Perrotto: Spring Training Neighbor Could Provide Pirates Blueprint (+)
BRADENTON, Fla. – The Pittsburgh Pirates played their lone night home game of the Grapefruit League season on Saturday night.
That, in and of itself, wasn’t a big deal since it was an exhibition game. However, the identity of the Pirates’ opponent carried some significance.
The Baltimore Orioles made the short trip up Route 301 from Sarasota to LECOM Park. The 2023 Pirates would love to emulate the 2022 Orioles.
The Orioles stayed in contention until September last season after a long rebuild before finishing with an 83-79 record. It was a significant step forward for a franchise that had lost 115, 108 and 110 games in the previous three full seasons.
Even the Pirates haven’t lost at quite that rate despite finishing last in the National League Central each of the last four years. They went 61-101 in 2021 then 62-100 last season.
So, can the Orioles’ rise last season and general manager Mike Elias saying the rebuilding is over in Baltimore provide hope for the Pirates?
Elias thinks so.
“With the Pirates, when their time comes, they have a chance to be really good because they have good young talent,” Elias said. “(General manager Ben Cherington) is doing many of the same things we have been doing. You try to pull in as much young talent as you can from every direction that you can, coach ‘em up as hard as you can then make good decisions on how to deploy and retain that talent.”
“It’s not easy. We’ve made some big mistakes. Ultimately, though, — and I’ve been part of this a couple of times – the players reach a point to where they develop and then take it from there.”
That is exactly what is happening with the Orioles as catcher Adley Rutschman and infielder Gunnar Henderson are considered two of baseball’s premier young talents.
The Pirates hope to follow suit with players like shortstop Oneil Cruz, who is entering what is expected to be his first major-league season, and catcher Endy Rodriguez, who will begin the season at Triple-A Indianapolis.
“I really like the Pirates’ young players and they have a good farm system with a lot of players on the way,” Elias said. “I follow what they do. Ben and I are friends, we’re spring training neighbors, and the two cities are very similar geographically and demographically.”
However, Elias isn’t ready to predict that the Pirates are ready for a breakthrough this season. Of course, he also wasn’t ready to predict the Orioles’ rise last year.
“It just kind of happened organically and I think I think that’s what’s going to happen in Pittsburgh,” Elias said. “I really believe that.”
However, Elias certainly knows there are plenty of tough days along the way.
Elias also worked in player development in the Houston Astros’ front office when they lost 106, 107 and 111 games from 2011-13. However, they were in the postseason by 2015 then won the first World Series title in franchise history two years after that.
“I think it’s really hard on the owners to stay disciplined, in particular, because they feel a lot of heat,” Elias said. “You have to believe in your young talent and have the patience to watch those players develop. You have to keep your eye on the ball and know the road you’re on is the right road.”
So far, the Pirates have been on the road to nowhere in their rebuilding. The team down 301, though, is proof that things can eventually change.
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