Pittsburgh Pirates

Given that the Washington Nationals will likely take power-hitting junior college catcher Bryce Harper with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 MLB Draft on Monday, the Pittsburgh Pirates have a bit more of a dilemma when it comes to their selection.

Even though Harper will be gone, the Pirates still have the cream of the crop to work with—they can choose the best pitcher or the second best position player in the draft.

So who will the Pirates take?

The Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen has several concerns.

Two of the key concerns are that four relievers carry a 4.78 ERA or above and Javier Lopez is the only left-handed arm in the pen.

The answer to some bullpen help may be in Indianapolis. His name is Justin Thomas.

Thomas is a 6'3" 220 pound lefthander out of Youngstown State and is the Seattle Mariner's 2005 forth round draft choice.

Thomas began his professional career as a starter and in 2006, his first full year, he won 14 games.

By most measures, Bryce Harper is the pick of the 2010 draft class. He is a multi-tool offensive player that is also believed to be able to play several positions. There is a chance the Pittsburgh Pirates will be able to draft him. There is a larger chance that they won't.

Based on their 2009 records, the Pirates have the second overall draft pick in 2010, with the Washington Nationals coming in first. Washington is believed to prefer Harper, just as it selected Steve Strasburg with last year's first pick.

While many Pittsburgh Pirate fans are anxiously waiting for top pitching prospect Brad Lincoln to come up, the rest of the majors is anxiously waiting for pitching sensation Stephen Strasburg to make his debut for the Washington Nationals.

Ross Ohlendorf finished very strong in 2009, leading the rotation in both ERA (3.92) and WHIP (1.23) while picking up 11 wins.

Nonetheless, the 2010 season began with some concerns. In spring training, he was inconsistent with his fastball and his pitches were flat. However, his first start of the regular season was encouraging; His fastball showed life and he maintained consistent velocity.

17 years of futility and losing, and it will likely become 18—possibly 19.

Yet I am still faithful, and I am not embarrassed whatsoever about rooting for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Some people in Pittsburgh have moved on to larger-market teams such as the Red Sox and Yankees (I have been rooting for the Pirates and Red Sox since birth; I am not a bandwagon-jumper).

Charlie Morton has not been exactly what you would call a "good pitcher" for the Pittsburgh Pirates this season.

In fact, Morton has been something you would call a "horrible pitcher that deserves to be sent to the minors" this season.

Morton, 26, was expected to become one of the Pirates' better pitchers this season after they acquired him in the Nate McLouth trade.

I was sitting on my couch on Tuesday night and turned on the Cincinnati Reds-Pittsburgh Pirates game, mainly to watch Mike Leake pitch. In the top of the eighth, Leake got into a little bit of trouble and Dusty Baker called on Arthur Rhodes to help bail out him out.

Here is the beautiful thing about writing: you start to watch a baseball game with a thought in mind about what or whom you are going to write and then something happens during the course of a game that completely changes your train of thought.

A once proud franchise, the Pittsburgh Pirates have five World Series crowns. Players such as Honus Wagner, Goose Gossage, Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, Bill Mazeroski, Matty Alou, Bob Friend, Jason Bay, and Barry Bonds have all called Pittsburgh home over the years.