Pittsburgh Pirates 2010 Preview, Predictions & Odds

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Pittsburgh Pirates 2009 MLB Record: 62-99
Pittsburgh Pirates 2009 MLB Home Record: 40-41
Pittsburgh Pirates 2009 MLB Away Record: 22-58

Pittsburgh Pirates 2010 Betting

Pittsburgh Pirates Odds to Win the National League: 75/1
Pittsburgh Pirates Odds to Win the World Series: 150/1

Pittsburgh Pirates 2010 Preview & Prediction

The Pirates of 2010 will look almost nothing like the club Neal Huntington inherited when hired as general manager late in the 2007 season. Only four players remain who were on the major league roster then: left handers Zach Duke and Paul Maholm, catcher Ryan Doumit and first baseman/outfielder Steve Pearce. Huntington tore the Pirates apart in 2009 while they were in the midst of their 17th consecutive losing season, which set a major North American team sports record. He was left with a roster that included 14 rookies, most notably center fielder Andrew McCutchen, who has the look of a superstar in waiting. The Pirates also believe some of the biggest pieces to the rebuilding puzzle are still on the way. Right hander Brad Lincoln, third baseman Pedro Alvarez and right fielder Jose Tabata will begin this season at Indianapolis before likely being promoted to Pittsburgh at some point in mid season. The Pirates, noted for their thriftiness under owner Bob Nutting, have also paid $18.7 million in draft bonuses the past two years – the most among the 30 major league clubs in that span – in an effort to boost their farm system.

The Pirates certainly can’t be faulted for blowing their team up and starting all over again after 17 straight losing seasons. The only problem with rebuilding is that it usually takes a considerable amount of time before there is a payoff at the major league level. Thus, the battle cry in Pittsburgh in 2010 will again be wait until next year – or maybe a year or two after that.

Pittsburgh Pirates Manager: John Russell (2 Seasons) Record: 129 – 194

Pittsburgh Pirates 2010 Projected Batting Order: CF Andrew McCutchen (R), 2B Akinori Iwamura (L), RF Garrett Jones (L), C Ryan Doumit (S), 1B Jeff Clement (L), LF Lastings Milledge (R), 3B Andy LaRoche (R), SS Ronny Cedeno (R)

Pittsburgh Pirates 2010 Projected Rotation: LH Zach Duke, RH Ross Ohlendorf, LH Paul Maholm, RH Charlie Morton, RH Daniel McCutchen

Pittsburgh Pirates 2010 Projected Closer: RH Joel Hanrahan

2010 Pittsburgh Pirates Rotation:

This should seemingly be the Pirates’ strength as Duke and Maholm have proven to be solid major league starters and Ross Ohlendorf and Charlie Morton have considerable upside. None is older than 27, which means that each should have some growing to do. Like Ohlendorf and Morton, right hander Kevin Hart throws hard, but he did little with his opportunity after being acquired from the Chicago Cubs in a trade last July. Thus, he will have to fend off rookie right hander Daniel McCutchen for the No. 5 spot in a spring training competition. Originally drafted by the Yankees, McCutchen went 13-6 with a 3.47 ERA in Indianapolis last season.

2009-2010 Pittsburgh Pirates Bullpen:

Joel Hanrahan was twice removed from the closer’s role during the early portion of last season with Washington. Yet he will go to spring training as the favorite to hold the job in Pittsburgh now that Matt Capps (27 saves in 2009) is gone. Hanrahan was outstanding after being acquired from the Nationals in June; he allowed 23 hits and struck out 37 in 31.1 innings of work. He began to trust his slider more to complement his live fastball, but it remains to be seen if he can handle the mental aspects of the job. Javier Lopez, who spent the past four seasons in Boston, is likely to be the primary left hander after being signed as a free agent. Lopez was outstanding in 2007 and ’08 with the Sox, but he struggled last season, with an 0-2 record and a 9.26 ERA before being demoted. Beyond Hanrahan and Lopez, the Pirates have no other proven relievers, though fire balling Evan Meek and sinkable Steven Jackson have the inside track on being set-up men. In 47.0 innings of work last season, Meek only gave up 34 hits but he walked 29 batters. Jackson, too, struggled with his control, walking 22 batters in 43.0 innings. The Pirates will likely use every last minute of spring training to sort through candidates before settling on a seven-man bullpen.

2010 Pittsburgh Pirates Middle Infield:

The Pirates traded for Tampa Bay second baseman Akinori Iwamura, who missed half of the 2009 season with a knee injury. The team is counting on Iwamura to anchor the infield defense and be a steady No. 2 hitter behind McCutchen. He has a .281 average in three major league seasons, and he finished second in the AL in triples in 2007 with 10 and third in ’08 with nine. Shortstop Ronny Cedeno was inconsistent after being acquired from Seattle last July in a trade that sent veteran Jack Wilson to the Mariners. Still, he showed enough potential that he will begin this season as the starter. Cedeno, who tore apart the winter league in his native Venezuela, could give the Pirates some power at the bottom of the lineup.

2010 Pittsburgh Pirates Corners:

Jeff Clement will get first crack at playing first base as he tries to resurrect his career after being acquired from Seattle last season. The left-handed-hitting Clement, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2005 draft, washed out as a catcher with the Mariners, but the Pirates believe he can provide a power bat in the middle of the lineup. The disappointing Pearce is the fallback plan if Clement falters. Third baseman Andy LaRoche has not lived up to the hype that accompanied his arrival from Los Angeles in the 2008 three-team trade that sent Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers and Jason Bay to Boston. Though he has developed into a good fielder, LaRoche is only keeping the seat warm until the slugging Alvarez arrives in Pittsburgh.

2010 Pittsburgh Pirates Outfield:

McCutchen has already established himself as one of the Pirates’ cornerstones with his outstanding speed, developing power, tremendous range in center field and leadership qualities. He quickly made fans forget about the popular Nate McLouth, who was traded to Atlanta last June to open a lineup spot for McCutchen. Left fielder Lastings Milledge, acquired last summer in a deal for Nyjer Morgan, seems to have found a comfort level in Pittsburgh after failing to live up to expectations with the New York Mets and Washington. Right fielder Garrett Jones was a revelation last season as a 28-year-old rookie, hitting 21 home runs in 314 at bats after spending 11 seasons in the minor leagues, including five at the Class AAA level.

2010 Pittsburgh Pirates Catching:

Doumit is the last remaining regular from August 2008, and the switch-hitter is looking to bounce back after an injury-plagued ’09 season. He broke his wrist on April 19, sidelining him for close to three months, and he ended the season with only 280 at-bats. Doumit, who has 25 home runs in 611 at-bats over the last two seasons, has enough pop in his bat that the Pirates can live with his average defense.

2010 Pittsburgh Pirates Bench:

Bobby Crosby, the 2004 American League Rookie of the Year, was signed as a free agent to provide insurance at shortstop in case Cedeno flops. He can also back up the other infield positions. Crosby’s signing marginalizes Ramon Vazquez, who no longer can effectively play shortstop and will likely be little more than a left-handed pinch hitter. Switch-hitting Delwyn Young will be the Pirates’ top bat off the bench and back up at the outfield corners after failing to seize the starting second base job late last season. Brandon Moss missed a golden opportunity to be the everyday right fielder last season and will now have to fend off speedy Rule 5 draft pick John Raynor for a spot as a reserve outfielder. Jason Jaramillo will be the No. 2 catcher following a solid rookie year.

Pittsburgh Pirates 2010 Season Predictions

We predict that the Pittsburgh Pirates will finish 6th in the NL Central Division .

Pittsburgh Pirates 5-Year Win Trend

2009: 6th NL Central 62
2008: 6th NL Central 67
2007: 6th NL Central 68
2006: 5th NL Central 67
2005: 6th NL Central 67

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