Today, the Pirates fired John Russell:
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for JR, both personally and professionally,” Huntington said. "He took on a difficult challenge, overseeing a major overhaul in the makeup of our team.
“JR is a quality baseball man and a good friend. He put his heart and soul into this difficult challenge and was tremendously committed to the organization and the plan we implemented three years ago. JR provided a positive environment for our young players, all of whom have grown as men and baseball players under his stewardship.
“But, in the end, we decided that new leadership in the clubhouse would give us the best opportunity to move this major league team forward.”
GM Neal Huntington was retained and made the announcement. The team’s search for a manager will begin immediately.