Actually, I feel embarrassed to be even writing a Pirate Preview!!!. The only reason I am is because last year's Pirate Preview!!! was so successful.
thus far in Spring training the big concern is "Will Nyjer Morgan hit?" In fact, among the 3 'rookies' Nyjer Morgan is the only one who has!As I predicted, Nyjer Morgan hit (so well that he was traded) while the other two, Andy LaRoche and Brandon Moss, did not.
This sounds pretty bleak and definitely confirms that the main problem is starting pitching—our nemesis last year. So even if our players each duplicate their best year, pitching most likely will bring us another losing season.We were 14th out of 16 teams in pitching (in BA against and in runs against) and, in case you forgot, we had, indeed, another losing season.
This year there is really nothing to predict. Everyone knows we will have a losing season. What is surprising is that some, like the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, think that one of the positives (other than the usual team chemistry and that Zambelli fireworks are from nearby New Castle) is team pitching.
Why they could winOh, when will they ever learn? The Post Gazette even says "This same group had a subpar 4.59 ERA last season, with opponents batting a league-high .284." They got that right except for the "subpar" bit. As I said last year, if each pitcher has his best year, we will have an ERA of 4.486. We almost got that. As Einstein said, insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Unless there is some divine intervention, our starting pitching will be bad. The real problem is that our bad pitching last year was mitigated by a superior defense. With Freddy Sanchez, Jack Wilson and Adam LaRoche, we were the best defensive club in the National league. We had the least number of errors, 73, and the highest fielding percentage, .988. Often we were able to bail out our weak pitching. This year, we will not be so fortunate.
3. The pitching
"The potential is there,"
So will there be anything good about the upcoming season? Well, some of our batters may hit, the view from the stadium is still good and Zambelli fireworks are still in New Castle.
2 comments:
For those of us in the Harvey diaspora, these previews are invaluable. My only complaint is that these reports don't come out more often. Where was the Penguin preview last fall?
Also, a great write and an incredibly enjoyable read; you missed your calling as a sportswriter.
I should have included in the article that Perry Hill, the infield coach that drew so many raves last season, has decided not to return this year. Some say it is because of the trades to Sanchez and Wilson. Management wanted him and exercised the year extension on his contract so he can not coach anywhere else, but he told them he did not wish to come back.
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