The Pittsburgh Pirates are 5-0 on the season, so this technically shouldn’t be considered a preview. But society and baseball can’t box me in. I am still calling this a season preview. Starting the season in March is nonsense anyway. However…

The Pirates dominate March baseball. The commissioner was quick to dismiss my suggestion of starting the playoffs now. Clearly Rob Manfred never thinks outside the box.

This is an interesting time to be a Pirates fan. Putting aside the good start to the season, this team certainly has some promise. At the same time this guy is still the owner.

via GIPHY

Okay, got that requirement for a Pirates column out of the way.

Some in the Pittsburgh media seem to think there is no middle ground. If you get excited about the team or a certain player that makes you a shill for a cheap organization. Here’s the deal. I’ve been a Pirates fan for 50 years now. I’m not going to change my allegiance, so I’m going to get excited when there is something to get excited about. I am fully aware of the pitfalls of getting excited about this team. And I certainly still despise the owner, am doubtful about the competency of this GM, and find their player development laughable.

So, what is there to be excited about?

Let me start with the premiere position on the field, shortstop. O’Neil Cruz is back after missing all but a few games due to injury a year ago. Cruz has a chance to be a beast. He has 30-40 home run capability, and is a far better defensive shortstop than many predicted. I said all along he would stick at shortstop. His arm makes up for the occasional bobble. Signing Cruz to a healthy extension should be a top priority.

The rest of the lineup has much potential.

Bryan Reynolds is an all star. Reynolds plays really good defense, and has 25-30 home run potential. Reynolds also has the capability of hitting .275 or more. A premiere player in the National League.

Ke’Bryan Hayes figured his hitting stroke out last year with non-Pirates help, of course. Hayes now has pop in his bat. He may only be a 20 home run guy, but he could break the bank with doubles. He won the gold glove at third base last year, and with a bulkier bat Hayes now is a complete player. Another Pirate that is a potential all star.

Jack Suwinski hit 26 home runs in under 450 at bats last season. Suwinski is the quintessential modern player, in that he won’t hit for a high average but will have 30 home run potential. Additionally, Suwinski is a really good outfielder capable of playing all three outfield positions.

Despite the Pirates seeming intent on holding Henry Davis back in AAA, injuries allowed him to take his rightful spot behind the plate for the Pirates. Davis will be just fine defensively, and already has a bond with the young pitchers on the roster. His bat is still a work in progress, but has punch. As a catcher, if Davis can get his average north of .250 with 15-20 home runs that will, suffice. Plus, there is no player that appears to have more fun and drive to win than Davis. He is extremely easy to root for.

At second base the club went with Jared Triolo. Triolo showed enough last year to be trusted with the job. His ceiling isn’t super high, but his floor isn’t super low. Offensively and defensively, the word that comes to mind in regards to Triolo is solid. Solid enough that a guy with a much higher ceiling —Liover Peguero— was sent to AAA. It is nice to have a player like that waiting in the wings.

The Pirates are run on the cheap, but late in spring they added Michael Taylor. He won’t hit a ton —he did have 21 HR last year— but he plays an excellent center field. Taylor came fairly cheap, but it was, actually a really shrewd signing. The club also signed first baseman Rowdy Tellez during the offseason. I’m not big on Tellez, no pun intended, but he will hit some home runs. His defense is suspect at first base. Here is the good news on that. The Pirates have a great utility player in Connor Joe. He plays a really good first base and can play almost anywhere on the diamond except catcher and shortstop. He also hits a bit. Joe is a great guy to have on the roster.

Oh, and a guy named Cutch. He may be more mind and soul than body these days. But what an important presence to have on the team. And he can still hit a bit. Cutch is Pittsburgh.

Folks, that lineup is as good as it’s been in Pittsburgh since the 2013-15 playoff teams. Barring injury, the Pittsburgh Pirates should score some runs. Even better, many of these guys are young and in Pirates control for years to come.

Even the manager, Derek Shelton, seems to be growing into the job. It helps when you have better players. Better players tend to make better managers.

The weak link for the 2024 Pirates is clearly the starting pitching.

But will it be weak for long?

As currently constructed, the pitching staff is Mitch Keller, a rookie, two average vets, and a guy who has got to go.

I will start at the bottom of the pile with Bailey Falter. This is simple. He should not make another start for the Pirates. He started Sunday and gave up five runs before recording an out. He has never been good. He will never be good. Past, present, future was, is, will be bad.

The two veteran pitchers picked up this offseason are Martin Perez and Marco Gonzales. They would be satisfactory as fourth and fifth starters. Hopefully that will be all that is expected of them by May. But let’s face it, most teams have questionable fourth and fifth starters. Perez had a spectacular season in 2022, but otherwise is your typical back end of the rotation kind of guy. Likewise Gonzales, who had his best years in 2018 and 2019.

The rookie is Jared Jones, and he has a really high ceiling as shown by his 10 strikeouts in his 5 2/3 inning debut Saturday. Jones regularly hits triple digits, and has a nasty slider plus a burgeoning curve and changeup. Again, his ceiling is very high.

Mitch Keller worries me. He figured things out early last year and made the all star team. His second half was fairly pedestrian. In his first start his velocity was down, and he looked like2023 second half Mitch. If things go well over the next year or so, Keller will only be required to be a third starter. That seems to be where he would fit on a good pitching staff.

Two starters that I had high hopes for will begin this season in the bullpen. Roansy Contreras and Luis Ortiz both have a lot of upside but struggled mightily last year. Contreras, particularly, would add so much to the rotation if he finds his 2022 form. Ortiz may be better suited to the bullpen, and that is just fine for this team.

Despite blowing a save Sunday, David Bednar has been great as a closer. This year he gets help from Aroldis Chapman in the setup role. I would rather Chapman not be on my favorite team, but he should help. As with any bullpen, there are question marks. Some of them should be eliminated when Colin Holderman and Carmen Mlodzinski recover from injury. The bullpen took a hit when Dauri Moreta tore his UCL and was lost for the season.

Here is why the rotation doesn’t have to remain a weak link. Paul Skenes. Skenes, the first pick in last year’s draft, is major league ready. Of course, the Pirates are treading water with Skenes until he passes the Super 2 deadline. That should be soon. When he gets to Pittsburgh, Skenes immediately moves to the front of the rotation. The team will most certainly monitor his innings load, but it will still be a huge upgrade to the rotation. In other words, bye, bye Bailey Falter. Pirates fans are drooling at the thought of a Skenes/Jones 1-2 punch in the rotation. 

In addition to Skenes, Quinn Priester is at AAA. If he can just get his AAA success to translate to the big leagues he would be set. I’m not sure that will ever happen. More importantly than Priester is the duo of 22 year olds in AA Altoona, Bubba Chandler and Anthony Solometo. Skenes, himself, mentioned how he can’t wait for them all to be in Pittsburgh together. If these two don’t make it to Pittsburgh this year, they will surely be there in 2025.

Probably the biggest hit to the staff this year was workhorse Johan Oviedo being out for the season following Tommy John surgery this past November. Oviedo was tied for second in the major leagues with 15 starts giving up two or less runs. His loss is huge, but a healthy return next year would be a big positive for 2025.

If you have been paying attention, that is way more things to be excited about than Pirates fans are used to. Longtime Bucco fans are so used to disappointment, that it requires more caution than any person should be required to show. Alas, here we are.

Hate the owner. I do.

Question the GM. I do.

Laugh at the lack of player development and handling of those players. I do.

This season could go the route of most Pirates seasons over the past 45 years. However, the National League Central Division is imminently winnable. The Pirates actually could be in that mix. They might not be, but they could be. Don't be afraid to grasp on to that hope. If the team disappoints, what the hell. You are used to that anyway.

Think about how much fun watching Cruz misses, Skenes and Jones whiffing the crap out of batters. Davis blossoming into a good catcher. Gap shots from Hayes. Suwinski dingers. Bednar fist pumps at the end of games.

 

 

It’s okay to hate the clown owner. It’s okay to have doubts. God knows we’ve earned that right. It is all understandable.

It is also okay to look at this 2024 Pittsburgh Pirates team and feel at least a twinge of excitement. And if the Stargell stars align, maybe the second half of the season will be more than getting ready for another 9-8 Steelers season.

Two Cent Takes

MLB Preview

AL East

  1. Orioles
  2. Yankees
  3. Rays
  4. Blue Jays
  5. Red Sox

The Orioles took baseball by storm last season, it got knocked back down to earth in the playoffs. The young core in Baltimore will soon add maybe its most dynamic piece in Jackson Holiday. The lineup is great, but I still think the O’s core needs to take a step. They won more games than their stats say they should have a year ago. Corbin Burnes will be in the Cy Young hunt, but some question marks follow him in the rotation. Grayson Rodriguez has huge upside but not a lot of innings pitched. Tyler Wells has also never pitched more than 120 innings. Dean Kremer is solid, and John Means and Kyle Bradish are trying to come back from injury. Craig Kimbrel in the pen will give Orioles fans plenty of nervous moments late in games.

The Yankees pitching staff without Gerrit Cole is not confidence inspiring. However, the addition of Juan Soto to an already potent offense should mask some pitching shortcomings. A wildcard should be reachable.

One of these years, the small spending Rays take a step back. I predict this will be the year. Will, anyone in Tampa notice?

The Jays and Red Sox could be good, but they could be bad, too. I have slightly more faith in Toronto.

AL Central

  1. Royals
  2. Twins
  3. Tigers
  4. Guardians
  5. White Sox

Third baseman Bobby Witt is a superstar. Pitcher Cole Ragans might be a star. The Royals have been building as small market teams do, slowly. Why not Kansas City in this up for grabs division?

The Twins are favored to win this division again, but what fun would, that be.

Detroit is getting better. Slowly. They could make an even bigger jump than this. Keep a close eye on the Tigers.

I hate to feel like I am doubting Cleveland. The Guardians tend to always stay close. I just think they are trending the other direction.

The White Sox have bottomed out, a stunning development from the only big market team in this division.

AL West

  1. Astros
  2. Mariners
  3. Rangers
  4. Angels
  5. A’s

Until someone can knock off the Astros, I am sticking with them. Despite an 1-4 start, the Astros are a potent offense with a solid pitching rotation. As proof, some guy nobody has heard of threw a no hitter last night. Consistency is spelled H-O-U-S-T-O-N.

Seattle may have the best top three starters in the American League. Julio Rodriguez anchors a solid, if not spectacular, offense. The Mariners will score the top wildcard spot.

Texas, defending World Series champs, will struggle to duplicate the mojo that led them to the title. Still, the Rangers will be good enough to snag a wildcard spot.

The Angels couldn’t win with Shohei. The Angels will continue to not win without him.

God bless the two A’s fans that still show up to the home games.

  • AL Champion: Seattle
  • Cy Young: Corbin Burnes
  • MVP: Julio Rodriguez

NL East

  1. Braves
  2. Phillies
  3. Mets
  4. Marlins
  5. Nationals

The Phillies have a lot of things going for them. One of the things not going moor them is being in the Braves division. These are two of the three best teams in the National League. But, man, are the Braves loaded. I actually like their roster better than the Dodgers. And these guys are all locked up for years to come. One of these years Atlanta will finally figure out how to win in the playoffs. It is hard to pick who is better at the plate, Austin Riley, Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, reigning MVP Ronald Acuna. Truly 1-9 is dangerous at the plate. And in case the pitching staff wasn’t deep enough, the Braves added Chris Sale. 100 wins seems likely for the Braves.

The Phillies have the grittiest team in baseball. Harper, Schwarber, Stott, Bohm, Turner, and Realmuto all seem like they have the same attitude. If Trea Turner gives them a full season of production rather than a half season look out. The bullpen is always a question mark in Philly, and this year should be no different. Also, will Aaron Nola get back to his old form after signing a big extension? Finally, what kind of production will the Phillies get from four and five starters Christopher Sanchez and Spencer Turnbull? A wildcard seems an inevitability again this year, and the Phillies have proven we should not doubt them in the postseason.

The Mets, Marlins, and especially Nationals will be subpar. Miami could rise above that, but I saw nothing in the first four games to make me believe that.

NL Central

  1. Cubs
  2. Brewers
  3. Pirates
  4. Reds
  5. Cardinals

This division is up for grabs and 87 wins should win it. I am picking the Cubs, but am not all that confident. Cody Bellinger coming back is a big help. Seiya Suzuki will be the other main cog in the offense. The pitching isn’t great, but getting big production from Japanese import Shota Imanaga will help.

The Brewers lost Corbin Burnes and manager Craig Counsell, but I hate to count out this team. The addition of Rhys Hoskins will help the offense, which may have to score more.

Don’t count out the Pirates(see above).

I also wouldn’t count out the Reds. Elly De La Cruz is a special player, and will go head to head with the Pirates O’Neil Cruz for most gifted Cruz in the division. Hunter Greene is an ace of most staffs in the league. The Reds just lack depth.

The Cardinals have suddenly become the standard bearer of what not to do. Another last place finish is a distinct possibility.

NL West

  1. Dodgers
  2. Padres
  3. Giants
  4. Diamondbacks
  5. Rockies

The Dodgers, once again, paid for a division title and if Dave Roberts wasn’t their manager maybe they would have paid for a World Series, too. Tyler Glasnow and The Gambler, Shohei Ohtani will anchor an already good pitching staff. Mookie Betts and Freddy Freeman, oh and The Gambler, will  allow the Dodgers to score a bunch. Name your win total here.

The Padres will be a distant second. Losing Juan Soto may not be all that big of deal. The offense is still quite potent. Let’s see how much new acquisition Dylan Cease helps the pitching staff. The Padres will be a wildcard team barring a disaster.

The Giants made some key acquisitions this offseason. The word that comes to mind is solid. The Giants won’t necessarily woo you, but they will win their share of games. Enough games that San Francisco will be a wildcard.

The Diamondbacks will slide back a bit this year. Nobody overachieved more than Arizona. In no way should that roster have made it to the World Series. The Diamondbacks will battle for a playoff spot but fall short to the Giants. Maybe I am just a doubter when it comes to this team.

The Rockies are in full blown rebuild.

  • NL Champ: Atlanta
  • Cy Young: Spencer Strider
  • MVP: Mookie Betts

I am predicting the Braves beat the Mariners in what could be the first of several World Series titles for Atlanta.

Baseball

~It didn’t take long for our first dust up. Mets Jeff McNeil is a bit soft. Rhys Hoskins borders on sliding dirty. You be the judge.

 

That was followed by this lame move by the Mets, only after Hoskins had cooked them all day long at the plate.

 

~I am so impressed by Elly De La Cruz. Not for his play, but for this.

 

Every player that comes here from another country to make millions playing baseball should make a real effort to learn the language. Cruz is correct. It is important we understand and hear him explain things.

Golf

~Scottie Scheffler made a ton of mistakes at the Houston Open, including missing a one foot putt and still only lost by one shot. That would have been three in a row for Scheffler. It would be hard to bet against Scheffler at Augusta in a couple weeks.

NFL

~Why doesn’t the league just get rid of kickoffs. This new kickoff thing seems so gimmicky. No thanks.

~As a teacher I hate April Fool’s Day, but Gene Steratore gets a thumbs up for this tweet.

 

 

I am glad it is a joke. Gene is fantastic on TV.

College Football/Draft

~Because people don’t have anything better to do, they critique Caleb Williams’ fashion choices. Do you think he cares what people think?

 

 

College Hoops

~Andy Enfield made it official yesterday. He is off to SMU, leaving behind the bright lights of LA. I said I didn’t think USC could fire Enfield because his resume and recruiting were too good. However, his game coaching and player development is questionable. A clean break is probably good for both sides. Now, can AD Jen Cohen bring in somebody who can keep the recruiting going?

~Louisville hired Charleston head coach Pat Kelsey, while Charleston hired former Louisville coach Chris Mack. Kelsey may have been third choice, but his energy and  personality should lift Louisville out of the Kenny Payne doldrums.

 

 

The Weekly Shiny Penny

I am on record multiple times as to why I love watching Bryce Harper play. Watch this play, and remind yourself how much money he makes.

 

 

A Penny For My Final Thought…

There is a basketball God.

Duke is out.

I did my part by betting on the Dookies to cover Sunday. That is the guaranteed kiss of death. You’re welcome.

We have three great story lines in this year’s Final Four and Alabama. Even Alabama is a pretty cool story. The first Final Four in school history with a band of nomad players joining together for a one year run to glory. Get used to that story line in this era of portal power.

The biggest question for the Crimson Tide is whether they can stay within 30 of UConn. Nate Oats is good, but he has his work cut out.

Purdue is a great story.

This is the Boilermakers first trip to the Final Four since 1980. Purdue has a rich basketball tradition, but especially in recent years have hit one land mine after another once the tournament begins. If they wouldn’t have made it this year, Matt Painter —a great coach— would have faced the firing squad.

Zach Edey, all 7’4” of him, returned for one more run to glory. He scored a smooth 40 points on Sunday in a tough matchup with equally tournament cursed Tennessee. Edey went blow for blow with Tennessee star Dalton Knecht, who scored 37 himself. Edey wouldn’t be denied, and sounds like he isn’t done yet.

 

 

Now that the monkey is off their back, can the Boilers win it all?

UConn is trying to become the first back to back champion since Florida did it 17 years ago. I would say they are well on their way, thumping each opponent in this tournament by 30+ points. Danny Hurley took a great team, lost a bunch, added a bunch, and now has an even better team. It seems he may know what he is doing.

 

 

I have yet to see any let up in this group. They just look like they are on an entirely different level from every other team in the country. If somebody beats the Huskies, they better bring their A+++ game.

If you haven’t fallen in love with DJ Burns and the NC State Wolfpack then you don’t have a heart.

 

I mean, c’mon. I’m pretty sure they won’t be rattled.

NC State was dead in the water entering the ACC Tournament as a 10 seed. They had to play an opening round game as the first of five needed to win the tournament. The Wolfpack trailed 8 win Louisville by a point at halftime. I even tweeted that Kevin Keats would be joining Kenny Payne on the unemployment line by end of week.

They beat Louisville, Syracuse, and Duke, then needed this miracle in the ACC semifinal against Virginia.

 

 

That is an 87% foul shooter missing for Virginia. Then the Michael O’Connell miracle bank shot to force overtime. They beat Virginia in overtime and upset North Carolina to gain the automatic bid from the ACC. It was the Pack’s only way in to March Madness.

Then they kept winning. NC State upset Texas Tech, took out tourney darling Oakland in overtime, controlled Marquette from start to finish, and did us all a favor by cruising past Duke. Nine straight wins, and the Wolfpack are back in the Final Four for the first time since 1983. We all know how that one ended. “They won it on the dunk!” yelled Billy Packer, as NC State upset monster Houston.

The 2024 Wolfpack will have to beat two monsters in order to win it all again. First up will be the monster named Zach Edey. What a fun head to head for DJ Burns. Nobody has stopped Edey, but nobody has stopped the tank known as DJ Burns either.

If they find a way past Purdue, the next monster is most likely going to be UConn. I don’t think anyone is beating UConn, and a Purdue/UConn final would be epic. Plenty of examples have taught us to never doubt destiny. NC State sure seems like a team of destiny this March. A group of guys who finally figured out they are pretty good.

NC State plays loose, and the players seem to always be laughing and smiling on the court. As for Keats, he already got a contract extension and will probably be able to get a raise, too. Now his team has a chance to shock the world.

From down and out to Final Four in three weeks can only happen during March Madness.

Just my two cents…