If I Were The Pirates GM...

If I were the Pirates' GM, I'd have the most daunting task in the history of sports!

Nah, just kidding.

However, I would have an incredible challenge trying to put together a championship team in an organization with very little depth and minimal talent at the top, to boot.

In fact, one could argue that I should keep losing with my lovable yet low-salaried bunch, ensuring profits (assuming the team doesn't perform so horribly, as to prevent people from showing up), while stockpiling bunches of No. 1 picks, who will eventually explode onto the scene one right after another, bringing several championships back to the Steel City. 

But, after 16 years, we can't wait any longer; we need to win now. Plus, I couldn't imagine the fans' reaction if our minor league affiliates, so flush with the hypothetical myriad of No. 1 picks, actually had a higher payroll than the big-league club. 

Hey, it could happen; with the way we allocate money towards the draft, while trading away our high-priced vets, you just never know.

Anyway, as the new head honcho in the front office, I'd have one goal in building a playoff-caliber team this season, without sacrificing long-term success (Dave Littlefield) or bringing in high-priced vets (Dave Littlefield).

The key: finding under-valued, positionally-blocked, unneeded, unwanted or otherwise easily-acquired players with below-market values and bringing them to the 'Burgh, simply hoping that they suddenly put it all together (Kyle Lohse), stop being a head case (Jose Tabata, for now), benefit from a change of scenery (Oliver Perez, Aramis Ramirez) or bounce back from an exceptionally tough year—or two (Nick Swisher).

While the team has begun to accrue some nice organizational depth, do they really have the impact potential to bring home a championship? (see Brandon Moss, Andy LaRoche, etc...)

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