Actual Accountability?

So I woke up to the news that the Pirates have "relieved David Littlefield" of his duties as the team's general manager. Or, you know, bluntly put, the Pirates fired Littlefield. Which, of course, did prompt some internal happiness and external smiling, but also a question.

Does this mean that the Pittsburgh Pirates are turning a corner to demanding actual accountability from employees of the organization? Seriously, has actual accountability in the form of real-live-these-are-the-expectations-and-you-must-meet-them-or-be-out-of-a-job finally arrived for Pittsburgh's MLB team?

Before I get too delusional, it's worth noting that it took 6 losing seasons for the Pirates to realize Littlefield wasn't getting the job done. But Littlefield's not the only one who's failed to do a job throughout these many years of losing. A stunning lack of accountability for on-field performance, drafting and developing prospects, and just generally running an average (not even good) organization have marked the Littlefield era.

Serious, Lifelong Baseball Fan and I had a conversation about current Bucco manager Jim Tracy recently while watching one of the Bucco games. Serious, Lifelong Baseball Fan contended that despite his visceral dislike of certain Tracy attributes, his major problem with Tracy was his failure to hold his players accountable. Serious, Lifelong Baseball Fan noted that "you knew he didn't have control over the team last year when you saw the pictures (online) of the players out partying." Serious, Lifelong Baseball Fan believed the team needed someone "less patient"--not less patient in the sense of dealing with the occasional shelling experienced by all but the greatest of pitchers--but less patient in the sense of demanding consistent MLB level performance from players wearing a MLB uniform. Simply put, Serious, Lifelong Baseball Fan wanted a manager who would hold his players more accountable than Tracy has--and in holding those players accountable, actually get more consistent results than Tracy has.

So, is it actually the dawn of a new era for the Pittsburgh Pirates? Count me among the cynical skeptics who isn't holding my breath. Cam Bonifay's regime lost for many years before Littlefield's; when the general managers changed, the ownership remained the same. For actual, real live accountability to come, the owners must decide to hold themselves accountable for doing all they can to build a winning baseball team. Accountability must begin at the top.

Still, for today, the fact that Littlefield was relieved of his duties is a good sign. If not necessarily a portent of good things to come, at least it's one small step on the road to demanding actual accountability. And until everyone is truly held accountable--ownership, general manager, manager, coaching staff, development people, scouts, and yes, the players themselves--there's no real hope for a turnaround in Pittsburgh. But if this tiny sliver of accountability actually foretells an organizational culture of actual accountability that will then be built, well, perhaps, there may yet come a day when the Pittsburgh Pirates will no longer be known as the worst franchise in professional sports.