Pittsburgh Pirates

Well, here we are. Finally, we're at the end of our 6 week trek through Major League Baseball. That means one beautiful thing. Baseball is getting close. A couple more weekends of madness and it's time for opening day. The weather up here in Boston is certainly begging for baseball. In the coming weeks, we will give you a more refined prediction for how this baseball season will go, with opinions from all the bloggers. Until then, enjoy this last serving of delicious baseball projection.

Losses: P Matt Capps, P Jesse Chavez

Gains: P Brendan Donnelly, OF Ryan Church, 2B Akinori Iwamura, P Octavio Dotel, P Javier Lopez, SS Bobby Crosby

With a team like the Pirates doing a mid-season recap of transactions is helpful as well.

Mid-season Losses: 2B Freddie Sanchez, OF Nyjer Morgan, SS Jack Wilson, OF Nate McClouth, OF Eric Hinske, 1B Adam Laroche, P Ian Snell, P Sean Burnett, P John Grabow, P Tom Gorzelanny

Mid-season Gains: IF Ronnie Cedeno, P Kevin Hart, P Joel Hanrahan, OF Lastings Milledge

Analysis: We'll keep our analysis to the off-season, though it was nice to review the complete transformation the Rats went through last trading season. It certainly helps explain this winter's acquisitions. The Pirates bring in a new middle infield. It's a middle infield that certainly has the potential to be better than the Jack Wilson/Freddie Sanchez IF of opening day 09. They won't be better defensively, but if Bobby Crosby can finally stay healthy long enough to regain the form that earned him Rookie of the Year honors, Aki Iwamura is a very solid 2nd basemen and they can be a productive tandem. They also have a little more youth than the former IF. The Pirates also needed to replenish a bullpen they had traded away. They bring in Javier Lopez, who can still get his outs from the left side. Brendan Donnelly has been a good late inning pitcher in the past. And Octavio Dotel has success under his belt in the 9th inning. We are to see if he can regain that success in Pittsburgh. The Pirates also bring in Ryan Church, who will challenge Lastings Milledge for the 3rd outfield spot and definitely fill in for Garrett Jones defensively in the late innings. The Pirates say goodbye to their former 9th inning holder, Matt Capps. You have to like the off-season; it was very positive. However, a lot of that is because they lost so much during the season in 2009.

More moves: Any moves will probably me minor-league type players. Nothing major left from the Pirates.

2010 Thoughts: Well, this depends on how you look at it. Compared to where the were in September 2009, this team can come a long way and win a few games. Compared to where they were in April 2009, they are probably living in a very similar neighborhood. The rotation has its two solid arms in Paul Maholm and Zach Duke. Ross Ohlendorf needs to continue to improve, and Charlie Morton and Kevin Hart will try to earn keep in their 4 and 5 roles. Jeff Karstens has had some great days in the past, so if he can put it together, look for him to challenge for a spot. The bullpen isn't bad, with Karstens as the long man, Brendan Donnelly, the main middle guy, Javy Lopez the left-handed specialist, Joel Hanrahan in the 8th and Octavio Dotel in the 9th. It's a bullpen that can certainly get some outs. If Evan Meek can continue to be effective, it could turn out to be the strong point. The line-up is still a work in progress. They can be pretty active with Andrew McCutchen, Lastings Milledge, Aki Iwamura and Andy Laroche scooting around the bases. McCutchen, Iwamura and Millege will be expected to find their spots on base for a few big-boppers that come out in the middle of the order. Garrett Jones made quite the splash late last season, crushing 21 homeruns and 21 doubles in just half a season. Ryan Doumit also has some pop, and Crosby and Laroche will provide what they can. The line-up is certainly not a force quite yet, but you can see it making some strides.

Prediction: The Pirates will sit in last place again, but hopefully will hang onto some players this year. They can make some mid-season moves with some spare parts: Donnelly, Dotel, Lopez, players like that if they show positive signs. But perhaps the Rats are finally moving up in the world. We'll see.

-APT