5 Very Early Impressions for the Pittsburgh Pirates
With the first series of the 2011 season now behind the Pittsburgh Pirates, players and fans have some reason for optimism and some of the same feelings of dread surrounding the Pirates.
This year's Buccos squad got off to a nice start, going 2-1; with the one loss being a game they had but let slip away.
New faces, including new skipper Clint Hurdle, have already made early contributions for the 2011 Pirates team looking to kick the 19-year-old elephant out of the franchise's room.
While the list could go on and on, here are five very early impressions surrounding this hopeful Pirates team after the first weekend of the 2011 season.
Pedro Alvarez Can Hit for Average
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Pirates fans all expect Pedro Alvarez to be the big bopper in the middle of the order. He has the potential to be a 40-home run hitter once he gets acclimated to major league pitchers.
While Pedro had his share of ugly at-bats, with his share of bad swings, Alvarez showed fans he is not just a home run hitter for this Pirates team in the first weekend.
Batting .308, with four singles, Alvarez showed the ability to go with pitches and hit line drives instead of either hitting a home run or striking out, as he seemed to struggle with last season.
While he does have three strikeouts, which is to be expected from a power hitter, Alvarez has three RBI hitting from the No. 5 spot in the order including the two go-ahead runs at the conclusion of Sunday's comeback Pirates victory over the Chicago Cubs.
If Alvarez can be a consistent base-hit threat, look for this Pirates offense to turn some heads as the 2011 season rolls along.
However, Pedro Still Struggles in the Hot Corner
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As most Pirates fans know, the good is usually followed by something not so good.
While Pedro Alvarez looks focused at the plate thus far in 2011, he still has problems fielding his third-base position.
While he only had one error in the opening series against the Cubs, Alvarez had problems with more balls than the statistics would care to tell.
Between not taking charge on pop-ups, and a questionable hit ruling on a ball Alvarez could not come up with off the bat of Starlin Castro in the season opener, Alvarez continues to show why I believe he will eventually be a first baseman.
However, it is not all bad in the field for Alvarez. When he does come up with the play, he has a hose for an arm and has no problem throwing out speedy runners. He can throw from a stationary position, or can throw on the run.
Alvarez's bat will surely keep him in the lineup, but without some fine-tuning in the field, he could see a position change sooner rather than later.
A New Coaching Attitude Makes a Difference
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When Clint Hurdle was brought in as the new Pirates skipper in 2011, many Pirates fans were eager for a change from the ho-hum attitude of ex-skipper John Russell.
Hurdle, along with new pitching coach Ray Searage, brought a fresh energy too a team in major need of a bounce in its step.
From day one, Hurdle has preached being aggressive on the basepaths and taking things one step at a time. Nick Leyva, the new third-base coach for the Pirates showcased the aggressive baserunning on Sunday, sending Neil Walker home on the infield single by Alvarez.
The difference is obvious to fans watching the game. Hurdle is frequently seen giving high fives, and talking to his players in the dugout. He has brought a new attitude and maybe a slight glimmer of hope back to this Pirates franchise.
Searage has his starting pitchers looking focused through the first three games, with quality starts from both Kevin Correia and Paul Maholm on Friday and Saturday.
A new attitude was something that had to happen for this young Pirates team if they wanted to have a chance, and Hurdle and company seem to have brought a new mentality to the Steel City.
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Lyle Overbay Should Not Be Hitting Fourth
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Lyle Overbay was brought in to the Pirates in 2011 as a veteran presence with an above-average glove defensively.
While he is batting .273 so far this season batting cleanup for this Pirates team, Overbay with five strikeouts has seemed very lost at the plate at times.
With Pedro Alvarez the clear cleanup hitter in waiting, Overbay should be batting at least fifth, but maybe seventh where fan favorite Garrett Jones is currently slotted.
As mentioned before, Overbay is known to be an above-average defender at first base, and not a lot has happened so far to cause any argument toward that fact, unless you want to consider Overbay not getting off the bag on Alvarez's throwing error in Game 1.
I realize Overbay, like everyone else, will have his ups and downs, but with a highly touted former prospect in Pedro Alvarez waiting in the wings, why not let him hit in his future lineup spot today?
Jose Tabata and Neil Walker Fit Well Together at the Top of the Order
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The emergence of prospects Jose Tabata and Neil Walker in the second half of the 2010 season allowed superstar-to-be Andrew McCutchen to bump down in the lineup, from leadoff hitter to the No. 3 spot in the order.
Tabata is batting .455 through three games in the leadoff spot and also has a stolen base. Walker is batting .308 with five strikeouts, a home run and a team-leading five RBI.
Production from these two players will be huge for the Pirates as they move forward in 2011. They allow McCutchen, who is hands down Pittsburgh's best pure hitter, to drive in runs from the No. 3 spot, and in turn allows McCutchen to get on base for players like Garrett Jones and Alvarez coming up behind him.
Tabata must continue to be a table-setter at the top of the order for the Pirates as the offense continues to develop with the more experience this young nucleus gains. Walker must continue to knock in runners, or at the least make sure Tabata is one base farther along than before he came to the plate.
If these two players can continue to be catalysts for this Pirates offense, the Pittsburgh Pirates are going to surprise some teams.
At the very least, they will put up a fight and make you score runs to beat them.
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