It is not only a lack of spending or cash that retains the Pittsburgh Pirates on the backside of the Main League Baseball standings yearly. It is also the truth that they’re poorly run. Particularly in the case of participant improvement all through their very own farm system.
One in every of their latest prospects, catcher Rafael Flores, who was simply acquired earlier than the commerce deadline within the David Bednar commerce with the New York Yankees, unintentionally gave an instance as to one of many flaws with the Pirates.
As Flores explained to the Pittsburgh Put up-Gazette this week, the Yankees’ minor league focus is sort of completely on particular person participant improvement, whereas the Pirates — in his early view — appear extra targeted on staff success on the minor league degree.
He additionally defined that the Yankees give their catchers each piece of knowledge and information that they presumably can, whereas the Pirates solely give their catchers the knowledge that they particularly ask for.
These are two very eye-opening comparisons, and the primary one is by far probably the most problematic and reveals a really critical flaw with the Pirates’ method.
The key league staff ought to by no means, underneath any circumstances, care concerning the staff success of a minor league staff. These groups don’t exist to win video games or win championships. They exist as an avenue to show gamers the right way to play skilled baseball, develop their expertise and get them able to be contributors for the foremost league staff.
Every thing else is secondary.
Now, Flores has solely been within the Pirates system for 2 weeks. It’s potential his preliminary notion shouldn’t be the complete actuality. However it’s nonetheless an eye-opening comparability for a participant to make when coming over from a totally completely different — and way more profitable — group.
It will additionally monitor with a variety of the latest Pirates points in growing gamers.
They’ve been terrible at growing place gamers, particularly underneath normal supervisor Ben Cherington, and are typically gradual to advertise gamers by means of the system. (Paul Skenes was a uncommon exception to each points.)
It will additionally make sense that they need their minor league groups to do properly. It makes it simple to promote hope to a annoyed fan base. If the foremost league staff shouldn’t be successful, it’s simple for the Pirates to level out the success of their farm groups and say, “see, they’re doing properly … there may be assistance on the way in which” even whether it is completely deceptive.
The Pirates do have two of the perfect prospects in baseball in infielder Konnor Griffin and beginning pitcher Bubba Chandler, however neither is presently within the main leagues. It stays to be seen if they are going to develop them into top-tier main leaguers.
Current historical past suggests the chances usually are not of their favor.
Particularly if the staff is extra involved about its minor league groups successful video games over particular person gamers growing.
