Now just because the NCAA Tournament doesn't pick up again until Thursday, the sports world has not stopped turning. With Pittsburgh Pirates opening day exactly two weeks away, it's a good time to take a look at the season ahead for the Bucs. With a young, unproven roster filled with names we may not recognize, it's really difficult to predict what this year could hold. I hate to be a realist, but the Pirates may not be ready to compete for a championship just yet, however that doesn't mean they aren't poised to finally break the string of losing seasons.
Best Case Scenario: Andrew McCutchen and Big Garrett Jones prove their rookie successes were no fluke and with a full season to play, their numbers only get better. Zach Duke and Paul Maholm finally put it all together and both become reliable pitchers at the top of the rotation, with Ross Ohlendorf, Charlie Morton, and Kevin Hart living up to their potential as well. Bob Nutting finds "You have to spend money to make money." written in a fortune cookie and becomes obsessed with increasing the Pirates' payroll. Ryan Doumit finally avoids injury and Pedro Alvarez wins Rookie of the Year. Final record: 89-73, 2nd place NL Central.
Worst Case Scenario: The Bucs' starters can find the form they've each shown. Ryan Doumit misses half the season and Garrett Jones shows why it took him so long to reach the majors. Bob Nutting's fortune cookie reads "A penny saved is a penny earned.", and he freezes all spending but the bobbleheads, trading McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez for a Single A pitcher with an ERA around 5. "We're looking to build for the future!" he says. Final record: 59-103 with a first round loss in the Little League World Series.
Player to Watch: The Pirates' system is filled with players who could be due for an excellent season. The one I particularly like this year is Charlie Morton. Morton was someone that management raved about after he was acquired from the Braves in the Nate McClouth deal, and he definitely showed some dirty stuff on the mound. Yet he also showed a lot of inconsistency. Some of that, though, could have come from the fact that he was on a brand new team, trying to prove to management that he belonged in the rotation. With a vote of confidence from this coaching staff and a firm spot in the Pirates' rotation, Morton could be ready to put it all together.
Actual Prediction: There is no denying that out of all the Pirates' teams over the past seventeen years, this is the one with the talent to end the streak of losing. The only question is, are they mature enough to do it this year? As mentioned before, this team has a plethora of potential All Stars from the top of the system on down through the minors, yet they may not be ready to breakthrough just yet. The starting rotation will definitely be better this year with experienced guys like Maholm and Duke and pitchers like Ohlendorf, Morton, and Hart, guys who may have some question marks but also have a lot of upside. Although the bullpen is entirely different this year, that doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be bad. Joel Hanrahan is a guy that can really bring it if he can find the strike zone and stay off the DL. Octavio Dotel has proven himself to be a reliable reliever throughout his career. On the offensive side look for McCutchen, Jones, and Doumit to be the stars of the lineup, that is if Doumit can keep himself healthy. I believe Lastings Milledge has finally cleaned up his act and could be poised for a decent system. There are some questions in the infield, without guys like Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson, but Jeff Clement could be the answer at first base, Akinori Iwamura and Ronny Cedeno are, at the very least, good fielders, and Pedro Alvarez should be ready by June if Andy LaRoche can't hold up his end at third. Final record: 82-80, 4th place NL Central. I guess I am, after all, an optimist.
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