 02/14/2004 7:59 AM ET
Q&A with Dave Littlefield
After providing us with insights throughout the season, Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield has graciously agreed to continue to meet with MLB.com each week during the Hot Stove months to discuss his club.
Jack Wilson
/ SS
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MLB.com: The Jack Wilson arbitration case was the first that the Pirates have been involved in since 1993. What made you decide to go to a hearing with him after coming to terms with six other arbitration-eligible players earlier this winter?
Littlefield: It was simply just a disagreement in what we felt was fair compensation for what he has done. They had a different position than we had.
MLB.com: Wilson won his case, but even if he had lost, he was set to earn a pay raise of more than $1 million. Do you believe that the current arbitration system handcuffs small market teams like the Pirates?
Littlefield: It's a situation that is part of the Basic Agreement. We all deal with that and those are the guidelines that we work under. We don't use that as an excuse. It's just part of the system.
MLB.com: Lloyd McClendon said last week that much of the "gloom and doom" surrounding the team has been a result of media coverage. You met with a great number of fans last week at Piratefest. What kind of feedback did you get from them on the current state of the team?
Littlefield: I had a lot of interaction the last couple of weeks between Piratefest, the Pirates Caravan trip that I went on, and also I've had quite a few sessions with some of our suite holders, season ticket holders and prospective season ticket and suite holders. So I've had a chance to talk quite a bit.
Basically, I hear a couple different categories of thoughts. One is that there is the acknowledgement that we have been showing progress on the field. We've won more games the last couple years and, even though people were concerned about the trades that we made last year, the proof is in the pudding that we played better on the field the last two-thirds of the season. A lot those players who were productive -- Jason Bay, Tike Redman, Kip Wells, Jack Wilson, Craig Wilson and Jason Kendall -- are going to be a big part of our team moving forward in 2004. When you combine that with how well the minor league system has done in the last couple of years, I think there are some legitimate positives signs that people do acknowledge.
However, the second category that you can understand is frustrating for a lot of fans is even though that has taken place and it points to the fact that things are going in the right direction, the 11 years of being under .500 is a label that everybody would like to have behind them. Even though I sit here and talk about the positive things that have taken place the last couple of years, I certainly want people to understand that [the losing] is not acceptable for us. We are trying to win a championship and a lot of people would like to get there as soon as possible.
In general, I think that is what I have heard the last couple of weeks from fans, with the majority being in those two camps or maybe somewhere in the middle.
MLB.com: There is a little more than a week to go before Spring Training begins. How close are you to having accomplished your offseason goals?
Littlefield: I think we are part of the way there. But we still have some pieces to add which I think are attainable and we are trying to pursue them aggressively. We are not done at this point. You can only report what deals are done. But I do want people to know that we are working hard to continue to improve the team even though maybe Spring Training does start. We did do it last year in the same manner and we are going to try to continue to do it this year.
MLB.com: Is it pretty likely then that the three spots you have remaining on the 40-man roster won't be filled until after start of Spring Training?
Littlefield: I think it could go into Spring Training and it likely will with a spot or two.
MLB.com: What do you see as the most pressing issues that must be answered during Spring Training?
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Kris Benson
/ P
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Littlefield: I think the most pressing issue is to get some more players. We need a couple more bats and I'd like to see us acquire some more pitching. Those are the things are most important in my thoughts.
In regards to the players we have, we need to see how Jack and Craig Wilson continue to improve and how Redman does. We need to find out about Kris Benson's health if he comes back and does a good job. Can Oliver Perez show more consistency? We'll see if Wells and Josh Fogg can grow from what they've done. Is Ryan Vogelsong ready? Can Brian Boehringer bounce back? Will Bay be ready for the start of the season? How healthy will Freddy Sanchez and Bobby Hill be and how will they play? We've got to improve in the bullpen. Will Joe Beimel show that he can improve after finishing up the second half poorly? Are any of these young left-handers ready? Who is going to fill out the rest of the bullpen? We've also got a bunch of non-roster people looking to grab a hold of some opportunities -- Jose Mesa, Juan Acevedo, Daryle Ward, Mark Guthrie, Rick Reed, Chris Singleton among others.
We have a variety of questions. But I do think there are some positive things that will hopefully be surprises like we saw last year with how Redman played and how Bay started off his first go around in the big leagues.
Ed Eagle is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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