NLCentral_Pittsburgh Pirates

2014 Cleveland Gameday HQ

PITTSBURGH PIRATES 5-YEAR SCORECARD 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 WINS 94 79 72 57 62 RUNS PER GAME 3.91 4.02 3.77 3.62 3.95 RUNS ALLOWED PER GAME 3.56 4.16 4.40 5.35 4.77 OPENING-DAY PAYROLL (millions) $66.8 $51.9 $42.0 $39.1 $48.7 Francisco Liriano 2014 STRENGTHS: • Long-ball offense • Deep and talented pitching staff 2014 WEAKNESSES: • Uncertainty at the top of the rotation • No more element of surprise In 2013, Pittsburgh reached the postseason for the first time since 1992 and advanced for the first time since “We Are Family” in 1979. They held first place in the Central for 25 days, eventually finishing second. A lot went right along the way and the Bucs will need similar good fortune to get back to the postseason. HITTING Meet “The Lumber Company, 2.0.” The Pirates were fourth in the NL in homers (161) while finishing third in triples (35) and fifth in stolen bases (94). But too often they relied on the long ball, hitting only .245 (11th), and predictably, struck out a lot — 1,330 times, third-most in the NL. The Bucs frequently came up empty in the clutch, battting .229 with runners in scoring position (only the Cubs were worse). Andrew McCutchen did it all in winning MVP, finishing top-10 in nearly every offensive category except homers. Pedro Alvarez took care of homers, sharing the home run crown, the first Pirate since Willie Stargell in 1973 to do so. His 24 dingers before the break put him in company with Stargell and Ralph Kiner. Explosive leftfielder Starling Marte was only the third Pirate and first since 1925 to have double-digit triples (10) and homers (12) with 40 stolen bases. He also tore up lefties, batting an NL-best .402. NL Central JARED WICKERHAM/GETTY IMAGES SPORT


2014 Cleveland Gameday HQ
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