THE BULLPEN

The Pirates Florida Instructional League team is beginning a 3-day training session that assistant GM Kyle Stark says will give the players a “unique training experience to reinforce various lessons we stress all the time pertaining to leadership, team building and mental toughness”.  Are they learning how to sacrifice runners over? How to pick off a runner at first base? How to throw out a runner at second base? No, they are not even touching the lumber or the leather in these exercises. Just who is leading the instruction? Navy SEALS, that’s who. Considering the lack of fundamentals these players have when they reach the majors, the Pirates may want to re-think this strategy. I don’t see the need for this type of instruction unless the SEALS themselves are going to be able to rescue the sinking ship that is the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. From top to bottom, these guys need to learn to play and win the game. Couldn’t the leadership, team building and mental toughness all come with playing winning baseball? This seems like an exercise in futility to me. And futility is something the Pirates organization knows all too well.