I was in college when the Pirates had their last winning season way back when. Barry Bonds was in a Pirates uniform and they had just rattled off three straight division titles, only to have their World Series hopes dashed by the Braves. That was fifteen years ago and since then, the Pirates have suffered through fifteen straight losing seasons. Six of those will have been 90 loss seasons (if they finish with 90 losses this year like they should) and they loss 100 games back in 2001. It’s been a tough stretch and you hope it’s close to ending.
Tom Gorzellany is one of the team’s bright spots. He needs one more win for fifteen and 15 more innings to log 200 on the season. His strikeout numbrs weren’t fantastic, and his WHIP was only okay but he kept runners from crossing the plate. When you give up just 16 homeruns, that helps too. Still this is a guy who is legit number two or three guy in a lot of rotations and you hope he’ll develop into an ace down the line.
Adam Laroche has quietly had a solid second half to what looked like was going to be a disappointing season. His power numbers are down, but an .883 OPS is nothing to scoff at. And August was by far his best month of the season. So the jury is still out who got the better end of that trade with the Braves.
Jason Bay’s regression was a bit disconcerting though. This is a guy who was a stud in the National League and this year, his OPS+ is a pedestrian 92. It very well could be his first season as a regular where he doesn’t belt 25 homers.
Ian Snell’s meltdown after the All Star break was also of concern. He’ll lead the team in strikeouts and innings pitched but that one stretch he had in July and August was downright horrible. Still, I like the idea of a Gorzellany, Snell and Pat Maholm rotation coming into the season in 2008. If they can get Zach Duke back, all the better.
So for the next couple of weeks, I’ll watch the Pirates and then we’ll have a few months of hope. It’d be nice to see the Pirates make an offseason move of some import but I’m not holding my breath. It looks like the first order of business if to find a new GM, and that could determine what direction the Pirates take moving forward.
