Also, based on his blog it appears he's a hard-core stathead. Even keeps data on officials. I love Mark Cuban.

Geez, a move that would make the Pirates relevant? MLB should definitely avoid that. Sometimes I just have to shake my head.

The Nutting boys and Kevin McClatchey won't sell as long as the money is rolling in....especially with the All-Star game next summer in Pittsburgh. They will rake in as much money as they can....then put the team up for sale. With the Nuttings, the bottom line is the bottom line in profits. Very sad for the millions of Pirate fans.

The funny thing is that if Cuban bought the Pirates and turned them into winners, we'd start hearing Pittsburgh described as a "large market team."

Maybe he can buy the Royals instead.

Most important line in the story: "...they [the Mavericks] have yet to win an NBA title since he [Cuban] acquired them in 2000." Cuban would make noise and give the media plenty to talk about. Whether he could bring a championship to Pittsburgh is much more doubtful.

The Mavs have yet to win a championship because they don't have a player named Tim Duncan. The fact is, the Mavericks are now a major team in the NBA, and much of it is a result of Cuban's leadership and willingness to invest in his team. Franchises rarely turn on a dime, and his team has become extremely successful very quickly. Basketball is different from baseball in that a few players can absolutely dominate the outcome of a game, and Cuban's Mavs, like most of the rest of the Western Conference NBA, have been breaking against the Lakers and the Spurs for some time now.

The Pirates are apty named, in regards to their ownership. They ride on public funds for a new stadium, they pocket revenue sharing, and cry poverty in order to cover up their actions as they field AAAA team after AAAA team. Rather, they should be screaming "Yarrgh! Prepar' t' be b'arded, y' sea dogs! Cuban sha'n't take 'r money tree away yet!!"

The fact that one or two players can turn around a franchise in basketball much more easily than in baseball actually means that Cuban (or anybody else) would have a much harder time turning around the Pirates than they would with an NBA team.

An NBA owner can go from chump to champ with one or two key free-agent signings. A baseball owner has to acquire a lot more talent to trun around a perpetual loser.

Cuban would be fun for the media and fans, but the Pirates would hardly turn on a dime no matter what he did.

This would have been great for Pittsburgh as it would have at least created a window of hope for the Pirates. The current owners suck and refuse to spend the money that Cuban would be willing to spend (although he certainly would have his reasonable limits). I would have truly liked that. But heh, our rich greedy bastards for owners will keep Pittsburgh down I guess.

I think it's really that savvy investment in basketball can get you into the playoffs, but a single or couple of great players on a team can dominate in a series...the old stand-bys fit: Bird + Co., Johnson + Jubar, Jordan + Pippen, Shaq + Kobe, Duncan + Co., etc...The opportunities in basketball to acquire this type of dominating talent are few and far between in basketball.

The thing is that Cuban didn't go from chump to champ with just a few key signings: he's drafted and signed effectively, and consitently created very deep and balanced teams. This strategy, which has been trumped by some of the above listed greats, would probably work better in baseball.

By the way, I work for the Department of Redundancy Department (see: "opportunities in basketball to acquire this type of dominating talent are few and far between in basketball.")

I beg to differ. I think its easier to identify a player's value in basketball, and since one or two top-tier players can "make" a team, it's very difficult to put together a team that can go to the finals without "paying up." Note that a star basketball player makes up about 15% of a team's performance; a star baseball player makes up about 6%. A star basketball player impacts most plays in a basketball game; a star baseball player will impact around 10% of plays. Also, performance is significantly impacted by venue in baseball---a slugger in Coors Field might look weak in RFK.

My comment was meant as a reply to Casey. As it came out, it looks like I'm "differ"ing with Dave, even though I'm supporting his viewpoint :)

Hey, I'll take even inadvertent support (wink).

Anyway, a key free agent or draftee can turn around an NBA team much more easily than an MLB team because a single player can affect every basketball game so much more.

It's hard to see how Cuban (or anybody else) could make the Pirates worse. I just don't think that he could turn around the Pirates nearly as easily as he could improve an NBA team. His antics would liven up the franchise and sell tickets, and his spending might (if he spent wisely) help the team eventually improve its play.

But would he be a savior producing immediate results? I'm skeptical.

I would definitely agree that any change in ownership wouldn't create immediate results...the Pirates are simply too bad (and regardless, any team that magically turns around under new management is actually more likely the product of the old and departed management). It would have to be more long-term, no doubt. Mainly, I just think that Cuban has drafted and spent wisely as an NBA owner, and that his approach may be effective on an MLB team. No doubt this would take time...

It definitely would take longer for Cuban to turn the Pirates around than the Mavs. However, Cuban would invest in the team, and I think fans would be more willing to give him a break and support the team if they know he's at least on the path to improvement.

Plus, more players might be willing to go to Pittsburgh for the big fluffy towels.

My thought on the fact that mcClatchy turned down offer by Mark Cuban to buy the Pirates is that this could be an encouraging sign. You would think that if the intent of the pprsent group was not to invest and improve, this would have been a good opportunity to get out..... We can only hope that they are able to accurately determine what it will take to do what is best!!

WE NEED MARK CUBAN IN PITTSBURGH TO TAKE THE PIRATES FROM SCUM TO PLAYOFF CONTENDER.HE CAN TURN THIS AROUND FOR THE CITY

i'd like to see mark cuban buy the team because its apperent that kevin malsh is to cheap.

Listen up buddies,
Baseball is all about the money
All you people who think Cuban, (One of the Richest People in the world) could not turn the pirates around, then you are blind to reality you are oblivous no nothingsthat are a worthless piece of poo

JK

GO PIRATES
Best Park- Worst Owner