The Pittsburgh Pirates do not need another offseason spent explaining why improvement takes time. General Manager Ben Cherington has already offered a reason why Bob Nutting should approach this winter with greater urgency. Whether that happens will tell fans more than another round of encouraging comments.
Pittsburgh can identify needs, explore trades and discuss how much it believes in its players. However, none of that guarantees the Pirates will build a roster capable of competing when the games matter most.
Cherington’s latest assessment should make that distinction difficult for ownership to ignore. His comments offered little room for anyone to claim a few minor adjustments will solve everything.
Ben Cherington Acknowledges Pittsburgh’s Significant Challenge
Speaking Tuesday, Cherington addressed the distance between Pittsburgh and the clubs competing deep into the postseason.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Colin Beazley shared the general manager’s assessment regarding the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers — two smaller market teams that competed in the World Series.
“There’s still a significant gap between where we were and how those teams were playing at the end of October,” Cherington said Tuesday.
That should carry weight inside the Pirates’ offices. Cherington did not describe a team that simply needed a few breaks. He acknowledged a significant difference between his club and baseball’s best.
Recognizing that difference represents only the beginning. Pittsburgh now needs an offseason that reflects the size of the problem its general manager described.
Ownership should hear those words as a reason to provide more resources. If the Pirates want different results, they need to give their baseball operations staff more ways to improve the roster.
That does not mean every expensive signing works. It also does not excuse Cherington from making smart decisions with the money available.
However, demanding bargain after bargain leaves little room for mistakes. A contender needs enough talent to survive injuries, disappointing performances and stretches when its best players struggle.
The Pirates cannot reasonably expect everything to go right. They should build a roster that can withstand something going wrong.
Pirates Ownership Must Match The Urgency
For fans, the frustrating part comes when honest assessments lead to familiar offseason decisions. Acknowledging the gap will accomplish little if Pittsburgh responds with another collection of modest additions.
Cherington’s comments also create a standard for evaluating his work. If he believes the Pirates remain significantly behind, he should pursue changes capable of making a meaningful difference.
Ownership must allow him to do that. A general manager can explore every available option and find the same financial limits waiting at each turn.
Pittsburgh does not need to win a winter press conference. It needs players who make the lineup harder to navigate and give the team more answers over a full season.
Fans should judge the offseason by those additions, rather than promises about what the current roster might become.
Cherington has already explained why patience alone will not close the distance. The Pirates know they have substantial work ahead.
Now ownership must decide whether it will fund that work. Another cheap winter would leave fans wondering why the team acknowledged such a significant problem without making a serious attempt to fix it.
Pirates’ Ben Cherington Offers A Warning Ownership Must Hear