Friday, December 28, 2012

Internal Transactions

Baseball is fairly unique.  Twenty-five players comprise a major league squad, but an organization has contractual control over significantly more than that amount.  They are prospects - players in the minor leagues.  Take a glance at a major league team today and a good portion of their players were in that teams farm system in the past.  That's one of the focuses of Buried Treasure - examining and evaluating the minor league system of the Pittsburgh Pirates because it's the lifeblood and foundation of the major league team.

It's also true that players have played and will play a key role for the Pirates that are acquired externally.  Still, homegrown players are often more key, especially for a small-market like Pittsburgh.  To be key, those players must make their way up the entire minor league ladder.  Then, every players dream - a big league call-up - will come.  That ladder is often hard to traverse.  It's conveniently and necessarily sectioned of with clearly defined tiers.  It makes a promotion a big deal. That promotion is a sign of talent, ability, and accomplishment.  It also brings hope and help to an organization.  Those promotions, or on the pessimistic side, demotions, make up the bulk of the internal transactions the Pirates will make.  They will also be chronicled - sorted by date - below.

01/06/2013 - Rick VandenHurk Released
12/29/2012 - Revisiting the Charlie Morton Decision

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