After a near four-decade run as one of the most successful franchises in the National League, the Pittsburgh Pirates began to slip following World War II.
Seeking to restore his team’s sagging fortunes, new majority owner John Galbreath replaced general manager Roy Hamey (who would later construct World Series winners with the Yankees) with legendary baseball executive Branch Rickey on November 1, 1950.
The father of the modern farm system, Rickey built multiple World Series winners with the Cardinals and pennant winners with the then-Brooklyn Dodgers. In his most profound and far-sighted act, he hand-picked Jackie Robinson to break major league baseball’s color barrier in 1947, forever altering the game for the better.
Naturally, optimism was high among the Pirates and their fans for a fairly quick turnaround.
It was not to be.
On the contrary, the team bottomed out during Rickey’s five seasons at the helm, culminating in a disastrous 42-112 campaign in 1952. Worse, he traded away the club’s lone superstar and drawing card, seven-time NL home run king Ralph Kiner, and dealt future All-Star Gus Bell and popular slugger Wally Westlake as well. All for bafflingly poor returns.
Predictably, attendance plummeted along with the team’s on-field performance.
In fairness to Rickey, players signed and/or developed under his watch, most notably Bill Mazeroski, Dick Groat, Bob Skinner, Vern Law, Bob Friend and Elroy Face would form the hub of the 1960 World Series champions. In his signature move, he plucked a raw but gifted 20-year-old outfielder from the Dodgers organization in the Rule 5 draft named Roberto Clemente, who would emerge as arguably the greatest player in Pirates history.
None of this transpired in time to save Rickey’s job. In declining health, he was effectively booted upstairs to a front-office position following the 1955 season. His replacement, Joe L. Brown, would assemble the final pieces of the world championship puzzle.
It got me to thinking about Penguins POHO/GM Kyle Dubas, especially in the wake of P.K. Subban’s passionate discourse regarding the perceived lack of direction within the organization. In many ways, Dubas’s situation is eerily similar to that of Rickey. Both were brought on board by relatively new ownership to right the fortunes of sinking franchises. Both came with glowing reputations.
Unlike Rickey, who almost immediately launched into tear-down mode, Dubas made a spate of moves upon his arrival to overhaul a shop-worn team, culminating in the Erik Karlsson blockbuster.
On paper, it appeared he’d done a masterful job. The on-ice results have proven otherwise.
Indeed, nearly every high-profile move Dubas has made to date appears to have backfired, from signing struggle-bussers Tristan Jarry and Ryan Graves to long-term pacts to the Karlsson deal itself. The latter due, at least in part, to indifferent play by EK65.
Although the return promises to be much better, last spring’s Jake Guentzel trade even smacks of Rickey’s Kiner deal, which netted the Pirates five players, none of whom save for Preston Ward (career average of .253) remotely panned out.
Most of Dubas’s subsequent moves at the big-league level (ex: signing bargain free agents Anthony Beauvillier and Matt Grzelcyk) have done little more than slow the descent of a once-proud champion.
Indeed, the present patchwork team bears more than a passing resemblance to those Pirates teams of the early ‘50s, derisively labelled the “Rickey Dinks.”
Hopefully, as was ultimately the case in the Rickey saga, the future will portend better things. What Dubas has done very well is collect draft capital. Under his watch, the Pens have gone from a state of near bankruptcy in terms of picks, to being fairly flush. According to PuckPedia, over the next three seasons, we have four first-round picks, four second-round picks, a whopping seven third-round picks and 14 picks in the later rounds. Twenty-nine picks in all.
It’s worth noting in the days prior to the major-league draft, Rickey would canvass for young talent at team-sponsored tryout camps.
Of course, the onus is on Dubas and draft guru Wes Clark not only to use their wealth of picks judiciously, but to develop the kids they select.
How Dubas performs will go a long way toward cementing his legacy. Hopefully for the better.
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Rick
After reading your article and reviewing Subban’s comments, I’ve concluded that Dubas should place Sullivan in a situation similar to what Billy Guerin did with Team USA. I know most people would gladly take the “CHUK BROTHERS,” but what Guerin did was force Sullivan to accept a more physical style of play. He had no choice but to embrace it, or risk looking out of touch. I believe a similar approach is needed with the Penguins. Put Sullivan in a position where he’s backed into a corner, making it impossible for him to resist. This way, he’ll either have to accept the change or risk tarnishing his reputation as a coach.
Hey Mike,
I agree that Dubas should add players based on what's best for the team and not necessarily to fit Sully's preferences.
Maybe I'm reading into things, and maybe as you suggest it's because he's been placed in a position where he more or less has to embrace physical players, but I sense Sully is softening in that regard. The fact that he's even played Imama is in itself a small miracle. And Sunday, he sent Acciari over the boards to send a message to Cuylle after he tangled with Crosby.
Rick
Hey Rick,
Speaking of Karlsson, did you see that Detroit just cleared $4.75mil by sending Ville Husso to Ana? A bit of idle wonder has me thinking about the "Yzerman wants Karlsson" rumors of about a month ago. If the idea I read on another site wasn't just wishful thinking on the part of that author but something of substance, I easily make that deal of Karlsson for Danielson and we keep 25% salary. I think there was prospect mentioned as well, but I didn't pay close attention because Dubas has been shown to be slow out of the starting blocks.
If you recall, I wanted the team to fall low enough to draft Danielson.
Honestly, I do not think roster is as problematic as many people want to rant. To me the team looks completely demoralized. Even at their best, they are not a Cup contender. They have thrown away too many quality grit players over the last 7 years, as well as a couple of legitimate top 6 forwards and got nothing in return. However, this team should have been able to really be hovering around the Wild Card spots not vying for a top 5 pick. They have wasted way too much time and games sitting on the fence hoping failed strategies would somehow miraculously start working.
As for Subban, some of what he said makes sense, but a lot of his discourse is hypocritical and regurgitation of TSN rants as Madden detailed.
Hypocritical in that in one paragraph Subban says “It’s not about structure. Mike Sullivan and Sidney Crosby are at a huge disadvantage" Then in the very next paragraph "“The difference between Washington and Pittsburgh is that Washington defensemen join through the structure. So they have confidence joining the rush because they’re confident in their structure and the way that they’re playing. (Erik) Karlsson and Letang are being put in position to force plays." PK can't have it both ways; either it is not about structure and Sullivan isn't to blame or it is about structure and Sully is to blame.
As for the rest of Subban's rant, I am not in complete disagreement, I have blasted most of Dubas' moves. I even typed a diatribe against trading for him when the rumors of that trade first surfaced, but as usual many people here and elsewhere belligerently tried to shout me down. Nor can Subban's complaint of Dubas getting rid of all the grit from the team when players like Reaves, Oleksiak, Gudbranson et al were ushered out of town on the rails long before Dubas got here. Furthermore, nothing Subban said is anything outside of the typical TSN pablum and added nothing new to the table. However, I am OK with giving Dubas heat he deserves some.
Hey Other Rick,
I’m with you 100 percent on a Karlsson-for-Danielson swap. Nate’s numbers don’t really jump out at you, and he’s off to a little bit of a laggy start to his pro career (six goals, 26 points in 50 games with Grand Rapids). But everything I’ve read about him suggests that he projects to be a solid, right-shot, two-way center at the NHL level.
I’d take that return, and gladly, for EK65.
I’d also try to pry Dominik Shine out of the Wings as a throw-in. Thirty-one-years-old, career minor-leaguer and Detroit native (which is probably why it won’t happen). But Shine is incredibly tough for his very modest size (5’11” 180) and is an edgy, inspirational player. He can play, too (leading the Griffins in scoring).
I’d gladly have a guy like that setting an example and riding shotgun for our kids.
Rick