Kyle Stark: Tim Alderson Not Assured Minor-League Rotation Job

a roundabout way of saying the guy isn’t sure he wants to play baseball, or what he wants to do, exactly. In short: head case, and I don’t mean that in a mental-illness kind of way, just as a guy who’s maybe got too many issues he thinks about too much.

Or maybe I’m overthinking this …

But it sounds like alderson doesn’t care about baseball.

If he doesn’t perform, which he hasn’t, and he doesn’t trust our developmental staff, which apparently he doesn’t……..then he shouldn’t get a spot over someone who has performed and does trust our staff.

No schollies here….

IIRC, Alderson is the one that wanted to go through the “long toss” program that the Pirates seem not to support. I suspect that is one of the things Stark was referring to, as far as things Alderson feels strongly about.

They had their shot with Alderson and Alderson got worse. Had Alderson stuck with the program the Pirates gave him, he’d be in much the same place with the Pirates that he’s in now. Alderson had nothing to loose at the point when he made the decision to go back to his high school coach to rediscover what ha worked for him in the past.

To his credit, Stark has admitted he’s willing to be proven wrong by Alderson.

There has been lots of discussion regarding alderson and his resuming the “longer” long toss program. Charlie- did this every come up in the context of either alderson or the organizations thoughts on the long toss debate in general?

from a old school former pirate from the 50’s.

I attended a baseball meeting for my son as he’s moving up in league. I had never heard of this gentlemen in the past and was surprised he had almost 300 career homeruns, but his son ministers the church where the meeting was held and my conversation with him was candid and informative.

I am not saying his name as some of the childish types who lash out if something is said against the brass here might voice some crap toward him.

He was very harsh on this organization, he called huntington a no knowledge yuppie who knows nothing about what makes a baseball player great or a baseball team win. He was very harsh on this organizations pampering their draftee’s and not allowing the players play the way they’ve played their whole life. These kids are drafted because they are succeeded in their way yet these clowns handcuff them as soon as they get them into camp. He feels they will screw up every kid eventually coming through this system.

This guy was gruff and had that gangster look, definitely old school as they say but he told of stories in his day where guys stayed healthy by throwing alot of pitches every game and usually 10 months a year. He was critical on the pitch counts and was upset about the pirates going too far with them this year. How’s a guy supposed to grow as a pitcher when he throws 4 or 5 innings only? He felt the guys get hurt because the arm is not getting enough consistent reps to build muscle and memory.

He said alot more but I just cant remember it all.

Please dont start the bad mouthing toward me as I am the messenger here but found it quite interesting. This guy lived it and had success and is very opinionated.

Everyone has an opinion, this team has not been run great like some try to argue. That is my opinion and the numbers surely suggest my opinion is probably much closer to the truth with regards to the major league club.

So, it’s your opinion that your opinion of the Pirates is nearly wholly true and, because you’re nearly wholly right about the Pirates, you are entitled to label as childish some of those who think differently. It really helps when you support your opinion by drawing upon the Adult wisdom of Frank Thomas, who thoughtfully and maturely called “huntington a no knowledge yuppie who knows nothing about what makes a baseball player great or a baseball team win,” according to you. Who could argue with Thomas’ subtle but insightful reasoning?

his philosophy’s on players are 180 degrees off huntington’s and his predecessor’s in Texas before him.

He’s made mistakes but has built a winner and he’s one who has publically stated the weaknesses of sabermetrics. Hart, his predecessor swore by them and built a team very much like this current pirate team.

I doubt I ever have the pleasure to meet him.

I;m sure you are twice the baseball man intellectually and physically as the old crusty retired player.

I can picture your couch already

Started the AA level game. I’m not there, but got a report from a friend. Said almost all of his fastballs were 87 or 88. There were a couple 89s and a couple 86s. In terms of results he did fine the first two innings, then hit a pitch limit in the third and was done. I guess this was his first game of the spring.

Just about everyone in the field will tell you that pitching is an inherently unnatural motion and that it is not healthy for your arm to pitch. Some players have famously pitched through pain and thick and thin, but pitching MORE to avoid injury is something I don’t think ANY sports doctor would recommend. I could be wrong, but I don’t think so.