What's ahead for the 2014 Pittsburgh pirates and will they take a step further?

[Brees#1]

I can honestly care less that both Morneau and Garrett Jones is off the team. Morneau was on a hot streak before the Pirates traded for him and once that happened he absolutely did awful. Now, Marlon Byrd on the other hand I wanted the Pirates to keep him bad, even if they would of been payed a little too much. He was a valuable asset to the team. On the bright side as long as minor league CF Gregory Polanco does well enough to warrant a call up he'll be placed in RF and hopefully he'll do well. The offensive has to improve a lot for me to think that they will make the playoffs.

Its the NL and the PNC being a pitchers park. Morneau was not going to do as well there. I think players like Marte should take the next step next year since they have had a year of dealing with NL pitching. I think losing Burnett is the big one and Locke fell off after June. But here's the issue for pirates.........
1b-?
2b-Walker
3b-Alvarez
SS-?
C-Martin and someone else forgot name
OF-Marte, McCutchen, the third isnt close.

You have valuable hitters in Alvarez and McCutchen, a rising star in Marte but Martin and Walker are just not doing it on a consistent level. Considering the league, stolen bases are the way to win in this. Shortstops do better in the NL actually because of that stat and you have no major shortstop. Is pressley ready for another shot? Now pitching your five I'm guessing are....

Cole
Locke
Liriano
Rodriguez(did he leave?)
That other pitcher can't remember his name.

Locke is the one to most worry about if he doesnt revert to early 2013 form.

 

[Darkstone42]

Its the NL and the PNC being a pitchers park. Morneau was not going to do as well there. I think players like Marte should take the next step next year since they have had a year of dealing with NL pitching. I think losing Burnett is the big one and Locke fell off after June. But here's the issue for pirates.........
1b-?
2b-Walker
3b-Alvarez
SS-?
C-Martin and someone else forgot name
OF-Marte, McCutchen, the third isnt close.

You have valuable hitters in Alvarez and McCutchen, a rising star in Marte but Martin and Walker are just not doing it on a consistent level. Considering the league, stolen bases are the way to win in this. Shortstops do better in the NL actually because of that stat and you have no major shortstop. Is pressley ready for another shot? Now pitching your five I'm guessing are....

Cole
Locke
Liriano
Rodriguez(did he leave?)
That other pitcher can't remember his name.

Locke is the one to most worry about if he doesnt revert to early 2013 form.

1B is a problem against righties (Sanchez is quite good against lefties), but Walker has been above average as a second basemen for three and a half years, and there's no reason to expect anything else. Mercer's shown he can be average to slightly above at short. Tabata and Snider are both healthy this year (and Snider is fit), and I think Tabata alone can hold down the fort in right field. He's been a pretty decent player when he's been healthy, probably a little below average, but serviceable.

Cole will be our ace this year, and I expect him to be very good. Liriano's a wildcard, but Searage seems to have him using a good approach, and the Pirates are good defensively, so that will help, too. Wandy's with the team and has been having a solid spring so far. Charlie Morton will be our fourth, and he's been pretty consistent when healthy the last couple years, with last year being very strong. Our fifth will probably be either Cumpton or Volquez, with Taillon likely getting the call-up later in the season.

I honestly think the team is more talented to start this year than they were to start last year. Cole could replace Burnett, and Taillon could replace Cole. Polanco has all the tools to spark the lineup, and will also give us the best defensive outfield in baseball, most likely, which also helps our pitching.

The big question is whether one of Lambo or Snider or one of the other guys can an effective platoon lefty at first, or if we can acquire a first baseman somehow. Everywhere else on the field, we're average to above average to elite, and we should certainly be in contention for at least the wildcard.

 

[navamind]

Neil Walker:
2010: 119 OPS+
2011: 108 OPS+
2012: 112 OPS+
2013: 115 OPS+

Those are all above average, especially at 2B.