"We did so because we believed that they were successfully implementing the organization's vision of building a baseball organization that could compete for championships on a consistent basis," Coonelly said. "We understood that returning this once-proud organization to championship baseball would not happen overnight and that the progress that we were making towards reaching our goal made such extensions appropriate. Despite our very disappointing play at the major-league level thus far this year, we remain convinced that we are making progress towards our goal. We demand performance at all levels of the organization and will continue to hold each and every person in the organization accountable for that performance."The Buccos currently have the worst record in the NL, they've lost 10 straight, and during the Huntington/Russell marriage they have the worst record in the majors. But even a jaded Pirate fan like myself would not believe that a such a massive organizational turnaround would've been complete by now. By making these executive changes a few years ago, the Pirates basically committed to flushing the system and starting over, and that takes time. I really don't think it would've done any good to can Huntington at this point, because I'm not interested in hitting the franchise reset button yet again, especially after the 2010 draft. So I'm on board with keeping him, despite some very questionable moves at the major-league level which have already been discussed at great length on this site and many others.
"All of us are extremely disappointed and frustrated by the club's results on the field thus far this year," Coonelly said. "While we have made tremendous progress towards executing our long-term vision of building an organization that acquires and develops talented players who will form a core that can consistently compete for championships, we have, collectively, fallen far short of our shorter term goal of playing winning baseball at the major-league level in 2010. We expected that this club would perform much better than it has to date. With the significant changes that have been made to the roster recently, we still expect that the club will perform much better during the rest of the season. While it has been painfully obvious that several players have not performed up to expectations, we have been and continue on a daily basis to analyze all of the reasons that we have performed so poorly and how we can get the club turned around immediately."
After 33 seasons, the orange-sock wearing man above is retiring from his duties as the voice of the Pirates. And there is noooooooo doubt about it.
Lanny Frattare has decided to hang up his microphone for good, leaving as the most tenured broadcaster in the team's history. He joined the Pirates in 1976, which means he's seen everything from Willie Stargell winning a championship to the '85 "Drug Trials" team to Francisco Cabrera to Francisco Cordova to Derek Bell to Andy LaRoche. By my count, he witnessed 11 winning seasons and 25 of the sub-.500 variety during his career, which should merit some honor for what he endured.
Around these parts, Frattare was given a 70.8% approval ratings by Mondesi's House readers in a June, 2008 poll. While those numbers ranked him 20th among sports media personalities in the city, they were a far cry from Mike Lange's 97.6% or even Bill Hillgrove's 87.7, which tells me a few of you are prepared for a changing of the guard, regardless of Frattare's popularity.
As far as a replacement, Frank Coonelly set no timetable but did mention that the search will be exhaustive and begin immediately. All other team broadcasters will be back in '09, including Bob Walk, Greg Brown, Steve Blass, and John Wehner.
Frattare, 60, was an outstanding member of the community and raised over $1 million through his Family Links Golf Classic. Coonelly asked Hall of Fame voters to consider Frattare for induction and added that the team will have an on-field ceremony in 2009.
[RD]: Mainly, I'd say it was Bela Karolyi. The guy is a master motivator. He just kept saying, 'You can do it...you can DO it!'. Once my brain re-wired itself around my damaged 'Brocas' region and I could actually understand him, things really fell into place.
And to be clear I don't really have 'plates' in my head...I think they're more like small titanium bow ties and stars...really. That's how they were described to me...but then again, I was on copious amounts of opiates and severely brain damaged at the time...so take that for what it's worth.
Handy advice for readers: Try and avoid getting hit in the left temple with a flying projectile at all costs. As Adrian Monk might say (my viewing habits are my business), you'll thank me later.
And if you're interested in hearing an audio account of the incident, have a go.
[MH]: I know you're also a pretty big football fan. Over or under: 9 wins for the Steelers this year?
[RD]: Under. Random Prediction Alert!!
PEDRO ALVAREZ
3B - VANDERBILT
6'2", 225 LBS
BATS LEFT - THROWS RIGHT
Well, no one can complain like we did last year, because this time the Pirates did take the best available player, Vanderbilt 3B Pedro Alvarez, in the MLB draft. Alvarez is what the Pirates have previously shied away from in the first round: a left-handed bat with huge power potential for PNC Park.
For the second year in a row, we had the privilege of watching the draft live on ESPN, and you could feel the excitement teeming from the partisan Tampa crowd, long known for their rabid fan base. From the moment Bud Selig locked his eyes on the teleprompter without looking into the camera, it was intriguing television. Luckily, I only had to sit through one pick this year before the Pirates were up on the clock.
The Buccos were represented at the draft by former pitcher/current broadcaster Steve Blass and former skipper Chuck Tanner, who were more than happy to take some R&R time in Florida on a Thursday afternoon.
But the Alvarez pick has some intrigue. It's finally a sign that the Pirates are taking some steps in what appears to be the right direction, drafting a Scott Boras client instead of a 3rd starter or a reliever with their coveted, high-1st-round draft choice.
Boras now gets to negotiate with the team who employs the very same man (Frank Coonelly) who instituted the draft-slotting system that Boras loathes so. Early reports indicate that Boras will be looking for a signing bonus of at least $7 million and perhaps a Major League contract. MLB.com puts those numbers in perspective by reminding us that last year's #2, Kansas City's Mike Moustakas, got a $4 million bonus. Ahh, the fun of a Scott Boras negotation. We're on the way to the big leagues, Pirate fans.
But back to Alvarez, who by all means the real deal...although he missed 23 of his team's first 24 games this season with a broken bone in his right hand suffered in the opener, he ended up playing in Vanderbilt's final 40 games, hitting .317 with 15 doubles, nine homers and 30 RBI. In his freshman and sophomore seasons, he hit a combined .357 with 40 home runs and 132 RBI. Those are some numbers I could live with.
Alvarez was a 2005 14th-round pick of Boston, who offered him $1 million to skip school. So in addition to being a good player, he turned his back on the Red Sox. I like this guy better and better.
For as many shots as we all take at the Pirates, it's time to pat them on the back when they do the right thing. And from most perspectives, this looks like the right thing. Although much of this season has played out like the previous 15, right down to the last-place standing that we see today, hats off to the Pirates on a good pick. Now sign the guy!
Required Reading:
Bucs make third baseman top pick [MLB.com]
Tracy thanks his players for two great seasons
