There are a lot of annoying things about baseball. Umpires getting calls wrong, players inexplicably making stupid decisions, pitchers saying they will sign with one team then signing with another, to name a few. Those three examples are all part of the game, though. They are all pieces in the puzzle that, when put together, makes the game we love. The only thing I truly cannot stand in baseball is the fans' obsession over predicting things. We sit, on this February 16th, forty-two days out from opening day. All you can hear is people rambling on about how the Pirates will or won't make the playoffs, or whether the front office blew it, or whether the sky will fall. Nothing but gloom surrounds the Pirates, on the day before Spring Training. I can't stand it. Since when have preseason predictions been anywhere near accurate? Last year, almost every expert picked the Pirates to finish below .500 for the twenty-first consecutive season. And, guess what? They not only achieved eighty-two wins, they racked up ninety-four exciting, heart-pounding, unbelievable wins. So you can keep your predictions. I'd rather just enjoy the season as it comes to me, instead of insisting on trying to rush through it.
Keeping in the optimistic mood, I have a few reasons to believe that the Pirates can repeat their success of 2013. Here are some of them.
Pitching Won't Miss A Beat - Many are looking at the Pirates' pitching staff and wondering "how have they improved?". While that is a hard question to answer, it is also hard to find a place in which it has declined. The only departure was made by an aging AJ Burnett. His loss will be felt, no doubt, but I think his spot will be filled by the aspiring Jeff Locke, or the phenom Jameson Taillon. The rest of the staff looks solid. Francisco Liriano is coming off of a dominant season, and, while an identical repeat would be a lot to ask, it seems reasonable to expect a solid season from Frankie. Gerrit Cole is poised to become a dominant pitcher in the league. He developed over the course of last season, complimenting his 100 mph fastball with an effective curve. Wandy Rodriguez reported yesterday that he threw a bullpen session with no pain in his previously injured forearm. While these injuries can be unpredictable, if all goes well, we could be seeing good old efficient Wandy back on the mound this April or May. Charlie Morton was lights out after returning to the rotation in June, combining his ground-ball inducing sinker with a swing-and-miss curveball. The fifth spot has a bit of uncertainty to it. The Bucs signed Edinson Volquez to fill it, but I really don't like his chances. I'd rather see Jeff Locke or even Brandon Cumpton get a shot, they are two guys who showed promise last year (especially Locke). Jameson Taillon is the next Pirates prospect who is waiting to burst onto the scene, and probably will do so in June. I'm finding it hard to not feel good about this rotation.
Hitting Can Hold Down The Fort - Last year, the Pirates succeeded by having their pitchers shut the opposition down, while their hitters got just enough to win. I firmly believe that we have the pieces on offense to "hold down the fort", and maybe more. Yes, I know we are lacking a first baseman. We also lacked one last year. Obviously, reigning NL MVP Andrew McCutchen leads the charge. There's no reason not to expect another big year at the plate for Cutch. I personally am really excited to watch Starling Marte this year. We got to see some of his incredible raw talent in the first half of last year, but he declined a bit because of injury. I wouldn't be shocked if he put up a monster season this year. Pedro Alvarez can be frustrating at the plate, with his lack of discipline, but as long as a sends thirty balls over the fence, who are we to complain? Of course, it would be nice if he could raise his average twenty points (to a whopping .260). If Neil Walker can get his consistency back, and Jordy Mercer and Russell Martin can chip in a big hit once in a while, this offense might just do the job. And, hey, there's no rule that says Gaby Sanchez isn't allowed to get hits (although you might think so based on what people are saying around here).
Why Not? - My biggest question to all the doubters is why not? Why should it not be us? Let's assume that St. Louis, LA, and Atlanta will win their respective divisions. That leaves the Buccos, the Reds, the Nationals, the D-backs, and all the bottom-dwellers to contend for the final two playoff spots. Is it so ridiculous that the Pirates would end up in the top two of that list? I don't think so.
