[Note: This is the last in a series of Pirate Preview!!! teasers. I will now, along with my crack team of researchers, assemble this year's Pirate Preview!!!. The intent has been to spark interest and readership of the blog—something desperately needed now that congress has pulled our funding. Pete will be going through the stats to see how successful this campaign has been.]
As this year's Pirate Preview!!! is likely to be more depressing than a deterministic universe, I want to correct any misconception of what that universe looks like. The 2010 Pittsburgh Pirates were no fluke. They won the triple crown for losers: last in batting, pitching, and defense. With the exception of the Seattle Mariners in batting, we're not just talking the National League, but the entire Major Leagues. (I'm not sure if there are statistics for all professional baseball.)
And we didn't just squeeze into last place at the bottom of the National League. We were last in batting average, last in hits, last in runs, last in RBI's, last in on base percentage, last in total bases, last in slugging percentage. We were last in ERA, last in batting average against, last in giving up runs, last in giving up hits, last in getting strike outs, last in saves, last in complete games. We were last in errors, last in fielding percentage, last in put outs. It actually was an extraordinary year which, as most fans and writers are realizing, will be hard to duplicate. How clever of management to bring the Pirates to a position where the only direction left is up. Thus, the prevalent feeling this year is "We can't get any worse." Well, that does seem true, although that was last year's mantra, and the year before.
The other catch phrase is that we are a young team. Our team's average age just shy of 28. Most MLB teams average between 27 and 29. There are 2 teams with 26+ and one with 30+. Our average age is average. Our starting line-up does include Tabata who is 22, McCutchen and Alvarez who are 24, and Walker who is 25. We have no rookies.
One last bit of scenery in the Pirates' universe, the payroll for 2011 is estimated at $35 million. This may be up slightly from 2010, but will still be last in the league. As an omega, Alex Rodriguez's salary in 2011 is about $28 million. By keeping payroll low, despite poor performance and poor attendance, the Pirates are assured a profit in 2011 because of the revenue sharing funds they will receive from the good teams.
Edit: Apparently our team is even older. No one seems to know for sure, but Jose Tabata is rumored to be in his mid 20's, not 22. It's not uncommon for some Latin American players to understate their age in order to get scouts to believe they have greater potential. Clint Hurdle even says you would never think that Tabata is that young. Pittsburgh may be in for more droll humor from this player. Remember his wife kidnapped a baby.
2 comments:
Although my routing days for the Pirates are far behind me, as spring approaches each year I remove my red sox hat momentarily and take a peak at Bucos' prospects for the upcoming season. Rather than inevitable dismal outlook based on the previous year's performance, year after year some hotshot writer at ESPN or Sports Illustrated predicts that this will be the year the Pirates reach that milestone, a .500 record. A winning season? That would just be icing on the cake. And each year, since Barry Bonds headed west, the Pirates quickly sink into mediocrity.
So, once again this year, with the first day of spring, I couldn't help but look at what the season had in store. Rather than focus on wins or losses, this years' approach from the clever writers at ESPN was to focus on the new Pirates skipper and the "positive attitude" he brings the club. (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2011/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=6253291) As I read through the article I could feel my heart rate begin to increase, the excitement was overwhelming. This was the year, this was the year! But when I finished the article I realized the author wasn't predicting some incredible turnaround. No, this was a much more pedestrian prediction: a positive attitude. My excitement subsided and I closed the browser, knowing the Pirates progress another losing season was just about to get underway. My enthusiasm this spring and summer will be solely focused on the sox, but every once-in-awhile, just for old times sake, I will take a peak at how the Pirates are doing. I'm not holding my breath.
Well said. I listened to part of the last Spring Training game at McKechnie Field (Pirates' Florida home) today. I swear the announcer repeated word for word the same speech he gave last year about the excitement on the team and with the fans, and how everyone felt this was the year. It is amazing how short our memories are, as the announcers, writers, and fans talk about positive attitude and clubhouse rapport each year. The spin doctors are everywhere.
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