Pittsburgh Pirates Wake-Up Call – Where do the Pirates Stand Now?

In our daily Wake-Up Call, we get you ready for the day with a complete look at all things Pittsburgh Pirates.

Yesterday was a big day in the baseball world as three players were elected to the Hall of Fame: Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines, and Ivan Rodriguez. But after weeks and weeks of buildup to this announcement, the focus of the baseball world should and will turn back to the off-season. I wanted to revisit what the Pirates roster currently looks like and see what stand out as the most obvious holes at the moment (for a full look at our current projected Pirates depth chart, click here).

The Pirates could feel comfortable going into the season with the starting rotation as it sits now. Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, Ivan Nova, Chad Kuhl, and Tyler Glasnow seem to be the current starting five. The Pirates need to see what they have in Glasnow, and Kuhl pitched well enough last year to earn a look over a full season. That being said, adding Jose Quintana or another proven top pitcher while shipping out Glasnow in the process is probably still an idea the Pirates are kicking around.

The starting nine also seems to be set. The outfield will be Starling Marte, Andrew McCutchen, and Gregory Polanco, while the infield is set with Josh Bell manning first full time, Josh Harrison at second, Jordy Mercer at short, and Jung Ho Kang at third. Francisco Cervelli is obviously the starting catcher. Now, not everyone is sold with Harrison as a starter in this league, and kang’s off-the-field issues are certainly a concern. But I don’t see the Pirates upgrading the starting nine heading into the season.

The bullpen seems to consist of the following at the moment: Tony Watson, Felipe Rivero, Antonio Bastardo, Juan Nicasio, Jared Hughes, Daniel Hudson, and Wade LeBlanc. There’s more wiggle room here than anywhere else. The Pirates could shop Watson or Bastardo to try to clear some salary, and A.J. Schugel seems to be the first man on the outside that probably deserves a longer look in the pen.

I like the bench how it stands now with Chris Stewart, David Freese, John Jaso, Adam Frazier, and Alen Hanson. I think Hanson deserves a look at the big league level. It’s make or break time for him. I’d prefer to see Jaso shipped out, but that’s just me.

Baseball Talk Around the Web

• Following up on the Hall of Fame theme from yesterday, Dave Schoenfield of ESPN predicts every Hall of Fame class through the year 2045. Did any Pirates make his list?
• Craig Calcaterra of NBC Sports wonders if Hall of Fame voters have made the PED issue more complicated than it actually is.

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