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Not Giving Up Has A Price
Oct 16, 1964
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Pittsburgh PA
After a disappointing fourth place finish Pirates fans are likely to have off season disappointments too. Three key Pirates qualify for free agency during the off season: Starter Jim Bunning, Second Baseman Bill Mazeroski, and Center Fielder Felipe Alou.
Odds are that at best the Pirates will be able to retain just one of the trio. Speculation is that combined the players can earn $500k to $600k in free agency for the first year alone. All would be expected to obtain multi year contracts with further increases. For comparison the Pirates entire 1964 payroll was $803k.
Some have suggested that the players should have been traded at the trade deadline so some value could have been obtained from them. A contender would have been willing to trade some value for these players, even if they turned out to be half a season rentals. Instead the Pirates get nothing for the free agents.
General Manager Anne Bonny dismissed the criticism. "At the trade deadline, we WERE a contender. We were playing .600 ball and were 4 1/2 games out of first."
Bonny has a reputation for getting better than expected results, which is essential for the success of a small market team. Bunning is clearly out of reach, with a projected salary of $200k plus, but the Bucs might be able to afford either Alou or Mazeroski. Even so, it appears lean times are ahead.
Felipe Alou, Jim Bunning, Bill Mazeroski
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