#30 Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates
Last Year: 67-95 (6th in NL Central)
This Year: 6th in NL Central

The Pirates franchise is a disaster. The last time this team finished above .500 was 1992. That will give them the longest streak of losing season in U.S. major sports history. The last team to finish above .500 was a team with pre-steroids Barry Bonds and was coached by a Jim Leyland who was only 48 years old. This team has history with Bonds, Roberto Clemente, Willy Stargell, Bill Mazeroski, Ralph Kiner and Honus Wagner. This team has won 5 World Series titles; only the Yankees, Cardinals, Athletics, Red Sox and Dodgers have more. This current team in no way resembles those teams. The biggest problem is that no one seems to care about the Pirates (including the front office) and that is a shame.

Opening Day Lineup (w/projections)
LF Nyjer Morgan .295 2 HR 35 RBI 32 SB
2B Freddy Sanchez .297 9 HR 65 RBI
CF Nate McLouth .273 24 HR 95 RBI 20 SB
C Ryan Doumit .303 16 HR 75 RBI
1B Adam LaRoche .271 21 HR 87 RBI
LF Brandon Moss .265 18 HR 75 RBI
3B Andy LaRoche .255 13 HR 44 RBI
SS Jack Wilson .273 5 HR 47 RBI
P Paul Maholm

Rotation
LHP Paul Maholm 10-12 3.87 ERA 133 K
RHP Ian Snell 7-12 4.35 ERA 143 K
LHP Zach Duke 4-11 4.78 ERA 90 K
LHP Tom Gorzelanny 5-9 4.92 ERA 93 K
RHP Ross Ohlendorf 3-7 5.34 ERA 103 K

CP RHP Matt Capps 3.12 ERA 20 SV 45 K

Best Case Scenario: Everyone else decides to cancel their season or the MLB decides not to drug test the Pirates. Seriously if Andy LaRoche delivers on his potential, McLouth and Doumit don't regress, and Duke and Gorzelanny pitch out of their mind they could win 70 games and not be the worst team in the MLB.

Worst Case Scenario: They are the worst case scenario. They don't find a single starter worth a MLB jersey. McLouth, Doumit or Adam LaRoche get hurt or traded. This team struggles to win 60 games.

Most Important Player to Success: Ian Snell. They need a pitcher to step up and at least win a few games for them and pitch into the 7th inning. He has the stuff and if he gets it going he can be that guy. The problem is they still need a lot more than him.

Outlook: This is a terrible team. They have some guy who can hit some home runs, but they have no one that a pitcher is scared to throw to. They also don't bat for average and lack speed which a young, small market team needs. The big problem is the rotation. They don't have a single pitcher who can stop a losing streak and there will be plenty of them. This team is a total wasteland.

The most interesting thing about the Pittsburgh franchise is that they have been at the bottom for over a decade now. They get high draft picks but they are incompetent at drafting and developing players. They only have 3 players in Baseball America's Top 100 prospects. That is terrible for a team drafting in the top 5 every year. To show their ineptitude here are their 1st round picks from 1999-2004: Bobby Bradley, Sean Burnett, John Van Benschoten, Bryan Bullington, Paul Maholm and Neil Walker. The next player taken in those drafts in order are Barry Zito, Boof Bonser, Colt Griffin, BJ Upton, John Danks and Jered Weaver. That makes Kevin McHale look like a genius. I don't see the Pirates making the playoffs anytime soon.

News and Updates

• This broke over the weekend but I haven't made time to discuss it yet but Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003 before the testing program started. He has now admitted that he used steroids from 2001 - 2003 with the Texas Rangers. It was interesting that even those who don't like A-Rod (and there are plenty who don't) were hoping he would break Bonds' Home Run record to clean it up. That will not be the case. It will be interesting to see how he gets treated. It appears clear that players like McGwire and Palmerio won't get into the hall, but it will be interesting how bigger stars like Clemens, Bonds and A-Rod come up when it is there turn. I think it helps A-Rod that he did admit to it unlike Bonds, Clemens and McGwire who either still deny or just won't talk about it.
• Also if this truly was the only period when A-Rod took steroids I just don't get it. Why did he feel it was necessary? When he signed with the Rangers he became the highest paid player ever. Did he want to get more money? What was the incentive for him to take steroids? For Bonds it was clear that he didn't like being overshadowed by McGwire and Sosa but A-Rod was a star. I can understand those mid-level players taking it to get a nice contract and a job but why would already superstars take steroids. I don't get it.
• The excitement that the Timberwolves had started building in 2009 came to a screeching halt yesterday when Al Jefferson tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the season. I don't see how the Wolves can compete with anyone if he is out. The positives is that we should get a better lottery pick and this should help the development of Kevin Love as he should be the starting Power Forward.
• Here is you Monday Gopher update: They have fallen out of both polls as expected losing twice this week. The are ranked 30th in both polls. In the latest ESPN Bracketology they only fell one seed to a 6 seed. We also are still 25th in the RPI. It feels bad to lose 2 in a row but it has not hurt our standing in the slightest.

Stats of the Day

• 156: Home Runs Alex Rodriguez hit in the 3 years with Texas (a home run friendly park). He hit 125 in Seattle (a pitcher friendly park) in the 3 years before and 119 in New York the three years after.
  
• 24 and 12: Jefferson's PPG and Rebs since January. The Wolves were 11-8 in that stretch.
• 180: The RPI of the Gophers next opponent: Indiana. Right above them at 179 is an 11-10 Murray State team.