Tomorrow I’ll be doing something this site hasn’t seen since 2012: I’ll be going on vacation. I’ll be unplugging completely, and won’t know what is going on surrounding the Pittsburgh Pirates for over a week. I’ll be off until Sunday the 11th, at which point I hope to be recharged for the upcoming Spring Training and the upcoming season.
From a site perspective, it will hardly seem like I’m gone. I’ve got nine articles scheduled for next week, including a few First Pitch articles. Most of the off-season talk revolves around the MLB team and off-season moves, but these will largely be based on minor league talk. They will be specifically linked to the top 20 countdown, which will begin on Monday, with one prospect write-up released per day. As for any news that comes up next week, John Dreker will be covering that while I’m gone.
If you order a Prospect Guide in the next week, that’s when you’ll notice that I’m gone. Anyone who orders a book by tomorrow morning at 8 AM will have their book sent out before I leave (the post office isn’t open tomorrow, but I’ll still be dropping them off to go out on Friday). After that, the next shipping date will be Monday the 12th. So if you’re looking to get your copy of the Prospect Guide soon (which features our full top 50 prospect list and profiles on every minor league player), then order by tomorrow at 8 AM. Or order the eBook, which is available to download instantly. You can buy your copy of the Prospect Guide here.
This message is mostly to alert anyone who orders the Prospect Guide during that time that shipping will be delayed. But it’s also an alert for anyone who sends me questions, either via e-mail, comments, or Twitter.
With that said, I hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year, and I look forward to returning to the inevitable madness that will surround the Pirates’ off-season, starting the day I leave the country and put John in charge of covering the site news. Sorry, John.
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
Continuing on the same theme: The walk on music for the new Pirates right handed hitting first baseman.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcPr2-ipfa4
With Clint Barmes gone (he of the Journey “Don’t Stop Believing” walk on music), I suggest the following for the Pirates them song for next year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4pg6Jh94Lo
Just a little time is all we are asking for
Just a little more time could open closed doors
Just a little uncertainty can bring you down
Chorus:
And nobody wants to know you now
And nobody wants to show you how
So if your lost and all alone
You can never surrender
And if your path won’t lead you home
You can never surrender
And when the night is cold and dark, you can’t see, you can’t light
No one can take away your right to fight and to never surrender
With a little perseverance you can get things done
With out a blind adherence that has conquered some
Chorus:
And nobody wants to know you now
And nobody wants to show you how
So if your lost and all alone
You can never surrender
And if your path won’t lead you home
You can never surrender
And when the night is cold and dark, you can’t see, you can’t light
There’s no one to take away your right to fight and to never surrender
And when the night is cold and dark, you can’t see, you can’t light
No one can take away your right to fight and to never surrender, to never surrender
Oh time is all we’re asking for, to never surrender
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Or in Pirate speak – Nevaaarrrhhh Surrendarrrrhhh
I’m not happy about this. I think I’m entitled to you giving me more free stuff.
Safe journey.
Enjoy a well deserved vacation, Tim. Pirates Prospects is the first site I go to every day!
Well earned! Enjoy the time off and get some rest before the whole circus starts up again.
Enjoy the time off
Enjoy the break, love the fact the sites to a point where you can recharge your batteries and still have top flight content.
Enjoy your vacation Tim – and Happy New Year!
I received my copy of the Prospect Guide yesterday – hope to start reading it tomorrow!
Like John said, all hell is likely to break loose in the next week.
What are we supposed to do if the Pirates do something outrageous while you are on vacation……….never mind, I forgot its the Pirates, lol!
Have a great vacation!
Tim, I can’t believe you are going on vacation! Too me, Bradenton is a vacation. All kidding aside, have a great vacation.
Tim, A much deserved break. Congratulations and enjoy.
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Sure enough, Pirates have not made any news today but the Reds have.
Go figure….
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Unfortunately bad news for the Pirates, Byrd will probably hit well in that park and against the Pirates.
Got my prospect guide so I’ll have something to read while you’re away. Enjoy your break!
You’ve earned it. Have fun and RELAX!
Agreed.
John when’s the party start?
I’ve come to realize that most big stories break right after Tim tells me he is going somewhere and makes sure I’m around to watch the site. So expect the Pirates to trade Pedro Alvarez and Neil Walker for prospects on Friday around 9am
Does Marlon Byrd being traded from Philly to Cinci count as a big story?
Absolutely amazed that they give up a pitching prospect like Ben Lively for a 37 year old Marlon Byrd, regardless of the amount of money the Phils threw in. That makes a 20 yr old and a 22 year old RHSP’s and a 22 year old LHSP the Phils have traded for this off-season – all high draft picks with plenty of upside.
I’d say there is likely to not be a bigger story the rest of this year.
🙂
Best to you, Tim. DO NOT answer the phone. DO NOT open your laptop.
Just… Let… Gooooooo……
BB
Have fun, enjoy the sun, we’ll look forward to your safe return!
Good for you, Tim. You run an excellent site and write an excellent prospect guide, and you deserve the vacation. Plus, you hire great authors who can run the site while you’re away!
Enjoy your time off!