2012 payroll: $61 million
2012 finish: Fourth Place, NL Central
2013 Outlook
Payroll: $66 million
Predicted record: 80-82
Offseason Action The Pittsburgh Pirates were only two and a half games out of first place in early August last season. After 19 consecutive losing seasons, it seemed as though not only would the Pirates have a winning record, but even make the playoffs. Andrew McCutchen was the odds on favorite for MVP and Clint Hurdle was in the running for manager of the year. James Mcdonald and AJ Burnett were leading a surprisingly impressive pitching staff. The Pirates even messed with the baseball Gods by selling front row playoff tickets in early August.
Don't mess with the baseball Gods.
After 17 inning loss just like last season, which drained their energy for that road trip, the Pirates finished the season losing 36 of their last 52 games. This late-season meltdown led to the Pirates 20th consecutive losing season in a row, the longest streak in North American professional sports. And by the way they clinched the losing record on September 28 when Homer Bailey no hit them, on fan appreciation night. Don't mess with the baseball Gods.
Andrew McCutchen was a stud last year and while still carrying the load the first half of the season, guys like Neil Walker and Pedro Alveraz stepped up and contributed too. But as McCutchen faded so did the rest of the lineup, and the pitching staff for that matter.
General Manager also decided to part ways with all-star closer Joel Hanrahan by trading him to the Red Sox for prospects and organizational stability. Huntington inked starter Francisco Liriano to a two year deal. Liriano is 11 games under .500 and has a 4.85 ERA since 2009.
Reality Check Last year was tragic for the Pirates. They had all of the momentum, pieces, and buzz to finish the season strong and atleast give their fanbase some hope. But just as McCutchen's production started to fall in August, so did the team's performance. The starters had their worst month in August, and once they did well again the bullpen had its worst month in September, all the while the offense is hitting .227.
The big-league roster has talent and promise. McCutchen is 26. Third baseman Pedro Alvarez, who hit 30 home runs, is 25. Second baseman Neil Walker is 27. Left fielder Starling Marte is 24. Jerry Sands, who arrived in the Hanrahan trade and hit at least 26 home runs in three different minor-league seasons, is 25.
The offense may not blow anyone away. But if Alvarez has begun to find himself at the plate, the middle of the lineup – with McCutchen and Garrett Jones – will be more consistent. The leadoff position, which saw eight different men and was every bit the problem that would suggest, has not been solved. (Only the Miami Marlins scored fewer runs out of the leadoff spot.) Marte finished the season there and posted a .320 on-base percentage.
AJ Burnett seemed to find himself last season after leaving the pressures of New York, posting a 16-10 record with a 3.51 ERA. If James Mcdonald can pitch like he did in the first half of last season, and the rest of the rotation including Rodriguez can hold up then maybe the Pirates can have a winning record. But most likely not this season.
Savior
After all, Gerrit Cole is just 22. He's played a single professional season and made a single Triple-A start.
But the Pirates need to pitch. From the first inning to the ninth they need to pitch, and from April to September, yeah, pitch.
Cole was the first overall pick in the '11 draft. He possesses a fastball that threatens triple digits, a swing-and-miss slider, near-Strasburg expectations and an arrival date of 2013. If Cole doesn't make the rotation out of camp, it won't be long after that.
-Wyatt Smith, Sports Editor, Clickege Media, Inc.
-Wyatt Smith, Sports Editor, Clickege Media, Inc.
