100 percent correct..furthermore there no law your mlb team has to turn any profit.. u can actually lose money! fuck the owner.. if they trade rivero or anyone I'm pissed! upgrade the team asshole!
this division is more winnable then it has been in years..may as well be bucs who try!
theres way to much ball to play to concede champions. dodgers may faulter with injuries. nats too.. a hot team going into tourney can with it all..why cant pirates be the hot team in late September?

Cubs don't have any mojo this year. They are still celebrating the WS win in their heads. They will continue to be inconsistent no matter who they add. Fuck the NUT man. I have no faith he'll do a damn thing. None!

only good thing about the nut is he is very good at staying financially flexable..

Gents, my 2 cents. Nutting only wants to win at his deeply discounted price. I imagine that he sleeps on a specially designed cash padded mattress some of you bought for him, resting peacefully each night dreaming thoughts of his next scam/promotion that will remove some more fleece from the sheep. I think Nutting delights in doing his life’s work – parting money from those who only temporarily hold onto it.

I think Nutting was counting on the Cubs rolling the NL Central this year -- his excuse for keeping financial flexibility available for 2018 and beyond, you know. This July run by the Bucs actually may ruin his short-run plans to dump Cutch/Cole/fill-in-the-blank. That doesn't mean he's going to repent and open up that wallet. I expect a minor deal or two for a relief pitcher or two, if that.

As for Neal the shill, he won't squeal. He's well paid to say what he's told to say, much like the other shills on TV. Neal is a co conspirator benefiting from Nutting's reputation. When NH wins he's a genius overcoming all odds. When NH loses it's because he wasn't competing on a level playing field. NH is like a bench player who flashes brilliance for a few weeks. He makes you think he's an every day all star until he gets exposed. I don't think NH wants to get exposed by working elsewhere for a real owner because then NH would own that failure. Better that he just remain grateful to ply his trade, such as it is, for the Nut.

BTW, what message will be driven home should the Pirates somehow navigate these treacherous waters well enough to win this watered down division – you guessed it – you don’t have to spend $ to win. That will license even more financial inflexibility going forward. No gents enjoy version 2.0 of the Montreal Expos before they moved to DC. Maybe some year they can have their 1994 and hope a strike doesn't ruin it before they win their title.

well put bling..sad but true..

would love to see us add another JA Happ/Marlon Byrd type guys this year - no reason to give away top players/prospects for a couple pieces -

I highly doubt we become a seller this year, though it was possibly looking that way only a few weeks ago.

Great stuff, gents.

Marte not being available for the postseason really fucks things up in my mind, even if you add big time pieces at 3B and pitcher. With those pieces and Marte I think they could legit contend. Without Marte I just don't see it.

Regardless I will enjoy the run. And yes, Bling, I will attend games while The Nut fleeces me and sleeps like a baby on his mattress made of money.

Devil's advocate article...the trade deadline is overrated anyway.

Of all the trades Neal has made, only Hall and Nova panned out to the tune of around 2 WAR added.

http://www.thepointofpittsburgh.com/8171-2/

Going for value relievers is the Pirates' best shot, IMO.

Kang being a fuck up really killed this team's chances this year.

Trade deadline deal isn't out there that will turn the team into an October world beater.

Bob Nutting approves this message...

You know the numbers? You've seen the P&L? Please share.

Most guys who have money and make a lot of money don't think like this - that's how they made their money. I hope The Nut makes a ton of money - it's hilarious joke of a league. Just wait to see what the Cubs do - I am guessing their payroll will be laughable after their moves.

Sounds like a smart guy to me - playing the hand MLB dealt him.

Totally forgot about this - stupid fucking rule. You suspend a guy for 80 games and then suspend him again - fuck MLB

I'm sure he does.

My problem with Nutting is what he does in the offseason, not at the trade deadline.

And I'm a big believer that you are what your record says you are, especially given enough of a sample size.

And our record says we're around a .500 team.

We could probably do something to enhance our odds of winning a weak division, but we will not find the players to transform us into October world beaters at the deadline.

So we should go for it, but we should keep 2018 in mind too.

I'll say ditto. You know the numbers? You've seen the P&L? Please share.

This is what we know. We know when deadspin leaked the books from a decade ago the Bucs were booking a profit of roughly $15 million per year. We also know from past history (both by their actions and what they have stated) the Pirates budget their payroll to allow for about $10 million in added payroll during the season. We also know this year the Pirates have some added room because they budgeted for Jung Ho Kang but didn't have to pay him and also budgeted for Starling Marte and didn't have to pay him for half of a season while he was suspended. Huntington is on the record as saying he'd use that cash to help the team



Of course he said that months ago at the beginning of the season. If he knew the Pirates would only be 2 game out of first in late July would he still have said it? The bottom line is the Pirates have significant budget surplus left over for this season. They could afford any rental available, and even if players with term shouldn't be out of the question. You could always buy a guy like Josh Donaldson for the stretch run and then flip him again in the offseason if paying him $17 million salary next year in unpalatable. Or you keep Donaldson and trade Cutch. Or better yet for one year maybe you just extend a little extra on that payroll and keep them both. If ever there was a time to push the chips into the center of the table it is this year and next. Pirates are nearing an end of their TV deal. It expires in 2019. Goosing the ratings now would be helpful because I'm sure the negotiations are about to begin if they haven't already.

exactly right pro..dude making fine money..why not go for winning and break even a few years. these billionaires are competing too! stienbrener gave little shit about profits in his pockets. winning was more important. he gave other teams penalty cash just to sign guys and try to win..unfortunately we have a greedy lying dick at the helm.

What would you think of this rotation? Taillon, Cole, Sonny Gray, Nova, Williams/Kuhl/Glasnow/other

That would be a pretty darn good rotation for this year and next.

I am not the one stating the man has a ton of money, or demanding he deficit spend. All I am saying is that there is no way they can compete with Chicago, or even Washington and LA for that matter. When I say compete, I am talking about payroll, attracting free agents, and trading as well. Let's face it, we are constantly behind the 8-ball but I congratulate The Nut for making money off the system. Good business man.

for all the bashing Nutting gets, remember that it was McClatchy that controlled this team for the longest portion of the losing streak the team suffered -- After Nutting took majority control, things began to change, beginning with investing in minor league development, scouting, and investing more heavily in the draft. (under the prior regime, we would avoid drafting the BPA because we were afraid of spending the money to sign him -- Nutting has never shied away from drafting the best players and over-paying them) . He hired great FO people, and has fielded a competitive team in a small market, which is not at all easy to do.

The Diamondbacks signed Greinke away from the Dodgers with a $200 million contract. The Marlins were able to sign Giancarlo Stanton to $325 million deal. These are teams that Forbes had estimated to have revenues on par or below the Pirates. The Royals were able to trade for Cueto and Zobrist at the trade deadline 2 years ago. Then they won the World Series.

What small market teams haven't been competitive?
The Rays.. they've had some good runs and been to a World Series
The Royals.. they've won a World Series and lost one.
The Indians... nearly won a World Series. Also been a wild card
A's... read Moneyball
Reds... won the NL central twice since 2010
Brewers... more NL division crowns than the Pirates. Made a wild card too.
Rockies... not good last few years but did reach a World Series

exactly..praising nutting for minor leagues and front office is like praising the hotel manager for having a made bed on my arrival..dudes a cheap ass..get over it..im not crowing to over pay anyone. or to out bid dodgers ..I contend bucs can buy a player or 2 who help the team win instead of being known as a cheap ass bargain basement squad.

marlins. tigers. giants..

Padres, Blue Jays...

hell, even big market teams haven't been competitive

Cubs sucked for 80+ years until they decided to develop their own young talent

Mets have sucked forever

Yankees haven't done shit lately

I think teams that develop their own talent are the most competitive teams, and that's exactly what the Pirates have begun doing under Nutting's regime

How's that working for them? Both stupid ridiculous deals which makes my ultimate point that this league is desperately in need of a correction- but you keep arguing your point and enjoy those Penguins championships and Steelers wins.....

1,2,3 ...... cue the Steelers and Penguins don't need a cap to win hahahahahahaha