One of the Pirates biggest colossal mistakes over the past year was giving Clint Hurdle a new four-year contract worth $12 million.

It’s always easy to blame the manager and coach when things go south, they often get too much blame, but things have been building for a while that a new voice was needed going into this season and most importantly a stronger manager in the player development area.

From young hitters to pitchers, there hasn’t been enough progression in multiple players.

We’re seeing it again with Josh Bell among the primary examples in 2018.

All of the fault doesn’t go on Hurdle but he’s the boss and was regarded in MLB circles as an elite hitting coach when hired in 2011.

What the Pirates needed to do last season was make a decision on whether a new manager could get more out of their key core players who are so hit or miss like Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco, ect.

All managers have their expiration date and Hurdle has clearly hit it, who has regressed mightily in the game management department.

Unfortunately, the Pirates are locked into Hurdle as they can be.

Hurdle making $3 million per season, is the 7th highest paid coach in baseball, [hide] per a coaches salary report from the USA Today.

The fascinating part with the Pirates dishing out the four year extension last summer isn’t the term but the money.

They could have easily turned the page after the 2017 season and financially brought in a new manager for the going rate of $700,000-$800,000.

Instead they’re locked in for another $9 million committed to Hurdle after this season.

Hurdle negotiated his own salary last summer and he did one hell of a job. [/hide]