Frank Coonelly Interview at PirateFest

Pittsburgh Pirates

President Frank Coonelly saw changes coming.

What he initiated to offset those changes made by Major League Baseball has the Pirates organization in much better shape for the future. He talks about the team knowing the  changes were coming and how the Bucs drafted with that premise in mind.

Coonelly loves his scouts too and lets it be known in this video.

Coonelly talks about the lobbying the team did to benefit themselves moving forward under the new CBA. The new revenue sharing details are very interesting. Listen to these facts closely as in a few years, it could impact the Pirates in a big way.

Spending before July 2nd won’t count against the cap. The Pirates are having Gayo take a close look. Could we expect the Pirates to make a bevy of signings? Stay tuned. The international market will be changing in years to come, especially for large market clubs.

But it appears Gayo has squelched any dreams of the Bucs gobbling up Latin American players…Coonelly states that Gayo told him they are not available players between now and July 2 that warrant spending $17 millon.

TV contracts. What a game changer this is becoming for MLB teams.

Corporate sponsors are on the rise with the Pittsburgh Pirates Coonelly reports.

The Dominican Academy and the unrest in Venezuela are discussed very precisely by Coonelly. Minor league salaries are also discussed as a competitive advantage.

What will the 2012 payroll be?