No anxieties

Neal Huntington tells the Post-Gazette the Pirates are ready for "action."

The Flying Dutchman himself

Long, bizarre piece by Myron Cope on the Nuttings, meeting Honus Wagner, and the 2007 season. (Link via BBTF).

Memo to Neal

NH- Huzzah for all the pink slips. Keep 'em coming. A few friendly unsolicited suggestions on talking to reporters and keeping it honest:

1. Avoid using the word "struggle" in the first person for four consecutive sentences, like you did to Paul Meyer:

"I think ethically I struggle with that," Huntington said. "An individual's involved in a playoff run, it's probably one of the most exciting times of their lives, and I struggle with trying to distract them. I struggle with pulling them out of that environment. I struggle with that step in the process."

This just makes it sound like you're, uh, struggling. A lot. There will be more worthy struggles than the ethics of when to pester other teams.

2. Avoid describing 28 year olds as "young kids", as Jenifer Langosch quotes:

"I think Kevin is a young kid with a lot of pop in his bat who will bring great depth to our Minor League system"

Kevin Thompson is a man. Maybe a young man. Definitely not a young kid. Also, avoid suggesting that one man could possibly bring "great depth" to the wasteland of Creechlings. Or, if the quote is inaccurate, sternly reprimand whoever's responsible and/or work more pink slip magic.

Snatch it back and hold it

So when we are not sleeping here at HW HQ, we are drinking beer and wine and listening to the blues.

Is there a better blues album than Junior Wells' Hoodoo Man Blues? This is a serious question. The answer I think is no. Some may be as good, but none are better.

So what else is there to do, besides watch the Indians beat up on the hapless Red Sox?

Huntington hardly sleeps

Information executive Neal Huntington incrementally rebuilds the Pirates, reports Tom King for the Nashua Telegraph. One pink slip at a time, we'll get through this. All hail the new GM!

Meanwhile, John Perrotto suggests that Boston pitching coach John Farrell, ex-Florida pitching coach Rick Kranitz, and Colorado scout Dave Holliday are candidates for the manager, pitching coach, and scouting director jobs, respectively.