Footprints in the Snow: Pittsburgh Pirates
Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's see at the paths apt be forged at MLB groups this winter as they look forward apt 2009.
Generally, losing doesn't obtain you anywhere. If you do enough of it, although,
mbt changa, you might grasp some attention for it. Meet the Pittsburgh Pirates. They haven't had a conquering season since 1992. That's 16 annuals,
buy supra shoes, which knots the all-time disc because losing seasons in whichever North American amusement. As things stand, the Pirates are pretty well lined up to crash the record with losing season No. 17 in 2009.
And additionally, not all is lost for the Pirates. After catching over final year, GM Neal Huntington has began to restock the inferior ally system with some tangible talent. Still,
asics nimbus shoes, he was left quite a muddle by his ancestors. The Pirates might no be proficient to dodge losing season No. 17, but can they avoid 18, 19, alternatively 20?
Who May Leave?
Doug Mientkiewicz, 1B
Chris Gomez,
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Luis Rivas, 2B/SS
Jason Michaels, OF
What Do They Need?
As it all works with teams like this, there are two ways to look at what they "need." There's what they need to rebuild the team to actually contend, and then there's what they need if they want to attempt to stem the tide and achieve upon .500 in 2009.
When it comes to reconstructing, the Pirates need pretty much anything except third basemen and outfielders. They have a lot of athletes at those situations, yet tiny somewhere. Huntington seems focused on simply acquiring talent at this point in period and figuring out how the puzzle chips eligible together after. It's a similar approach to the 1 Tampa secondhand, so there's some precedent for success. So I suspect that method the response to this answer is, "talent."
The other way to answer the question would be to say that possibly if they construct their generally terrible barricade up, their pitching ambition eventually take the step along that Pirate fans have been waiting for since approximately 1998 and if that happens, they could surprise folk. Not the way the Rays surprised folk, but possibly the way you're surprised while you detect $5 in a pair of trousers you haven't worn in six months.
What Should They Do?
Keep their eyes firmly focused on the future. They're stuck in the bottom of a nice department in the National League that will probably have three and maybe even four playoff contenders next year. There is nearly nothing they can do this winter,
abercrombie kids, retention having Albert Pujols and CC Sabathia assigned to them by Bud Selig because he's bored, that will make them contenders in 2009. Trying to build a wrong team into a respectable one while rebuilding the minor league system in the meantime is a very laborious mission.
This means that the Pirates should be hearing to any and all offers they get. Obviously they can't equitable give a player like Nate McLouth away, but they can't ignore attempts for him either. The same thing goes for guys like Ryan Doumit and Adam LaRoche.
What will they do?
They probably won't deviate much from the path they set in July by dealing Jason Bay and Xavier Nady, which is to say that the Pirates are in full-on rebuilding mode for at fewest the third time since 1993. It seems probable that the longest-tenured Pirate, Jack Wilson, will be traded this winter and it wouldn't be startling to watch Freddy Sanchez follow him out the gate. McLouth rumors are yet circulating, though nobody seems certain to happen at this point. Huntington has also said he expects to be somewhat lively in the free agency market. He's amused in signing a veteran starter in hopes that they can avoid the pitching misadventure they had last year. Whatever Huntington does probably won't reserve the Pirates from setting the futility record, but at fewest he's providing some wish for Pirate fans down the road.
Sneak Peek- Air Jordan I (1) Retro 8211; 8220;Foam Opt as the Best Quality GHD Locks Strabecausetener for the Curly Hair_2143 Previously aboard the FanHouse It makes sense. Santo, for all his faults, is in many ways the spiritual successor to Harry Caray -- the bumbling, silly, lovable man in the (radio) booth. Give him the microphone, and make the insanity stop. No more of this. For the love of God.
