Early playoff exits weigh on Pirates,
Keeping up with Cardinals, Cubs tough for anybody
The Pittsburgh Pirates have experienced the ecstasy and agony that comes with playing in the winner-take-all wild-card game.
They beat the Cincinnati Reds in front of a raucous PNC Park crowd in 2013 after ending a string of 20 consecutive losing seasons and making the postseason for the first time since 1992.
But the home crowd was silenced in the last two wild-card games as San Francisco Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner pitched a shutout in 2014 and Chicago Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta did the same last season.
“Just brutal,” Pirates owner Bob Nutting said of the back-to-back blankings. “Gutwrenching. Almost indescribably unpleasant. That’s why I wake up every morning and look forward.”
Last year’s loss was particularly painful after the Pirates compiled a 98-64 regularseason record that was second-best in the major leagues to the St. Louis Cardinals’ 100-62.
But looking forward, the Pirates don’t necessarily seem to be gaining on their goal of winning the National League Central, which would allow them to avoid the wildcard game.
The Cubs have loaded up in free agency this winter in an attempt to overtake the Cardinals and Pirates by signing center fielder Jason Heyward, second baseman Ben Zobrist and right-hander John Lackey in free agency.
Despite losing Heyward and Lackey to division rivals, the Cardinals should remain formidable.
Meanwhile, the Pirates traded second baseman Neil Walker to the New York Mets and right-hander Charlie Morton to the Philadelphia Phillies while non-tendering first baseman Pedro Alvarez, making him a free agent rather than going through the arbitration process with him.
That move came after right-hander A.J. Burnett and third baseman Aramis Ramirez retired at the end of 2015.
The Pirates wanted to get something in return for Walker (established starter Jon Niese) and Morton (minor league righthander David Whitehead) other than compensatory amateur draft picks before they became free agents after this season.
“We’re constantly trying to balance the present and the future,” general manager Neal Huntington says. “That is just the reality of our situation. We don’t necessarily have the resources that some other clubs do because of our market size. It’s a challenge that we accept and embrace, but it also forces tough decisions at times.”
While the major league roster does not appear as strong as in the past three years, Huntington has wiggle room in the budget to add players now or during the season. The Pirates also have a strong farm system that will include a number of prospects at the high levels this year.
Meanwhile, manager Clint Hurdle has shown a knack for getting the most out of his talent during his five years on the job. His relentlessly positive attitude filters into the clubhouse and even into the fan base.
Where the Pirates stand at each position (*prospect):
Catcher: Francisco Cervelli finally received a chance to be a No. 1 catcher last season after being acquired in a trade with the New York Yankees, where he backed up Jorge Posada, Russell Martin and Brian McCann over seven seasons. Cervelli provided a solid bat in the lower part of the order and drew high marks for his handling of the staff. Backup Chris Stewart, also an outstanding defender, was signed to a twoyear, $3 million contract extension in January with a club option for 2017. Cervelli is eligible for free agency at the end of the season, and his future is cloudy now that the Pirates have committed to Stewart, who could serve as a mentor in future seasons to prospects Elias Diaz and Reese McGuire.
Depth chart: Cervelli, Stewart, *Diaz, Ed Easley, *McGuire.
First base: John Jaso was signed to a two-year, $8 million contract to replace Alvarez, and the Pirates hope he can become their version of Scott Hatteberg. Jaso has played five innings at first base in his seven-year career and has 37 home runs, but the Pirates love his .361 career on-base percentage. Right-handed-hitting Michael Morse, acquired in July, will spell Jaso against left-handed starters. Utility player Sean Rodriguez figures to be a late-inning defensive replacement and started at first base in the NL wild-card game last season. The Pirates also traded with the Milwaukee Brewers for Jason Rogers this winter, and he is a right-handed hitter with promise. The long-term answer, though, is expected to be switch-hitter Josh Bell, who will start the season in Class AAA.
Depth chart: Jaso, Morse, Rodriguez, Rogers, *Bell.
Second base: Josh Harrison figures to replace Walker, but it might not happen right away. Jung Ho Kang is slated to play third base but is recovering from torn knee ligaments and a broken leg suffered in September in a second-base collision. Harrison will start at third if Kang is not ready
for the start of the season, as his versatility was one of the reasons the Pirates signed him to a four-year, $27 million contract last season on opening day. Alen Hanson is an athletic prospect with good speed and a decent bat, but he profiles more as a utility infielder. Max Moroff had a breakout season in Class AA in 2015 and will play at Indianapolis after being added to the 40man roster this winter.
Depth chart: Harrison, Rodriguez, Pedro Florimon, *Hanson, *Moroff.
Third base: Kang finished third in the NL rookie of the year voting, as he was an integral part of the Pirates lineup while becoming the first native South Korean position player to make the transition to the major leagues from the Korean Baseball Organization. Though Kang was a shortstop in South Korea — where was the KBO MVP in 2014 — and saw action at the position last season, the Pirates think he is best suited for third base. Cole Figueroa was signed as a minor league free agent after brief major league stints with the Tampa Bay Rays and Yankees and will compete for a bench job during spring training.
Depth chart: Kang, Rodriguez, Florimon, Figueroa, *Dan Gamache.
Shortstop: Jordy Mercer isn’t flashy, but he has developed into a dependable shortstop who makes all the plays and grades out well in advanced defensive metrics. One concern is that he hit three home runs last season, down from 12 the year before. It would help if Mercer regained his pop, especially after the departures of Alvarez and Walker (43 combined home runs last season). Journeyman Florimon impressed the Pirates last season and has a good chance to make the team out of spring training. Slick-fielding Gift Ngoepe hopes to become the first South African to reach the majors.
Depth chart: Mercer, Florimon, Rodriguez, *Ngoepe, *Adam Frazier.
Left field: Starling Marte has turned into one of the top all-around talents in the game. He was one home run shy of having a 20-homer/30-steal season in 2015 while winning a Gold Glove after leading the NL with 15 assists and again showing outstanding range. At 27, Marte is seemingly entering the prime of his career and could reach superstar level at the rate he is improving. Many opposing managers and scouts think Marte should be playing center field, but that would leave the Pirates with the delicate situation of asking Andrew McCutchen, the face of the franchise, to switch positions.
Depth chart: Marte, Rodriguez, Morse, Jake Goebbert, *Jose Osuna.
Center field: McCutchen continues to be one of the premier players in the game. He has played in five consecutive All-Star Games and finished in the top five in the NL MVP voting each of the last four seasons, including winning the award in 2013. A knee injury caused him to get off a slow start at the plate last season — he was hitting .188 on May 6 — and slowed him at times on the bases and in the field. But he is expected to be healthy for the beginning of spring training.
Depth chart: McCutchen, Marte, Goebbert, Antoan Richardson, Danny Ortiz.
Right field: Gregory Polanco possesses as much raw talent as Marte and McCutchen but, at 24, is in the process of refining it. He is a potential 20-homer/20steal player and has one of the strongest arms in the league. But he is going to have to learn to hit left-handed pitching and smooth out his defense to become a star. Left-handed hitting Goebbert is an intriguing bench option after compiling a .370 OBP in seven minor league seasons.
Depth chart: Polanco, Rodriguez, Goebbert, *Willy Garcia, *Harold Ramirez.
Starting pitchers: Gerrit Cole and left-hander Francisco Liriano will front the rotation after becoming the first duo of Pirates pitchers to have at least 200 strikeouts in a season in 2015. Cole, 25, is one of the top young starters in the game and the Pirates’ clear No. 1 after winning 19 games last season. Niese will be asked to take Burnett’s place as the No. 3 starter, and his ability to induce ground balls meshes nicely with the Pirates’ strategy of frequently shifting their infielders. Ryan Vogelsong was signed to a one-year, $4 million contract. He won a combined 27 games for the San Francisco Giants from 2011 to 2012 but is 38. Inconsistent Jeff Locke has the inside track to be the No. 5 starter but will get spring training competition from Juan Nicasio, who was signed as a free agent, and Kyle Lobstein, who was claimed off waivers from the Detroit Tigers.
Depth chart: RHP Cole, LHP Liriano, LHP Niese, RHP Vogelsong, LHP Locke, *RHP Tyler Glasnow, *RHP Jameson Taillon, LHP Lobstein, *RHP A.J. Schugel, *RHP Trevor Williams, *RHP Nick Kingham, RHP Wilfredo Boscan.
Bullpen: Mark Melancon returns as the closer after notching a major league- high 51 saves in 53 opportunities last season, though free agency looms in November. Since becoming the Pirates’ full-time closer July 24, 2013, Melancon has 98 saves, third most in the majors behind Craig Kimbrel (108) and Greg Holland (100). Left-hander Tony Watson has emerged as a premier setup reliever and should seamlessly slide into the closer’s role if needed. Jared Hughes is adept at stranding inheri- ted runners with a grounder-inducing sinker. The Pirates signed 2010 American League rookie of the year Neftali Feliz as a free agent and have hard-throwing Arquimedes Caminero. Nicasio also could figure in the relief mix.
Depth chart: RHP Melancon, LHP Watson, RHP Hughes, RHP Feliz, RHP Caminero, RHP Nicasio, RHP Rob Scahill, *RHP Trey Haley.