PITTSBURGH PIRATES - Major Needs, Minor Seeds

If the Pirates ever make the Playoffs, Andrew McCutchen will challenge for an MVP

As we continue in the National League Central - home of the champion Cardinals and runner-up Brewers - by assessing the off-season needs and seeds for the Pittsburgh Pirates, let's pause for a moment....and remember back to the 2011 All-Star break.  Do you recall which team sat atop the NL Central?

Not the mighty Cardinals.

Not the loaded Brewers.

The lowly Pittsburgh Pirates, expected to once again bottom-feed in one of baseball's feistiest divisions, held a half-game advantage on St. Louis and Milwaukee.  The team with the longest streak of losing seasons (now 19) in any of the four major pro sports was suddenly in the hunt for the playoffs.

The Pirates dismal second half dropped them back down to reality, but there's a silver lining for the Steel City.  A wave of exciting young talent enjoyed a first-half taste of competitive baseball, and can build on that in 2012.  The Pirates lose only one key player - pitcher Paul Maholm - to free agency, and could look to add talent this off-season.

MAJOR NEEDS

• Can't make the playoffs without pitching

Paul Maholm is headed to a big market, and the Pirates could use a top-notch starter to take his place.  The best option on the market (because he'll sign for one year and he'll come relatively cheap) is Javier Vazquez, but rumor has it he's planning to retire this off-season.  Then again, he said the same thing after his final season with the Yankees.

Other free agent names worth checking into:

• Erik Bedard - Big potential, low risk (because he can be signed for 1-2 years).
• Jeff Francis - Might fare better returning to the NL.  Still only 30 years old.
• Aaron Cook - Interesting potential here if he can be pried away from Colorado.
• Rich Harden - Another potential-heavy talent who can be signed for 1 year.
• Jon Garland - Turns in a solid year more often than not.
• Aaron Harang - Could be awful outside of San Diego, but still an option.

Hernandez is by far the best C option







• Bring in a veteran catcher

A team serious about winning must have a reliable option behind the plate.  No offense, but rookie Michael McKenry is not that guy.  The Pirates should make acquiring a catcher their top off-season priority because there aren't many to go around.  Ramon Hernandez is the best fit, but signing him would force the Pirates to surrender a second-round pick.

UPDATE:  As of Thursday (Nov. 10) morning, the Pirates have signed C Rod Barajas, who hit .230 with 16 HR in 2011 as a member of the LA Dodgers.  So much for Ramon Hernandez.

• The time to win is now

It's time to stop building toward the future.  The future is now for a talented young Pirates team with the right manager at the helm in Clint Hurdle.  Usually a seller before and into every season, the Pirates should play buyer this off-season, like they did when they acquired Derek Lee and Ryan Ludwick at the deadline in 2011.  

Yes, the Buc's have plenty of young talent in the pitching department, but signing a legitimate top-tier starter isn't a bad idea.  Same goes for a solid bat, particularly at either shortstop (where rookie Chase D'Arnaud is expected to get the job) or first base (where Garrett Jones still needs to prove himself).  The biggest name free agents this off-season coincidentally play those positions.  I know it's a stretch for the Pirates to hand out a 5+ year, $100+ million deal, but Andrew McCutchen can't do this on his own.

Otherwise, the Pirates should target the following more affordable bats:

• Derek Lee - Showed flashes of his old self in Pittsburgh.  Why not resign him for cheap?
• Edgar Renteria - Could be a perfect SS solution as a stop-gap for D'Arnaud.
• Orlando Cabrera - A proven winner who would add veteran leadership at SS
• Carlos Pena - A bit pricier but could pack a punch.
• Russel Branyan - Best power value in baseball if you can tolerate his .230 average. 

 MINOR SEEDS

Will Gerrit Cole be the next to flop in the Pirates system?

The only advantage to 19 straight losing seasons?  High draft picks.  

The Pirates selected Gerrit Cole with the top pick in the 2011 draft.  The UCLA star should crack the bigs in 2013, which means other minor seeds planted in years past must step in 2012.  

But there's one big problem.

Many of the Pirates top picks in the past decade have been MAJOR flops, and the trend continued last season with exciting prospects Stetson Allie (P) and Tony Sanchez (C).  The Pirates still have plenty to be excited about, but it's worth tracking the development of these youngsters to be sure that the problem isn't with the development staff in the Pirates farm system.

For the sake of "MINOR SEEDS," we'll begin with guys that could actually have an impact on the big league club in 2012.

• Starling Marte (CF) - Marte is a five-tool talent with Andrew McCutcheon potential.  The outfield is crowded in Pittsburgh, so perhaps Marte makes for good trade bait in exchange for help elsewhere.   

• Kyle McPherson (RHP) - Pitching between High A and AA for the Pirates in 2011, McPherson exceeded expectations and forced himself into the spotlight.  He could start 2012 in AAA and should push for major league starts at some point in 2012.

• Brock Holt (CF) - Another Pirate prospect with no home in the outfield, but it's a real shame because Holt eats, drinks and breathes baseball.  Since his Florida State days, Holt has been a five-tool stud and a Dustin Pedroia-type gamer.

• Matt Hague (1B) - Put up nice numbers in AAA and has an outside chance of earning the vacant 1B job with the Bucs.  Hague has drawn comparisons to Lyle Overbay.

• Jameson Taillon (RHP) - 2010's version of Gerrit Cole, this first-round stud has the stuff and makeup to be the Pirates ace by 2013.  It's unlikely he'll get a crack in 2012, but keep an eye out for him in September.

• Honorable Mentions: Josh Bell (2nd round pick in 2011), Robbie Grossman (OF), Alex Dickerson (OF), Matt Curry (1B) 

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