Hurdle, players have no answers regarding front office's Nicasio fiasco

The Pirates' release of Juan Nicasio to save roughly $600,000 with a month left in the season, a move that's being ridiculed across the sports world in the past 48 hours, isn't exactly being applauded in the clubhouse, either.



"I have no idea," one of Nicasio's fellow relievers and friends told me Friday afternoon at PNC Park, the first time the team gathered since Nicasio was claimed off waivers by the Phillies the previous day. "Maybe he'll come back here next year. I don't know. He texted me yesterday. He's OK. I think he likes it here and wants to come back."

This reliever shook his head.

"I don't know. It's not my job. I can't control what they do. My job is to pitch."

It's safe to say that summarized the sentiment around the room, based on other conversations.

I asked Clint Hurdle how, as manager, he responds when the front office makes a move like this that, among other things, signals the team has fallen out of contention.

"A lot of those conversations stay in the clubhouse," he began. "But I think you always tell men that we ... the organization made a move. And we've put ourselves in a position that moves need to be made ... that sometimes are out of our control. The fact of the matter is, it's another example that the game revolves around performance. It can be pushed by performance. Team performance."

He paused.

"There's always an opportunity when somebody exits. Next Pirate up. Most of these men have had experiences like this. It's not a first time for most of them. Maybe a few. It happened on an off-day. The news had broken before that, so there were conversations that happened before. And I'm a firm believer that, for people who want to know, I encourage people who have questions to ask them. And we'll go from there."

I then asked if, from a manager's perspective, he now sees September as a let's-see-the-young-guys month, something Neal Huntington strongly suggested in his out-of-the-norm email to beat writers Thursday attempting to explain the Nicasio move.

I asked because, earlier in the session, Hurdle made clear that his choices to fill Nicasio's setup role were two veterans, Daniel Hudson and George Kontos, as well as one rookie, Dovydas Neverauskas, but with an emphasis on Kontos once he returns from a groin injury in a week or so.

The other reason I asked: John Jaso and Chris Stewart will start tonight vs. the Reds, rather than available younger options.

"I've been in this situation before, in Colorado," Hurdle replied. "And I think what's important is that we stay focused on what we need to do down here as a group."

He was referring to field level, as opposed to the front office, which is on the fourth floor of the team's headquarters on Federal Street.

"Nicasio's not here," he continued, looking at me with eyes wide open. "So we need to find some answers moving forward. We'd like to help Hudson get a foothold this last month of the season, what he can do moving into next year."

Hudson, 30, one of Huntington's most expensive mistakes this year as a two-year, $11 million free-agent signing, has a 4.70 ERA and 1.43 WHIP. His contract is guaranteed through 2018. Nicasio's expires after this season.

"We'd like to look at Neverauskas," Hurdle continued. "There might be a couple other pitchers we look at once Indianapolis' playoff season ends. Kontos is a real guy, as well. We have his services next year, too. He pitched really well for us in the eighth inning a couple of times before getting hurt."

Kontos, 32, is making $1.75 million this year, with two years of arbitration eligibility left despite his advanced age for that status.

"So, yes, that's the way I look it," Hurdle concluded his answer.