Shelton out.

Bench coach Kelley new skipper. More of the same

 

Is Shelty Tony LaRussa? No. But, even Tony couldn't turn this scrap heap of a roster into a winner. This better not be the last move. Cherington is the architect of this.

I know he's limited financially, but the organization from top to bottom is crap. There's a shocking lack of viable prospects in the org. We have a few decent pitching prospects and Griffin, who's 3 or 4 years away.

 

Big deal. As long as Nutbag owns the Bucs they will suck. I'm guessing we suck to 2030 when the lease expires on PNC and the Salt Lake City Pirates kick some ass.

 

If we all are still around come 2030, would you remain a Pirate fan where ever they moved???? I've met many a Steeler fan who were not born in Pittsburgh and a lot never been to Pittsburgh but I never met a Pirate fan who was not born in Burgh sports territory.

 

Funny, that even goes for former players. Years ago I was at a Dodger - Pirate game in LA on autograph day and Dodgers coach (at the time) Manny Mota was yucking it up talking to fans and signing autographs left and right. Someone shouted to him - "You were a great Dodger Manny! Thank you!" He gave them a big smile and a thumbs up. Knowing he had been a Pirate for 5 years and an excellent hitter and pinch hitter, I said "You were a great Pirate too!". He glared at me as if he wanted to kill me. Oh well. Can't blame him, he was a Pirate from 1964-68, not exactly a primo period to be a Buc - sorta like the past several decades.

 

About time for a 3rd thread about Shelton. After all, this is breaking news.

 

look Shelton never had his players ---bunt---didnt have them try to steal enough --pulled pitchers when he shouldnt--didnt utilize players right --he wasnt smart--as GM Ben says---He was totally incompetant--there better be some change to the Pirates gameplan or you can expect the same..

 

Those were the Harry Walker years. Team was pretty competitive, but Walker alienated the players, particularly the latino and black players. They brought Murtaugh back, and things settled down (by then Mota was gone). Walker went to Houston where the same things occurred, with players like Jimmy Wynn, Joe Morgan, etc. I had a family member whose business was tied to the Bucs sales promotions and was very good friends with Harding Peterson and Joe O'Toole. Harry Walker was part of that group for a bit, then they separated from him before a lot of that stuff surfaced.

 

Now that Shelton is gone, the GM probably has a very short life expectancy. The ownership and the financial structure of baseball will have to change for the Pirates to be any good. However, I think we are stuck with Nutting, unless the commissioner forces him to sell in the best interests of baseball. I think it has been done before. And I hope the commissioner also has the authority to make Bob get rid of his toupee. That godawful toupee. It is the worst coverup in Pittsburgh sports.

 

You know there are a couple teams worse than us right? Note I spelled that correctly