Pirates legitimate World Series contenders
It was just five years ago but sometimes it seems like it was more like 50.
The Pirates went 57-105 in 2010 and their latest in a never-ending line of rebuilding efforts seemed to be going nowhere. It was their 18th consecutive losing season, adding to the North American major professional team sports record, and it seemed as though that streak would never end.
How much have things changed in five years?
The Pirates have gone to the postseason two years in a row and are expected to get back to the playoffs again this season by many analysts. ESPN蘑菇视频 esteemed Buster Olney picks the Pirates to win the World Series this season, pretty heady stuff for a franchise that hasn鈥檛 been to the Fall Classic since 1979 when they stormed back to beat the Baltimore Orioles in seven games.
Olney loved listening to Pirates鈥� broadcasts while growing up, KDKA蘑菇视频 50,000-watt blowtorch signal beaming clearly into Vermont on most evenings. However, his pick was not based on sentiment and many people inside the game believe the Pirates are capable of winning it all in 2015.
The Pirates have a dangerous lineup spearheaded by superstar center fielder Andrew McCutchen and including a number of other players in the prime of their career or just reaching it 鈥� first baseman Pedro Alvarez, second baseman Neil Walker, third baseman Josh Harrison, shortstop Jordy Mercer and left fielder Starling Marte.
The top of the starting rotation, led by left-hander Francisco Liriano and right-handers A.J. Burnett and Gerrit Cole, could be among the best in the game. The bullpen is deep and anchored by underrated closer Mark Melancon.
Furthermore, heretofore frugal owner Bob Nutting has shown he is willing to spend a little bit of money now that the Pirates are contenders.
Liriano was re-signed to a three-year, $39-million contract in December after entering free agency. The Pirates made their first dip into the Far East professional market by signing Korean infielder Jung Ho Kang to a four-year, $11-milion deal in January and paying an additional $5,002,015 posting fee to the Nexen Heros, his team in the Korean Baseball Organization.
鈥淲hy not?鈥� said an American League executive, who asked not to be named for competitive purposes, said when asked if the Pirates could win the World Series. 鈥淭hey have good pitching. They have a good lineup. They have a good manager. They have a good front office.
鈥淎ny team needs a certain amount of luck to win it all and you鈥檝e got to stay healthy, too, but there is no reason the Pirates can鈥檛 win it this season. I鈥檓 not saying they are the favorites but they are certainly capable.鈥�
The future also looks bright. A number of premium prospects should find their way to Pittsburgh in the next few years, including right-handers Tyler Glasnow, Jameson Taillon and Nick Kingham, catcher Ryan McGuire, first baseman Josh Bell and outfielder Austin Meadows.
General manager Neal Huntington has methodically rebuilt the major league roster and farm system since being hired late in the 2007 season. However, getting the Pirates to the postseason in consecutive years is not enough for him.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think you ever consider any season truly successful unless you win the World Series,鈥� he said.
That蘑菇视频 the kind of talk you usually only hear from the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox or Los Angeles Dodgers. It is big thinking for a small-market franchise that has waited 35 years to get back to the World Series and hasn鈥檛 won a division championship since 1992.
Yet the World Series is the goal. The Pirates will begin that quest April 6 by opening the regular season against the Reds at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not here to try to win a wild card game,鈥� McCutchen said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e here to win the division and keep going from there to win a championship.鈥�
Added Walker: 鈥淭hat蘑菇视频 our focus 鈥� getting to the World Series. We won鈥檛 be satisfied if we come up short.鈥�
On the day he was hired, Hurdle was asked how the Pirates could turn things around.
鈥淗ow do you eat an elephant?鈥� he said. 鈥淥ne bite at a time.鈥�
The Pirates have done that just that, eradicating the streak of 20 losing season in a row by making consecutive playoff appearances. And that approach is not changing in 2015 despite the World Series talk.
鈥淎ny good organization that starts a successful journey and is able to maintain traction and momentum throughout it, it蘑菇视频 based on everybody just taking care of today,鈥� Hurdle said. 鈥淭hat蘑菇视频 been one of our focus points. Yesterday蘑菇视频 not a day of the week. Tomorrow is not a day of the week. The one day we can count on is today. How can we get a little bit better today?鈥�
That approach, over time, has allowed the Pirates to go from laughingstocks to big dreamers.
鈥淪omewhere along the way I was asked last year if we were content not being one-year wonders,鈥� Huntington said. 鈥淥ur goal is to not be two-year wonders. We鈥檝e set the goal from the day we got in here, the day we arrived in Pittsburgh, our goal was to be a consistent championship-caliber organization.鈥�