Perrotto: A Move Emblematic of Franchise Downfall (+)

It has been fashionable over the last three years to criticize Neal Huntington for everything that has gone with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

However, that shortchanges what Huntington accomplished during his 12-year run as the Pirates’ general manager.

The Pirates reached the postseason from 2013-15 while Huntington ran the baseball operations. The franchise hadn’t been in the playoffs since 1992 and hasn’t been back since then.

The Pirates reaching the postseason again anytime soon seems more like a farfetched concept than reality. They have gone 142-242 – an even 100 games under .500 – with Ben Cherington as GM and Derek Shelton as manager.