Do the Pittsburgh Pirates need to break tradition?

The Pittsburgh Pirates have plenty of thinking to do this offseason.

More thinking than any 98-win team should have to do.

But, that is the situation the team finds itself in. With hard decisions at more spots than one would be comfortable with – closer, second base, first base, starting pitching – Neal Huntington is surely already hard at work as I type this trying to fill the holes.

The Kansas City Royals took the World Series last night, and naturally many are comparing the Pirates to the newly-minted champs. We also took the comparison route. More than anything else, the singular approach of the Royals with their lineup propelled them to the crown.

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The Royals developed and stuck to a specific approach in their run creation. What we may be seeing from the Royals over the past two years could be the beginning of a tradition. Traditions are cultivated through shared experience and proven history. I can think of no better way to start a tradition than by winning a World Series.

The Pirates have their own traditions. To name a few- trading away closers, trying to work pitch counts, being extremely cautious with minor league callups.

But for a team that has found rebirth through challenging many different norms, is a change in tradition necessary to take the next step?

Some would think so. Already there are fans and commentators alike clamoring for a Tyler Glasnow callup. There are those who are comfortable finally punching Pedro Alvarez‘s ticket out of town and rolling the dice with Josh Bell. The debate over Mark Melancon‘s future with the Pittsburgh Pirates is already white-hot. The contingent calling for an extension – or at the very least having him back for one more year regardless of cost – is swiftly growing.

Can having Glasnow start the year in the rotation be the catalyst to take the NL Central Division? Maybe.

Maybe not.

And therein lies the rub for the Pirates. Speaking strictly of on the field matters, it would be hard to quibble with the Pirates approach over the last few years. Sure, criticizing a Clint Hurdle lineup has almost become a tradition of their own for fans. But the overall approach the organization has taken over the last five years has hardly been a failure.

Smarter men than you or I will be asking themselves over the next days and weeks what can put the Pirates over the hump. Five years ago, it was the shift. Two years ago it was finding the right pitcher to fix. With the day-to-day on the field strategy in place, it seems appropriate that the Pittsburgh Pirates will now look inward at the organizational practices as a whole.

Perhaps it’s time to consider a tweak to the approach.

And cultivate a new tradition.