While the first official full squad workout for the Pittsburgh Pirates took place this week, the excitement around the team is palpable. Most of the players reported before the entire team was required and now management are unveiling impressive infrastructure upgrades. The expectations are high for the team this year and the investments by owner Bob Nutting show a confidence in the current team and a belief in their future.
Neal Huntington has helped to build a team that broke a long losing streak and made back-to-back postseason appearances. That has increased revenue in many ways, which is coming back to the team in various ways. The payroll is just over $90 million and millions of dollars have been used for construction projects.
The first project that was unveiled was a 12,000 square foot performance center at Pirate City in Bradenton. This was a much-needed upgrade for the Bradenton Marauders and year-long training and rehabilitation programs run by the Pirates. Players would go to IMG Academy to train in the past, but now all those programs will be in house. The improvements cost the team $1.5 million.
Here is a look inside the new performance center and a glimpse at the old version from Pirates Prospects.
Next the clubhouse at McKechnie Field was unveiled. The 22,500 square foot facility includes a 65-stall locker room with black leather chairs, eight big screen TVs and a Roberto Clemente quote. The building also includes a strength and conditioning room, hydrotherapy, conference rooms, offices, kitchen, dining hall, athletic training room and equipment room. There are also plenty of murals, timelines and images that show the rich history of the club. These improvements, also paid by the team, came in at $6.5 million.
Finally, the Pirates released information on four changes to PNC Park, three of which will have a direct impact on the fan experience. A 300-level concourse bar, a new place for fans to gather and enjoy a beverage by the left field rotunda and "The Porch," a new standing room only area, are the highlights. The bar by the left field rotunda will be 40-feet long with 60 linear feet of standing rails and improved sightlines. It will also have a nine television display on the back wall.
There is still a portion of the fan base that think Pirates ownership is being cheap. The payroll number is low compared to the rest of the league. Nutting did say that the team has flexibility to add players during the season. However, the Pirates are on the short side of a local TV deal, especially given the news of the Diamondbacks new billion-dollar deal.
Of course this money being spent is not on a player, but it is great for the team. Some fans will have trouble seeing that the improvements should draw the attention of some of the best instructors in the minor leagues. They may even help win over a free agent in the future. It will not be a big name, but the team used to not attract anyone. Furthermore, these facilities should help the development of young players. These improvements will get people in baseball talking and that says something about the state of the franchise.
Nutting deserves a little bit of credit for putting up the money for these improvements. The team is set for a run this season and have taken steps to be competitive for the foreseeable future. There is a bigger discussion about overall spending and financial health of the club in the long term. Leave that topic for next week and reflect on how far the Pirates have come.