BRADENTON, Fla. -- With Spring Training in full swing, Frank Coonelly stepped outside the Pirate City clubhouse on Sunday and delivered a "State of the Pirates" address in time for Presidents Day.
Since taking over as club president in September 2007, Coonelly has worked to make the Pirates competitive on the field -- in the present and future -- while increasing their efforts to make a difference off the field. After three straight winning seasons and trips to the postseason, Coonelly shared in fans' disappointment about the step backward in an 83-loss 2016 campaign.
MLB.com asked Coonelly to deliver three main messages to Pirates fans about the state of the 2017 team, the club's long-term future and their work in the community.