them wisely, it is Antonetti.  If he is left alone to build a system while they do whatever grand strategy the plan to do one and two steps above him, I can live with that.  One thing is for sure--we wouldn't be the idiot laughing stocks of the game anymore.  Oh, and if Antonetti is hired, Tracy is gone.  There is no way they would be able to work together given the vast philosophical gulf.

eyes of Chris Antonetti, Jim Tracy would tell the media after he is fired.

I can just see it now:

Said Tracy: "I have some real concerns for this game.  When great baseball minds such as Dave Littlefield are let go on the brink of success, when I have to deal with young, inexperienced general managers interfering with my building a winner first in Los Angeles and now here in Pittsburgh, well, let's just say it is a sad day for baseball.  I will land on my feet, just as Dave will, and I wish the Pirates the best of luck.  Wherever I go, there will be a place for Cesar Izturis, for Jose Hernandez and for others with hidden talents that the inexperienced executives that are more and more prevalent in this game cannot appreciate."

How is this for a new fangled "system" to use for talent evaluation.  Hit 290 in AAA> get promted.  Have a greater than 4.50 ERA in the majors> get demoted.  Triple A hit less than 250> released. Triple A ERA greater than 4.75> get released.  Hit less than 240 in the majors> demotion, over 28 get released.  In AAA after age 25...released.  Chris Duffy/Nyler Morgan types are a dime a dozen.  JVB, Sean Burnett, Bullington, and  the rest....GONE.  Remember the good old days when Gene Clines with a 300 ave. couldn't crack the starting line-up.  Or how about thinking that Larry Demery with a 4.25 ERA just didn't have it and would soon be shipped out.