In our daily Wake-Up Call, we get you ready for the day with a complete look at all things Pittsburgh Pirates.
Finalists for some of Major League Baseball’s major awards including Most Valuable Player, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year were announced for each league Monday.
While winners will be announced next week, there weren’t really any surprises. While the Pittsburgh Pirates have been no strangers to having their players involved in these races in the past, there are no Buccos in the running for any of the major awards.
This got me thinking about the future of this team and whether or not any current players have what it takes to be in the mix in the next few years or so.
Most Valuable Player
Andrew McCutchen was the last Pirate to bring home this award as he was able to win it following the Pirates magical 2013 season.
Despite his struggles this past season and his unknown future, McCutchen could find himself as an MVP in the near future. However, Starling Marte could very well be a future MVP in his own right.
The Pirates left fielder is an above average fielder and baserunner and is a high quality hitter as well. If any Pirates player has a chance to be in the running for an MVP in the next few years, Marte may be one of the safest bets.
Cy Young
The Pirates haven’t had a Cy Young winner since Doug Drabek in 1990. I don’t see this award coming to Pittsburgh anytime soon.
Gerrit Cole has been in the conversation before and if he can bounce back from a lackluster 2016 season, he may get back to that form. Jameson Taillon has a chance to be good enough to contend for a Cy Young award in the future, but it’s too early in his career to tell if he could be a legitimate contender.
Rookie of the Year
The Bucs have plenty of rookies that could take this award in the future.
Next season, Josh Bell could very well be in the running for the National League Rookie of the Year award. Bell showed impressive plate discipline and prowess at the plate in his time with the Pirates in 2016 and could be bound for an even bigger 2017 season.
The Bucs will only benefit from having him play everyday and Bell could put up some ROY worthy numbers in the process.
More from Pirates Breakdown
Despite the Pirates not having anyone in the award hunt, that hasn’t stopped us from talking about award season and who we think will bring home the prestigious hardware.
Staff Writers Ethan Obstarczyk, Nathan Hursh and Sean Riley have all touched on the major awards including the Manager of the Year award for both leagues. Be sure to check out their work here.
Baseball Talk on the Web
How a Clinton or Trump Presidency could impact MLB expansion
Theo Epstein voted top MLB executive
MLB Free Agency: Which team will make the biggest splash?
Thanks for checking us out here at Pirates Breakdown. Please make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook for the best Pirates coverage all year long!
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
