Stats
Roster
Minors
Past Stories
Johnny A. Brady makes sure his laces are tied during
a spring training game |
Avast
Ye Maties!
Pittsburgh Fans Ready for 2007 Pittsburgh, PA - After bathing in the sun rays for the last month and a half, the Pittsburgh Pirates will have a different kind of ray, one of of hope, as they return to the steel town to begin the 2007 season. At the start of 2006, nobody would have expected the Pirates to win the wild card, even with all the off-season free agent signings and the fact that now the closer had some company in the bullpen. "That would have been one scary pen to be in, now that it's full at least the heckler have more people to pick on instead of concentrating it on just one or two guys." Ty Chapman joked about during spring training. |
| Now after spending more money again
this off-season expectations will be higher. Playing in the weakest
division in the National League, and even playing the weakest American
League division for inner league games, may have helped the Bucks
sneak into the playoffs. One big improvement this year is their depth.
The Pirates had to sign three pitchers during 2006 to fill in for
injured pitchers and to make up for the fact that some of the pitchers
on the 25 man roster were not major league caliber. This off season
they were able to land two starters who won at least 10 games last
year, in Steve Cain and Tom Willis, and Charles Chouinard who has
yet to make a major league start but had an ERA of 2.63 in 123 innings
in relief for the San Franciso Giants. Chouinard will start the season
in the Pirate rotation. Depth in the line up was one of the keys for
the Pirate's strong showing last season. Johnny A. Brady and Dennis
Donnelly could have been credited for much of the teams success offensively
but there were many players who contributed. Six players hit 20 or
more homeruns led by Don White with 29, four players knocked in 100
or more runs led my George McGuire who had 123 steaks, and four players
scored 100 or more runs with Brady leading the way by scoring 127
times. Second baseman Walt Slagle and catcher Ed Mahoney were added
and it now appears that every spot is taken up a by a solid major
leaguer. Only time will tell how well the
Pirates will fare this season. They will be tested early as they
open up their season ith their first eight games against the always
dangerous LA Dodgers who had a too much free time on their hands
last October when they didn't make it to the World Series for the
first time ever. |
Home
Stats
Roster
Minors
Past Stories
|
|
|
|
|
|
|