I almost shut this site down quietly at the end of 2021.
My reason at the time for keeping it running came with the realization that in the entire time I ran this site, I never ran it how I wanted to run things.
It can be easy to get stuck in a trap of doing what you think you’re supposed to be doing — even in situations where there is no other example to set a guide for what you should be doing. In a way, I think that’s where every young prospect goes wrong in their jump to the majors.
There’s no other Pirates Prospects.
There are a million other people named Tim Williams, but there’s no one with my vision for what this site will become. Other people could have a different vision if they were in charge. I am the one steering the ship, and I’m trying a new thing where I actually steer it — rather than the ship steering me.
Last year, my focus was to establish a production schedule for the site. That was an extremely busy process, which led to Pirates Prospects Daily, Weekly, and the upcoming Prospect Guide. All three are new approaches for the site, with the new book being revealed soon.
This year, my focus is going to be heavy on Editing. I’ll be creating the framework for a future Editor job on this site, separate from my role as Producer. By the end of the year, I hope to have the site in position to hire an Editor, ideally located in Pittsburgh.
Until then, I’m still pulling double and triple roles on the site — depending on how much writing I do.
I’ve been planning out my approach for the site this year — my 15th season covering this organization with this site — and how I’ll manage these roles while maintaining consistency on the site.
I would really like to move to Pittsburgh and be the Editor for this site — though that would involve finding ways to outsource some of my Producer duties. The reality is that I’ve got too much to do on the Producer and Editor side this year to plan for any extreme amounts of writing.
My plan this year is to remain in Florida, focus my attention on building the site up, and provide some coverage from down here when I can. My aim is to either be the Producer/Editor of this site in Pittsburgh in 2024, or to hire a separate person as the Editor in Pittsburgh.
The biggest plan for me is to get healthy.
I turn 40 this year, and I’ve largely been doing a job and a workload that was designed by my 25-year-old self. That approach led to serious burnout, which has taken years to recover from. It also left me a little hesitant to return to the grind until I’m sure my entire life is in order and my body is healthy.
What I’ve realized is that if this site runs off of me, then I need to be in the best possible health to allow for the best possible site.
On that note, I’ve been busy over the last week getting some dental work done that I put off for too many months. I’m currently dealing with a sinus infection from the delay. So, I’m consolidating most of the weekly schedule this week with an article drop, and getting some rest. Check below for this week’s articles.
Next week in this spot, I’ll have specifics on what is coming to Pirates Prospects in 2023. Don’t forget to weigh in on what you want to see.
THIS WEEK ON PIRATES PROSPECTS
Ethan Hullihen is working on a new feature to create a Glossary of transaction details on the site. His first installment is a look at how Optional and Outright Assignments work.
Pirates Business: How Do Optional and Outright Assignments Work?
Wilbur Miller looked at the Pirates’ 2019 draft, which is led by Quinn Priester, but has a lot of other interesting prospects still around.
WTM: The Pirates’ Quirky 2019 Draft
Bubba Chandler was a highlight of the 2021 draft, and Anthony Murphy looked at the progress and potential he showed during his debut season.
Bubba Chandler Showed Progress and Potential In His Debut Season
SUPPORT OUR WORK
Pirates Prospects is supported by ads, and we’re not requiring a subscription to access any of our articles.
The site still needs user support to grow, even with the advertisements. In the past, we’ve received at least $80,000 in user support each year, via subscriptions. In most years, the support has been well over six-figures. My budget this year is going very conservative, planning for less than the previous low total, now that the site has removed the paywall.
The site is very fortunate that it will exceed the previous low-end of user support just with advertisements. Any donations we receive go to increase the pay our writers and the continued growth of the site.
We appreciate anyone who chooses to help out the site and support our work. You can Contribute to our work if you enjoy the site and wish to help us grow.
FUQUAY VINYL PLAYLIST
I throw a playlist together each week and use it for inspiration on writing projects outside of baseball. There’s never really an order to this, just different vibes. This week is heavy on hip hop, as I’ve mostly been listening to the new album by Open Mike Eagle, and got the debut album from Inspectah Deck from my vinyl record club.
WEEKLY PIRATES QUIZ
There are a few players on the current roster who are answers below.
HELP
Have any issues with the site? Check out our Help page.
