Pirates part ways with team president Coonelly

The Pittsburgh Pirates are parting ways with team president Frank Coonelly and have already decided on his replacement, the team announced Wednesday.

The decision is said to be mutual, with both sides stating that new leadership is required.

"I have a great deal of respect and appreciation for Frank," Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said in the club's release. "I will forever be grateful for his tireless work ethic on behalf of the organization, as well as his and his family's commitment to making a positive impact in our community.

"Frank and I both agreed that it was clear a change in the day-to-day leadership of the club is needed. This leadership transition gives us the opportunity to refresh our entire organization. Internally, the organization is energized as we prepare to introduce our new president on Monday, while we continue to work to identify a new field manager and build our coaching staff."

Coonelly, who spent 12 years with the franchise, added that he believes a change is needed.

"As we worked through a comprehensive assessment of everything that we do, I undertook an honest self-evaluation," Coonelly said. "While not an easy conclusion to reach, I ultimately decided that the best interests of the Pirates would be served if the club had a new leader who would bring new ideas and a new direction."

The Pirates will hire former Pittsburgh Penguins executive Travis Williams as their next president, sources told Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The 2019 season was a trying one for the Pirates, as it included clubhouse altercations, poor on-field performances, and the arrest of closer Felipe Vazquez on sex crime charges.

The tumultuous campaign, which saw the Pirates finish last in the NL Central with a 69-93 record, cost skipper Clint Hurdle his job at the end of September. The organization has not yet hired a new manager.