Neal Huntington's top lieutenants responsible for minor-league player development were fired Friday, sources told DKPittsburghSports.com.
The team officially announced the firing of Kyle Stark, Huntington's assistant GM and right-hand man for his full dozen-year tenure, but sources further told our site that Larry Broadway, the minor-league director, also was fired. There was no immediate word on the statuses of scouting director Joe Delli Carri and others at that level of Huntington's front office.
New team president Travis Williams made the Stark announcement.
“On behalf of the organization, I want to thank Kyle for his hard work and dedication for more than a decade of his career,” Williams said. “He was a key part of the baseball operations team that helped bring Postseason baseball back to Pittsburgh. We wish him and his family the best.”
Stark just completed his eighth season as assistant general manger after spending four years (2008-2011) as the Pirates director of player development. He provided recommendations to Huntington for personnel, strategy and decision making for the baseball operations department. He was one of Huntington's first hires in November 2007.
Stark will be remembered, in part, as the architect of the Pirates' militaristic developmental program -- which became known publicly by the 'Hoka Hey' moniker after one of the many absurdities attached to it.
The move was expected as the Pirates continue to clean house this offseason. A theme of that house cleaning has been to delay firing someone until their new boss is in place, much like how Bob Nutting waited until Williams was hired before they dismissed Huntington in late October.
More firings, departures and restructuring within the front office is expected once incoming general manager Ben Cherington officially takes over.
