High Expectations for 2013

High Expectations

Most of the time when you are talking about streaks you are talking about good streaks.  This streak is about as far from good, though, as you can get.  It is not good for the Pirates, not good for Pittsburgh, and not good for baseball.  But, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel, a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, and so forth.  The Pirates, with their current lineup, have been gaining in the win column and losing in the loss column.  2 years ago they had a year that made people think that strides were being made.  The first half made Pirates Nation think Neil Huntington’s plan was taking shape.

Unfortunately, the second half came to a screeching post all star break crash.  Last year, the high point was August 8, game 110.  The Pirates were 63-47 and 2.5 games behind the NL Central leader.  The prospect of ending the streak was looking good.  Sixteen games over .500 with 52 left, made Pirate Nation believe this was the end of the losing and beginning to a new era.  But once again they were in for another colossal fall.  Injuries happened, pitching could not continue the strong beginning and despite improved offense, it could not keep up with the failing pitching.  The decline gained steam and the Pirates ended up at 79-83, again falling short of that magic number of 83.

What went right in 2012?

Two names stood out last season.  One is unmistakably the star of the team and the key to the near future of the team.  Anyone that is a Pirates fan knows who I’m talking about, Andrew McCutchen.

McCutchen’s star has been rising since he came up to the big leagues, make that since he was drafted by the Pirates, but last year he took it to a new level.  If not for the second guy to be named I would say he carried the team.  Undoubtedly, he caused them to rise to levels that weren’t expected and not known to recent Pirate teams.  To say he was hot was an understatement.  At the height of the Pirates season he was considered an MVP candidate, I would say the leading candidate.   Unfortunately, he could not keep up the torrid pace that he had set and came back to earth.  When I say he came back to earth, I mean he was playing better than most.  He just couldn’t keep up the MVP numbers he had been putting up.  A wrist injury caused by, what else, an all out effort to make a catch may have been what caused his offense to diminish.  He reached a high average of .374 on July 17 and finished with a .327 average.  Not too shabby.  I have a feeling even better things are coming this year, and that MVP may not be able to escape his grasp this time.  He will most certainly be a preseason favorite for the NL MVP this year.  Count on it.

As much as Andrew McCutchen brought to the table last year another new addition was quite important also.  Neil Huntington had the opportunity to pick up an ace pitcher that had been to the World Series and was affordable to the Pirates.  One of the biggest moves he has made as a GM was to acquire A.J. Burnett.

After a tumultuous stint with the Yankees, they were willing to pay another team part of his salary to remove him from their roster.  Maybe he didn’t like the overwhelming attention NY fans give their players or didn’t pitch up to NY expectations for some other reason.  He had no problem pitching for the Pirates last year, though.  After a slow start due to injury he stabilized a group of pitchers that had not tasted much consistency.  He became the stopper for the team and he consistently frustrated other teams, including the Yankees who were paying for him to play for the Pirates and would have gladly taken pitching outings like the ones he was turning in for the Pirates.

Another surprise performance last year was turned in by James McDonald and possibly this performance had something to do with the acquisition of Burnett.  McDonald had whetted the appetites of the Pirates and their fans at times since being picked up from the Dodgers, but again, consistency was sorely lacking from his repertoire.  Somehow he managed to put it all together in the first half of the season and, along with Burnett, pitched like a staff ace.  Once again, contributing to the second half demise, he could not repeat his first half performance in the second half. 

Other Stories

There were other stories of 2012.  The Pirates locked up Jose Tabata with the hope that he would be a part of a core of young players to take them back to respectability.   Tabata didn’t perform up to expectations and was eventually sent down to AAA to regain his confidence.  The Pirates annual attempt at a solution to the catcher position was Rod Barajas.  Barajas eventually started hitting home runs, but his average was miserable from the beginning and so was his ability to throw out runners attempting to steal.   Pedro Avarez started off slowly, but put up some numbers that are cause for optimism that he will break out as a premiere slugger.  

These, and many other stories led to the failure of the Pirates to overcome the .500 mark.  So, again the Pirates will make an attempt to end the string of losing seasons.

Room for Improvement

What have the Pirates done to improve their chances this season.   They have brought up and in a few new position players.  Gaby Sanchez was brought in at the end of last year as a reclamation project to share time at first base with Garrett Jones and provide some power from the right side of the plate.  Travis Snider was brought in to compete for an outfield spot.  Starling Marte, has grown up in the Pirates farm system, came in last year with a homer in his first at bat, and is expected to be a star on the team.  

Russell Martin will continue the annual attempt at finding a decent catcher until Tony Sanchez can prove he’s ready to take over.  Andrew McCutchen can provided the defense that will make up for many mistakes by the pitching and infielders as will Starling Marte once he becomes a fixture and accustomed to the territory he needs to cover in left field.

Help from Latin America

The farm system seems to be improving and providing talent for the major league team.  Rene Gayo has improved the Latin American System.  Starling Marte will be the poster boy for that system along with a few more projected to be in the lineup by 2015-2016, Alen Hanson and Luis Heredia.

A huge question mark this year will continue to be the depth of the pitching staff.  Kevin Correia and Erik Bedard did not work to plug the holes last year, so it was time to bring in a few more potential starters.

Who’s it going to be this year?

A.J. Burnett, James McDonald, and Wandy Rodriquez are set as the top 3.  Burnett proved himself last year and the hope is that he will continue what he started.  He finished 16-10 and was dominant most of the year.  James McDonald was unhittable for most of the first half of last season then faltered in the second half.  He still finished 12-8, allowing for a formidable 1-2 punch with Burnett.  Wandy Rodriguez managed to finish 2012 with a 12-13 record despite playing most of the season for the worst team in baseball, Houston.  He also dominated his starts in the World Baseball Classic, leading the Dominican Republic to the Championship.  After that it’s a bit murky.  Ideally Jeff Karstens and Charlie Morton would be numbers 4 and 5.  But Karstens, an effective starter when healthy, has had health issues throughout his tenure with the Pirates.  He has been shut down several times and that will not help the Pirates cause.  Charlie Morton may be an option at some time this year, but will doubtfully contribute much due to his recovery from Tommy John Surgery.  Karstens will probably end up in the rotation, and Francisco Liriano or Jeff Locke who spent part of last year on the roster will end up number 5.  Two more players may play a big part in the rotation also.  They are Gerrit Cole 

and Jameson Taillon.  

They are prospect number 1 and number 2 for the Pirates and they may arrive this season.  That would result in some power pitching added to the rotation.  But,  rarely do rookies make a huge difference in their first year.

The Pen

The bullpen is also a big question mark, especially with the trade of Joel Hanrahan.  Jason Grilli will take over as the closer and Mark Melancon will slide in as the set up man.  After that it’s all wait and see to find out what they have in relief. 

To sum it up

The Pirates are maturing.  The core of Andrew McCutchen, The Pittsburgh boy Neil Walker, and Pedro Alvarez will have high expectations heaped upon them.  

New kids on the block Starling Marte, Gaby Sanchez, Travis Snider, and Russell Martin need to perform up to their anticipated talent level and the pitching needs to fall into place.  If all that happens the Pirates will have a winning season and possibly more.  If not there’s always next year, we all know that.

Go Buccos!