Pirates Owner Bob Nutting yesterday "marked the start of spring training with his annual closed-door meeting with the players and coaches," and "much has changed since he delivered his first address" in '07, according to Rob Biertempfel of the TRIBLIVE.com. Nutting said the "degree of transformation" since his start has been "remarkable." But Nutting "came under fire in December at PirateFest for a perceived lack of commitment to winning," as the Pirates "continue to rank among the bottom third of MLB clubs in terms of payroll." Nutting said the club's 78-83 record last year was "because the team and organization underperformed [considering] the level of talent that we had." Nutting: "We had some very good players who did not perform up to the expectations that we had. I really think it's far more execution than what we put together.” Nutting also "disputed the notion that he is taking a profit instead of pouring money into player acquisition." Nutting: “I've still never taken a salary from the team" (TRIBLIVE.com, 2/20). In Pittsburgh, Stephen Nesbitt notes the payroll for the Pirates active roster "currently projects" to be around $100M. Nutting said that it is "too early to decide whether to continue spending or where, but there should be room to grow later on this season." He said the idea is to “always have the flexibility to be opportunistic" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 2/21).
A PIRATES' LIFE FOR THEM? Nesbitt notes Pirates manager Clint Hurdle and Senior VP & GM Neal Huntington "both are entering their final guaranteed seasons under contract, while both have a club option" for '18. Nutting: "They’re very comfortable with us and the organization. The contact extension is not something that’s top of mind for me. It’s not an issue at this point. But they are tremendous talents who I love" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 2/21).
