Tag Archives: Pittsburgh Pirates

Sweetbob’s Fantasy Baseball F/M/K – May 27th

We are now eight weeks into the 2018 baseball season.

Catcher was already very thin and we lost Welington Castillo to an 80-game PED suspension this week. Which catcher should you target? Is streaming catchers a better option?

There are a few teams that could look to change closers soon. The Phillies, Rays and Blue Jays all have questions at that position.

We look at some players who started out hot, some who are struggling and maybe a couple young guys who should be targeted in your free agent pool on May 27th, 2018.

I’ll be posting a weekly fantasy baseball F/M/K every Sunday this baseball season…so keep coming back!

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2018 MLB Season Preview: Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates disappointed last season and only won 75 games. It didn’t help that former All-Star outfielder Starling Marte was hit with an 80-game PED suspension early in the season. The wheels just came off and they ended up sellers at the trade deadline. They continued the selling trend this offseason by sending Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen elsewhere for prospects.

The NL Central is expected to be controlled by the Cubs and Cardinals for the next few years. Can the Pirates get back in the playoff mix soon?

Here is the 2018 MLB season preview for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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2017 MLB Season Preview: Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates won 98 games in 2015, but then went on a backslide and won only 78 last season. A handful of players regressed and they made a few trades at the deadline to add to their farm system.

All was not lost for the Pirates as a player they traded for in August became a crucial part of their future. The Yankees traded pitcher Ivan Nova to the Pirates for the equivalent of a used 1975 Ford Pinto. He went on to pitch 64 innings for the Pirates and had a 3.06 ERA. Pittsburgh re-signed him this offseason for three more years.

The NL Central is expected to be controlled by the Cubs for the next few years. Can the Pirates hang with them and possible earn a Wild Card spot this year?

Here is the 2017 MLB season preview for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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2016 MLB Season Preview: Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates had a great season last year, but fell victim to the Wild Card system. They won 98 games, but still had to play the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card game…and they failed to win.

The Pirates made some move this offseason, but none of them were very flashy. General manager Neil Huntington is sticking to the strategy he used to build this team. He makes low-cost free agent signings and continues to develop his farm system.

The NL Central will be the most competitive division in baseball. The Cardinals and Cubs made some big free agent signings this offseason. Will the Pirates refusal to open their checkbook hurt them this year?

Here is the 2016 MLB season preview for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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2015 MLB Team Preview: Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are coming off back-to-back postseason appearances, but have yet to win the NL Central. Manager Clint Hurdle knows winning the division is more important than ever. Pittsburgh would avoid a Wild Card play-in game. They lost to the eventual World Series champs (San Francisco) in the WC play-in game last season.

The Buccos might possibly have the best young outfield in the Majors. Andrew McCutchen is a perennial MVP candidate, Startling Marte is an all-round offensive and defensive weapon and Gregory Polanco hopes to repeat the numbers he had in the minors before last year’s call-up. All three are under the age of 28 and should be stars in Pittsburgh for a long time.

Can the Pirates hold off the Cardinals and win their first division title since 1992?

Here is the 2015 MLB season preview for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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2014 MLB Team Preview: Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates ended their 20-year streak of finishing under .500. They were close the last two seasons, but ran out of gas at the end of the year.

Andrew McCutchen lead the team into the playoffs and won the National League MVP. He’s entering his year-27 season, which is when most players begin to hit their peak. If McCutchen puts up the same numbers he had in 2013, he could easily win another MVP.

The Pirates bring back most of their starters this season. The Cardinals and Reds made a few moves, but Pittsburgh chose to wait for their top prospects to eventually appear in the Majors. Was that a mistake or the right move?

Gerrit Cole was brought up last season and looked like a future ace. Is he ready to replace A.J. Burnett in the rotation?

Here is the 2014 MLB season preview for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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2013 MLB Team Preview: Pittsburgh Pirates

The last time the Pirates ended the season with a record better than .500 was 1992. I included a picture of Russell Crowe wearing a Pirates jacket, because it he’s had a streak of bad movies to rival the Pirates futility.

I picked Pittsburgh to win more than 81 games last season, but they fell just shy of that. They are headed in the right direction, but they are still a few players away from being on the same level as Cincinnati and St. Louis.

Can Andrew McCutchen repeat his MVP-level 2012 season?

Here is the 2013 MLB season preview for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Continue reading →