I just read that the Pittsburgh Pirates fired their General Manager Dave Littlefield. Why couldn't they wait until after the regular season? I realize the Pirates haven't had a winning season since 1992 but this type of decision making might be the reason why. Why couldn't they just wait a month to fire him? At this point his firing won't make much difference for the rest of the season.
2007-09-07 08:15:21 · 18 answers · asked by schaidog 3 in Sports ➔ Baseball
Dave Littlefield is just the beginning of a lot of changes the Pirates front office is going to make.
2007-09-11 07:00:57 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
His contract goes through the '08 season, so waiting until the end of the season wouldn't make much difference from that end.
I can think of a couple reasons to let him go this early:
1) So that potential GMs get a chance to put their names in for consideration before signing to positions with other teams during the offseason. Most of the candidates the Pirates interview will probably be Assistant GMs (or folks of that level) with other teams. You want to talk to them before the sign up for the '08 season.
2) So that the new GM can be in place as soon as possible after the season ends. Once the World Series ends, there's about a month and a half where the teams must decide a number of different personnel issues - who to add to the 40-man roster, who to offer arbitration to, who to try and trade, and so on. Ideally, you want your permanent GM to be making those decisions, and to do that he must be hired by about mid-October.
3) It's a good time to be working with an interim GM. In baseball, nothing much happens, as far as trades and the like, between September 1 and the end of the World Series. If there's any period when it matters little who your GM is, this is it.
4) It might also be so that Littlefield can spend time finding a job for next season. A bit of courtesy towards him.
5) The Pirates are also planning to hire a new team President in the next couple of months. Firing Littlefield might have been a sign that they intend to let the new President take a part in the GM hiring process.
2007-09-07 10:19:48 · answer #2 · answered by JerH1 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Probably the biggest reason is that for non-contending teams September is a big month for evaluating what the roster will look like next year. Not only will the GM help make decisions about who will get more playing opportunities, but also the Pirates are a young team with many players who are not yet eligible of free agency. However, many negotiations go on for future contracts. A common practice is for teams to try to lock up young players for longer term deals which take away the first few years of free agency for the player. The deal works for both sides *if* the player turns out to be a solid player. The deal works out for the team because they (hope they) will get a productive player for less than market value over the length of the contract. It works out for the player because he gets a significantly improved guaranteed contract (bird in the hand). And neither side will have to go through the arbitration process.
If some of those kinds of negotiations have started, then you would want the new guy in place as soon as possible.
2007-09-07 10:59:25 · answer #3 · answered by jim 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they hate losing they not going to wait until the end of the Season to do this, look at Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds, and Houston Astros they didn't like what they seen from their Team so they just Impatiently Fire their Manager and General Manager in Houston's Case these Teams want to win but they can't because they don't think things over, Pirates are no exception.
2007-09-07 08:45:06 · answer #4 · answered by tfoley5000 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You fire him know to begin the behind the scenes search for his replacement and have the replacement in place for the day after the World Series to develop your plan of attack for free agency. That way they can evaluate the entire organization before free agency hits and they end up signing a big free agent (like that would happen) that they do not need because they had no structure to realize that they already have LaRoache at 1B so they were set. It is early preparation to have the right people in place to get "competitive" in the free agent market. Not that it will work until they change philosiphy in Ownership...you have to spend some money to win and right now ownership is not allowing that to happen.
2007-09-07 09:24:27 · answer #5 · answered by bdough15 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, think of it like a business. If you were running a business and it was tanking, would you just wait it out until the fiscal quarter was over, or would you cut your losses and start improving from that day forward? If they did not think Littlefield was doing the job, then they did the correct thing.
2007-09-07 08:19:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Didn't they just sweep the Cards or was I dreaming?
Anyway, this is the Pirates. We do everything here in PA back asswards, remember? They need to dish out some money to get some decent players (and make the Yankees trade some talent) so that it's more even. The Pirates are like the Texans of baseball. Sad really.
I only go to PNC Park to eat QS&L wings and see The Great Pierogi Race 'N 'At. Ever since they got rid of Bonds, Bonilla, Bell, and Van Slyke, they have been awful. Eh, that's what happens when you are cheap...
2007-09-07 08:22:03 · answer #7 · answered by theewokprincess 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Bringing in a new GM now helps get everything set up for the offseason moves that needs to be made. New relationships with other GMs can be developed and deals can be created although not executed. You also want to be able to give the new GM time to fully plan out as many possible offseason moves in case plan A doesn't work.
2007-09-07 09:21:55 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
nicely, the suffering gamers will could be David Ortiz and Ryan Howard. the two one among them are probably in the spectacular 10 in hitting each and each 3 hundred and sixty 5 days. they are going to get out of the droop and do somewhat nicely for something of the season. As for the streaking participant, i might could elect AJ Pierenzki of the Chicago White Sox... i do no longer think of he has the capability to be on fireplace for something of the season
2016-12-31 15:59:21 · answer #9 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why SHOULD they wait? There's never much dealing going on in September, whatever kids were going to be called up are up, and if they get a new GM in place they get that much (however small) of a head start on the offseason and 2008. Pull the trigger and move on.
2007-09-07 08:35:16 · answer #10 · answered by Chipmaker Authentic 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋