I just got done reading a book about the 1960 World Series. You know, the one where Bill Mazeroski downed the evil Yankees with a home run in the bottom of the 9th of Game 7? Well, it got me thinking.
The Pirates are terrible, and it kinda sucks.
We as fans always hear that having a so-and-so team being competitive is "good for [insert sport here]." For example, the NFL is happy when the Dallas Cowboys are good. Likewise with the Lakers and Celtics and the NBA. Or the Yankees.
Well, the Pirates have been terrible for about 17 years, and it doesn't seem like anyone cares anymore. If fact, it appeared for awhile that not even the guys running the team gave a hoot. They plundered (pun intended) the roster, eliminating just about anyone any fan was even slightly familiar with. It was a massive overhaul toward the greater cause of anonymity. If so, mission accomplished.
For a franchise with such a rich history, it seems like an awful shame that the team is so consistently terrible. It only seems right that one of these days, something has to go right for the folks in western PA. They have to win sometime, right? Maybe not.
Just ask Cubs fans.
But upon further review, perhaps the front office folks do indeed have some idea what they are doing after all. OK, so the average fan —perhaps even diehards —won't be able to name three position players, but the guys they haven't heard of are either decent or developing. In fact, there are some pretty good prospects developing alongside the Allegheny. Here's what you need to know if you run across a Pirate fan —as rare an occasion as that may be.
Four prospects to watch after the jump.
Andrew McCutchen
He's got it all. The speedy legs, the flying hair, the arm, and some pop. Perhaps the Pirates' best prospect, McCutchen was brought up to the bigs on June 4. That day, Pittsburgh blasted the Mets 11-6. His scoreline for his major league debut? 2-4, 3 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB. It was a sign of things to come. The club gave away a fan favorite to make room for the rookie speedster, and it looks like the move has paid off. Opponents better be ready for an even better center fielder this time around.
Pedro Alvarez
The third baseman has been hailed as the future of the moribund franchise since being drafted second overall in 2008. He has been patiently biding his time, despite the team's dearth of opportunities at the hot corner. Alvarez is an offensive threat in the making. Actually, he may be the best bat available in the Pirates' system —right now, even without ever having faced a pitch in the major leagues. But the team has high hopes for the developing star out of Vanderbilt, who is willing to be patient for his big call up.
Jeff Clement
Patience is a virtue, especially when one is trying to learn a new position at a major league level. Such is the case for catching prospect turned first baseman Jeff Clement. The former Mariners draft pick was supposed to be a star catcher in the making, but Pittsburgh is trying to use him to fill in a vacant spot at first. Clement will probably be a defensive liability for them, but his bat is the hot commodity. Formerly a 3rd overall pick, Clement, now 26, is trying to finally cement his place in the major leagues after a pair of short campaigns with the Mariners.
Garrett Jones
Every once in a while, baseball provides us with a story to prove that you just never know who will make it —or how long it will take. Most 28-year-old players with just 84 previous plate appearances are not going to get another shot at the big leagues. But this is one of the rare cases where playing for the Pirates is a good thing.
After the mid-season purge, Garrett Jones got another chance to fill in for the departed Eric Hinske. What he did was stunning. He socked 21 home runs and hit .293, outstanding production despite coming up in July. His minor league career and previous weak stint with the Twins indicates that there could be a drop off, but Jones is a player to keep an eye on.
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