The Pittsburgh Pirates have not cut to the final 25 players yet,but I wanted to get started on our season preview anyway.
When you look at the final few decisions,it shouldn't make much of a difference anyway as far as wins and losses go,so lets get started.
By my count,the Buccos are currently at 27,so two players will have to go and the rumor is that the team may still do some shuffling between now and Monday.
If I had to venture a guess,I would bet that one player cut will be Steve Pearce,since he still has one option remaining and the other could be Ramon Vasquez,as Bobby Crosby can fill his utility spot and do it as a cheaper option.
Pearce would be sent to Indianapolis,when Vasquez will likely be placed on waivers.
However,it is appears that non-roster invitees D.J. Carrasco and Jack Taschner have made the team,so two more must go to make space for them.
That is not as tough as it looks as it could be as simple as putting Jose Ascanio and Joel Hanrahan on the DL.
The Pirates return both of the catchers that were the mainstays of 2009 with Ryan Doumit starting and Jason Jaramillo backing him up.
Doumit battled injuries for the third season in a row and his numbers weren't as solid as the two before.
Doumit could carry some trade value,if he can stay healthy and get off to a good start as the Pirates may have tipped their hand when they announced that Jason Jaramillo was considered to be sent to Indianapolis as the team thinks he is a viable future starter.
Jaramillo was decent enough in his time last season and would not be a awful option,if Doumit were to be moved.
This could happen as power hitting catchers with a reasonable contract aren't easy to find.
Jeff Clement appears to be the choice at first,moving Garrett Jones to right field.
Clement will finally have the opportunity that he has been looking for years,although his bat would have more value as a catcher.
Clement is going to fan plenty,but the Pirates are hoping to see some power production for a lineup that could use it.
Akinori Iwamura arrives from Tampa to hold down second,since the Pirates really had no other viable option.
The former Yakult Swallow should be roughly what the Pirates had in Freddy Sanchez with a little better glove and a few points lower with the batting average.
Shortstop looks like a mud hole with your choice of disappointing former prospects Ronny Cedeno and Bobby Crosby.
Cedeno seems to have the edge,but neither is going hit much and neither will bring back memories of Frank Taveras,let alone Gene Alley with the leather.
Andy LaRoche will attempt to solidify himself at third after a thoroughly average season that saw him hit well in May and September and not much over the course of the rest of the season.
He had better because the first few months will likely determine his future as a starter,a utility man,a position change or moving elsewhere with the arrival of Pedro Alvarez likely to take place sometime in the summer.
The outfield looks pretty set in stone with Lasting Milledge in left,Andrew McCutchen in center and Garrett Jones in right.
But even here there are questions as the Pirates have to wonder if Milledge is going to live up to his potential and if Jones 2009 was an aberration from a 4A player.
If one of them don't live up to expectations,Pittsburgh will be hurting,but if both of the corner flychasers fail,this could be a 105 loss team.
Ryan Church was brought in as a fourth outfielder and as some possible insurance against the worst case scenario and John Raynor looks likely to be carried for a while at least as the 5th outfielder/late inning defensive replacement/pinch runner.
The odd man out could be Delwyn Young,but he could stick,depending on how many pitchers the Pirates carry..
Back later/the weekend with a look at the pitchers.....
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