Post by #1 Jays Fan on Mar 27, 2008 18:10:27 GMT -5
Last season: 68-94
6th in N.L. Central
Manager: John Russell, 1st Major League season
New faces: RHP Hector Carrasco, RHP Elmer Dessens, LHP Casey Fossum, IF Chris Gomez, RHP Byung-Hyun Kim, 1B Doug Mientkiewicz, IF Luis Rivas, RHP Ty Taubenheim, IF Jorge Velandia, RHP Jaret Wright
Left town: RHP Tony Armas (NYM), 3B Jose Castillo (FLA), RHP Shawn Chacon (HOU), C Humberto Cota (WSH), 1B Brad Eldred (CWS), IF Cesar Izturis (STL), IF Matt Kata (COL), IF/OF Don Kelly (ARI), RHP Dan Kolb (BOS), 1B/C Josh Phelps (STL), RHP Salomon Torres (MIL), RHP John Wasdin (STL)
Overview: It's 15 seasons and counting since the Pirates last finished above .500, one short of the Major League record set by the 1933-48 Philadelphia Phillies. And this season looks like the same old, same old for this once-proud franchise. The entire baseball operations department has been replaced, and first time Major League manager John Russell becomes the fifth skipper for the Pirates since this streak began with not much to work with. Ten different free agents were brought in this spring, none of any significance. The Pirates have some good young pitching that will be forced to suck up the losses and hope to learn from the negative experience. They don't pitch, they don't hit and their best hitter over the last few years, Jason Bay, is trying to talk his way out of town.
Stat to ponder: Not all the offensive shortcomings of this team should fall on the broad shoulders of Canadian Bay, but he only hit three home runs in his final 139 at-bats. The team went 15-21 over that span. Top prospect: OF Andrew McCutchen. Started off slowly last season in Double-AA but came on in the second half. When he finally gets his fundamentals at the plate together, he projects to be a 30+ HR guy. His defence is ahead of his offence but he's already good enough to play in Pittsburgh.
Hitting
2007 AVG (RANK): .263 (20th), RUNS/GAME: 4.47 (23rd), HR: 148 (22nd) (2nd)
The numbers don't lie. The Pirates finished in the bottom third of almost every meaningful offensive category last season and it should be more of the same this season. Any rebuilding club that brings in the likes of Doug Mientkiewicz and Luis Rivas to compete for spring jobs can't realistically expect any type of improvement. But they do have some bats coming, although they are a couple of years away. Their years of last place finishes has led to high draft picks, so the likes of RF Steve Pearce and 3B Neil Walker will hopefully arrive to stop their losing ways in the near future. As for this season, nothing good appears to be in the offing.
Pitching
2007 ERA (RANK): 4.93 (26th), OPP AVG: .288 (29th)
This is where the Pirates do have some upside. Four members of their projected rotation are 26 years of age or under and two of them - Ian Snell and Tom Gorzelanny - had ERAs under four last season. Veteran Matt Morris rounds out the rotation and will be expected to eat up innings, and help nurture the youngsters that surround him. 24-year old right-hander Matt Capps had 18 saves in 20 opportunities and a 2.28 ERA after taking over the closers role in June and impressed with his ability to throw strikes. A grand total of 38 pitchers came to spring camp in hopes of landing a job, including eight who have Major League experience. There's got to be lightning in a bottle in there somewhere,
Statsman's non-binding prediction: Last place in the Central for the third time in the last four seasons. They have holes in every part of their game.
6th in N.L. Central
Manager: John Russell, 1st Major League season
New faces: RHP Hector Carrasco, RHP Elmer Dessens, LHP Casey Fossum, IF Chris Gomez, RHP Byung-Hyun Kim, 1B Doug Mientkiewicz, IF Luis Rivas, RHP Ty Taubenheim, IF Jorge Velandia, RHP Jaret Wright
Left town: RHP Tony Armas (NYM), 3B Jose Castillo (FLA), RHP Shawn Chacon (HOU), C Humberto Cota (WSH), 1B Brad Eldred (CWS), IF Cesar Izturis (STL), IF Matt Kata (COL), IF/OF Don Kelly (ARI), RHP Dan Kolb (BOS), 1B/C Josh Phelps (STL), RHP Salomon Torres (MIL), RHP John Wasdin (STL)
Overview: It's 15 seasons and counting since the Pirates last finished above .500, one short of the Major League record set by the 1933-48 Philadelphia Phillies. And this season looks like the same old, same old for this once-proud franchise. The entire baseball operations department has been replaced, and first time Major League manager John Russell becomes the fifth skipper for the Pirates since this streak began with not much to work with. Ten different free agents were brought in this spring, none of any significance. The Pirates have some good young pitching that will be forced to suck up the losses and hope to learn from the negative experience. They don't pitch, they don't hit and their best hitter over the last few years, Jason Bay, is trying to talk his way out of town.
Stat to ponder: Not all the offensive shortcomings of this team should fall on the broad shoulders of Canadian Bay, but he only hit three home runs in his final 139 at-bats. The team went 15-21 over that span. Top prospect: OF Andrew McCutchen. Started off slowly last season in Double-AA but came on in the second half. When he finally gets his fundamentals at the plate together, he projects to be a 30+ HR guy. His defence is ahead of his offence but he's already good enough to play in Pittsburgh.
Hitting
2007 AVG (RANK): .263 (20th), RUNS/GAME: 4.47 (23rd), HR: 148 (22nd) (2nd)
The numbers don't lie. The Pirates finished in the bottom third of almost every meaningful offensive category last season and it should be more of the same this season. Any rebuilding club that brings in the likes of Doug Mientkiewicz and Luis Rivas to compete for spring jobs can't realistically expect any type of improvement. But they do have some bats coming, although they are a couple of years away. Their years of last place finishes has led to high draft picks, so the likes of RF Steve Pearce and 3B Neil Walker will hopefully arrive to stop their losing ways in the near future. As for this season, nothing good appears to be in the offing.
Pitching
2007 ERA (RANK): 4.93 (26th), OPP AVG: .288 (29th)
This is where the Pirates do have some upside. Four members of their projected rotation are 26 years of age or under and two of them - Ian Snell and Tom Gorzelanny - had ERAs under four last season. Veteran Matt Morris rounds out the rotation and will be expected to eat up innings, and help nurture the youngsters that surround him. 24-year old right-hander Matt Capps had 18 saves in 20 opportunities and a 2.28 ERA after taking over the closers role in June and impressed with his ability to throw strikes. A grand total of 38 pitchers came to spring camp in hopes of landing a job, including eight who have Major League experience. There's got to be lightning in a bottle in there somewhere,
Statsman's non-binding prediction: Last place in the Central for the third time in the last four seasons. They have holes in every part of their game.
