Pittsburgh Pirates: The Future Is...

[Jessie Lynn DivaGirl]

Okay, so the Pirates have once again had a losing season making their streak 0-19. They started off the season however with a lot of promise however and have honestly never had a better season in almost twenty years. So next year is leaving the sports universe with questions that I think should be discussed:

1. Can they do this again next year?

2. Is Clint Hurdle going to stick around for a while?

3. Are the Pirates going to choke again?

4. They begin and start their season in Pittsburgh; is this good or bad?

5. Who should be the key players next season?

For me my answers would go as follows:

1. Yes. I believe that if this team could do this good THIS year then next year will be the same if not better. The have a good lineup and for once don't have to worry about who'll be best to replace an injured player because the back ups are all fantastic.

2. If Bob Nutting knows what's good for this team he will. Okay, him and Neal Hunnington and Frank Coonely. This was a great decision to bring him in and thus he is part of the reason for the Pirates first-half success. Let's keep him around and see what happens in the future. He's definately no John Russel. I've met him and within 30 seconds or a minute he said more words to me than John Russel did in 3 years. He's a keeper.

3. It's possible. I think what happened this year was after the 19 inning game that they unfairly lost they just lost focuss. If you watched the last game of this season, when closer Joel Hanrahan is yelling at fans it was becuase they were harassing him about that game. They're still bitter about it so now they just need to snap out of it and get on with their lives. Hopefully this kind of thing doesn't happen again.

4. This is excellent! No matter how good or bad the season is they'll start at home and basically get a giant "good luck" from the fans and at the end get a giant "we still love you" from (hopefully) the same fans. They won't be surronded by fans who want to hackle them which is good for their mindset. Plus the fans love being able to see their Bucs at the very beginning and end.

5. They guys who really kicked off this year. Alex Presely, Chase d'Arnaurd, Neil Walker, Andrew McCutchen, and most of the starting rotation. If we put these guys in front and get the bats swinging we'll be good. The problem last year was no run support which lead to games such as the 20-0 loss to the Brewers. Plus the bulpen needs to get an oil check (yes, I just said that) and become the great pitchers they can be. That way we won't have games starting good then becoming disasters.

I personally don't want to see these guys follow the Undertaker's streak and go 0-20 (think about it; Taker is 19-0 at Wrestlemania, Pirates are 0-19 for the past 19 seasons. Is that a sick coincidence or what?). It's ironic that they're facing Atlanta in the last regular season series because next year is the 20th anniversery of the 1992 season and most baseball fans know how THAT ended.

You do't have to answer the questions if you don't want to but I'd like to hear your opinion. Let's go Bucs!

 

[Mick Overlast]

1. Can they do this again next year?

If the starters can replicate what they did in the first half of the season, sure. Before the wheels fell off, their runs-allowed total was one of the lowest in the big leagues. Because the offense isn't that explosive, the starters will determine how the Buccos do in '11.

2. Is Clint Hurdle going to stick around for a while?

I hope so. Guy won in Colorado and got the Rockies to the Series, so as long as the right pieces keep being put in place, he'll be around for a while.

3. Are the Pirates going to choke again?

I hope not, but they'd have to be doing well in order to choke. Consistency is the key, though. With a young team, that doesn't come as quickly.

4. They begin and start their season in Pittsburgh; is this good or bad?

I think it's irrelevant.

5. Who should be the key players next season?

Obviously, McCutchen and Walker. d'Arnaud and Presley came up big on a number of occasions during their time up. Karstens has to be the man in the rotation; I thought he had a great year.

Great thread and I hope you can keep it going into next season.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

Okay, so the Pirates have once again had a losing season making their streak 0-19. They started off the season however with a lot of promise however and have honestly never had a better season in almost twenty years. So next year is leaving the sports universe with questions that I think should be discussed:

1. Can they do this again next year?

2. Is Clint Hurdle going to stick around for a while?

3. Are the Pirates going to choke again?

4. They begin and start their season in Pittsburgh; is this good or bad?

5. Who should be the key players next season?

For me my answers would go as follows:

1. Yes. I believe that if this team could do this good THIS year then next year will be the same if not better. The have a good lineup and for once don't have to worry about who'll be best to replace an injured player because the back ups are all fantastic.

2. If Bob Nutting knows what's good for this team he will. Okay, him and Neal Hunnington and Frank Coonely. This was a great decision to bring him in and thus he is part of the reason for the Pirates first-half success. Let's keep him around and see what happens in the future. He's definately no John Russel. I've met him and within 30 seconds or a minute he said more words to me than John Russel did in 3 years. He's a keeper.

3. It's possible. I think what happened this year was after the 19 inning game that they unfairly lost they just lost focuss. If you watched the last game of this season, when closer Joel Hanrahan is yelling at fans it was becuase they were harassing him about that game. They're still bitter about it so now they just need to snap out of it and get on with their lives. Hopefully this kind of thing doesn't happen again.

4. This is excellent! No matter how good or bad the season is they'll start at home and basically get a giant "good luck" from the fans and at the end get a giant "we still love you" from (hopefully) the same fans. They won't be surronded by fans who want to hackle them which is good for their mindset. Plus the fans love being able to see their Bucs at the very beginning and end.

5. They guys who really kicked off this year. Alex Presely, Chase d'Arnaurd, Neil Walker, Andrew McCutchen, and most of the starting rotation. If we put these guys in front and get the bats swinging we'll be good. The problem last year was no run support which lead to games such as the 20-0 loss to the Brewers. Plus the bulpen needs to get an oil check (yes, I just said that) and become the great pitchers they can be. That way we won't have games starting good then becoming disasters.

I personally don't want to see these guys follow the Undertaker's streak and go 0-20 (think about it; Taker is 19-0 at Wrestlemania, Pirates are 0-19 for the past 19 seasons. Is that a sick coincidence or what?). It's ironic that they're facing Atlanta in the last regular season series because next year is the 20th anniversery of the 1992 season and most baseball fans know how THAT ended.

You do't have to answer the questions if you don't want to but I'd like to hear your opinion. Let's go Bucs!

1. Can they compete? Yea, the Central is going to suck. The Crew is going to be a lot weaker with people leaving. The Cards, by some miracle of god are playing out of their minds, but will be ancient next year (seriously, old ass team, very few young players or prospects). They could definately beat up on some bad teams and have a winning record.

2. I hope so. Hurdle is the kind of manager a young team needs.

3. I don't consider it "choking" when the owner doesn't give a fuck if the team wins or not. MLB needs to step in and force him to release his financial records. I mean, he got the city to pay for his stadium (110% of it I think, the extra 10% for "infrastructure" or some garbage excuse for him to pocket more), so he should let them see how much money he pockets each year by running a low cost team.

4. It's neither. In baseball, a 90 win team only wins about 11/20 games. think about that, it's not much. In a small sample size, it's a coin toss who wins.

5. Andrew McCutchon obviously. Young 5 tool stud. If Pedro Alvarez bounces back, he's another young, cost controlled guy they have. Plus they have some pitching prospects. If their starters are even 75% as good as they were this year and their young players and prospects continue to develop, it's a very competitive team.

The only bad thing I saw this year was they traded some prospects, albeit lower ranking ones, for a chance to win. If this is your first year competing, I would never sell even a fraction of my future for that if you need to stock up on as many cheap young talented players as possible.

 

[Broc808]

Okay, so the Pirates have once again had a losing season making their streak 0-19. They started off the season however with a lot of promise however and have honestly never had a better season in almost twenty years. So next year is leaving the sports universe with questions that I think should be discussed:

1. Can they do this again next year?

2. Is Clint Hurdle going to stick around for a while?

3. Are the Pirates going to choke again?

4. They begin and start their season in Pittsburgh; is this good or bad?

5. Who should be the key players next season?

For me my answers would go as follows:

1. Yes. I believe that if this team could do this good THIS year then next year will be the same if not better. The have a good lineup and for once don't have to worry about who'll be best to replace an injured player because the back ups are all fantastic.

2. If Bob Nutting knows what's good for this team he will. Okay, him and Neal Hunnington and Frank Coonely. This was a great decision to bring him in and thus he is part of the reason for the Pirates first-half success. Let's keep him around and see what happens in the future. He's definately no John Russel. I've met him and within 30 seconds or a minute he said more words to me than John Russel did in 3 years. He's a keeper.

3. It's possible. I think what happened this year was after the 19 inning game that they unfairly lost they just lost focuss. If you watched the last game of this season, when closer Joel Hanrahan is yelling at fans it was becuase they were harassing him about that game. They're still bitter about it so now they just need to snap out of it and get on with their lives. Hopefully this kind of thing doesn't happen again.

4. This is excellent! No matter how good or bad the season is they'll start at home and basically get a giant "good luck" from the fans and at the end get a giant "we still love you" from (hopefully) the same fans. They won't be surronded by fans who want to hackle them which is good for their mindset. Plus the fans love being able to see their Bucs at the very beginning and end.

5. They guys who really kicked off this year. Alex Presely, Chase d'Arnaurd, Neil Walker, Andrew McCutchen, and most of the starting rotation. If we put these guys in front and get the bats swinging we'll be good. The problem last year was no run support which lead to games such as the 20-0 loss to the Brewers. Plus the bulpen needs to get an oil check (yes, I just said that) and become the great pitchers they can be. That way we won't have games starting good then becoming disasters.

I personally don't want to see these guys follow the Undertaker's streak and go 0-20 (think about it; Taker is 19-0 at Wrestlemania, Pirates are 0-19 for the past 19 seasons. Is that a sick coincidence or what?). It's ironic that they're facing Atlanta in the last regular season series because next year is the 20th anniversery of the 1992 season and most baseball fans know how THAT ended.

You do't have to answer the questions if you don't want to but I'd like to hear your opinion. Let's go Bucs!

1. yes except hopefully better, management is a lot better for the Pirates these days which is the reason for the improvement this year and is a big reason for success in the future

2. I agree with your answer on this one

3. No, I honestly think if it weren't for the bad call against the Braves that the Pirates would have made the playoffs

4. Home Field can always help so yes

5. obviously Andrew McCutchen is always a guy to keep an eye on but there is also Jose Talbita still in Pittsburgh who I'm really expecting to have a great year