12 Comments

Since the drafts inception the pirates had only nine number one picks make it to the majors. The draft started in 1965. During the international signing period I can only recall two players making it to the majors, Polanco and Marte. I doubt no other major league team has had less success. That is a record of total failure regarding scouting and development. Even the players who made it to the majors, the few stars they had (Bonds,Cole) were traded away where they got nothing in return. Sure current ownership is cheap but it does spend all of its bonus money on player acquisition. The problem seems to be terrible scouting and development. How could different owners, GM's, scouts and development staffs been so ineffective? How can I still be a fan while thinking things will change and the pirates will win another world series. Yes I am frustrated and disappointed in this team.

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This is idiotic. You start off with an incredibly wrong statement and it just gets worse from there.

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So many errors in this post I don’t know where to begin. So I won’t.

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That might be the worst researched post I've ever seen.

A total of 45 Pirates first round picks have made the majors, not including Appel and Lodolo, who didn't sign, but still made it to the majors.

I don't know the international signing period number, but I know it's a lot higher than two. Depending on when you go back to, the number gets huge and includes significant players.

Who did we get in the Bonds trade, remind me again?

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Bonds left as a FA.

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Ha. That wasn't a serious question, just like his post wasn't serious

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He has a point. The Pirates have generally spent their draft and int’l pool money under different GMs, scouting and int’l directors, and the results have remained crappy. Nothing seems to break the pattern and cheapness by itself doesn’t explain it.

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Well I can tell you many more than 9 first round picks have made it to MLB for the Pirates And many more than just two(2) IFA have made it to MLB. Now having a significant impact is a different story.

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How old is he? Seems like one of those guys who keeps finding a way to put up decent numbers, still looking for our late 20s breaking justin turner

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27

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Prior to MLB re-organizing the MiLB System, there used to be more guys like him in every franchise - almost no chance of making the Show, but still able to stay productive, help a franchise, and the cost was negligible. Organizational Depth was the descriptive term.

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Alvarez is one of a few guys, Siani being another, who seemed to make progress after abandoning the all-or-nothing approach that’s so prevalent in this system.

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