When Will the Pittsburgh Pirates' Losing Season Streak Come To an End?

The Pittsburgh Pirates have not had a winning season since 1992, and it does not appear that will change in 2010.

However, with a strong core of good young ballplayers already on the club and another group working their way through the system, the streak of losing seasons could be nearing an end.

The group in Pittsburgh is led by Zach Duke, Ross Ohlendorf, Paul Maholm, and Andrew McCutchen. Include Pedro Alvarez (third base, Indianapolis), Brad Lincoln (starting pitcher, Indianapolis), Jared Hughes (starting pitcher, Altoona), and Tony Sanchez (catcher, Bradenton), and the future looks bright in Pittsburgh.

The big hurdle is, the future has looked bright before, only to have management disassemble it. If management will keep this group together, a winning season should not be too far off.

The potential lineup and rotation of this group gives the Pirates' future the look of a winner.

POTENTIAL LINEUP AND ROTATION

Pos.   Player       

C      Sanchez

1B     Steve Pearce

2B     Akinori Iwamura (if he can get his bat and glove back)

3B     Alvarez

SS     Brock Holt

LF     Lastings Milledge

CF     McCutchen

RF     Garrett Jones

SP     Duke

SP     Ohlendorf

SP     Maholm

SP     Lincoln

SP     Hughes

The offense may not impress you so much, but the rotation could be one of the best in baseball and is where I place my hopes for the Pirates' future.