In all likelihood, the Pirates won’t make the playoffs. They probably won’t have a winning season. Does that mean they aren’t worth watching? The answer is maybe. It all depends on your outlook. If you are a pessimist and are likely to post your frustrations in the comments section of your favorite social media outlet, this year may not be for you. If you can get past their record and focus on any progress being made because you believe there is a light at the end of the tunnel, this season is for you.
When the team breaks camp and heads north to start their season in Chicago on April 1, the roster won’t be void of talent. There is plenty of potential there. The Pirates are a bunch of “what ifs?” It was their identity from 1993-2012. It went away for a little bit, but resurfaced in 2016 and has been there since. The difference between those teams and the one taking the field on 4/1 is the all around potential talent. Here’s what we might see. Some of it is dreaming. Hopefully, some become reality.
The Likely
Ke’Bryan Hayes is poised to be in the running for the NL Rookie of the Year and a gold glove at 3rd. He hasn’t missed a beat this spring and looks just as good as he did in his debut last year. That’s a pretty nice thing to look at as “likely.”
A strong bullpen is a necessity for the Pirates to possibly have success and they seem to have it in place. From Richard Rodriguez to Chris Stratton to David Bednar, the Pirates have a nice mix of arms. It can be even better if Michael Feliz finally gets it together or Kyle Crick can return to 2018 form. It will be disappointing if that doesn’t happen, but it won’t be the end of the world. There are others waiting in the wings like Clay Holmes and Edgar Santana. They also come with their own set of “ifs.” Others like Geoff Hartlieb, Duane Underwood Jr., and Sam Howard should also contribute. All have seen solid results this spring.
The Possibly
Gregory Polanco is hammering the ball this spring. Every ball he makes contact with seems to be scorched. Polanco has always had the ability to be a 30+ home run guy. The Pirates and their fans would love to finally see that guy come out. I think everyone would even settle to just see him stay on the field and just be consistent. Known to experience peaks and valleys, Polanco needs to make those valleys not last as long.
Bryan Reynolds, Kevin Newman, and Adam Frazier are all having great springs. All three could be regaining their 2019 form or possibly getting better. If that happens and is combined with Polanco and Hayes hitting, this offense immediately becomes formidable.
Anthony Alford has locked down the CF spot with a solid spring. Long considered a top prospect, Alford hasn’t put it together in the big leagues yet. A lot of that was due to injuries. If Alford produces like he has this spring and stays healthy, he could be well on his way to finally coming close to reaching the level of play scouts once thought he would attain.
The Big “Ifs“
Colin Moran is a question mark. He hasn’t looked great this spring. He hasn’t looked terrible either. That has been the definition of Moran since arriving in Pittsburgh. He falls into the same category as Alford. Both were highly regarded prospects. The difference is that Moran has been given significantly more opportunities to prove himself. Last season, the power showed up some, but with the short season leaves us wondering if it can pan out over a full season. He does make the Pirates better defensively at first. If that power can be sustained over the entire season, the offense takes yet another jump forward.
Jacob Stallings is great defensively. There’s no denying that he is vital to the development of the young pitching staff. Where he is lacking is his offensive production. It has been fine overall, but there is always the concern it will regress. All Stallings has to do is be the same as last year. Any offensive improvement would be amazing.
The biggest question mark is the starting rotation. The Pirates need a lot to go right here if they want to have success this year and beyond. Mitch Keller is having a rough spring, but still has the best stuff on the staff. Chad Kuhl is pitching like he did last year, which is encouraging. Steven Brault is out for a few months. Hopefully, he can come right and pitch like he did last year. Offseason signing Tyler Anderson has been solid. JT Brubaker has been shaky up until his last start. Wil Crowe looks good, but is unproven. Trevor Cahill is still being stretched out after a late arrival to camp. There are some young arms who will be up in the mix at some point like Miguel Yajure, Cody Bolton, and Cody Ponce. Chase De Jong is another guy who could contribute at some point as well. For the Pirates to succeed, all of these guys need to be at the top of their games. That is going to be the hardest hurdle for the Pirates to get over.
In all reality, maybe 1/3 of the the things I mentioned actually works out. Even if they do, it could mean that those players are ushered out of town to get a new haul of prospects. An All-Star caliber Gregory Polanco could fetch a robust bounty. Could the Pirates win the division this year? Sure. If you are banking on that, I think you’re going to be pretty disappointed. The focus this year should be the progress. Whether it is baby steps or giant leaps, they should be the focus. This team has a direction for the first time in years. That direction is the future. The really talented players should start arriving in waves over the next 2-3 years. Be patient. Be kind. Enjoy the little things.
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