Since being hired as the new general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates in November, Ben Cherington has been busy making changes to the franchise. These changes started when he hired Derek Shelton as the team’s new manager just before Thanksgiving. By all accounts, the Shelton hire is a strong one.
Shortly thereafter, Cherington hired Steven Sanders to be his assistant GM. Saunders is viewed as a rising star in baseball front office circles. Once again, another strong hire.
This past Friday, Cherington added Oz Ocampo to his scouting department. Ocampo comes to the Pirates from the Houston Astros, who are one of the most successful and best run franchises in baseball.