John Perrotto Fired. Here is Our Opinion Why.

Veteran Pirate writer John Perrotto was fired yesterday. The man was a very solid reporter who tried his best in the past year of covering the Pittsburgh Pirates to tell it like it was, yet, but, heh….. Ogden Enterprises does ultimately sign the check.

Many can look at some of the truth that Perrotto wrote in his articles as hard for ownership to swallow. So they canned him. Sure that is one way to take it.

But not ours. Perrotto sure did kiss tail with Nutting in the article below.

The team at Rum Bunter can only look at this one Perrotto story from the season to emphasize why in our stupid opinion, he was let go.

We will miss his work, we truly enjoyed reading 98% of his work, but he missed the mark with this column below. But there is more to this than we will ever know. Perhaps more than Perrotto will ever know.

We can only imagine how frustrated he was when he wrote the article. He later discovered the Pirates weren’t aware of their media duties, oops. and huh?

We live in crazy times. Best of luck John Perrotto, it won’t take you long to land a new gig.

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REPOST OF 7AUG2009 RUM BUNTER POST

THE PITTSBURGH MEDIA NEEDS A VILLIAN.

How does this Pirates veteran reporter feel he is entitled to an interview with two Pirates players after the Pirates loss last night? Seriously, who in America works like this? The media request who they want to speak with and when those requests aren’t granted…. an article comes out bashing the leadership, the players?

Whose job works like this? Seriously, who has a job like this?

So in your line of work, let’s say you are in sales. You don’t get a sale at work.

What do you do? Roll up the sleeves and dig deeper into why you didn’t get it? Ask more questions? Turn that prospect into a buyer? Turn that prospect into a life long friend, a client that would do anything for you. Your family. The hard work pays off.

And if you still don’t get the business, what do you do? You write an article about the client that didn’t buy? It’s obviously the clients fault they didn’t buy the product. Correct?

So if your a reporter, I would believe it is your job to report. Maybe not. With the Steelers and Penguins being the star studded baby faces in town, the Pittsburgh media really could use a heel, hmmmm….easy stuff Vince, the Pirates play perfectly in that role.

Read below…

From John Perrotto Pirates Report:

JP: Covering the Pirates is not the easiest job in the world.

[RUMBUNTER: REALLY? No kidding? You call yourself a reporter? Nah, you just obviously want sympathy. It’s not the easiest job in the world? Why not do your best, give your all to the Pirates Report? Sweat a little, hustle…ahh, never mind.]

Granted, it’s not the same as being deployed in Iraq or trying to catch crab in the Bering Sea but there are some drawbacks.

[Now what would you know about being a soldier? Seriously, leave out the Vets man. When you have done a pushup on the sand, come talk with some vets, like myself, until then, don’t even throw a half-ass, bitch slap compliment like this in your article because you can’t get an interview? You can’t get an interview because Y-O-U you didn’t make it happen. Look in the mirror. It was your fault. You want an interview? Go get it. Don’t write a ‘story’ about your inability to get an interview.]

For one, it’s a low-profile beat. Only a handful of fans clamor for every bit of information about the Pirates unlike the team down the street from PNC Park, the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers.

[Only a handful of fans? Oh really? So now, it’s the fans that don’t want information? Really? Fans aren’t clamoring? Really? So correct me if I am wrong here, but fans aren’t clamoring, so screw it. The player left without talking to me.

I think 20 percent of Pirate fans know where the players exit the locker room, wouldn’t you hustle down and GET the story? It seems that you didn’t, it was simply easier to bash the player.]

I have covered the Pirates for 22 years and have missed less than a dozen home games. I have covered, at most, 25 Steelers games. Yet, I’ve had as many comments on Steelers’ stories as Pirates’ stories.

[We applaud your near perfect attendance. Seriously, that is some powerful stuff man.]

Furthermore, while improved, the press facilities at PNC Park are still among the worst in professional sports. It was as if former Pirates chief executive officer Kevin McClatchy went out of his way to stick it to the media when the plans for PNC Park were drawn up.

[Among the worst in professional sports? Good Lord…who didn’t replenish the roast beef? Gladys, get your butt in here!!!??? I know there have been fewer and fewer ”reporters,” that don’t report here lately, but the roast beef must be replenished sweetheart.

What in the name of heaven does the press facilities have to do with getting an interview? Holy jumping jingle balls Santa Claus, now the press desk isn’t nice enough for you?]

At least, the open hostility that existed between the Pirates and the media has subsided since McClatchy was thankfully kicked to the curb, albeit with a handsome financial settlement, by current chairman Bob Nutting. Boy, how I miss those days when McClatchy would call and scream at me, a real classy move for a CEO of a multi-million dollar business.

[Perhaps the hostility isn’t open, but I seriously doubt anyone has forgotten about it. Those wounds don’t heal easily kid. Especially after trash like this.

Kevin screamed at you. So sorry to hear that John. No professional deserves that treatment.

Nice plug for current chairman Mr. Nutting. Very carefully worded. Genius wordsmithing.]

Then, there are nights like Thursday when the Pirates’ players decided to be downright uncooperative after an 11-6 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 12 innings.

[Downright uncooperative. Hilarious. Welcome to the world of work.]

The two Pirates the media wanted to talk with were starter Kevin Hart, who made his major-league debut by pitching six effective innings, and rookie right-hander reliever Steven Jackson, who gave up five runs in the 12th then was immediately optioned to Class AAA Indianapolis.

Hart bolted the clubhouse without speaking to the media. Jackson sent word through Pirates media relations director Jim Trdinich that he had no comment, despite having all of 22 1/3 innings in the major leagues.

The last thing the Pirates need in their latest rebuilding plan is a group of players who have an attitude. The press box is already empty on most game nights as almost all of the non-metro newspapers in Western Pennsylvania have stopped covering the team, such as the Beaver County Times (my alma mater), the Washington Observer-Reporter, the McKeesport Daily News and the Uniontown Herald-Standard.

[I think the thing the Pirates need is players with attitude. Who gives a flying crap if we hear what Jackson had to say? Seriously, there aren’t many fans clamoring for information anyway, so cover something else like Tabata, Alvarez, hell cover KC and the Damn Sunshine Band coming to town, something, anything, but this god awful foot stomping.

So if all of the other papers you just called out aren’t at the game, shouldn’t you be able to secure more time with the players? Sounds like an opportunity to control the market share to me. What in the world happened John? I think you blew it.

If Jackson had more innings pitched in the majors it sounds like you would be ok with him not talking to you, but because he only has 22.1 IP he is required to talk with you? Holy Obama Batman, I wasn’t sure that was the case in America.

Less media=More time for you to dominate. More time for you to forge long lasting relationships with all of the Pirates players. Sounds to me like nobody wants to talk with you because you don’t have a relationship with either player?

With Hart and Jackson I am certain your excuse is that you haven’t been around long enough to generate such a relationship. And this article will really help that cause.

Of course, not many fans are clamoring for information, so it’s ok to be average and just bitch about not getting an interview.]

If it wasn’t for rights holder FSN Pittsburgh, television coverage would be almost non-existent as the four network affiliates in Pittsburgh rarely send reporters to the games.

[Even less competition for the interviews. Wow. This is getting to be some good stuff.]

Considering how far the Pirates have fallen behind the Steelers and Penguins in terms of visibility and interest, they should have players visiting media members’ homes for interviews.

[Oh yeh John, work that villian role, I am certain Labor Day at your house is exactly where Mr. Trdinich will send the players. What time does the party start? Put the steaks on, the guys will be right there…]

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So there it is folks. The man put into print his frustration.

Frustration scares people.

The scared people who signed Perrotto’s checks had enough.

A frustrated Perrotto with 22 years on the beat was sent to the curb.

Here are more of your thoughts from Pirates Report.

John Perrotto’s firing

So it seems John’s been fired and all of his entries have been stricken from the record. I guess any photos will have to be altered by the NGB – the Nutting division of the KGB. Stalin would be proud. Let’s see how long this entry stays up if it is indeed posted at all.

Member Comments

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sbills

10-09-09 10:26 AM

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Why oh why couldn’t it have been The Evil One, Bob Nutting, who got fired?The Pirates will never, ever win as long as the selfish, dishonest, miserly, and vulgar Nutting owns the club.

needawin10

10-09-09 10:16 AM

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John fired? I guess some fans are not the only ones who can’t handle a little criticism of a 17 season losing skid and of unmatched blundering ownership. They might as well shut down this website. Well done John we’ll read you soon somewhere!!!

dave1231959

10-09-09 9:52 AM

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That ***** – I’ve always enjoyed John’s work. I hope he shows up somewhere writing about the Pirates.

seriesin09

10-09-09 9:24 AM

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Considering the Pirates’ inability to handle the simplest PR issue intelligently, I’m not holding my breath for an official announcement.

GreenWeenie

10-09-09 8:18 AM

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If there is an official announcement the spin doctors will turn it into something “close to” or “resembling” the truth. But not the objective truth. JP will not be able to comment due to clauses in his employment agreement.

KCAthleticsGuy

10-08-09 10:40 PM

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Ok, if John was fired, let’s at least see an official announcement to own up to it. John wasn’t perfect, no one is, but he is one heck of a writer and in my opinion the best writer on the Pirates bar none. So who will take his place–someone willing to be politically correct?

pissburgh2

10-08-09 9:49 PM

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Neal Huntingdon is askin for a beatin all john Perrotto did is voice his opinions about his favorite MLB team, and he gets fired because he speaks the truth

JeffKing

10-08-09 9:01 PM

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HELLO, ARE YOU OUT THERE JOHN? DIDN’T HEAR ANYTHING ON INTERVIEW THIS MORNING ON ESPN WITH GUY. MAYBE HE QUIT?

MarkInDallas

10-08-09 7:18 PM

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