The Pittsburgh Pirates didn’t necessarily capitalize on their 2013 success by making big additions to ensure that their return to the postseason wasn’t a one-year fluke. But that’s not the way the Pirates’ front office has done business, and it’s very unlikely to change.
Besides, Pittsburgh has promising young talent that either gained more major league experience this season or is on the verge of making a meaningful contribution in the very near future. Gregory Polanco was finally called up after his service-time considerations had passed, providing this team with a key future piece to join an already exciting core.
While the Reds fell apart and the Brewers imploded, the Pirates stayed on course, battling the Cardinals for the NL Central title to the very end and returning to the postseason for the second consecutive year. Having the best position player in the National League to lead the way certainly didn’t hurt their chances.
Preseason Prediction: The Pirates should be able to stay ahead of the Reds in the NL Central, though will likely finish behind the Cardinals. The question is whether or not the rest of the NL has improved enough to make winning another wild-card bid more difficult. Whomever finishes second in the NL East will likely get one spot and the Phillies could be in that mix as well. The D-Backs, Padres and Rockies could each be better than they were last season. And the Brewers should present added competition in the division.
Winning 94 games again looks like a difficult task for Pittsburgh under those circumstances, especially since the front office did nothing to improve the roster during the offseason. The Pirates could be this year’s version of the 2013 Orioles, a surprise playoff team that failed to build upon its success by adding key pieces and increasing the roster’s talent level. Baltimore fell to fourth place last season. Could Pittsburgh experience a similar slide? Unless their prospects develop into the meaningful contributors that the team envisions, that seems entirely possible. (Ian Casselberry, March 13th)
What Went Right: Suffering a rib fracture when he was hit by a pitch on Aug. 2 looked as if it might prevent Andrew McCutchen from winning his second consecutive NL MVP award. After some question as to whether or not he could play with the injury, McCutchen served the minimum 15 days on his disabled list stint. The Pirates went 5-10 during his absence, which might end up strengthening his case among NL MVP voters.
However, McCutchen’s numbers alone provide enough merit for him to win another MVP award. He arguably had an even better season than last year, improving his on-base percentage to .410 (which led the NL) and increasing his OPS 40 points to .952. The Pirates center fielder finished among the league’s top three with a .314/.410/.542 triple-slash average and led NL position players with a 6.8 WAR. Addtionally, McCutchen hit more home runs and drew more walks in nearly 30 fewer plate appearances than he had last season.
The Pirates also enjoyed a breakout performance from Josh Harrison, who emerged from utility player status to an indispensable part of the lineup. Harrison split time between third base and the corner outfield positions, filling in as needed when players were injured or performed poorly. But he played so well that manager Clint Hurdle had to keep him in the lineup, even when there seemingly wasn’t a position available.
The 27-year-old finished second in the NL with a .315 batting average, while his .837 OPS was second-best among Pittsburgh everyday players. That earned him a surprising bid on the NL All-Star team. Down the stretch, he became the full-time third baseman when Pedro Alvarez was moved to first base. During the second half of the season, Harrison hit .332 with an .887 OPS, 23 doubles, eight home runs, 24 RBI and nine stolen bases.
What Went Wrong: First base was a problem going back to spring training when a left-handed bat to platoon with Gaby Sanchez never really emerged. Eventually, the Pirates acquired Ike Davis from the Mets and he provided some power from the left side, though he only slugged .378 overall. But when Alvarez developed throwing difficulties (23 errors) at third base, the decision was made to move him over to first where his lefty bat fit nicely.
Pittsburgh was also never able to field a consistent starting rotation throughout the season. Edinson Volquez rebounded to be the Pirates’ top starter, and though he had a losing record, Francisco Liriano arguably had a better season than last year. But Gerrit Cole made only 22 starts due to a lat injury, while the Pirates shuffled Jeff Locke, Vance Worley, Charlie Morton and Brandon Cumpton to fill out the fourth and fifth spots of the rotation. Despite that uncertainty, Pittsburgh starters ranked seventh in the NL with a 3.60 ERA.
Most Surprising Player: The Pirates had plenty of surprises this season. Harrison’s breakout was certainly unexpected and left-hander Tony Watson emerged as one of the best relievers in the NL, earning an All-Star nod. Outfielder Travis Snider also became a reliable producer in right field, allowing Pittsburgh to send Gregory Polanco back down to the minors when the phenom struggled.
But no one could have expected the season Edinson Volquez put together. Last year, Volquez compiled a 6.01 ERA with the Padres, who play in the pitchers’ paradise of Petco Park, and was designated for assignment. He was equally terrible in four appearances with the Dodgers, who also play in a pitcher-friendly environment. PNC Park plays relatively neutral, but how could Volquez possibly find success there?
Yet the Pirates signed Volquez to be their fifth starter, not expecting him to be a top-of-the-rotation arm, but rather someone to provide 175 innings at the back end of the rotation. Pittsburgh’s front office likely also hoped that pitching coach Ray Searage could work the same magic with Volquez that he had with A.J. Burnett and Francisco Liriano during the past two seasons. And that’s exactly what happened.
Volquez finished with a 3.04 ERA, easily the best of his 10-year MLB career, leading all Pirates pitchers who made at least 17 starts. His .235 opponents’ batting average also ranked among the NL’s top 10 starting pitchers. But a 4.15 FIP showed that Volquez was helped by a strong defense behind him, and his weaknesses were exposed in the NL wild-card game versus the Giants.
Most Disappointing Player: Perhaps it’s unfair to call Pedro Alvarez a disappointment, considering he dealt with a foot injury that sidelined him for nearly all of September. The Pirates third baseman has also never hit for average during his major league career, so his .231 mark can’t have been a huge surprise.
Yet Alvarez could be depended upon to hit for power, giving the Pirates their one left-handed home run threat. During his previous two seasons, he hit 66 homers, leading the team in that category. Even playing in 30 fewer games than last year, Alvarez managed only 18 home runs this season while slugging .405.
Perhaps his struggles in the field followed him to the plate. Alvarez has never been a defensive whiz at third base, but he committed 25 errors this season, 23 of them throwing gaffes. His throwing issues became so bad that the Pirates moved him to first base, hoping to eliminate the defensive mistakes and perhaps give him less to think about while batting. With Harrison’s emergence, Alvarez at first base is likely a permanent situation.
The Future: While the Pirates have a promising young core of talent — notably in the outfield with Starling Marte, McCutchen and Polanco — and a budding ace in Cole, the team faces some serious questions during the offseason. Liriano and Volquez are free agents, and re-signing them would certainly help Pittsburgh’s rotation, especially as Jameson Taillon’s development has been stalled due to Tommy John surgery.
But the largest concern is Russell Martin. Though McCutchen is the team’s best player, Martin is Pittsburgh’s leader on the field and in the clubhouse. Losing him would be a significant blow to team chemistry and the maintenance of the pitching staff. With a .290 average and .832 OPS, Martin also contributes significantly to the Pirates’ lineup and his absence would create a significant hole to fill.
Martin figures to be in high demand on the free agent market, making it likely that he’ll attract an offer that the Pirates can’t match or exceed. However, owner Bob Nutting insists that the team can “stretch” its payroll to accommodate Martin, knowing how important he is to the team and how popular he is with fans.
Yet with the talent on hand, young prospects to come, and general manager Neal Huntington making savvy, lower-cost moves to fill roster holes, the Pirates should contend next season and beyond. Their chances of doing so look even better with the decline of the Reds and the uncertainty of the Brewers. Moving ahead of the Cardinals in the NL Central might be asking too much, and the Cubs will be worth keeping an eye on, but there’s no reason to think Pittsburgh won’t see October baseball again next year.
