The Pirates yesterday announced "four-year extensions" for manager Clint Hurdle and Senior VP & GM Neal Huntington, meaning their partnership now is "set to remain in place" through the '21 season, according to Stephen Nesbitt of the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE. Huntington is the "second-longest tenured" GM in Pirates history. Neither Huntington nor Hurdle revealed whether they had "received assurances from ownership that more dollars would be sunk into the team's payroll in the years ahead." Hurdle on his familiarity with the Pirates' small-market operation said, "When you know the rules and you know the model, OK, let's roll our sleeves up and go to work" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 9/6). Pirates Owner Bob Nutting during Spring Training said that working out new contracts with Huntington and Hurdle was "not a top priority." But Huntington said that both sides "expressed interest in completing a deal." Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, Rob Biertempfel noted Huntington "stressed that the allocation of dollars" on the payroll is his responsibility. Huntington said, "We understand what the market size is and what the revenue stream is. We understand the importance of being balanced roster-wise and payroll-wise." He added, "We've got the assurances we're going to be able to continue what we've done. The more revenue that's generated, the more we put into the major league club." Biertempfel noted the average attendance at PNC Park is down about 21% compared to '15, when the Pirates "claimed the last of three consecutive National League wild-card berths." Local TV ratings "also have sagged this season." Huntington: "When we put a winner on the field, the 29th-largest fan base in the industry brought us to just about league average in attendance. As a result, there were additional revenues" (TRIBLIVE.com, 9/5).
UP FOR THE CHALLENGE: In Pittsburgh, Ron Cook writes the news of the extensions "did not come as a surprise." Huntington is "well-regarded around baseball and has done fine work" with the Pirates. The surprise is that Huntington and Hurdle "want to continue working for Nutting." There "aren't many more difficult spots in all of sports." Huntington and Hurdle would have a "better chance of winning a championship with just about any other organization in baseball" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 9/6). Meanwhile also in Pittsburgh, Josh Yohe reported dozens of PNC Park ushers have been "told that their services will be required only sparingly" for the remainder of the '17 regular season, as attendance is "expected to plummet in September." A total of 200 ushers work games at PNC Park, with a "maximum of 120 required for each home game" (DKPITTSBURGHSPORTS.com, 9/5).
