BRADENTON, Fla. — These are not the Pirates of old.
Don’t believe it? Well, back-to-back appearances in the National League wild card, including winning it in 2013, show that the Pirates put their record streak of 20 consecutive losing seasons from 1993-2012 far behind them.
“It would’ve been easy to say 2013 was a fluke and we just got lucky, but we showed up in ’14 and were able to do the same thing,” center fielder Andrew McCutchen said. “We know we’re for real and other teams know they just can’t come in thinking ‘all right, we’re going to beat the Pirates.’ We’re not that team anymore.”
After contending for the division title until the final day of last season before finishing two games behind the St. Louis Cardinals, the Pirates have their sights on winning the NL Central this season.
When owner Bob Nutting visited the Pirates’ spring training camp he made it clear to the players and coaching staff that the franchise’s first division title since 1992 is the goal.
Nutting even put his money where his mouth is in the offseason by allowing general manager Neal Huntington to re-sign left-hander Francisco Liriano to a three-year, $39-million contract as a free agent.
While that may pale in comparison to the six-year, $155-contract given to free agent lefty Jon Lester by the division rival Chicago Cubs, it was the largest in franchise history for the Pirates. The previous top free agent contract was Russell Martin’s two-year, $17-millon deal in November, 2012.
The Pirates also signed right-hander A.J. Burnett to a one-year, $8.5-million contract in free agency. He pitched for the Pirates in 2012 and 2013, left for Philadelphia as a free agent last year then returned to Pittsburgh for $4.25 million less than the $12.75-million player option he declined with the Phillies for 2015.
“I want to win a ring and I want to win a ring in Pittsburgh,” Burnett said.
The Pirates haven’t won a World Series since 1979, which also marks their last appearance in the Fall Classic.
However, they feel they have the talent to make a run at winning it all this year.
Liriano, Burnett and right-hander Gerrit Cole front a solid rotation and underrated closer Mark Melancon heads a deep bullpen.
McCutchen is one of the game’s top stars and is the centerpiece of a dangerous lineup that also includes first baseman Pedro Alvarez, second baseman Neil Walker, left fielder Starling Marte and third baseman Josh Harrison. They are backed by a versatile bench.
“We’ve built a deeper club because of the money allocated to us but we need to continue to grow and mature,” Huntington said. “We want to put ourselves in a position to win the World Series.”
ROSTER REPORT
ROTATION:
LHP Francisco Liriano
RHP A.J. Burnett
RHP Gerrit Cole
LHP Jeff Locke
RHP Charlie Morton
Liriano will be the Opening Day starter for the second straight season after being re-signed to a three-year, $39-million contact as a free agent in the offseason. Burnett returns to the Pirates after a one-year detour to the Philadelphia Phillies and the 38-year-old says this will be his final season. Cole has the demeanor and stuff of a No. 1 starter and this could be the season the 24-year-old reaches that level.
Locke, in a surprise, beat out RHP Vance Worley for a spot in the rotation during spring training and gives the Pirates a second left-hander to combat the many left-handed-leaning lineups in the National League Central. Morton recovered from right hip surgery sooner than expected but had a rocky spring.
BULLPEN:
RHP Mark Melancon (closer)
LHP Tony Watson
RHP Jared Hughes
RHP Arquimedes Caminero
LHP Antonio Bastardo
RHP Radhames Liz
RHP Vance Worley
Melancon has developed into an elite closer, even though his name isn’t usually mentioned among the top relief pitchers in the game. Watson is as good as just about any left-handed reliever in the game and will be the primary set-up. Hughes had a shaky spring but he had a fine 2014 and is able to escape major jams with his double play-inducing sinker.
Caminero, acquired from the Miami Marlins in February in a cash transaction, has been the talk of spring training by showing overpowering stuff and will be the top middle reliever. The Pirates traded with the Philadelphia Phillies for Bastardo in the offseason but his poor spring performance has been cause for concern.
Liz hasn’t pitched in the major leagues since 2009 with the Baltimore Orioles but has had a good spring and will pitch in long relief with Worley, who figures to move back to the rotation the first time the Pirates need another starter.
LINEUP
1. 3B Josh Harrison
2. RF Gregory Polanco
3. CF Andrew McCutchen
4. 2B Neil Walker
5. LF Starling Marte
6. 1B Pedro Alvarez
7. SS Jordy Mercer
8. C Francisco Cervelli
Harrison gets a chance to play regularly for the first time in his five-year career after finishing second in the National League batting race with a .315 average last season. Polanco put on 15 pounds of muscle in the offseason following an up-and-down rookie year. McCutchen is one of the top players in the game.
Walker is not the prototypical cleanup man but the switch-hitter is a steady player in the middle of both the lineup and diamond. Marte may possess as much raw talent as McCutchen and many scouts believe he is primed to break through to stardom this season. Alvarez regained his power stroke this spring and made a rather seamless transition from third base to first base.
Mercer is a solid all-around shortstop. Cervelli likely won’t match Russell Martin’s offensive production at catcher but he is a good defensive catcher with outstanding pitch-framing skills.
RESERVES:
C Tony Sanchez
1B/OF Corey Hart
INF Jung Ho Kang
INF Sean Rodriguez
OF/1B Andrew Lambo
Sanchez has showed some significant offensive and defensive improvement this spring and may force the Pirates to keep him as a third catcher when C Chris Stewart returns from the disabled list. The right-handed-hitting Hart, who will likely spell 1B Pedro Alvarez against tough left-handed pitchers, says he is finally recovered from the surgeries he underwent on both knees in 2013 and feels he is driving the ball better than last year.
Kang will be used as a utility infielder, at least to start the season, as he becomes the first native Korean positon player to make the jump from the Korean Baseball Organization to the major leagues. Rodriguez can play all over the field and will be used on almost a regular basis as the Pirates attempt to give their starters more rest this season. Lambo provides a left-handed bench bat with power, albeit unproven at the major league level.
MEDICAL WATCH:
–C Chris Stewart (strained right hamstring) will begin the season on the 15-day disabled list and is likely out until the latter part of April.
–OF Jaff Decker (left calf strain) will begin the season on the 15-day disabled list and could be ready to return by mid-April.
–INF Justin Sellers (right Achilles tendon) will begin the season on the 15-day disabled list and there is no timetable for his return.
–RHP Brandon Cumpton (Tommy John surgery on right elbow) will miss the entire season.