Pirates players admit to 'laughing' at organization behind closed doors

The Pittsburgh Pirates are, in many ways, the laughingstock of Major League Baseball. If you don't believe it, ask the players themselves.

“We laugh at all of this [expletive] behind closed doors,” an anonymous Pirates player told Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in a piece published this week. “... It’s just a bad organization.”

The truth hurts, but the Pirates’ dysfunction under Bob Nutting and Ben Cherington has seeped into every level of the franchise. When players (even anonymously) speak that way, it usually points to systemic failures – not just a losing record.

As far as what exactly those systemic issues could be, it's not exactly a short list. First, there's ownership – Nutting is notorious for operating the Pirates as a profit-first enterprise, and the team payroll has consistently ranked near the bottom of the league (even during windows when the Pirates could have pushed for contention).

Instead of supplementing young talent, the Pirates' ownership relies on bargain-bin signings and reclamation projects. Players notice when a front office refuses to spend to win.

The constant roster turnover also creates a lack of stability in Pittsburgh. The Pirates have made a habit of trading away established contributors instead of building around them. This creates a culture where players don’t believe the organization is committed to winning; instead, they just expect to be traded once they develop value.

The Pirates also have plenty of shortcomings when it comes to player development, as their most-hyped prospects often stall (or regress) once they reach the Majors. Hitters consistently struggle with approach and strikeouts, while pitchers often lose velocity or command once they’re in the Pirates’ system. Compared to more forward-thinking clubs, Pittsburgh's infrastructure looks outdated.

Paul Skenes is a rare success story in that regard, though one could argue that he was already fully developed before joining Pittsburgh's system. Either way, the Pirates have cornerstone players like Skenes, but there’s no cohesive roster construction. Instead of surrounding these stars with complementary talent, the front office cycles through replacement-level veterans. That wastes prime years and leads players to wonder if the team has any real plan.

Anonymous player quote points to Pirates being content with mediocrity

Anonymous player quotes usually signal poor trust between the clubhouse and the front office. The Pirates have developed a reputation for poor transparency about roles, inconsistent lineup decisions, and an unclear direction year to year. Compare that to winning organizations – where expectations, roles and goals are clearly communicated.

Every season of Cherington’s tenure as GM has ended with the Pirates well below .500. Attendance has plummeted, and PNC Park has become symbolic of wasted potential. Players can feel when they’re in an environment that isn’t prioritizing winning.

The bottom line? Whichever player called called the Pirates “a bad organization” was right, because it feels like one – underfunded, unstable and stuck in an endless rebuild. Instead of pushing to compete, the Pirates’ leadership has fostered a reputation for being content with mediocrity, and players (especially veterans) don’t see a path forward to winning while they’re there.