One Of MLB's Cheapest Owners Got Exposed

Thanks for watching! The Pirates owner, Bob Nutting, got exposed by The Athletic.
Purely Baseball Twitter / purelybaseball1
#mlboffseason #mlb #documentary
Title: One Of MLB's Cheapest Owners Got Exposed
By: Purely Baseball

[@treebender-bl2du]

I'm available if they need some power in the lineup and I'll work for dirt cheap. 6'2" 230 lbs USMC Afghanistan vet here.

[@austin2466]

Same here. Same height and weight. Pay my fuel from Sacramento and im in.

[@rickrose5377]

I've seen you. You can't hit the curveball, you take bad routes to the ball, and your knees are bad.

[@d.l.d.l.8140]

Yeah, heard rumors about your knee, but I think you’re a legit designated hitter, they should take a look at you. And if the knee holds up, there have been a lot of scrums on the field lately, I heard everyone is looking for a close combat guy, so your chances may be not bad! Oh, about the curveball. First of all, make sure they’re throwing strikes. Then, hit it late in the break, to the opposite field, while also being prepared for the 100mph heater. Easy Peasy. Best!

[@d.l.d.l.8140]

Hard for fans to show any loyalty to a guy like that, who doesn’t really seem to be a fan. On the other hand, look at the poor people who worship drumpf, the pseudo billionaire who just keeps taking and taking from them with tacky schwag ( imitation swag ). Just goes to show when you’re dealing with a team people are emotionally invested in, it’s more than just business. Baseball fans are smart people, generally speaking, and you won’t fool them.

[@Bambino_60]

At least you can be security if they don’t need an extra bat

[@BurghFinsFan]

I’m just glad a national publication shined some light on Nutting. We all know how he’s garbage in Pittsburgh and have for years. I hope one day the pirates are saved like the orioles were, but I’m not holding my breath. Been a huge Pirates fan for a long time, and I just want something to be happy about.

[@MrJpiarull]

As a Yankee fan MLB and its fans deserve better I'd rather see PIT over HOU & L.A. any day. Time for Fisher to give Oakland to an owner who cares about the team

[@johnflatt1288]

Real baseball heads know how shitty this guy is. If John Fisher wasn’t a comic book villain, Nutsack might get more hate thrown his way. John Angelos becoming notorious in recent years probably helped shield him as well. Dude has such a punchable little weasel face. I bet most executives and players want to sock him when they are told to just make do with the tiny amount of money he provides. As big of a successful sports city as Pittsburgh is, it’s crazy to me the fans have had to put up with someone running their historic team into the ground like this with little media backlash. I have to imagine the coaching and player development are poor because the organization doesn’t pay well compared to others. So probably can only afford mid level coaches/scouts. Talented guys are probably offered more money somewhere else and so eventually leave. I’m a spoiled Rangers fan and so probably biased, but I’m glad our WS win was a wake up call for teams like the Rays, Mariners, Orioles(who fortunately got rid of that rat Angelos finally). At least all their fan bases were tired of being fed bs from their ownership. It’s a pretty simple concept: spend money, make playoffs, get results. Crazy idea, I know! I love how mad the Mariners fans got at their spin doctor General Manager after he tried to tell them “um missing the playoffs can be a good thing, actually”. Pirates fans need to get some of that energy!

[@Chris-kk6cw]

@@MrJpiarullAstros are the Yankees daddy

[@violinfanatickamraz1403]

​@@MrJpiarullas an A's fan who grew up in the Bay area we wish fish would sell to someone who wants to win. We coulda had the Warriors owner with Reggie Jackson if not for the fact that Lew Wolff and Selig were frat brothers.

[@chris42069]

​@Chris-kk6cw Astros literally cheated to win 🤡

[@johnbroadway4196]

I Was 14 when the Pirates Won their Last World series. I am now 59. JEEEEEEZ YUNZ ?! SELL THE TEAM YA JAGOFF !

[@ethanearley8802]

That wouldn’t fix anything

[@JackChiefton]

Brewer fan here…

[@chazzmantis2279]

Your math is way off

[@Temptazer]

yea im a mariners fan i dont wanna hear the words "world" and "series" anywhere near each other

[@johnbroadway4196]

@@Temptazer Yunz have been Robbed as Well. These owners need to get they're S H Y T together, or ! Take they're Franchises away. And don't blame free agency either. HAVE A GOOD DAY MARINERS FAN !

[@Gweb52]

My dad was Mike Webster who played 15 years in this amazing city . He would tell me all about the Stargell teams and the bonds teams. He loved this city and the tradition. What bob nutting has done is a GOD DAMN disgrace ! If MLB had any brains they would force him to sell the team . If Tampa can compete, there is no excuse for us being as bad as we are

[@burnout_2017]

Your father is a Pittsburgh legend. You and your family have my deepest sympathies for what your father went through after he retired. Just know he will forever be loved by Steeler nation and western Pennsylvania. And as someone who grew up with Roberto Clemente as my hero, still is to this day, my heart hurts when i think about what my beloved Pirates have become. My only saving grace is that i moved to southwest Florida in 1991 so i have been able to cheer on the Tampa Bay Rays since their birth...but i will always be a Pirate fan first.

[@robertmusgrave9236]

I think my dad saw you and your dad at Sears auto Center at the Beaver Valley Mall a long time ago. He always told me this story and he told me your dad was not in good shape and I’m sorry that your family had to go through the CTE issues from him playing in the NFL during that period of time. I will say that Nutting’s ego is worse than some politicians today. I’m glad I haven’t gone to a game in years. More national sports writers and sites need to put articles out on how the pirates only problem is Bob Nutting.

[@rickrose5377]

Oh, my. Your dad was a great, fierce player. He deserved so much better than the terrible toll the game took from him. We honor his memory, and you have our sympathy and respect.

[@realeyesrealizereallies1194]

Your dad was the best center to ever play the game.

[@jpeters1734]

no way!

[@andyanderson4151]

I'm a Cardinals fan, and Nutting being a clueless cheap owner makes me at least appreciate how Bill DeWitt is as our owner. It blows my mind all the amazing talent that has been drafted by the Pirates, only to be either traded off or not given a free agent contract to stay.. The Great Buco fans and players deserve better!

[@ghostofyou9721]

Cubs fan and Tom Ricketts is a moron (he's also hated among the fans for focusing on the wrong things) but at least we've been making deals and trades that work for us.

[@jeffreymoscardelli8428]

This is one of many reasons the MLB is struggling with attendance and TV viewership

[@Ray_8426]

The sad reality is that this misery with Bob Nutting goes back further than when he became principal owner in 2007. He's been involved in the ownership since Kevin McClatchy's purchase in 1996. Just remember, before he became the legend in San Francisco, Barry Bonds was originally a Pittsburgh Pirate.

[@tylermccann848]

One of the differences between a team like the Pirates and the Rays is that even though both teams don't spend money, the Rays spend their money reasonably well. (I say reasonably because they signed Franco to that huge deal and it's clearly not going to pan out for them... Not that they could have known.) But for the most part Rays have been spending more as of late because they feel confident in what they are getting. They are convincing their ownership to shell out dollars, despite him feeling "uncomfortable" because the team is projected to take a loss this year. Granted, they have great systems, player development, and coaches that helps to feed that confidence. The Pirates, on the other hand, do not spend money because they have, by comparison, a poor idea of what they are getting. Telling the Pirates to spend money in their current state is foolish because they would be burning it. You gotta build the foundation and the frame before you start working on the rest of the house.

[@unkledoda420]

The Rays aren't gonna lose much on Franco. I guarantee there's some sort of morality clause in that contract that voids it if he's found guilty.

[@tylermccann848]

@@unkledoda420 maybe, maybe not. But even if he does make that money I'm sure the team has insurance on his contract.

[@mateoottie]

@@tylermccann848the rays aren’t gonna have to pay wander’s contract after his legal process is over, it’ll be voided and they’ll put it towards something else

[@BigPat216]

Nailed it. And they're spending money right now.

[@tommyfu9271]

Rays front office is absolutely brilliant.

[@larryclark6786]

Bob Nutting is the worst thing to ever happen to the city of Pittsburgh

[@PoweroftheP00f]

Selfishly, I wish the Mariners made a trade for Keller to monopolize the Mitch market in baseball.

[@GeeEm1313]

Mitch Williams.

[@BigandDurable]

Since the "We are family" Pirates, they have been good twice... Barry Bonds and Andrew McCutchen. While I was with them, we got evicted from the Spring Training facilities due to a black mold infestation. It's wild that I never played for Nutting, but the problems have been the same since forever.

[@Jodyrides]

I was born and raised in Pittsburgh. I had baseballs when I was a kid signed by bob friend, Bill Mazeroski, Roberto Clemente, that I played with as a kid, and lost them in the woods somewhere when they got hit over the fence by my uncle that got me the balls in the first place when he would go to batting practice at Forbes field. I really don’t care if the Pirates win or not. When I find more interesting is, how they lose, it’s a comedy. I will watch a game to see how The chips fall in favor of the other team on that particular day.. sort of like how I always watch Notre Dame football games because, the other team is my favorite team any time Notre Dame plays because of the bias by the broadcasters. When the opposing team gets a touchdown, no excitement, no compliments about a great play for the opposing team. But when Notre Dame gets a routine touchdown, the announcers, go spastic and start talking about Heisman trophies, and Knute Rockne.. so it really doesn’t matter to me one way or the other if the Pirates or contenders or not, I’m glad to see players, extending childhood, making at least $600,000 per player per year which is the minimum. I’m happy for them being so fortunate to make it in such a competitive market, to actually become a professional baseball player, even if it’s just for the Pirates. after all, it’s only a game.. to be honest, I have not watched all nine innings, every picture of a pirate game on television, since the last time they won the World Series.. I start to watch a lot of their games, maybe 10 a year, and as soon as things start to go badly, as usual for the Pirates, I flipped the channel to watch something entertaining like Green acres, or Perry Mason.. now speaking of the Steelers, I have not missed a snap from any Steeler game since the 1974 season.. since the introduction of the VCR, I have been able to record all of the Steeler games, and watch them commercial free after the game was over, so I could not have to endure those interruptions of the commercials. Thank goodness for DVRs. I haven’t seen a commercial or a halftime at the Super Bowl ever. Thanks to my DVR.

[@codygurnick6405]

The pitching instruction in the Pirates organization is why I wanted them to take Crews last year. They will ruin Skenes like they did Cole with the pitch to contact mind set. Dude is a strikeout machine. Let him work

[@nickhughes8179]

After Ray “The Necromancer” Searage retired, Pittsburgh has been worse with developing pitching than Baltimore was. Oh and Jays fans thank Ray for the revitalized JA Happ in 2016 that got 20 wins and a 3.01 ERA.

[@454fire]

Not a fan of a NL Central team, but always got a soft spot for the Pirates. A travesty to watch them be so horrid each year. I want to think that their 'new' spending habits of extending Hayes, Reynolds, and Keller is a new era for the team, but not exactly sure. Worth mentioning that it's not impossible that they pursued players, and said players didn't want to sign there given their track record. It's easy to say they should sign big-name players, but there has to be a mutual interest there...

[@FootballMania3000]

That's sad. Pirates would have been great if the owner wasn't so cheap. He's Not a baseball guy

[@GreekGeek66]

Nothing will change. Nutting and many owners throughout sports care only about the bottom line. With increasing tv deals and merchandise deals etc, you can lose annually and still make tens of millions om profits. As well as the overall value of the team growing. So they sit on their hands for 20 years, losing, profiting. Zero incentive for things to change.

[@b-zoneonroku2020]

Pittsburgh always had skinflints for owners, but to be fair, the Pirates haven't exactly been a box office draw since Honus Wagner retired.

[@jpeters1734]

you don't know much about baseball, do you?

[@AlonsoRules]

They've started the season pretty well. Hopefully that beautiful stadium gets some action in October.

[@dennisnebgen9049]

I've been saying this for years. This team will never win even a pennant unless they change ownership.

[@danarrington2224]

I can tell you that Pirate City in Bradenton is the nicest spring training facility i've been to.

[@tonyschmitz1997]

Pirates fans. Us Rockies fans sympathize with you. Bad ownership sucks.

[@inrainbows1829]

As a buccos fan I have accepted reality I was at the 1992 playoff game where Bob Walk pitched a complete game win which was our last playoff win until 2013 against the Red's which I was at

[@darrenjackson2705]

I'm a lifetime Texas Rangers fan as I live in Dallas, but the Pirates are my beloved 2nd franchise and NL. I am sick and tired of the Bucs being treated like a tax write off. I wish I were a billionaire to invest in the historical organization

[@JLajos]

To Nutting, MLB stands for Minor League Budget.

[@Flynnskis]

MLB desperately needs to introduce a cap floor. There are arguments against it but I do think it would pull 1-2 above average guys into organizations like the Pirates, Rays, Oriels, etc. The big markets will continue to overpay for Tier one stars but I do think that if the Pirates had to spend 90-100M they could pluck a couple tier two stars who don't like their situations in the bigger markets.

[@vizzini589]

Nutting has killed a once proud franchise. MLB should force him out for the sake of the league. He's not just bad for baseball, he's bad for all sports. I feel bad for all Pirates fans. They deserve better.

[@KT22672]

I’m from Pittsburgh and at this point they could send this team to another city and I wouldn’t notice

[@Michael-sb8jf]

If owners refuse to pay Why should cities socialize their stadium's

[@michaelrusnak2988]

The Tribe/Gaurdians been paying prospects early to get them on the cheap late for eons now. Don't think it was the Braves who came up with this concept

[@eyeofhorus99]

I think they just need to promote the coaching staff from Indy or Altoona to replace Shelton’s staff.

[@theburnout8715]

Pirates draft class has been insane these last two years. I see Pittsburgh being a big problem in a year or three.

[@seatownfan]

I thought this was going to be about the Mariners’ ownership. 😅

[@jmed412]

I went to a :Pirates game for the first time since 2017, to root for the Blue Jays.

[@RascalGames]

Nutting sold Seven Springs, maybe, just maybe he'll sell the Pirates as well (or use some of that Vail money to pay some players)

[@bonn1771]

it is a shame as pit has a solid team a few years ago i used to go to spring training when i lived in the area it was nice

[@williammarriott6131]

Bednar is a bum. He goes 3 - 0 on most batters and then thinks he can strike them all out. He can't.

[@TheSolidSnakeOil]

I really think Ke'Bryan Hayes caught the bad end of that deal.

[@davidjones5547]

They only made the playoffs ONCE. Making it to the play in game and then losing the game is NOT making the playoffs. As for their best players, Suwinski blows. It is either a home run run or a strike out. He has gone through too many long stretches without doing anything. Reynolds is a nice player. But he is much too streaky to be relied on. Keller at best is a 3rd starter. So far this spring he has returned to the Keller of old, pitching to a 7.50 era. Hayes can never stay healthy. I am also not sold on Cruz. He has to yet prove that he could hit over the low .200s, not strike out a ton and play good shortstop. Cherington plain and simple has done an atrocious job as GM. This is his 5th season as GM and the team has not gotten any better. The coaching is a joke, Shelton is not a major league manager and they do not have a clue has to how to develop players. Not to mention, that they seem to have more players needing Tommy John surgery than any other team in the majors. This could be attributed to poor coaching and player development. Now where is the pitching and increase spending he promised when the team is ready to compete which was suppose to be this season? That was nothing more than a bold face lie. This team quite honestly is still an 87 to 90 loss team, fighting to stay out of the cellar in the weakest division in all of baseball. As long as Nutting owns the team, this team will NEVER win.

[@ryanyeager3258]

I wish Art Rooney would buy the Pittsburgh Pirates. And spend money for the team and get them to the world series

[@thesuckerisyou]

So an owner like Nutting (what an awful name) gets justifiably crucified for not spending, and Steve Cohen gets ridiculed for spending 'too much'? Where is the sweet spot for owners? At what spending level do they get the W? I guess winning is the cure for what ails everybody.

[@georgesouthwick7000]

This is such a shame, because they have one of the most beautiful ballparks in MLB, and their fans have shown they will support a quality team.

[@PurelyBaseballYT]

PNC Park is great. Very unfortunate Nutting continues the trend of not caring. MLB would seriously be in a much better place, without owners like him.

[@andyanderson4151]

Busch Stadium is nice, but PNC Park is absolutely gorgeous with the Roberto Clemente bridge their..

[@b-zoneonroku2020]

since WHEN? They drew worse than the Montreal Expos in the Drebek/Bonds/Bonilla era. They didn't even sell out NLCS games.

[@jasontroia3434]

​@@b-zoneonroku2020 umm. Wrong. They averaged 2.2 million from 2012-2016 and had record attendance in 2015 with just under 2.5 million people. Do some research before you make a dumb clueless comment.

[@steveswangler6373]

They do have a beautiful ballpark, one of the most beautiful in MLB and the second most beautiful that Pa taxpayers built for billion dollar privately owned billion dollar corporations. But ALL fans will support a team that is successful. And only diehards or absolute baseball fans will show for a lousy club. Why should fans spend money for tickets for lousy teams? That gives no incentive to an owner like the Pirates’ owner to try to win.

[@j33pfyn4tik6]

My cousin was Bob Nuttings maintenance guy around his home. He quoted Nutting as saying "As long as fans buy merch and tickets, he's not investing anymore into the team.". Thanks Mr. Nutting!

[@juanpena7436]

Blame the greedy owners and commissioner for picking the worse owners . 🙄 mlb is dying because mlb killed it

[@kyledalton8501]

Wait.... you think that the MLB commissioner picks who owns the teams? 😅

[@violinfanatickamraz1403]

​@@kyledalton8501yes. He does. He recommends the potential owners of a team to the current owners and the current owners put it to a vote. That's how the A's ended up with John Fisher and Lew Wolff. Joe Lacob and Reggie Jackson had a higher money bid for the A's but because of Bud Ugly Selig was a frat brother of Lew Wolff, Bud recommended Fisher and Co. To the other owners.

[@VisibilityFoggy]

@@kyledalton8501 Not in a literal sense, but there's always more to the story. The commissioner (well, this one) works for the owners, and the owners must approve new fellow owners, so... in an indirect way he holds a lot of power to bring groups together, split groups apart, lean on one owner to vote a certain way.

[@Bk6346]

There’s no salary cap and signing star players to huge contracts only results in losing money. If it made economic sense these greedy owners would keep their star players but it doesn’t. They can make more money fielding a team of young players making the minimum salary and several years away from free agency.

[@icapfordollars9214]

💯 How I see it

[@Krankensteinn]

The truely sad part of this is that I remember Bonds, Bonilla, Van Slyke and fighting with the Mets and Braves. This was once a top notch club.

[@b-zoneonroku2020]

and 3 rivers was dead empty most nights in that era too.

[@99sentcoins]

As a Braves fan, yeah, Pgh gave us some good hard games. Those were the days.

[@rickrose5377]

I'm a Cubs fan, and I LOVED Andy Van Slyke!

[@DrummerDanVa]

But that team didn't make a World Series but they were a very good team. It didn't help that Bonds sucked in the playoffs. It has been 45 years!

[@youtubehandle_kate]

I even remember autograph nights at 3R, and Jay Bell signing every ball and card on the hood if his car in the parking lot every night.

[@baseballworldwide9439]

MLB shouldn’t allow for owners like him. At the end of the day it’s up to MLB to care about all 30 teams and not just 10. Turning into the NBA otherwise

[@41Brother2]

I wish there were restrictions on owners I really do. Like make it a rule that they can own a team but if there is no sign/commitment to being competitive for X number of years then they should be forced to sell. I know rebuilds take time and what not but to have an owner like Nutting who has been the owner since 2007, now 17 years ago, and to be this bad should be a crime. Scumbag owners like him who are only in it for the money shouldn't be allowed to own teams

[@violinfanatickamraz1403]

​@@41Brother2I agree with you. Add scumbag, Giants loving John Fisher to the list who should be forced to sell like the Wilpons end McCourts.

[@41Brother2]

@violinfanatickamraz1403 I'm happy for the Orioles to finally be rid of Angelos. But between Fisher in Oakland, Nutting in Pittsburgh, Arte Moreno in Anaheim, the Monforts in Colorado there's just so many scummy owners out there destroying their teams. Bob Castellini for the Reds, Dolan for the Guardians, Whoever the Marlins owner is, etc.

[@tommyfu9271]

Mark Cuban wanted to buy the Pirates and MLB wouldn't let him bc apparently actually wanting to win but being outspoken is such a horrible thing.

[@tommyfu9271]

​@@41Brother2Moreno isn't scummy. He spends and he wants to win. Incompetent but not scummy.

[@brun019822]

this is a 142 yr old club it deserves better

[@UncleVatred]

The Pirates were this cheap 10 years ago when they were making playoffs runs. This isn't news, this is just what Pittsburgh fans have known for a while now

[@pussydestroyer87]

The Pirates were this cheap when McClatchy was the face and most people didn't know Nutting was the majority owner.

[@dukes1993724]

Because he wouldn’t spend $ the 2015 team fell apart in the years following that stretch

[@leroybrownband2784]

And you know what the craziest thing is? Bob Nutting IS NOT the worst MLB owner, and it's not even close! I'm an Oakland A's fan, and if we could trade could trade John Fisher for Bob Nutting, we would do it in a heartbeat! And Bob Nutting would be a MASSIVE upgrade.

[@ILoveMisty1985]

I am sure Bob Nutting is thankful for John Fisher's presence, because then he can be like "See? I'm not the worst owner in baseball!"

[@violinfanatickamraz1403]

Sadly I agree. Fellow A's fan.

[@varianschirmer9375]

​@violinfanatickamraz1403 Don't forget the Nationals owner in 2024. He's feeling left out... so his punishing Stephen Strasburg for not eating that guaranteed contract.

[@Gixsir]

I’d be happy if they just left. There is no point. Higher taxes to pay for their shit and more traffic

[@6thwilbury2331]

Came down to the comments to look for something from an A's fan. Everything in this video about Nutting made me think of your team.

[@JacksonLane02]

The Pirates owner is named Bob Nutting? That sounds like a fake name, does he have a friend named James Drinking? And you must be Mrs Nutting.

[@adamNDkipker]

Dumb as hell

[@stevebuscemi3622]

I'm Nutting

[@jodiuhron1979]

Unfortunately, it’s real.

[@PTrep2727]

As an Expos die hard, the Pirates gave me fits when they were both in the NL East. Parker, Stargell, Matlock etc. the city went nuts for them. MLB needs that again. 🤷⚾🇨🇦🇺🇸⚾

[@Jeeters87]

Rinse. Repeat. It's what that guy does. I remember thinking "I love these guys. We can win with these guys." Then the owner goes. "Nuh huh..." and sets them up for failure. I stopped going to games for a few years now.

[@lovesgucci1]

There needs to be a salary floor!!

[@b-zoneonroku2020]

the NHL has proven that this doesn't work. Teams trade for retired players' contracts to get over the floor without improving their teams.

[@dogpd3]

@@b-zoneonroku2020this

[@dukes1993724]

@@b-zoneonroku2020Wouldn’t teams rather pay guys that actually still play and might improve the team going forward?

[@A.C.T1997]

As a Mets fan and dealing with the Wilpons for so long, I understand what it's like to have owners who refuse to spend money and sign guys who are well past their prime. I feel for Pirates fans.

[@Johnm-ko1eo]

More people need to know this. Nutting hides from too much public embarrassment

[@CaptRR]

The lack of a sallary floor and cap has always been a problem in the MLB. However its not changing any time soon. Players don't want the cap since it puts a ceiling on what they can ear. Owners don't want the floor since it would force them to spend money. Finally big teams like New York, Atlanta, and LA don't want a cap since it would hamstring their ability to buy into the post season.

[@wintyforever]

Ok but can we at least get a floor? It’s only fair

[@MountainFisher]

@@wintyforever It took putting a clause in the CBA to make the A's owner John Fisher sign a deal for a new stadium or lose his Revenue Share to make him do it and the cheap bastard took a free 9 acres in Vegas in the back of a casino. Vegas Mayor came out and said how they really feel about Fisher's team on the strip, but then walked it back. Said to stay in Oakland.🤣 If that clause wasn't there Fisher would be happy to go to his grave keeping the A's in the Coliseum and collecting that Revenue Share unless someone builds his stadium for him (what he really wants). Need an amendment to the CBA that owners have to spend at least 75% of the free money they get from the rich teams. Do you remember when the Dodgers signed that $8.5 _billion_ 25 year tv deal with Time-Warner in Jan 2013? I did the math and said, "Hokey Smokes Bullwinkle that's $340 million a year!" Then MLB wanted a big chunk of the money and ended up getting $2 billion (they demanded more), so MLB is taking $80 million a year just in tv money from the Dodgers to give to losers like Nutting and Fisher. I hate it when people cry it's unfair for the Dodgers, Yankees, Astros etc. to make so much money. Punish them for being well run and give the money to _Owners_ that don't even try to look competitive. Pittsburgh's "loser's lurgy" is totally on its owner. Next Nutting will try to move the team like Fisher has threatened Oakland with since he was awarded the team by Bud Selig over a higher bid by Reggie Jackson's group. Even though he got a free 9 acres and $380 million from Nevada's taxpayers Fisher still cannot get anyone to build a stadium for him.

[@scott658]

@@MountainFisher Well put.

[@CaptRR]

@orever Again the incentive structure just isn't their for any of it. A floor isn't in the best interest of the majority of the owners, who will never be able to compete, and don't want to be forced to spend a bunch A cap isn't in the big teams interest, who arguably have more fans than the rest of the league, since it would hamstring them from being able to buy themselves into championships. Also players don't want the cap since it would force them into contracts that are in many cases lower than what they feel they should make.

[@wintyforever]

@@CaptRR yeah I don’t expect or necessarily agree with a cap, but I think a floor is necessary for the survival of baseball.

[@Jt7166]

Born and raised in Pittsburgh. I loved the Pirates as a kid. It’s been a tough road. After the early 2010’s run fell apart because Nutting was cheap I kinda lost all faith in this team under his ownership. He will spend when the time comes is what we always hear but that time has come and gone many times without Nutting spending. I refuse to get emotional invested in this team again and it’s sad.

[@Tmalbers21]

Hopefully things change in the next decade. Nuttings of the world need to be removed from the game.

[@brycehanks7326]

I love the random sell the team Bob at the end. As a Reds fan, I can’t agree more with that statement been preaching it for years.

[@Gixsir]

Yet people still go and spend money merchandise until that stops owners won’t spend or just leave. I read an economists white paper once about how cities without pro sports teams are always better off since they don’t have to pay for anything sports related and teams never give back more than they take in the long run. Just my opinion and some dudes paper I read years ago

[@rogerlambert9316]

If Charles Comiskey would've paid his White Sox players better, and treated them with more respect, the 1919 White Sox, probably would've won the 1919 World Series. Too bad Shoeless Joe Jackson was never was into the Baseball Hall of Fame. I want to induct Shoeless Joe Jackson into my Hall of Fame.

[@tommyfu9271]

Commisky tried to cover up the Black Sox scandal and is still in the HOF. He was also instrumental in keeping black players out of baseball.

[@MountainFisher]

You'd think an owner like that would jump on Trevor Bauer at league minimum. The fact that he doesn't shows he isn't allowed to.

[@Commander_Bern]

Or no one wants the media circus that will follow Bauer

[@peterterry398]

Yes ,I've been saying the same thing for months !!!!!!! SIGN TREVOR BAUER !!!!!

[@MrLaneSir]

The Pittsburgh Pirates deserve better than this. You got the return of Andrew McCutchen and a solid SS in Cruz. Such a shame for a beautiful ballpark in PNC Park and yet haven’t fielded a competitive product in nearly 10 years.

[@th3noobz566]

As someone who watched the 1992 NL Pennant LIVE and going through the 20 plus years of futility, The Pirates Org needs a Hometown Owner that understands that its not just about money, its about Family and Community. We had that in the 1960s, 1970s and briefly in the 1990s mainly 1990 to 1992. Bob Nutting needs to sell the team and like Pat McAfee said, "If myself and a group could buy the the Pirates, it would be a non-stop party for the summer at home games." I believe that the org could get there, IF we can get the right coaches and the right players. If we can also build a great team of young players and a few veterans with not paying Yankee/Dodger Money, that will go a long way. However, all of that is moot unless there is a drastic change in the front office with that being a change in Ownership or a drastic change in how we spend money on WHAT MATTERS, not what will get us by.

[@dagoodistever7186]

Tigers going 162-0 with gio

[@MattHuey]

Bro, I live in Pittsburgh...I REFUSE to go to games at beautiful PNC Park!! Its expensive!💯They trade all good players!!💯That Playoff was so awsum!🤘

[@PurelyBaseballYT]

Preach!

[@themexorean870]

Genuinely a reason as to why I don’t enjoy baseball as much when I grew up and figured out about the no salary cap or floor

[@PurelyBaseballYT]

It is very frustrating

[@samgardner4667]

Blame the players for no cap. They don’t want it and refuse to accept it.

[@teddennis234]

I lived in Pittsburgh from 1997-2010. During that time the organization opened PNC park. I've visited 25 of the 30 ballparks in the league right now. PNC is on everybody's list of top 10 ballparks. Too bad they don't field a more competitive team. When I went to some Pirates games last summer, I happened to be on the T with someone who works at the stadium. This person was trying to get people to buy into the idea of getting a group of fans together to buy the team (sort of like the NFL's Green Bay Packers). Sounds like a good Idea to me.

[@dukes1993724]

You would need thousands of fans to pony up tens of thousands of dollars. And the other owners would just get it that idea. They wouldn’t want their fan bases to get any ideas…

[@manband20]

If you need any more proof that this is a systemic issue, lemme tell you a fun story I heard while working with the Pirates over the last couple years. One guy I work with caught Bob Nutting's dad, also a very rich man, shoveling cookies wrapped in napkins into his pockets at a big benefit dinner. A billionaire is sneaking cookies from a benefit dinner like a broke PA steals food from craft services on the set of a movie who needs that food to be their dinner for the next two days.

[@DrtyALGreen]

The Pirates have had terrible owners for 30 years, theyve had a problem before Nutting. They keep the players salaries low and fan attendance stayed high because of the beautiful stadium. They were one of the most profitable franchises doing this crap. They're a farm team for the contenders.

[@jasonveverka212]

It’s breaks my heart. Baseball if my favorite sport. Because of Bob Nutting it is impossible to be hopeful about the pirates. I have jokingly said that the should put it on voting referendum to kick nutting out of pic park. It was the tax payers after all that paid for it. Pittsburgh deserves better than this.

[@LAKESPEED222]

I would only say that their absolute best was the 70's, winning the AL East in 70,71,72,74,75, and 79. Finishing 2nd in 76,77 and 78, and 3rd in 73. That's quite a decade!

[@komickaze85]

The Pirates have been a laughingstock. When I had a co-worker who was a Pirates fan, he'd listen to it on the radio in 2018/2019 and say, "They're playing like a Little League team!" Nutting must go or he must extend more players. I didn't even know who he was until this video, but nice expose.

[@tomc5823]

As an Oakland fan, I would take this ownership situation in a heartbeat. Beautiful ballpark, no talk of relocation, not insulting the fans to their face, sounds like paradise.

[@Gixsir]

They can leave it would be cheaper for everyone

[@tomc5823]

Umm no, and here is why. The Oakland As are currently playing in the 10th largest media market in the league. The revenue generated from TV deals for a team no one wants to watch is more than $70million annually. There is no city they can move to and get a better deal. As soon as they leave Oakland that 70 million becomes significantly less. Less money for revenue sharing, meaning owners will be paying more to prop the team up in another city. all around bad move for baseball

[@pussydestroyer87]

Nutting insults fans to their face.

[@baseballjoe06]

I'm very very sorry to hear this. Is a lifelong pirate fan I have zero problems with the strategy of have a young team with a lot of prospects on it and don't spend a ton of money moneyball has proven that you don't need to spend a lot of money to win a championship. You can have a solid core and maintain it while they're young and arbitration eligible for a lot of years. The only issue I have is there is no goal or linear plan for rebuilds. That's the only problem I have is that every team is doing a rebuild should have a Target year to make the playoffs and it doesn't seem like the Pirates have that. If there's seven or eight years of rebuild for 3 or 4 winning seasons I can live with that as a fan understanding the Pittsburgh is a small market and not somewhere that big names want to go to. You're never going to see a Mike Piazza caliber or Alex Rodriguez caliber player in Pittsburgh unless they're very very young when they're there because there's no real sponsorship deals there's no real endorsement deals baseball players make their money outside of their contract in other ways and they're just isn't that in Pittsburgh other than you can be a spokesperson for maybe one of the two big car dealerships and that's about it. There just is no real money there for big name players.

[@baseballjoe06]

Look I am no fan of Bob Nutting I think the guy is a cheap ass. What I also dislike is the yinzers that judge him unfairly. I don't think nutting is doing a good job by any stretch of the imagination. Put all these years are whining because they thought we actually had a shot at Noah syndergaard. We absolutely did not. It isn't Bob nothing's fault that he wouldn't open his wallet and spend an extra two or three million dollars we could have gotten a halfway decent starting pitcher that might have a career resurgence this year at a deep discount. You have to remember the pirates are not the Steelers or penguins. They don't have legacies of championships in the last 15 years to market themselves to big name talents on. Endorsement deal dollars in Pittsburgh are soaked up by Steelers and penguins and all that's left for the pirates is number 1 Cochran and Jim Shorkey both car dealers and it's not big endorsement deals. Usually enough to buy a nice new car every year. So you also have to bear in mind that yes, nutting is cheap, we might have had a shot at Sonny Gray a couple years ago or we may have had a shot at an aging veteran bat that is still good or again veteran pitcher at a discount that still may have had good years left of Nutting would spend money. I get that argument. For probably 3 million more than we spent on Tellez we may have had some better options in the pool. Pirates had a quietly underrated offseason in my opinion. They scooped up Tellez who helps with power output. Martin Perez and Marco Gonzalez are both still not ancient and due to have 1-2 more good seasons left and we may get lucky and 2024 could be it, we have some decent bullpen additions and olivares is a solid pickup. I appreciate being efficient with money, the biggest issue is..... There never seems to be a direction. You can extend Reynolds, Hayes and Keller, establish them as your core...... What would everybody else on one year contracts.... It makes me question what the plan for the rebuild is was the focus 2024 all along and they were planning to make some decent moves this offseason as they did, though I do believe some more pitching help would have been prudent, but there's still seems to be absolutely no year set for when they want to win. It seems like they don't care about winning and they're just kind of throwing stuff out there and seeing what works. And if you have a decent season we may let you stick around for another year or two. I want them to extend the Cruz, bednar, McCutchen for 3 years till he's 40 even if that means full time DH or backup DH, Pinch hitter situation because his leadership experience without the high price tag pays dividends. And they need to extend suwinski. That way we have all the elements have a great team in place and we can build around it. We have our Ace which would be Mitch Keller we have our aging but still decent later which is McCutchen.... We got some boom boom in Cap'n Jack and Bryan Reynolds, we have a solid long-term closer, and we have two decent midline up pieces in and we have two decent midline up pieces in and we have two decent midline up pieces in and we have two solid mid lineup prices in Cruz and Hayes. And we can very easily build around that group to win in 2025 or 2026.... If this isn't the year and I think it could be because this could be the year that the Pirates finally crack over 500 in the Central division is fairly weak right now. So even 85 wins could take the division this year, end of Paul schemes in some of our other prospects that are going to get called up this year do okay, there is a serious possibility that we could wind up having a playoff berth again..... Then we have to build off of it because we're expected to win after that

[@garylashley6640]

I really feal bad for these MLB players and coaches. They have to work seven months a year and get paid so little.

[@zacharywellington5047]

As an Orioles fan, this all sounds so familiar. Maybe the Pirates get their Rubenstein. Dreams do come true.

[@hoosiertrumpfan3347]

I live and die with the Bucs. My first game was in Forbes Field in 1961 as a little leaguer. Pittsburgh beat the Cardinals 8-1 I believe. Ernie Broglio pitched for the Cards. The Pirates are a justifiably proud franchise in a small market. The days of Stargell, Parker, Blass and the great Roberto Clemente are long gone. This is a very sorry state of affairs. Yes the Bucs are at a disadvantage because the are small market, but Nutting must sell the team to somebody who cares about Pittsburgh baseball. Where are you Mark Cuban ????

[@flyjarrett]

Remember when Mario was exploring buying the team from Nutting? The city was ecstatic. Seems so long ago.

[@violinfanatickamraz1403]

As in Lemiuex?

[@flyjarrett]

@@violinfanatickamraz1403 yes

[@wvusmc]

Wasn't Dan Marino involved in that as well?

[@flyjarrett]

@@wvusmc hadn’t heard that one before, I suppose it’s possible

[@csbshaw1]

You need to make some "spend Nutting, win nutting" t-shirts or signs. I would buy one for sure.

[@maskedlyfe2124]

I have to jump though so many hoops to follow this team. I loved them to death and it’s actually crushes me to lose as much as we do. I’m 20 years old and have only seen 3 years of winning. Winning that came at the most competitive time in the NL Century

[@crowtservo]

To be fair, in 2007-11 the Pirates were going through a rebuild. The previous owner and GM (McClatchy and Littlefield) had left the organization a complete mess. The major league product sucked and they had one of the worst farm systems in baseball in 2007 with Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker and Tony Watson as the only legit talent in the minor leagues. Starling Marte was an unknown player in the low minors at that point. Even worse the Pirates had spent 9 of the previous 12 first round draft picks on pitchers, none of whom were remotely close to being ace level. Kris Benson and Paul Maholm were average major league starters at best and Sean Burnett was an average relief pitcher. Which means you had 6 pitchers who did nothing for the Pirates. Nutting had no choice in 2007 but to let the new GM completely tear it down and rebuild from the ground up. It paid off in 2013-15. After that though, the Pirates didn’t spend to keep the major league team in good shape and they didn’t have a GM who was smart enough to keep the team winning. The sad thing is that even after the 2015 season, they had McCutchen and Cole for at least 4 more years each, they had a rich farm system, they had a huge fan base who broke Pirates attendance records during those years, they had a perfect MLB stadium. Outside bad luck with injuries and guys aging out, there was no reason to believe the Pirates couldn’t keep winning. But they didn’t. And now it’s pretty clear that Nutting is just baseball’s version of Hugh Culverhouse.

[@dukes1993724]

Who is High Cluverhouse?

[@d.l.d.l.8140]

You fill, on average, half the seats in a stadium for forty thousand. You get what you pay for. On the other hand, your owner sounds like he’d have other uses for the added revenue if you did fill it. Shitty situation. I don’t know if I’d support him either. I’ve been fortunate to be a Cardinals fan for many years. They have a tradition of making excellence possible, and even we’ve had our dry spells. The people of the city should own a controlling stake in the teams in every league. All sports. And public funding of multi-use stadiums, done properly, would be more acceptable, and there wouldn’t be billionaires holding fans, and cities, hostage. Try moving a club then, rich boys spending Daddy’s money.

[@Edward_Nebiolo]

It not about spending money, it’s about spending money the right way. Look what happened to the Mets last year had 355 million payroll, failed, released some players and had a losing season. The Angels spend a lot of money on players like Rendon, a guy who way good but not only plays like 50 games a year. Nutting needs to spend money the correct way like the Dodgers, Houston, Yankees

[@JohnFKennedy313]

Unfortunately that’s how a lot of owners feel because of how greedy they are. They just want the luxury of owning a sports team without spending money to actually win

[@Thatguyinyourclass]

So, what you're saying is if we keep bashing Nutting in the media and call him cheap he's so petty he'll actually spend money and build a baseball team? "Bobby Boy, you're cheap and you're the reason I stopped watch the Buccos!"

[@Walter6078]

The pirates are nothing more than a minor league team for the rest of baseball. Boob Nothing will never spend money. He trades stars for prospects who once they get good will be traded for even more prospects and when they get good will be traded for even more prospects... its a never ending cycle. If baseball puts in a salary floor of 125million Boob Nothing will sell the team. He is a joke as an owner. Pittsburgh fans should boycott the team til Nothing does something to make the pirates competitive.

[@batchestington7282]

We just gonna forget about how he promised to raise payroll if the team won and people went to games and then it happened and he slashed payroll the next year

[@kelseywhitlatch173]

As a life long pirates fan the fact anyone supports this team in anyway still befuddles me. Stop supporting a poor product with no effect or money given to Improve it. Until fans do that, Nutting doesn’t care what others think or if the pirates come in last. Just how much profits he made last quarter

[@zcorpalpha2462]

PNC Park is Beautiful 🍀 Thus, You have to understand, some seats ( Private Luxury Suits Corporate Accounts ) are filled for home 🏡 games, season is considered a success. MLB is a business , even for non winning teams Combine that with concussions, & just selling Jerseys

[@corgidoori4229]

I was a pirates fan over a decade ago now I don’t watch baseball at all because I know the pirates will never be good so long as nutting is in charge.

[@PurelyBaseballYT]

Yep. Thats exactly the morale that everyone feels In Pittsburgh unfortunately

[@JohnnySwitchbladeGaming]

It sucks that we as a city and fanbase have had to bully this man into doing good things for the team

[@jpjh8844]

Thats Ironic because the Steelers owners is ranked one of the worst in the NFL according the the NFLPA's team report cards.

[@lecroix3]

Im a Royals fan, I empathize with Pirates fan's suffering of having a cheap owner

[@jerrodwhite2562]

I as a fan already know all of this and it still makes my blood boil…🤬

[@thecuss6817]

I'm a Pittsburgh native who was fortunate-enough to get pulled out of school to attend 1960 World Series game 7, and even though I no longer live there, I bleed black and gold. So I'm fortunate to have seen 3 of their 5 World Championships (as well as what Steelers and Penguins have done). I am seeing some better signs recently. We need to talk Pittsburgh-born billionaire Marc Cuban into buying the Pirates; he likes basketball better, but can keep the Mavericks too.

[@marktokash9052]

The pirates and A's are just a glorified farm system for MLB If you're good your gone.

[@roo1314]

Just happy it's the Pirates he owns, not Boeing.

[@badfinger20]

I don't like salary caps but I do agree on a floor. If the top payroll teams really do have a ceiling in a way...because they have to pay taxes...then the teams receiving those taxes like the Pirates should be forced to show where that money goes. The Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, and other teams help support these teams...they need to put it toward the team. Nutting is the worst owner.

[@Yoshinator5000]

Subscribed because I'm from Pittsburgh too and have watched this shit my entire life. That 15 team was so close, and the cheap owner blows up the team.

[@41Brother2]

The stupid one-and-done wild card format didn't do them any favors either. 98 wins, 2nd most in all of baseball and are eliminated from 1-game playoff format. Completely stupid, this isn't the NFL. At least the current WC format is an actual series now like it should be

[@JBG1968]

That team just needed a little more pitching . They wouldn’t spend the money at the trade deadline to get it

[@41Brother2]

@@JBG1968 Too expensive for Nuttsack's wallet

[@glockensig]

How about get a manager too. Da-wreck Shelton is terrible!!

[@rjjones4372]

Don't worry, they're advertising on Indeed! 7.25 an hour, pay for your own flights uniforms, and equipment, and you too can be a Pittsburgh Pirate!

[@PurelyBaseballYT]

Wow?! Buccos making moves

[@C4m4r0]

Being a white sox fan, this video is like looking in a mirror.