MLB Owners Out Of Control
Fox Sports [Dayn Perry], CBS {Larry Dombrow], Baseball Prospectus [Steven Goldman], Deadspin [Don Spagnolo], ESPN [Jerry Crasnick], among many others, have all come out hammering the Pirates organization the last few months.
None of them caused more than a ripple in the ocean.
Staring down the barrel of the organization’s 15th consecutive losing season, Pirates Chairman of the Board and principal owner Robert Nutting talked about the Nutting’s family commitment to winning Sunday, telling Pirate fans:
"Nobody is going to apologize.." — link to Bucco Blog
Nutting’s comment caused a typhoon.
This is the same family that some say caused a financial rift in the organization in early 2003 while grabbing control of the organization and causing one of their top prospects in Aramis Ramirez to be traded for junk bonds. The team’s position then was that they couldn’t afford Ramirez, who was making $3MM in his first arb year. A couple of months later, the Pirates received $13MM in revenue sharing.
It isn’t Pirate fans’ fault their team stinks. Heck, many of them still believe this is ‘THE’ year. How sad they will be by June. What then? Does Nutting think the fans will ‘apologize’ for not buying tickets after July?
Hardly…they have had it.
Perhaps someone in the front office will have to be the scapegoat and that could only mean David Littlefield, just as many in the media above suggest. But when it comes right down to it, the problem isn’t Dave Littlefield – the problem is lame ownership who have the Marge Schott, Richard Jacobs, Bud Selig financial greed disease [link].
Jake at Bucco Blog
Special to MLB Trade Rumors
Soler To Sign With Bucs?
Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News reports today that Alay Soler is expected to sign a minor league deal with the Pirates.
Perhaps Soler will join fellow Cuban defector Yuslan Herrera at Double A Altoona. The Bucs gave Herrera a three-year deal back in November. The Pirates also expanded their international horizons by signing 38 year-old Japanese reliever Masumi Kuwata in December.
2007 Pittsburgh Pirates
Next up in the team outlooks, the Pirates. Click here to view all the team outlooks.
Dave Littlefield’s contract obligations:
C – Ronny Paulino – $0.38MM
C – Humberto Cota – $0.537MM
1B – Adam LaRoche – $3.2MM
2B – Freddy Sanchez – $2.75MM
SS – Jack Wilson – $5.25MM
3B – Jose Castillo – $1.9MM
IF/C – Ryan Doumit – $0.38MM
IF – Jose Bautista – $0.38MM
LF – Jason Bay – $3.25MM
CF – Chris Duffy – $0.38MM
RF – Xavier Nady – $2.15MM (stomach pain)
OF – Luis Matos – $0.38MM
IF/OF – Jose Hernandez – $0.38MM
SP – Zach Duke – $0.38MM
SP – Ian Snell – $0.38MM
SP – Paul Maholm – $0.38MM
SP – Tom Gorzelanny – $0.38MM
SP – Tony Armas Jr. – $3.5MM
RP – Salomon Torres – $2.6MM
RP – Damaso Marte – $2.45MM
RP – John Grabow – $0.8325MM
RP – Jonah Bayliss – $0.38MM
RP – Matt Capps – $0.38MM
RP – Dan Kolb – $1.25MM
RP – Shawn Chacon – $3.825MM
Injured/Minors:
RF – Jody Gerut – $0.85MM
OF – Nate McLouth – $0.38MM
RP – Shane Youman – $0.38MM
RP – Josh Sharpless – $0.38MM
There’s the Opening Day roster as I see it, with a huge assist from Jake at Bucco Blog. Some things could definitely play out differently. We still don’t know the cause of Nady’s stomach problems, and if he misses time then McLouth and Matos can both make the club. Even if he doesn’t McLouth can still beat out Matos. The fifth starter job could go to Chacon or Armas; I feel like Armas has the edge right now. An injury to a kid could make it a moot point. And some combo of Youman and Sharpless could be in the pen instead of Kolb and Bayliss.
Anyway, the payroll looks to be in the $40MM range, with maybe another $5MM going to buyouts and some players not listed. If the Bucs find themselves in a magical season, one player away, I think they have the payroll flexibility to add a $10MM guy via trade. They could import a difference-maker like Ichiro or Carlos Guillen.
It looks like Sanchez will play second base, if for no other reason than Wilson won’t play alongside Castillo. Castillo will try to win the third base job and wait to see if Wilson can be dealt.
LaRoche was a big-time addition, and a move I liked. LaRoche, Bay, and Sanchez may be the only regulars providing above average offense. Paulino and Duffy could join that group, but I don’t think anyone can really say that with any certainty right now.
It follows that this club will have to rely on its starting pitching to win. If all four kids stay healthy and show typical growth, it could be a damn good and affordable staff. Contact guys like Duke and Maholm can post nice ERAs if they get good defense behind them.
The starters may need to go deep into the games, as the pen was weakened by the trade of Mike Gonzalez. Without getting too deep in the numbers, the 2007 bullpen for this team looks subpar. On the other hand, relievers are quite volatile.
I can only see starting pitching as a clear strength for this club. Well, that and a lack of huge contracts. The team could make a run for the division but probably won’t; they should focus on keeping the young starters healthy. Andrew McCutchen could add some star power in ’08, and the Bucs could selectively purchase some free agents heading into that season.
Pirates Sign Dan Kolb
UPDATE: And the Pirates won the Kolb derby. It’s a minor-league deal but he will make $1.25MM if he makes the 25 man roster out of spring training.
Did I just write that? A couple of clubs are bidding for the services of 32 year-old reliever Dan Kolb. Last year, Kolb rejoined the Brewers and continued his low-strikeout, high groundballing ways. It resulted in a 4.84 ERA. Kolb’s agent is talking up his durability and second half (2.75 ERA in 19 innings).
The Rockies, perhaps intrigued by Kolb’s home run prevention, have made an offer. Dan O’Dowd is trying to play it cool. The Pirates have an offer out as well, and Dejan Kovacevic says Kolb wants a Major League deal. Kolb hopes to be the setup man in Pittsburgh.
Pirates Sign Dan Kolb
UPDATE: And the Pirates won the Kolb derby. It’s a minor-league deal but he will make $1.25MM if he makes the 25 man roster out of spring training.
Did I just write that? A couple of clubs are bidding for the services of 32 year-old reliever Dan Kolb. Last year, Kolb rejoined the Brewers and continued his low-strikeout, high groundballing ways. It resulted in a 4.84 ERA. Kolb’s agent is talking up his durability and second half (2.75 ERA in 19 innings).
The Rockies, perhaps intrigued by Kolb’s home run prevention, have made an offer. Dan O’Dowd is trying to play it cool. The Pirates have an offer out as well, and Dejan Kovacevic says Kolb wants a Major League deal. Kolb hopes to be the setup man in Pittsburgh.
Pirates Sign Tony Armas Jr.
Pirates GM Dave Littlefield announced today that the team has signed righty Tony Armas Jr. to a one-year deal with a club option for ’08. RotoWorld reports that Armas will make $3MM in ’07 and has a $500,000 buyout for ’08. The move should thankfully push Shawn Chacon out of the rotation.
It’s hard to believe Armas would represent an improvement in anyone’s rotation after posting a 5.03 ERA in 154 innings last year in a National League pitchers’ park. Basically the one thing Armas has going for him is that he’s on the right side of 30. And he was traded for Pedro once.
Pirates Sign Tony Armas Jr.
Pirates GM Dave Littlefield announced today that the team has signed righty Tony Armas Jr. to a one-year deal with a club option for ’08. RotoWorld reports that Armas will make $3MM in ’07 and has a $500,000 buyout for ’08. The move should thankfully push Shawn Chacon out of the rotation.
It’s hard to believe Armas would represent an improvement in anyone’s rotation after posting a 5.03 ERA in 154 innings last year in a National League pitchers’ park. Basically the one thing Armas has going for him is that he’s on the right side of 30. And he was traded for Pedro once.
Pirates Interested In Weaver
According to Ken Rosenthal, the Pirates are battling with the Cardinals for the services of Jeff Weaver. Weaver could reunite with his former manager and pitching coach in Pittsburgh and thankfully push Shawn Chacon out of the rotation. The Cards are still in the lead, however. The Mariners or Dodgers could be involved also.
You have to wonder if Boras could convince Weaver to take another one year contract, maybe in the $7MM range. He could stick in the NL all year and parlay it into a nice three-year pact if he pitches decently. His best bet is probably St. Louis; they’re offering two years.
Blue Jays Sign Tomo Ohka
UPDATE: The Blue Jays signed Ohka to a one-year deal with incentives. He’s guaranteed $1.5MM and can double it by reaching incentives.
The Washington Post reports that Tomo Ohka will likely decide on a team today or tomorrow. The Nats are unlikely, and he’s leaning towards Toronto. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Ohka now only wants a one-year deal. Looks like he couldn’t get three years so he’d rather re-enter the market in ’08 after a hopefully solid year. The Pirates are definitely out of the running. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review mentions that the Mets are still in on Ohka.
The Bucs, however, have turned their focus to Tony Armas Jr. Several teams are interested in him, with the Pirates in the lead. Though he’s not particularly good, he is relatively healthy and on the right side of 30. Beggars can’t be choosy.
Latest On Ohka
Ah, the Tomo Ohka saga. What could be more exciting in late January? Football just can’t compete. The Pirates have "escalated efforts" to snag the righthander, which I suppose means an increased offer. An Ohka signing for the Bucs would probably push Shawn Chacon out of the rotation, never a bad idea.
The Nats, Blue Jays, and…wait for it…a mystery team are the contenders for Ohka. My guess is that Ohka wants a Jason Marquis type deal.