And so the transition period continues.

On Monday, the Pirates new front-office tandem,… And so the transition period continues.

On Monday, the Pirates new front-office tandem, team president Frank Coonelly and general manager Neal Huntington, announced their choice for the Pirates’ vacant managerial position: John Russell.

The first thought that crossed your mind, undoubtedly, is a simple one: Who is John Russell?

Russell is an accomplished minor league coach with a reputation as one of the top motivators of young players.

“It’s being a tireless instructor, being a tireless communicator,” Huntington said at the press conference introducing Russell. “It’s holding the staff accountable and the players accountable.”

One would hope that Russell holds everyone accountable, including the front office. If the Pirates want to win, the drafting process must be taken more seriously, the development process must be well rounded and the Major League team cannot be a place where prospects go to die.

Russell said he gets the most out of his players, pushing them to the brink of their potential. As ESPN.com reported, that involves stretching the Pirates’ thin talent pool to the maximum and squeezing out victories any way possible.

The Pirates have 15 losing seasons under their belt and very little talent with which to work. With the current roster, a 16th season is right around the corner.

Now that the front office has so judiciously filled its primary need – a manager – it’s time to fill its roster with a more long-term need – pitching and hitting.

There are a slew of free agents who can help the Pirates. Forget Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte and Tom Glavine. The combined contracts of those three could probably pay for a whole new team.

Instead, the Pirates need to find players who can hit and pitch. The previous philosophy – find a player who can play 12 positions and hit .220 – isn’t working. It never works. So the new guys need to try something different.

Listening to what Russell said yesterday, it doesn’t sound like this new guy is willing to change gears.

Enjoy a 16th-straight losing season. And stick around, the 17th might be just as fun.

Let’s get to the rapid fire: