Countdown to Opening Day: #17 Pittsburgh Pirates

By Andrew Marcus
Sportswriter for Lansdale Reporter

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

#17: Pittsburgh Pirates: Trending toward 2 straight winnings seasons

PROJECTED LINEUP
LF Starling Marte
2B Neil Walker
CF Andrew McCutchen
3B Pedro Alvarez
1B Gaby Sanchez
RF Jose Tabata
C Russell Martin
SS Clint Barmes

PROJECTED ROTATION
Fransico Liriano
Gerrit Cole
Wandy Rodriguez
Charlie Morton
Jeff Locke

PROJECTED BULLPEN

Closer: Jason Grilli

Set-up: Mark Melancon

Top Prospect: Gregory Polanco (OF)

After 20 straight seasons of the Pittsburgh fans wearing paper bags on their head or just flat out not acknowledging there was a Major League Baseball team in town, the Pirates are the new craze. There is a young core group that is just

Andrew McCutchen

getting started in the Steel City and more pieces are on the horizon.
Joining reigning MVP Andrew McCutchen, leadoff hitter Starling Marte, and slugger Pedro Alvarez at PNC are a duo of pitchers that could take this team to the next level. Gerrit Cole and Jameson Tallion have a chance to be special for seasons to come. Top prospect Gregory Polanco makes an exciting trio of outfielders to watch as well.
But the one thing to watch for is a down year after winning 94 games and pushing the St. Louis Cardinals to five games in the playoffs. Making the playoffs is not easy task. Nobody knows that better than the laughing stock the 2000s.
Their aging relievers are a year older, AJ Burnett pitched big innings and is now in Philadelphia, and Francisco Liriano has never put together back-to-back seasons. The Pirates are not going to fall apart in 2014, but whether they make the playoffs or not is not quite a no brainer.

THEY CALL ME MR. SUNSHINE - We saw what it takes for this team to reach the postseason last year. Clutch hitting, timely pitching, and tons of depth. When Grilli goes down and Mark Melancon fills in the closer role without skipping a beat helped the Buccos break the losing skid. This year the Pirates rely on their starting pitching depth with servicable guys like Jameson Tallion, Edinson Volquez, Jeanmar Gomez, and Andy Oliver all rounding out the Triple-A rotation to start the season. They will be needed one point and they, like Melancon last year, will fill in nicely. Jameson Tallion stays up and wins Rookie of the Year.

REAL TALK - I would not be shocked to see the Buccos back in the postseason, but there are 6 or 7

Francisco Liriano

teams that I like a little more. Plus, playing with the target square on your back is no easy task. I cannot trust Liriano to repeat his success from his first season with the Pirates and the offense is still short one more feared hitter in my opinion. If Gregory Polanco comes along or Alvarez cuts down on his strikeouts this team could become very dangerous.

Breakout: Gerrit Cole (RHP)

Bust: Jeff Locke (LHP)

Fantasy Baseball Sleeper: Pedro Alvarez (3B)

LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 94-68 (2nd in NL Central)

PROJECTED 2013 FINISH: 82-80 (3rd in NL Central)

**Check back tomorrow for the Oakland Athletics*