Ben Cherington's comments on Pirates' shortcomings are a reflection on his work

Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington discussed the state of the organization in the latest edition of his weekly radio show on 93.7 The Fan, and he may have inadvertently called himself out in the process.

“I think we’re improving,” Cherington said. “Also we’re not improving by enough yet — and not fast enough."

Cherington's assessment is not only objectively incorrect; it is also dripping with irony. Last year, MLB Pipeline ranked the Pirates' farm system as the second-best in baseball. Now, the same outlet has it ranked No. 20 out of 30. Of course, key players like Paul Skenes and Jared Jones graduating from prospect status is certainly a factor here, but it also shows how little depth there is in terms of organizational talent.

As Pirates prospect analyst Tim Williams wrote last month, "In five rebuilding seasons under Cherington, the farm system has dropped in the rankings, which is the most damning statement you could make for a General Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates."

Ben Cherington's comments on Pirates' shortcomings are a reflection on his work

If Cherington doesn't think the Pirates are improving quickly enough, he has no one to blame but himself. He has now been at the helm of the organization for five years, with practically nothing to show for it. The team hasn't finished a single season above .500 during his tenure. The farm system has gotten worse. He has wasted the precious little money that owner Bob Nutting has given him to work with in free agency and in Latin American signings. He has actively made this organization worse than it was when he found it, in almost every way.

No one expected the Pirates to become a World Series contender overnight when Cherington took over. But five years of no improvement – and in some cases, actively getting worse – should be more than enough evidence that he is not the right man for this job.

Cherington's mantra has always centered around the "process" of rebuilding an organization. However, trusting the process is one thing; prioritizing process over winning is another.

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