Season 9 will be a season of patience and hope for the future. Pirate Management will be counting on the continued improvement from the young prospects in the minors. They will be counting on their scouts to find the brightest prospects for the draft and unearthing some key international free agents. Season 9 began with the Dover Stangs looking for a new home. After wearing out their welcome in Dover, they found a home in Pittsburgh as the fans welcomed these homeless Stangs as their own. Other than that it has been a quiet off-season. A minor trade was made with the Old Pirates as Ozzie Chang was dispatched for promising prospect Ron Hudson . Here is the tentatively scheduled lineup for season 9. I say tentatively as Management has a history of not seeing a trade they don't like.C-Raymond Strong -should be a big year for this guy, hoping for 135 games out of this potential all star. Career Minor leaguer Tony Castilla will be the backup.
1B-Willie Lopez. When fan favourite Willie Machado was traded to Detroit this spring, there was hole at 1B. Lopez was claimed off the waiver wire to fill that hole, after he was released by the Yankees. He will have a lot RBI opportunites hitting in the 5 hole, behind Rushford.
2B-Benji Martinez-a pleasant surprise from season 8. Gold Glover winner. He was also in the running for rookie of the year.
SS-Matt Wise-picked up from Milwaukee last season for Matt Carroll. Good glove if Wise can hit a bit, it will be a bonus. Jackson Sewell another waiver wire pickup from last season, will back up. He also will see some time in the OF and 2B.
3B-Tommy Johnson-free agent signing, will hit against righties. Josias Flores will see time at third against lefties and be a backup in the OF.
LF-Don Riske-Rule 5 pick Season 8-he will be given the chance to play LF and be the leadoff hitter. His on base percentage will have to improve this season if he expects to stay in the starting lineup.
CF-Doug Strong-takes over in CF this season. Season 9 could be an up and down year for Strong, but Management is a big supporter of his.
RF-Paul Rushford-Rule 5 pick from Season 7. Player of the week, All star team and he was in the running for the MVP of the league in Season 8, until a late slump knocked him out of the running. Barry Leach -Rule 5 pick Season 9 will see some time in the OF and 1B. Todd Darnell might get called up to fill out the bench.
SP-Kent Heredia,Jared Hampton ,Ryan Stargell ,Pablo Montanez ,Gregg Duncan ,
Mopup/Spot Starter/Long Relief-Miguel Gomez
Setup-Victor Aguilera,Pasqual Guardado ,Charlie Smith , Jimmie Sardinha,
Closer-Andres Coronado with Guardado helping out when needed
Management is still undecided on the 25th roster position. Maybe it will be a waiver wire pick. Management predicts it will be a tough season 9 in the NL North. Cincy and Chi look tough. With i suspect, a much improved Milwaukee team battling for the only wild card spot available. Chi or Cincy will get the division with the other winning the first wildcard. This leaves a pile of teams fighting for the last wildcard spot. Management feels they don't have the SP yet to contend for this last wildcard spot and as such they will be in discussions and on the look out for another SP to add, someone like Kent Heredia with better splits. Stay tuned and watch for exciting developments from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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