Odds and Sods

The Pirates finished an abysmal 67-95 in 2006, the latest in what has been a putrid stretch for the franchise (though they did finish 37-35 down the stretch). It was their 7th straight season finishing 4th or lower in the NL Central. They have not finished above .500 since 1992 when they won 96 games and lost to the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS. They builts a new state of the art ballpark, and now they hope to field a team to be worthy of it.

Starting Pitching

The Pirates’ rotation is young, but looks promising. Zach Duke and Ian Snell both got a full season under their belts last year, and the club will hope they can continue toward developing into top of the rotation material. Youngsters Paul Maholm and Tom Gorzelanny will also look to be in the rotation, with veterans Tony Armas and Shawn Chacon duking it out for the last spot.

If their young pitchers can emerge, Pittsburgh’s rotation could be a force with which to be reckoned. However, they lack the savvy veteran figure, like a Kenny Rogers, to maintain stability and lead the youngsters could be detrimental to their development.

Bullpen

The pen should prove to be a strength for the team, as it was for last year’s team. Soloman Torres was excellent as a fill-in closer late in the year after Mike Gonzalez went down with injury, and looks capable of taking over permanently. Youngster Matt Capps and the lefty combo of Damaso Marte and John Grabow give the team more options, making this a talented and deep bullpen.

Lineup

Jason Bay has emerged as one of the premier sluggers in the game, last year was his second consecutive year finishing with over 30 HRs and above 100 RBI’s. The free agent signing of Adam LaRoche gives the Pirates another power threat, as he hit over 30 HRs in 2006 as well. They have players like Paulino, Freddy Sanchez, Jack Wilson, and Xavier Nady who can put the ball in play. This should be a fairly decent lineup.

The Scuttlebutt

The new ownership shouldn’t prove much of a turnover, as Robert Nutting was part of the group that bought the Pirates in 1996 and has served as chairman of the board since 2003. The story should be the development of this young team, the first sign of hope for this franchise since Barry Bonds left.

Outlook:Promising (Down the Road)

The Pirates, for once, have a decent bullpen and a major-league caliber lineup. However, their starting pitching will most likely prevent them from being a force this season. They have a lot of talent, but also a lot of inexperience. Like the Tigers, it may take a few years under their belt and the addition of a veteran before this rotation becomes a force. They won’t be the doormat of years past, but it is hard to see them as a serious contender this season.