Back to the Pittsburgh Pirates Newsfeed

Pittsburgh Pirates History: Branch Rickey And Their First Tank

WASHINGTON, DC - UNDATED: Brooklyn Dodgers President Branch Rickey photographed at a Congressional Hearing. (Photo by Sporting News/Sports Studio Photos/Getty Images)

While the term tanking might be more modern, the concept has been around for decades. Today, we’ll take a look at how Branch Rickey impacted the first tank the Pittsburgh Pirates ever executed

Today, you probably hear the terms “tanking” or “rebuilidng” thrown out a lot. It’s the process where a team focuses most of their development of prospects and the farm system. Usually, this also involves poor records, the trading of Major League players for prospects and attempting to get high draft picks.