Let's talk CEO

OK, so let's do some CEO talk here. I want to talk about some of the comments in this post and I want to talk about Perrotto's article about Tony La Cava.

Let's start with La Cava. Beyond the big time names (Duquette, Jocketty, etc.), I don't know a lot about many of these names that come up in the CEO hunt. That includes La Cava. What I do know is that Perrotto's article reads like a fluffy piece of Paul Meyer crap to me, and I don't find that terribly encouraging for La Cava's case. Let's look at some of the words used to describe La Cava and break this down, FJM style:

LaCava might not have a highfaluting title like some others in this era when seemingly anyone who works for a major-league club is a vice president, but he is one of the sharpest and most well-respected executives in baseball.
Hear that dumb Pittsburgh readers, this guys just like you! Now let me back that statement up with a random claim that I will later provide nebulous backing for.

LaCava is the No. 2 man in the Blue Jays' front office to GM J.P. Ricciardi and has an extensive background in scouting and player development.
In 2001 you could've replaced "LaCava" with "Littlefield," "Blue Jays" with "Marlins," and "JP Ricciardi" with "Dave Dombrowski" and I would've been much more impressed. And wait, isn't JP Ricciardi a pretty crappy GM? I know that division's rough, but it's not like we're talking about a recommendation from Branch Rickey here. Wayne Krivsky worked for Terry Ryan.

His masterstroke was suggesting that Indians GM Mark Shapiro trade Bartolo Colon to the Expos in 2002 for a package of youngsters that included Grady Sizemore, now emerging as a superstar.
I can't believe that he was the only person in the organization that thought that trading fat Bartolo Colon for Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, and Brandon Phillips was a good idea. I think it's dubious to claim he's the one whose idea it was (or even the one who suggested getting Sizemore included). I freely admit I could be wrong there.

Shapiro swears by LaCava, so does legendary Braves GM John Schuerholz, Ricciardi and Seattle GM Billy Bavasi, who held the same job with the Angels when LaCava scouted for them.
Jim Leyland swears by Lloyd McClendon. And sweet Jesus, does that say Bill Bavasi? RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!

LaCava also has experience running family businesses and majored in business administration at Pitt before leaving school to become an infielder in the Pirates' farm system.

Furthermore, he is a local guy who is passionate about the Pirates as he not only played in their organization but graduate from Pittsburgh Central Catholic and lives in Oakmont. And local boys always play well to this region's provincial instincts.
Wait, what does any of that really have to do with being the Pirates CEO? I know a lot of business majors and people that have helped run family businesses. They're from Western PA, too. Some of them even played high school baseball and liked the Pirates.

I feel badly picking so harshly on Perrotto because he's usually a good beat writer, but that whole thing reads like Tony La Cava is a personal friend of his. I don't understand why a guy that hasn't been more than a scouting director or a front office guy should become the CEO of the team. If we hire a new CEO and he fires DL, I'm all for giving La Cava an interview for that job, but this article definitely didn't sell me on him as a CEO.

As for the CEO hiring process, there was some sentiment in my post yesterday that nothing the Pirates do now will have any effect on DL's job. I'm sorry, but anyone that thinks that is giving Bob Nutting and the Pirates waaay too much credit. Do you know why I'm hopeful for the CEO hiring? Because there's absolutely nothing else to hope for when it comes to this team. The only way they can get things turned around before I have kids of my own that I have to desperately steer away from the Pirates is for Nutting to hire a good CEO. That doesn't mean that I think he will or that I have any faith it's going to happen. I have to hope he hires the right person because I have to hope for something. But Nutting doesn't know anything about baseball. If you think he's beyond hiring Tony La Cava, who will take the job no matter what because he's local, and telling him, "This was a good team in the second half and accordingly, your front office is already in place. This is your budget. Good luck," then you're sorely mistaken. Please don't let the Pirates lull you into a false sense of security. I'm only saying this for your own good.