Pittsburgh Pirates: Will Losing End in 2008?

There aren’t many stories about the Pittsburgh Pirates on this site.

And why should there be? The Pirates have had 15 losing seasons in a row. Fifteen. Futility like that doesn’t lend itself to much of a story, especially in May. So what if they win a few games? We all know how the tale is going to end.

But this year’s story might turn out differently. Let me stress the word might, because it would be crazy to guarantee or even suggest a team that lost 94 games last season could become a contender without adding a single important piece to its roster. That said, having followed the team closely through its first 36 games, I’ve come notice a few signs that this isn’t the Pirate team of the last 15 years.

So, without further ado, here are five reasons why the Pirates could contend either this year or in the near future.

1. Nate McLouth

Shocking, right? McLouth’s torrid start to the season—he hit safely in his first 19 games— is perhaps the only thing most people know about this year’s Pirate squad. Nonetheless, he must be mentioned, as he has continued to prove that he is not just a flash in the pan.

McLouth takes pitches, has a short, compact swing, plays an above average center field, and has power and speed to boot. He’s everything former General Manager Dave Littlefield always hoped Chris Duffy would become, but better. In a clubhouse survey conducted prior to the season, McLouth was the runaway choice among his teammates to be this year’s breakout player. It looks like they were right.

2. Pitching is the problem?

Much has been made, especially prior to the Pirates’ current winning streak, of the rotation’s struggles to begin the season. For many Pittsburgh fans, this was actually good news.

How could that possibly be good news? Well, for years, offense has been the much bigger problem. The young rotation has actually been the strength of the team, if a team that loses 90+ games each year can really have strengths.

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