Pirates are doing fine, financially

[traderumor]

IIRC correctly there were empty seats at Three Rivers way back in 1970 when the Reds and Pirates met in the NLCS.

Just looked this up
Game 1 and 2 at Three Rivers, 33,088 and 39,317, respectively. Capacity was over 47,000 for baseball.

But before we pile on, the Reds clinched Game 3 at Riverfront to the tune of 40,538 to see that Titanic struggle, which was about 12,000 empty seats.

[macro]

This story is old, but may fit this discussion. Apparently PNC Park is threatening to leave Pittsburgh...

"I love the city of Pittsburgh, but the Pirates are an old, dilapidated club built from other teams' spare parts, and its very foundation is rotting away," the stadium said to reporters assembled in its press box. "I had every intention to stay here for the duration of my career as a ballpark, but given that I haven't seen any realistic long-term plans for improving my resident team's ramshackle condition, I would be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about taking my services elsewhere."

Full article: http://www.theonion.com/articles/pnc...ess-bett,2003/

[Big Klu]

This story is old, but may fit this discussion. Apparently PNC Park is threatening to leave Pittsburgh...



Full article: http://www.theonion.com/articles/pnc...ess-bett,2003/

I haven't clicked that article, but if memory serves me correctly, the Mets were very interested in acquiring PNC's services. (Of course, this was before they built Citi Field.)

[KronoRed]

If PNC is on the market the Reds have to make an offer, perhaps try and trade GABP to Oakland.

[TeamBoone]

Too bad they can't beat the Cardinals.

[KronoRed]

You can spend a few hours reading the Pirates docs and other teams as well here
http://deadspin.com/5615096/mlb-conf...-to-see-part-1

I love that the Rays made LESS money when they went to the world series then when they lost 96 games.

[bucksfan2]

I head an interview with a front office exec for the Marlins a few months ago. It was more in talking about how the economy turned south and teams had to reign in their spending. The point was had the Marlins freely spent money that off season they probably would have signed Dontrell Willis to a long term extension. I guess my point is you have to be careful when you mandate or dictate that another organization spends money. Its one thing if you go out and spend $.5B in one off season buying the top notch FA on the market. Its another thing if you go out and spend 30% of your payroll on a Meche, Milton, or Morris type.

FWIW I think the Pirates have somewhat of a "plan" but I don't know how well it will work. For the ladder part of a decade they have been trading their prospects whenever they got expensive. Unfortunately they have whiffed on most, if not all trades they have made. Its one thing to sign, develop, and then in turn trade a player when he gets expensive. But you need to get value out of him.

[jojo]

I head an interview with a front office exec for the Marlins a few months ago. It was more in talking about how the economy turned south and teams had to reign in their spending. The point was had the Marlins freely spent money that off season they probably would have signed Dontrell Willis to a long term extension. I guess my point is you have to be careful when you mandate or dictate that another organization spends money. Its one thing if you go out and spend $.5B in one off season buying the top notch FA on the market. Its another thing if you go out and spend 30% of your payroll on a Meche, Milton, or Morris type.

FWIW I think the Pirates have somewhat of a "plan" but I don't know how well it will work. For the ladder part of a decade they have been trading their prospects whenever they got expensive. Unfortunately they have whiffed on most, if not all trades they have made. Its one thing to sign, develop, and then in turn trade a player when he gets expensive. But you need to get value out of him.

The Pirates current ownership is building an organization from the ground up. It may have a rich history but it was a crater when the last turnover happened.

Expecting the Pirates to dump a ton of cash into their 25 man roster probably isn't acting in the organization's best interests.

[Blimpie]

Such as they didn't show up even when the team was good. I still recall the significant amount of empty seats in the 1990 NLCS.

I am testing my memory here, but I seem to remember that one of those NLCS games actually started during the afternoon on a weekday?

Zane Smith was the Pirates pitcher that day IIRC. I remember sneaking to the breakroom at work to watch portions of the game.

[traderumor]

The Pirates current ownership is building an organization from the ground up. It may have a rich history but it was a crater when the last turnover happened.

Expecting the Pirates to dump a ton of cash into their 25 man roster probably isn't acting in the organization's best interests.

Taking significant distributions from the profits doesn't smell like an ownership group that is acting in anyone's best interest but their own. I'm a contrarian by nature, but making any apology for that franchise is difficult to impossible, whether its the Pirates or the "Pirates."

[traderumor]

I am testing my memory here, but I seem to remember that one of those NLCS games actually started during the afternoon on a weekday?

Zane Smith was the Pirates pitcher that day IIRC. I remember sneaking to the breakroom at work to watch portions of the game.

Yep, remember getting home from a college class to see Mariano Duncan circle the bases and the Reds win the game in a blowout at Three Rivers.