Pirates miss out in Competitive Balance Lottery

The Pirates failed to get a pick in this year's Competitive Balance Lottery despite getting two shots at one. It wasn't just the Pirates, either -- the Rays and Royals bageled the lottery as well.

The Bucs got a pick this year (which they used on Trey Supak) and in 2013 (which they traded for Gaby Sanchez), so I guess I can't complain much. (They also traded Bryan Morris for a Comp Round A pick this year, which they used on Connor Joe.) But I'm not sure I understand the point of a lottery designed to help smaller-market teams that puts the Pirates on equal footing with teams like the Cardinals, Rockies, Orioles and Diamondbacks. The Rockies and Cardinals both got Comp Round A picks. Also, the Mariners, who weren't eligible for a pick in Comp Round A, got one in Comp Round B.

A system that gives teams like the Cardinals and Mariners comp picks while leaving out the Pirates seems too complicated by half, and if the point is to give out free picks, I'm not sure why there needs to be a lottery in the first place. But whatever. There's always next year.