Frank Coonelly Said Everybody Will Be Back

[Burgh Sports Rule]

Pirates President Frank Coonelly issued a statement tonight, saying that all of the current top baseball people for the Pirates will be back next yr.

From Neal Huntington, to Greg Smith, to Kyle Stark, to Clint Hurdle.

If that is true & Bob Nutting not only endorsed such a move but signed off on it? Then, that is total BS.

If true? Then, they are all fools & all, to a man, should be fired!

I am disgusted by this statement tonight.

Thoughts...

Burgh

 

[Darkstone42]

The only place I see a potential issue is in player development, but it might be a little too early to tell for sure on that front. Huntington earned another year, in my opinion, by acquiring Burnett, and to a lesser extent, Wandy, Gaby, and Travis.

 

[Burgh Sports Rule]

Darkstone: My problem is not with Huntington being retained. I have supported him & I actually think he is a good baseball man.

My problem is with Smith & Stark being kept & to a lesser extent Hurdle.

I think the player development side of things for the Pirates has been awful. ( Stark )

Plus, the drafts have as yet to produce any sort of impact for us. ( Smith )

Hurdle, I just don't see how you keep him for another yr as the manager, when he oversaw 2 consecutive Huge collapses for this team. ( Yet Preaches FINISH )

When your 16 gms over .500 on August 8th ( 62 - 46 ) at the very least, the winning season should have easily been assured & possibly the playoff spot. He again may end up failing at that. ( Winning Season )

That is unacceptable in a manager to me. To let this happen 2 yrs in a row, with an even worse collapse the 2nd yr, then we had in the 1st.

I honestly expected changes in at least some of the areas of the Baseball Opperations staff & I am upset at them standing pat.

Just my opinion.

Burgh

 

[Darkstone42]

I'm torn on Hurdle because I have to wonder if the collapses were the product of nothing more than the team's talent level catching up to them. That is, could it be that these collapses are the product of Hurdle getting them to play way over their heads for the most of the year? Then when they fall, they fall hard.

I say one more year. He's improved the team in terms of wins in each of his first two seasons. If there's a regression or stagnant performance next year, then fire him. But I also think he needs a full five-man rotation, which he hasn't been given yet.

 

[element1286]

The only one I have an actual problem with is Stark, since not everyone seems to be on board with his 'Out of the Box' methods, and they don't seem to be working. Talented draft classes come in, and they have largely not lived up to expectations. I think Greg Smith has done a good job.

The only indictment I have of Huntington is that he has hired some guys who haven't performed well. Is that a fireable offense, is suppose. Especially if he clings to them ever when they are doing substandard work. I think he deserves more time.

 

[element1286]

But I also think he needs a full five-man rotation, which he hasn't been given yet.

Really? I think he was given enough of a rotation this year, and it is unacceptable that they fell apart like they did.