GM Candiate Names Draws Heated Fan Reaction

Bucco Blog has received more than 50 emails in the last 12 hours all wondering about General Manager candidates that have been linked to the Pirates in the national media and local blogs.

Fans are livid over some of the names - confusion reigns.

Bucco Blog has purposely refrained from adding to the fire because anyone can do a Google search and then talk about what they happen to find. As an example, this morning the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette suggested a potential new GM candidate - Arizona Diamondback's Peter Woodfork - which followed on the heels of a wonderful article by Jose de Jesus Ortiz in the Houston Chronicle Sunday.

However, it's what you don't find that needs to be questioned.

Just remember the first cardinal rule in baseball - don't sweat what you can't control. Do your Google searches, hammer discussion forums seeking answers, and speak with your friends and enemies - gaining knowledge is a wonderful thing.

But in the end, look at the big picture instead of assuming a one sentence quote by a candidate, like he needs to improve on a particular part of his skills set, is credible evidence to form a rational opinion on him from.

Obviously, it's not.

Bucco Blog held an interview with Bill James this last winter and his response to our question about the perception that the National League Central Division is weak was truly visionary:

"So the difference between a strong league and a weak league is really nothing on the scale of the difference between a strong player and a weak player. It's something that people like to talk about, and it's not imaginary; it's real. But it's importance is hugely overstated."

The same could be said about all the candidate names you are hearing.

Because Robert Nutting is a reclusive, it's next to impossible for the average fan to make a sensible choice on who would work best with him in the President/CEO role. As James suggested, while the differences are real and that is something everyone wants to discuss, the minuscule differences between the candidates Nutting is likely to have on his short-list can only be measured by Nutting himself. It all boils down to who Nutting feels comfortable with.

General Manager candidates are obviously a bit different since Nutting's new President/CEO will likely be effectuating the hire. But again, remember the vision James suggested as you do your research.

Bucco Blog has recommended Tony LaCava for General Manager after thorough research on who we perceived to be available candidates. Nothing reported in any newspaper or blog has changed our stance. In fact, they have only strengthened our resolve to see LaCava hired.

And if Frank Coonelly or Chuck Greenberg are indeed hired as the next President/CEO, then we believe a Peter Gammons quote during the Red Sox search for a GM becomes just as visionary to them, as James' quote above was to our readers:

"If the Red Sox decide they want a pure talent [evaluator], the name of LaCava will be at the forefront." -- Gammons, November 2005 (subscription required)

Bucco Blog will continue to research the subject but refrain from getting excited every time a name pops up in media circles.

Nor should you.