Pirate Signings

It is official that the Pirates are going to pay at least 1.5 to Ryan Church. He could get up to 2.8 if all goes well in his contract. The Pirates also signed DJ Carrasco to a minor league deal. Yet another bullpen arm to compete for the spots, but still no real closer.

The Pirates off season has to be seen as very impressive. They have not sold out their internal rebuilding, but they have addressed real needs like second base with Iwamura. They have signed an almost entirely new bullpen with so many possibilities that it is not possible to tell who will make the team and who will not. This also gives them several options in the minors if things do not work out or when injuries strike.

So the bullpen improved. What else happened? Well the Pirates appear to have upgraded their bench. Church is a .270 hitter, which is about 30 points higher than Moss. Crosby is about the same as Vasquez, but a better fielder at short, although Vasquez has more flexibility. Iwamura starting at second is at least 20 points higher than Dwelven Young with more power as well. Young then moves the bench replacing Luis Cruz. Cruz was about a .215 hitter, which makes Young a 45 point upgrade. John Raynor, the Rule 5 pick, gives the Pirates more long term potential than other players on the bench last year, but what his average will be is anyone's guess at this point. But, even if Raynor flops, Tabata is in the wings. Clearly the Pirates have upgraded their bench.

The problems that remain are first base, and power. First base could improve with Clement, but I doubt he is ready. But power on the team ought to improve with a healthy Ryan Doumit. Put his 20 homeruns at fourth get at least that many if not more from Jones. Double digits from McCutchen and Milledge, and possibly Iwamura, and the Pirates have enough to compete in the NL. They are not going to out slug Philly, but they ought to have enough to be a threat when they need to be.

I am excited to see what else develops. April cannot get here fast enough