Walking the Plank: Time for Clint Hurdle to Go

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As a Pirate blogger, I always like to try to stay positive as this team has had some tough times and has received a lot of unnecessary hate from the local media, but this is a topic I just cannot ignore anymore.... it is time for Clint Hurdle to be fired.

I will admit, I have never really been a fan of Clint Hurdle, but I have respected him as he led the Pirates out of their 20 straight losing seasons and into the playoffs for the first time in a long time. Let's start with the positives of Clint Hurdle. Going into this season, Hurdle has had a winning season in 4 out of his 8 seasons with the Pirates that include three playoff births, one NLDS trip, and one 98 win season. For a team that has been a joke in recent history, that is a pretty amazing track record. Not only has he had a good track record in Pittsburgh, but he is also a very good man and has been good to this city. Hurdle has always treated his players well and it has been inspiring to watch his love for his daughter who has Pradi-Willi Syndrome and his family's dedication to raise awareness about the disease. Wow, maybe I like Clint Hurdle more than I thought.... scratch the article, Hurdle has to stay! Just kidding, despite Hurdle's success on the field and how I like him as a person, it is time for him to go, and here's why.

Conservative Manager

The Pirates are never going to be a team with the most talent on the field every night of the season simply due to the small payroll they have, which means the Pirates have to be creative and find other ways to win. Overall, Hurdle is a very conservative manager and lets the game play out instead of being proactive and trying to make a big base running move or etc. Over the years, I have watched teams score runs on the Pirates with sacrifice bunts and strategic base stealing, and I have yet to see that innovation from a Clint Hurdle team.

Poor Lineup Decisions

Everyone knows how Hurdle is famous for his "Sunday Lineups" full of bench players; there have been many instances where the Pirates may as well have been waving the white flag before the game even started due to lineup decisions. Hurdle has a history of pulling someone from the lineup when they are hot and continuing to play someone who is struggling. Also, his love for players like John Jaso and Sean Rodriquez drives me absolutely crazy.

Poor Pitching Decisions

To put it in simple terms, Hurdle does not have a good feel for when to take a pitcher out early and when to keep them in. There have been way to many games thrown away due to Hurdle keeping a starter in too long or not having a short enough leash on a pitcher who is struggling. These decisions were easily masked during the three straight playoff appearances because the Pirates had the talent to mask it, but recent years with less talent have shown otherwise.

Inability to Change/Adapt

Hurdle is very set in stone in his ways as a manager and has not changed for the better with the times of baseball. My main gripe with Hurdle is how he holds on to the concept of how a "closer" can only be used in a save situation, while most teams will use their best pitcher who is usually labeled their "closer" in the most high leverage situations. Hurdle has done better using Vazquez in non-9th inning roles, but he is far behind the times. 

Overall, my main reason why I think Hurdle needs to go is that this team needs a competitive edge to win some close games that can put them over the top in a divisional or wild card race, and Hurdle does not do that for this team. Change is good, as evident by Rick Eckstein being the new hitting coach and elevating our offense this season. Hurdle is a good manager, but the Pirates need a great and innovative one in order to ever be in contention for a World Series; it is time for a change Pittsburgh. 

What are your thoughts on Clint Hurdle as a manager? Let me know and thanks for reading!

-Aaron, TGYL