The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced that General Manager Dave Littlefield has been relieved of his duties effective immediately. Pirates Senior Director of Player Development Brian Graham will serve as interim General Manager until a permanent replacement is found. Pirates Chairman of the Board, Bob Nutting, announced his decision today after a thorough review of the organization since taking control of the organization in January. ?After eight months of listening and analyzing the situation, it has become clear that this decision was necessary to move our organization forward,? said Nutting. ?While there are many bright spots for us to build from, I am not satisfied with the overall performance and progress that has been made. I?m committed to building a successful organization and this is an important step in that process.?