as misguided as it may be - but you need to realize that just becuase we offer free agents money, they are not going to come here.

Baldelli took less money to play in Boston (as a part-time player)

Remember Daniel Cabrera - he took less money to pitch in Washington.  Yes he went to Washington for less money - what does that say about Pittsburgh.

It is the old chicken and the egg philosiphy.  I know you think they will come here if Bob just opens the vault, but this team will have to start winning a little more before any self respecting free agent that can actually help this team will sign here.    WAKE UP PEOPLE.

 

 

POPS

 Dear Pops,

First, please stop and look back about oh, say 17 FREAKIN" YEARS!!!!!!!!!  What, Bobbo & Co just came up with this idea of build the minor leagues??  Oh, and he just happens to save 8 MILLION DOLLARS IN THE PROCESS!!!!!!!!!!!!  Right, you buy it. I'm not that stupid.

Neal DID NOT inherit a train wreck!!  In fact that team was VERY close to becoming a VERY serious contender.  See below, you obviously didn't read my comments earlier.  So now you respond.  And don't give me the crap about contracts etc.  EVERYBODY has that concern.  Had Bobbo spent an additional 10-20 million and gotten 2 or 3 top-of-the-rotation type guys we'd be talking World Series my man!!!  AND, he would still have been near the basement of salary in the major leagues!!!!!!!!  Here's what I posted earlier:

To answer your question, read my other post about how to make this team a winner.  They were very close--in fact twoor three starters (and about 10-20 milion) from being a serious contender.  Picture Duke and Maholm at the back of the rotation, mabe that'll help you visualize.  How about this outfiled, you pick:  Bay, McLouth, McCutcheon (even tho not REALLY proven yet), Jones (not proven), Nady, and don't forget about the guy who was tearing it up before he got hurt, Nyjer Morgan--a GREAT outfield.  In fact before they traded all that away, they had the BEST outfield in baseball--agreed to by EVERYONE in baseball.  Pitching needed 2 or 3 starters and the bullpen was fine--Gonzalez, Marte, Capps (needs help), Grabow, Gonzo, etc, etc.  Infield:  needed a 1st baseman (Laroche was eating up salary, and you could have done far better than him for like 8 million, cheaper even; oh and that great move was done by Bobbo's other great pick--D. Littlefield), and you could have gotten a 3 rd basemen with what you saved with Laroche.  Oh, how about Garret Jones as your first baseman--league minimum.  Best middle infield in baseball--1 a 3-time all star with the stick, and the other an average stick with tremendous defensive talent.  DONE, immediate contender--and all proven talents.  1 OR 2 STARTERS AWAY--BUT BOBBO WOULDN'T SPEND THE EXTRA 10-20 MILLION--and he still would've been at or near the cellar in team salary!!!  Oh, and you don't have to remind me about contracts coming up or injuries (happens to EVERY TEAM IN EVERY SPORT!) with the group we just gave away, because EVERY team in baseball has those challenges, not just the Pirates.  Oh, and don't forget, your selected team of the future will also have contract negotiations upcoming at some point, AT LEAST FOR THE 1 MAYBE 2 THAT MAKE IT THAT FAR!!!  Wilson and Sanchez wanted to stay so badly that they would have given up salary to stay!!  But these morons got rid of 'em for what, "hey lots of possibles."  Nonsense.  Most of these players will be out of baseball within 2 to 3 years.  "Hey, we got...............Nothin'.  More like fleeced again. 

For all that spending you listed above--it was just in the paper in which you are posting--Bobbo's savings this year:  8 MILLION DOLLARS!!!!!!!!  Nice Bobbo, nice!!!!  Continue fleecing guys like ol' Pops, he'll keep buying!!!  Hey, what, it's only been like a 17 year fleecing!!! 

Now, let's look at what you say they're doing--well, we don't have to quite frankly.  EVERYTHING and virtually EVERYONE you mentioned are "possibles and maybe's."  How's that going so far??  They are TERRIBLE!!  Yeah, MAYBE they get better in 4 or 5 years at this pace,(after 21 years of losing!!  21 YEARS!!!) but by then duseveral contracts will be due,  and once again say goodbye--Bobbo won't pay.  He'll need to get a new gimick to sell to the fans--more peirrogie races or bobbleheads and a new gimmick to sell to fools like yourself.  Oh, and by the way, there is maybe one, mind you ONE, somewhat proven talent that looks like he might make it on a professional level.  NONE PROVEN NOW, just looks like he MIGHT make it.  Hey, we got big pitchers now though!!  For now--they are WAAAAYY below average.  Karstens??  Karstens??  You're kidding right??  Morton, Morton???  Kidding right???   They are below average currently and MIGHT be average someday--MIGHT, not proven.

 

Now, once again, to your claim about free agents, how 'bout this.  Would you go to a team where you might grow as a player, become fabric of the community, make great friends on and off the field, --then KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET TRADED BECAUSE THE OWNER WON'T PAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  GET A CLUE POPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It's not just the up front money these guys demand, it's the future for them and their families they perceive as well.  THEY GOING TO GET TRADED IF THEY PERFORM--BYE, BYE, FRIENDS, BYE, BYE COMMUNITY!!!  Get a clue, will ya.

Now, you respond to my lineup! Honestly, you can't, unless of course you work for the Pirates, OR ARE YOU NEAL??  And don't forget you can pick the outfield, even you or I couldn't screw that up!!  They're all outstanding!!!  Of course, Bobbo & Co have more crap reasons than a Christmas goose as to why they can't keep those guys!!  Co0ntacts and stuff, you know.  Bull. 

As to your idea of pitcher Matt Morris, he was the last gasp disaster child of the "Littlefield Era".  Oh, and don't forget who hired your boy Littlefield and claimed "he's going to lead us to winning", yep, you guessed it, the man you now follow and claim "now he's got the picture--BOBBO!!!!".  Bull, get a clue.  You're getting fleeced again.  Bobbo had the lowest payroll in baseball and told Littlefield he could do what he wanted with the money.  Littlefield, in fear of his job, (which he lost anyway) goes out and stupidly spends $10 million on a has-been who couldn't top 85mph anymore.  How stupid.  Oh, and that was your boy Bobbo's choice now!!! 

And you say I'm misguided.  Get a clue my man, get a clue.  Oh by the way "I have some great water-front property in Florida that I'm selling at a great discount.  You gotta be interested in that if you're buyin' Ol' Bobbo's crap again!!"  Haha.  Now that's funny.  If you don't think that's funny, you need to get the hell outta here!" 

You keep pluggin' Pops, even you will wake up someday.

MJ, Use of a few facts might actually help here Nutting has not had a controlling interest the entire time Good free agents were NOT going to sign here A lot of the players that were traded would be free agents at the end of this year That meant we had a one year window to succeed with Bay and Nady Your right we should have went all out to hit .500 this year Your probably right that with 3 good pitchers we could have had a chance but what we we do next year after all the free agents left - spend another $100 mil on free agents? Start using your head and not your heart. POPS

"A lot of the players that were traded would be free agents at the end of this year That meant we had a one year window to succeed with Bay and Nady"

"Good free agents were NOT going to sign here."   (Who the hells fault is that???  Management for cryin' out loud!!  The same ones youre following like a puppy with their new story.  Now they're telling you that they are going to get some free agents in today's paper???  What, are we not going to get "good" ones???"  How gullable can you be??)

Dear Poops,

As I said previously, read my post and respond accordingly.  As usual, you didn't.  In the post I noted not to make any reference to contracts, injuries, and ANY OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT EVERY BASEBALL TEAM HAS TO DEAL WITH ROUTINELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  They ALL have those EVERY year!!!  Your question is what do we do next year?  Well, what do we do IF/WHEN any of these supposed FUTURE superstars demand the money they want??  Here, let me help you--and this is to the core of why it's so stupid to support what the current management is selling to fools like yourself--THEY WILL BE GONE!!!!  So, get rid of Bobbo--problem solved.  As I said in the earlier posts which you obviously can't understand, free agents would come to a team where they could get better, join a winning effort, and have them and their families become a fabric of the communities in which they live.  Pittsburgh is a great city to raise a family, and a great sports town.  PERIOD.  Read the article today??  They are talking about picking up all these free agents--Rick Ankiel, Grabow, etc.  Well, tell me, since no one will come here according to your ideas, why in the hell is this management (who is selling YOU a bill of goods)goiing to get ANY of them to come here??  Now, don't give me a bunch of crap about how "this player will come because" or "that one won't come because"--BS.  There is no answer--except fools like yourself continue to buy what they're selling you!!  Now, answer that.  First they tell you they are building the minors and thats the right path, and of course you say no free agents will come, now they're talking about picking up free agents???  Like you said--THEY MUST BE NUTS.  THEY'RE CONTRADICTING YOU!!!  Haha.  This is funny.  Can't wait to hear your "explanation" for this one.   "ubbita, hubbita, uh, uh-Oh, yeah some free agents will come."  Stop it.  Show some sense of intelligence.

Now, start using your head and not YOUR !!!!  17 YEARS AND YOU'RE STILL BUYING NONSENSE!!!!!!!!!!  Wow.  Hey, another 100+ season----of losing!!!  This group of minor leaguers leaves me almost NO hope.  And here you are telling me this looks good????  I just hope you're kidding.  Drugs???  C'mon now, even you aren't so blind that you really don't picture this whole fiasco as a salary dump??  If they started the season today, the salaries of this team would be $24 million.  $24 MILLION!!!!  What a joke.  And you are buying it!!!  You're lookin' real foolish by now buddy.