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The Pirates improved their victory total in each of the past two seasons, but that short streak will end in 2004. This team could lose at least 90 games while it waits for minor league prospects to develop further, revenue streams to increase and fans' interest to rekindle. Rotation
The Pirates' lone strength this season should be the rotation. Kip Wells finished strongly in 2003 and established himself as the club's top starter. Kris Benson missed much of the season because of shoulder problems, and the Pirates need him to be healthy during the early season -- so they can trade him. He'll be a free agent after 2004, and the Pirates can't afford to sign him. Josh Fogg is a reliable middle-rotation right-hander. Oliver Perez could lead a bunch of young starters -- including left-hander Sean Burnett -- into the rotation by the midpoint of the 2005 season. The Pirates have a ton of candidates for the fifth starter's spot, including veteran Rick Reed, left-hander Dave Williams, who showed promise in 2002 before shoulder problems sidelined him last year, and Ian Oquendo, who will likely begin the season with Class AAA Nashville.
Bullpen
The team's strength in 2002 turned into its Achilles' heel in 2003. The Pirates lost six games in which they had a lead after eight innings. Give them those six wins and they were a .500 team. They headed into the new year without an experienced closer. Salomon Torres might get the job by default. Joe Beimel, who pitched well in middle relief, failed miserably in the late-inning, left-handed role after Scott Sauerbeck went to Boston in July. Young left-handers John Grabow, Mike Gonzalez and Mike Johnston all could be with the Pirates in 2004. Right-hander Ryan Vogelsong, who's out of minor league options, could wind up in the bullpen if he can't make the rotation in spring training.
Corners
This is not one of the team's strengths. Chris Stynes signed as a free agent just before Christmas and will be the regular at third base. He'll give the Pirates a decent glove there, but he won't be near the run-producer Aramis Ramirez was. Still, Stynes brings some experience and steadiness to a team badly in need of both. Craig Wilson will play first base and finally should get the 500-at-bat season fans have clamored for the past two years. Wilson, though, batted only .238 with seven home runs in 202 at-bats against right-handers last year, perhaps opening the door for the returning Randall Simon to crack the lineup. Left-handed batting Carlos Rivera proved to be an admirable defender at first base in half a season in 2003. He might land a job as Wilson's caddy and part-time starter against right-handers.
Middle Infield
Jack Wilson had a career-best 62 RBIs last season and batted .256, showing he could become a fixture at shortstop if the Pirates can afford to sign him to a long-term deal in the near future. Wilson's a player whose numbers would look a lot better if he had more offense around him -- as Jay Bell did in the early 1990s. If the Pirates decide they can't afford Wilson within the next two years, Jose Castillo, who will begin 2004 with Nashville, will become their shortstop. Or Castillo could move to second base if the Pirates keep Wilson and highly touted Freddy Sanchez, acquired from Boston last July, becomes their second baseman. Without doubt, Sanchez will begin the 2004 season at second base.
Outfield
The Pirates seem to have two of their three outfield spots set. Jason Bay, acquired in the Brian Giles trade with San Diego in late August, showed he's more major league-ready than former phenom Chad Hermansen was a few years ago. Bay, who had offseason shoulder surgery, might not be ready by Opening Day, but the left field job is his for years to come -- or until the Pirates can't afford to pay him. Center fielder Tike Redman, who batted .330 and had 24 extra-base hits among his 76 hits after his Aug. 1 recall from Nashville, demonstrated he might have gotten his act together after two other undistinguished trials with the Pirates. He'll start the season in the leadoff spot. Right field is a huge question mark. J.J. Davis, the team's No. 1 pick in 1997, is out of minor league options and would be claimed off waivers by another team if the Pirates try to send him back to Nashville. However, the Pirates aren't sure if Davis is ready for the major leagues. If Davis isn't in right field, Craig Wilson could play there, with Daryle Ward, invited to camp as a minor league free agent, as a longshot.
Catching
Jason Kendall batted .325 and once again showed he could be a fine offensive player on a team that had more offense around him. Throughout Kendall's eight-year career, the offensively challenged Pirates have never figured out where to bat him in the lineup. He's been kind of a "utility batter" -- hitting wherever the Pirates have a hole. He's probably an ideal second hitter because he's more of a run scorer than a run producer, but the Pirates always have tried to make him an RBI guy. The Pirates owe him $42 million over the final four years of his contract and have tried hard to trade him over the past two years, but the deal always gets hung up because of the money. He remains a fan favorite, but how his attitude holds up during another long season of losing will be interesting to watch. If the Pirates can trade Kendall, Craig Wilson becomes the regular catcher.
Bench
There almost isn't any. Maybe Ward can land a job as a left-handed bat. Rob Mackowiak, who can do almost everything except pitch, is a valuable left-handed bat for the Pirates. He'll get time at third base spelling Stynes, at first base spelling Craig Wilson and in right field spelling whoever winds up out there. Abraham Nunez is back as the utility infielder. He's a switch-hitter, but so is Bobby Hill, and there doesn't seem to be a need for both of them. Craig Wilson is a good bat off the bench, but he needs to play regularly somewhere this year, so his pinch-hitting opportunities should be far fewer. The Pirates need to sign a another hitter to come off the bench before the end of spring training.
Management
In July, just before GM Dave Littlefield began his "financial flexibility" trading spree, owner Kevin McClatchy claimed the Pirates had lost $30 million since moving into PNC Park. McClatchy was under fire by the media all winter about that claim and because the Pirates will trim their payroll from $55 million (at the start of the 2003 season) to perhaps as little as $35 million for 2004. Add to that the fact that the Pirates lost five prospects (in the first six picks) in December's Rule 5 draft -- this is a team, you'll recall, that is supposed to be building from within -- and you have a dwindling fan base that is really turned off.
Final Analysis
Littlefield struck gold last winter when he signed free agents Matt Stairs, Reggie Sanders, Kenny Lofton, Julian Tavarez, Jeff Suppan and Jeff D'Amico for a total of about $5 million. All were productive for the Pirates in 2003. All are gone now. Those signings raised fans' hopes for last season, but that hope and optimism are as gone as are those six players. Pirate fans face a long season that will remind many of the 100-loss mess of 2001, lead to unwarranted cries for manager Lloyd McClendon's dismissal and leave most wondering if 2005 will even be marginally any better.
• Click here for a complete list of 2004 Team Previews
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