Let's face it, the past 15 years have been rough for Pirates fans; and 2008 was no exception, Pittsburgh finished dead last in the NL Central compiling a record of 67-95. Last year wasn't all bad for the Pirates though, we saw the breakouts of Nate McLouth, Ryan Doumit, and Paul Maholm; and hey, at least they didn't lose 100 games.
Projected Lineup:
C - Ryan Doumit
1B - Adam LaRoche
2B - Freddy Sanchez
SS - Jack Wilson
3B - Andy LaRoche
LF - Nyjer Morgan
CF - Nate McLouth
RF - Brandon Moss
Projected Rotation:
#1 - Paul Maholm
#2 - Ian Snell
#3 - Zach Duke
#4 - Tom Gorzelanny
#5 - Ross Ohlendorf
Closer - Matt Capps
Position Battles:
#5 Starter - The winner of this battle will be the lesser of 2 evils at the end of spring training. Neither Ross Ohlendorf or Jeff Karstans should be starting in the majors, but until some much needed depth works its way up from the minor leagues they're Pittsburgh's best options right now.
OF - With hot prospects Andrew McCutchen and Steve Pearce waiting in the minor leagues, and Eric Hinske coming over from Tampa Bay, the Pirates will potentially have 6 major league ready outfielders for 3 jobs by mid-season. When McCutchen is called up he and McLouth will play everyday, but it's still a bit of a mystery how left field will shake out.
2009 Outlook: There's no way around it, it's going to be another rough year in Pittsburgh, but with a new front office regime, now in it's second year, it appears that the tide might be turning. The Pirates farm system is now fairly strong and possesses the marquee prospects in Andrew McCutchen, Pedro Alvarez, and Jose Tabata. Unfortunately, neither of them will make much of an impact in 2009.
Projected Finish: 6th Place, NL Central
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