A plan

Dejan uses the end of this week's Q&A to outline a 7 point plan that he would follow (using a hypothetical $70 million) to get the Pirates back on track. The two most important parts of this plan are increased Latin American and Far East scouting. The Pirates presence in both of those locations has been virtually non-existent in recent years and getting talent from alternative sources would seem to be essential to a small market team (though I don't even really think Latin American can be considered an "alternative source"). I'm also intrigued by the idea to stow away what we'll call the "Burnitz/Randa/Hernandez" money in an escrow account until the team can compete, though I have no idea what it's viability would actually be (I kind of doubt that the owners or players would ever let that happen).

That idea made me think of something else though, in order for the Pirates to do something like that, they would have to admit that they aren't playing for this year. That is something that, to date, I don't think Littlefield has ever publicly done. Each year, moves and made and things are said that essentially infer that Littlefield thinks he is building a .500 team that could compete. Making these moves essentially replaces any other "plan" that might be in place. This team isn't built around it's ballpark (as evidenced by the lack of lefty power), it isn't built around the pitching staff (the pitchers are mostly not strikeout pitchers and coming into this year, Jack Wilson was the only above average starting infielder, in defensive terms, and most of the outfielders are average at best), it certainly isn't built around the lineup, it isn't built around anything except the idea that we're just a quick fix or two away from being average, which is clearly a faulty premise. This team doesn't necessarily need to subscribe to Billy Beane's plan, or Dejan's plan, or my plan to compete, but they do need some kind of plan, any plan at all. Most GMs operate with a vision of the team they want to put on the field and how that team will succeed, but that is something that is clearly lacking here.