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| Andrew McCutchen is the superstar that Pittsburgh has craved since losing Barry Bonds. The difference: Andrew McCutchen is more concerned with winning |
The Pirates did the smartest thing they could do this offseason and locked up Andrew McCutchen to a long term deal.
They also did one of the dumbest things they could do in acquiring A.J. Burnett.
After summing up Pittsburgh's offseason in a nutshell, I will say that they got their first taste of important baseball in a long time. With the exception of the last week of the season, the Pirates played the most important series in baseball in 2012. This series was marked by this call that quite frankly, pisses me off to watch. Pittsburgh's season was all downhill from there. Milwaukee won the division and St. Louis overtook Atlanta for the wild card on the final week. Pittsburgh finished with 72 wins and 4th Place.
Last season showed me that the Pirates have potential and a whole lot of growing up to do. This year, the Pirates have a mix of the kids that got their first taste of big baseball in 2011 and journeymen with a chip on their shoulder. They also have a lot of kids in the cupboard waiting to get their chance at the show. These are all ingredients for the Pirates to make noise. Noise is a lot better than winning 58 games like they did in 2010. Noise is what they made in 2011. Noise, however, does not translate into division championships, pennants and World Series titles.
This is all that Pittsburgh will amount to this season. Noise.
However, Pittsburgh will have their day. The Pirates and the Nationals are this decades buzz teams in the NL. These are the Pirates of Clint Hurdle and Andrew McCutchen and their Pirates will go to the playoffs. Just not this year.
P.S. I have to laugh at the projection of Jason Grilli on a major league roster.
X-FACTORS:
Lineup: 3B Pedro Alverez. Disappointing does not even begin to describe this man's 2011 campaign. For one more season, I beg of you to watch this kid break out.
Rotation: Erik Bedard. If he can be anything like he was in Baltimore for the whole season, and he showed flashes of this in 24 starts last season, he will make Pittsburgh's rotation as solid as it has been in a long time.
Bullpen: Chris Resop. He is projected as the primary setup men for Joel Hanrahan and must improve if he wants to shore up the 8th inning for the Bucs. He brings with him the power of K's.
The Kids: OF Jose Tabata. Another young Pirate who was projected to break out in 2011. He needs to stay healthy and get the experience of a full season in 2012.
ROYAL LIST:
#12 RHP Gerrit Cole: When you are building a winner in a small market, it always helps to have a #1 overall pick in your farm system.
#15 RHP Jameson Taillon: Having two Righty Arms in the Top 15 of the Top 100 prospects list is an indicator of future success.
#60 OF Josh Bell: Risk on Josh "Don't Draft Me" Bell may just pay off for Pirates.
#73 OF Starling Marte: 2013 will be the Year of the Starling. Of course Bubba will have a lot to do with that as well.
PROJECTION: 4th Place NL Central
-Like I said, they will make noise. This team does not look to be at the level of Milwaukee, Cincy or St. Louis. They are also the only one of those four teams without playoff experience. That usually helps in August and September.
They also did one of the dumbest things they could do in acquiring A.J. Burnett.
After summing up Pittsburgh's offseason in a nutshell, I will say that they got their first taste of important baseball in a long time. With the exception of the last week of the season, the Pirates played the most important series in baseball in 2012. This series was marked by this call that quite frankly, pisses me off to watch. Pittsburgh's season was all downhill from there. Milwaukee won the division and St. Louis overtook Atlanta for the wild card on the final week. Pittsburgh finished with 72 wins and 4th Place.
Last season showed me that the Pirates have potential and a whole lot of growing up to do. This year, the Pirates have a mix of the kids that got their first taste of big baseball in 2011 and journeymen with a chip on their shoulder. They also have a lot of kids in the cupboard waiting to get their chance at the show. These are all ingredients for the Pirates to make noise. Noise is a lot better than winning 58 games like they did in 2010. Noise is what they made in 2011. Noise, however, does not translate into division championships, pennants and World Series titles.
This is all that Pittsburgh will amount to this season. Noise.
However, Pittsburgh will have their day. The Pirates and the Nationals are this decades buzz teams in the NL. These are the Pirates of Clint Hurdle and Andrew McCutchen and their Pirates will go to the playoffs. Just not this year.
P.S. I have to laugh at the projection of Jason Grilli on a major league roster.
X-FACTORS:
Lineup: 3B Pedro Alverez. Disappointing does not even begin to describe this man's 2011 campaign. For one more season, I beg of you to watch this kid break out.
Rotation: Erik Bedard. If he can be anything like he was in Baltimore for the whole season, and he showed flashes of this in 24 starts last season, he will make Pittsburgh's rotation as solid as it has been in a long time.
Bullpen: Chris Resop. He is projected as the primary setup men for Joel Hanrahan and must improve if he wants to shore up the 8th inning for the Bucs. He brings with him the power of K's.
The Kids: OF Jose Tabata. Another young Pirate who was projected to break out in 2011. He needs to stay healthy and get the experience of a full season in 2012.
ROYAL LIST:
#12 RHP Gerrit Cole: When you are building a winner in a small market, it always helps to have a #1 overall pick in your farm system.
#15 RHP Jameson Taillon: Having two Righty Arms in the Top 15 of the Top 100 prospects list is an indicator of future success.
#60 OF Josh Bell: Risk on Josh "Don't Draft Me" Bell may just pay off for Pirates.
#73 OF Starling Marte: 2013 will be the Year of the Starling. Of course Bubba will have a lot to do with that as well.
PROJECTION: 4th Place NL Central
-Like I said, they will make noise. This team does not look to be at the level of Milwaukee, Cincy or St. Louis. They are also the only one of those four teams without playoff experience. That usually helps in August and September.
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