Kuzul

Outfield is one of the toughest positions to rank.  At the top, things are not as deep as we would like, but we are flooded with youngsters who have the potential to join the group of elite options. 

Can someone like Hunter Pence or Jay Bruce take that next step forward?  Can Mike Stanton or Jason Heyward live up to the hype? 

Will Jason Bay, Nick Markakis and Ben Zobrist rebound from disappointing 2010 campaigns?

Let’s take a look at how these questions and all the rest factor into our updated rankings:

1. Ryan Braun – Milwaukee Brewers
2. Carlos Gonzalez – Colorado Rockies
3. Carl Crawford – Boston Red Sox
4. Matt Holliday – St. Louis Cardinals
5. Matt Kemp – Los Angeles Angels
6. Josh Hamilton – Texas Rangers
7. Alex Rios – Chicago White Sox
8. Andre Ethier – Los Angeles Dodgers
9. Andrew McCutchen – Pittsburgh Pirates
10. Hunter Pence – Houston Astros
11. Jay Bruce – Cincinnati Reds
12. Shin-Soo Choo – Cleveland Indians
13. Jason Heyward – Atlanta Braves
14. Nelson Cruz – Texas Rangers
15. Justin Upton – Arizona Diamondbacks
16. Mike Stanton – Florida Marlins
17. Colby Rasmus – St. Louis Cardinals
18. Jose Bautista – Toronto Blue Jays
19. Jayson Werth – Washington Nationals
20. Jacoby Ellsbury – Boston Red Sox
21. Ichiro Suzuki – Seattle Mariners
22. Curtis Granderson – New York Yankees
23. Chris Young – Arizona Diamondbacks
24. Shane Victorino – Philadelphia Phillies
25. B.J. Upton – Tampa Bay Rays
26. Jason Bay – New York Mets
27. Nick Markakis – Baltimore Orioles
28. Ben Zobrist – Tampa Bay Rays
29. Delmon Young – Minnesota Twins
30. Carlos Quentin – Chicago White Sox

Thoughts:

• Andrew McCutchen is a player who has the potential to be one of the elite outfielders in the game.  I know there is a stigma against him, playing for the Pirates and all, but do not let it skew your impression.  There’s a good chance that he moves to the third hole giving him the opportunity to drive in more runs than he did in ’10 (56 RBI).  As I’ve said before, he has the potential to be a .300/20/85/85/30 player in 2011.  Is that something you are going to complain about?  For more on McCutchen, make sure to check my previous article on him by clicking here. 
• While Carlos Gonzalez may not be able to replicate a .384 BABIP, he still brings 30/100/100/30 potential.  What exactly is there not to like about that?  He’s a Top 10 overall option and a great pick in all formats.
• I know there are people who think extremely highly of Josh Hamilton, but I don’t see him as a Top 5 outfielder.  The risk of injury is always going to hang over him, and he also benefited from an unrealistic .390 BABIP.  He’s an extremely good option, but I would keep your expectations in check.  For more on Hamilton and why I don’t see him as a first-round option, click here. 
• With Jayson Werth’s move to Washington his value has to take a bit of a hit.  Of his 87 home runs over the past three years, 50 of them have come at Citizens Bank Ballpark.  You also have to consider the fact that the supporting cast around him is just not going to be what it was in Philadelphia.  You also can’t expect him to replicate a .296 average (.352 BABIP), as he is a career .272 hitter.  All in all he’s a nice player, but someone that should be viewed as an OF2.
• There certainly is a risk hovering over Jason Bay given his injuries and inabilities in 2010, but I wouldn’t shy away from him.  He has as much upside as anyone and, assuming he can fully come back from his 2010 concussions, he should reemerge as a solid option.  I’ve already stated that he has the potential to produce similar numbers to Hunter Pence, yet at least seven rounds later.  For more on this comparison, click here. 
• Not a believer in Mike Stanton as a Top 20 outfielder?  He has already proven that he has Major League power by hitting 22 HR in 396 AB in ’10.  I know the strikeouts are concerning, but he clearly has the makings of being Adam Dunn v2.0.  Is there anyone who would complain about that?  He’s certainly worth grabbing, especially considering how many players actually have the potential to hit 40 HR at this point.
• Does anyone really expect Jose Bautista to replicate his 2010 performance?  Just keep that in mind.

What are your thoughts on the rankings?  Who’s too high?  Who’s too low?

**** Make sure to order your copy of the Rotoprofessor 2011 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide, selling for just $5, by clicking here. ****

Make sure to check out our 2011 rankings:

• Top 15 Catchers
• Top 15 First Basemen
• Top 15 Second Basemen
• Top 15 Shortstops
• Top 15 Third Basemen
• Top 30 Starting Pitchers
• Top 15 Closers
• 2011 Fantasy Draft First Round Breakdown

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

So far, I’ve taken quite a beating on my predictions for the American League.  Choosing the Rays to finish last in the AL East stirred up a little bit of debate.  But, hey, it’s all part of the game.  Everyone makes their bold predictions, and that’s mine for the upcoming season.

Will I be correct?

Probably not, but it never hurts to make a bold prediction. 

Now, I will continue with naming my predictions for the worst teams in the National League.  I can promise all of you this: these predictions certainly won’t be as bold as my picking the Rays.  It’s widely assumed that these teams will be the lower tier of the National League.

NL East

It’s pretty safe to say that the Phillies won’t be anywhere near last place this season.  Their stacked rotation will leave the rest of the NL East baffled and fighting for second in the division.

With that being said, the fight for second should be won by the Atlanta Braves, entering their first season without Bobby Cox in quite some time.

Even with an unhealthy Chipper Jones, they stand to be a top team in the National League.  Just imagine if he stays healthy and is productive.  That could be a pretty formidable lineup.

I really believe the Nationals are getting better.  I may be one of the only people around the league who thinks so, but they’re doing good things in Washington.  The addition of Jayson Werth may have been questionable, but they solidified the middle of the order.

The Nationals’ young rotation will come into its own this year, and pitch them to a third-place finish in the tough NL East.

That leaves the Marlins and Mets.

Outside of Josh Johnson and Hanley Ramirez, the Marlins don’t have much star power.  Sure, they have a big up-and-comer in Mike Stanton, but it’s really too early to call him a star. 

The rotation is a question mark, but their lineup will score a few runs.  Fortunately for them, the Mets are in their division.

The Mets will come in last in the NL East this season.  The Jose Reyes extension could become a distraction for a team that already doesn’t play very well in the first place.

Luis Castillo is getting up there in age, as is Carlos Beltran, and they will be without ace Johan Santana for the majority of the first half. 

A rotation led by R.A. Dickey and the injury-ridden Chris Young definitely won’t win you many games.

NL Central

The NL Central has three teams that could all make a run at the division crown, but I believe that the Reds will repeat as champs. 

Their young stars are finally showing their worth, and the fireballing Aroldis Chapman will be more of an impact arm in his first full season.

Second place in the division, and the Wild Card, will come down to the Cardinals and Brewers.  The Brewers revamped pitching staff will be very successful this season, but the consistency of the lineup remains to be seen.

The Cardinals are the National League’s version of the Minnesota Twins.  They always play the game the right way, they win every single year, and they aren’t out of the race until the last day of the season. 

This experience alone could win them second place in the NL Central.

However, I think the Brewers will be behind the Reds, with the Cardinals in the third.

The Cubs will be in fourth this season.  They clearly aren’t as good as the Reds, Brewers and Cardinals, yet they are nowhere near as awful as the Astros and Pirates.  This fact alone puts them in fourth place.

Between the Astros and Pirates, I see the Pirates coming in last place yet again.  They have 18 consecutive losing seasons, and figure to make it 19 in 2011.

The infield defense will be anchored by Lyle Overbay at first, with Neil Walker, Ronny Cedeno and Pedro Alvarez playing second, short and third, respectively. 

Young star Andrew McCutchen will be in control of the outfield, and will be accompanied by left fielder Jose Tabata and right fielder Garret Jones.  There really isn’t a big power threat anywhere in the lineup.

The rotation will be led by left-hander Paul Maholm, assuming he isn’t traded away.  After Maholm, the Pirates have Kevin Correia, Ross Ohlendorf, Scott Olsen, and Charlie Morton. 

It’s pretty easy to see why the Pirates will be last in the NL Central, and probably last in the entire National League as well.

NL West

This division may be the easiest prediction I will make this season.

The defending World Series champs certainly won’t come in last.  Their pitching is more than solid and their lineup will score some runs.

I believe the Rockies will come in second.  They can definitely score a ton of runs, and the pitching should be stable enough to keep them in ballgames.

There will be a battle for third place between the Dodgers and Padres, but I think the Dodgers win it because without the bat of Adrian Gonzalez, the Padres are left without a proven Major League hitter.

That leaves the Diamondbacks. 

The D’Backs are solid up the middle of the field with Miguel Montero, Kelly Johnson, Stephen Drew, and Chris Young. 

With Justin Upton in right field, the team will be pretty solid defensively.  After trading away Mark Reynolds, though, they may have an issue scoring runs this season.

Upton will bounce back from a down year and produce in the middle of the lineup. 

The starting rotation is the weakest point of this team, though.

The staff ace, by default, is left-hander Joe Saunders.  The final four spots will be left up to five men in Spring Training.  Ian Kennedy, Zack Duke, Bobby Enright, Armando Galarraga, and Dan Hudson will battle it out. 

No matter who makes the staff, I don’t predict any starter to win more than 12 games for the D’Backs this season.

It’s gonna be a long season in the desert.

Tough Races Ahead

Although the National League will have its share of bad teams, there figure to be tight races this summer.

The Phillies will run away with the NL East, but the NL Central will be close, as always, and so will the NL West.

It’s tough to say whether the Giants can repeat as NL champs, and its even tougher to say that the Phillies will dethrone them.  With so many good teams in the National League, it should be an interesting season.

If your favorite team happens to be one mentioned in my two-part story then, well, better luck next season.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

There isn’t much content online about auction drafts. I think that’s mostly because its more challenging and therefore less popular.

You can auto-draft (a.k.a. skip the draft) and end up with a very good team. Going into an auction, the best laid plans win.

While the auction never goes exactly as planned, the guy who does the best job at executing the plan will end up with the best team, at least out of the gate. There are many different strategies for auctions, and I cannot adequately explain them all, but here are a few simple rules to follow.

Begin Slideshow

Our 2011 fantasy baseball projections will be released one-by-one until the top 100 players have been revealed. These rankings consider past achievements, current performance and expected future results based on standard 5×5 H2H settings.

Andrew McCutchen followed up his promising 2009 rookie campaign with 16 HRs, 33 steals and a .286 batting average last year for the Pirates.

In addition to his speed, McCutchen also offers above-average plate discipline:

• 2010 Walk rate: 10.7 percent (MLB average 8.5 percent)
• 2010 Strikeout rate: 15.6 percent (MLB average 20.7 percent)
• 2010 O-Swing rate: 20.0 percent (MLB average 29.3 percent)
• 2010 Contact rate: 84.6 percent (MLB average 80.7 percent)

McCutchen also improved his effectiveness against curveballs last season, something that previously plagued him dating back to his minor league days:

• 2009: 2.8 runs below average vs. curveballs
• 2010: 7.4 runs above average vs. curveballs

Unfortunately, McCutchen hasn’t developed the power that scouts once thought he had. His fantasy upside, however, is that of a poor man’s Carl Crawford.

• 2010 McCutchen: 653 PA, 94 runs, 16 HRs, 56 RBI, 33 SB, .286 BA
• 3-YR AVG Crawford: 663 PA, 110 runs, 19 HRs, 90 RBI, 47, .307 BA

Given an improving Pittsburgh lineup, McCutchen should see a spike in his run-scoring and run-producing totals this season. Still only 24 years old, however, 20-plus HRs remain unlikely.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: FANTASY BASEBALL INSIDERS

The latest from Fantasy Baseball Insiders:

• Guerrero to Baltimore: Why He’s Better Off in Camden Yards than Rangers Ballpark

Fantasy Baseball Insiders’ 2011 Big Board:

• Nos. 1-10: Is Pujols Still The Top Pick?
• Nos. 11-20: Where Do Votto, A-Rod and Halladay Fit In?
• Nos. 21-30: Hernandez, Lincecum or Wainwright?
• No. 31: Joe Mauer
• No. 32: Victor Martinez
• No. 33: Cliff Lee
• No. 34: Nelson Cruz
• No. 35: Jason Heyward
• No. 36: Justin Upton
• No. 37: Josh Johnson
• No. 38: Ian Kinsler

MLB Trades: Fantasy Impact:

• Frank Francisco Traded to the Blue Jays, Who Will Be The Team’s Closer?
• Mike Napoli Traded to the Texas Rangers: Fantasy Impact
• Vernon Wells Traded to the Los Angeles Angels: Fantasy Impact
• Adrian Beltre Traded to the Texas Rangers: Fantasy Impact

Previous articles from Fantasy Baseball Insiders:

• The Sub-2.50 ERA Curse: Why Five Elite Starting Pitchers May Regress in 2011
• 2010 Batting Average on Balls in Play Leaders: What to Expect in 2011?
• 2011 Closer’s Corner: Papelbon, Cordero & Rivera Are the Only Reliable Options

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

This winter is going to be long and hard for Pennsylvania sports fans, as the Pittsburgh Steelers ended a promising season with a Super Bowl loss to the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Pirates begin what will likely be a record setting 19th straight losing season.
 
Pirate fans are nothing if not loyal. Perhaps hopelessly loyal of a team that has struggled to win since the days of Andy Van Slyke and a steroid-free Barry Bonds. The ghosts of Doug Drabek and Bobby Bonilla can’t help the 2011 Bucs, and the beautiful PNC Park will likely go another season without a winning team.
 
Although the team does have a few promising players like Andrew McCutchen, Evan Meek, Pedro Alvarez and Neil Walker, they lack the pitching required to compete in the highly competitive NL Central. Newly hired Clint Hurdle will likely bring a new fire and determination to Steel Town, yet from a fantasy perspective, there is very little to get excited about.

Key Additions

Garrett Atkins
Kevin Correia
Matt Diaz
Lyle Overbay

Key Losses

Delwyn Young
Andy LaRoche
Zach Duke

Who to Target

McCutchen is the only marquee player to target on the Pirates. He is similar to Carlos Gonzalez in that he is a five-tool outfielder. However, he lacks the lineup protection that Gonzalez enjoys in Colorado.
 
McCutchen had a nice sophomore season for the Bucs, posting a .286 average with 94 runs scored and 33 stolen bases. I look for Andrew to top 20 home runs for the first time in his career while continuing his base stealing prowess under new manager Hurdle.

Sleeper

Although the Pirates lack established fantasy talent to target in the early rounds, the team does have a few sleeper candidates with breakout potential. One such sleeper is left fielder Jose Tabada, a second-year player from Venezuela.
 
Tabada was originally signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in 2004. He made his major league debut in 2010 for the Pirates after being acquired by the club in the 2008 Xavier Nady trade.
 
In 441 plate appearances Tabada was able to score 61 runs and steal 19 bases while batting a respectable .299. If he continues his solid play in 2011, he could end up being a nice sleeper candidate in both mixed and NL formats.  His biggest knock is his power; however his base stealing skills and high average make up for lack of pop in his bat.

This article was originally published on www.kramericasports.com, the home of free fantasy news, rankings and advice.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Yes, the word optimism and the Pittsburgh Pirates does not ordinarily fit into the same sentence, but their are a few reasons for the city of Pittsburgh to look for the light at the end of an 18-year-long tunnel.

The Pirates are coming off a 105 loss season, but with the additions of some veteran players and the continued development of the young players in the current lineup, the Pirates could be better this season. 

I am not saying the Pittsburgh Pirates are going to win the NL Central and make a Tampa Bay Rays-like run to the World Series, but with the right mentality, timely call-ups, and an acquisition or two, the 2011 Pittsburgh Pirates could be the group that get the infamous monkey off the organizations’ back.

Begin Slideshow

There is little doubt when someone says that Andrew McCutchen is among the best outfielders in baseball, is there? The question is, at 24 years old, exactly how do we compare him to the rest of the field? Do we rank him based on what he has shown in the past or what we think the future holds (and realize that he could fulfill his potential as soon as 2011)?

By checking out my Top 30 Outfielder Rankings, you know where I fall on the discussion. To me, he already is a top-10 outfielder. Before we get into exactly what I think we can expect from him in 2011, let’s look at what he did in 2010:

570 At-Bats
.286 Batting Average (163 Hits)
16 Home Runs
56 RBI
94 Runs
33 Stolen Bases
.365 On Base Percentage
.449 Slugging Percentage
.311 Batting Average on Balls in Play

Those are very good numbers for his first full professional season and McCutchen certainly has the potential to grow on them. First of all, you have to like the improvement he showed in making contact from his first Major League experience (433 AB in ’09) to last season:

2009 – 19.2 percent strikeout rate
2010 – 15.6 percent strikeout rate

That is the type of improvement you love to see from a young player and certainly gives us hope that he can improve on his average in 2011. Of course, there are numerous other factors that come into play when we discuss average, and all look promising.

First the walk rate, as he has a 10.8 percent mark over his first 1,003 Major League at-bats. When you couple that with his improved strikeout rate, you really get the feeling that the youngster is learning how to command the strike zone.

Next the BABIP, which was an extremely believable number. However, with his speed he certainly has the ability to maintain a much higher mark. Just as a comparison, here are a few speedsters BABIP from 2010:

Ichiro Suzuki – .353
Brett Gardner – .340
Scott Podsednik – .338
Michael Bourn – .329

McCutchen does not put an excessive amount of balls in the air (37.8 percent), so with his wheels it is not unreasonable to see his BABIP increase, potentially substantially. With more luck, McCutchen could easily see his average approach or exceed .300, certainly something that would please fantasy owners.

You also have to think that as he gains experience and strength, he could increase his home run totals. I’m not about to say that he could become a 30 HR threat, but seeing him reach 20 would not be surprising in the least. He had 35 doubles and 5 triples in 2010, so seeing a few more of those find their way over the fence is all it will take.

The RBI and R from 2010 were based on hitting leadoff, but with Jose Tabata on the roster would it surprise anyone if the Pirates shift McCutchen down to the third hole? Yes, that would likely mean a few less runs scored, but significantly more RBI.

If that were to happen, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to think that he could pick up at least 85 R and 85 RBI, making him a lot more valuable than someone who is going to score 95 and only drive in 50.

I also don’t think the shift in the lineup spot would hurt his ability to steal bases either.  The Pirates are not a high-powered offense and are going to need to manufacture runs any way they can. That means using their speed, no matter where it is in the lineup.

The bottom line is that we are talking about a player who easily could become a .300/20/85/85/30 player in 2011. In fact, he has the ability to outperform those numbers. How many players in baseball can you say that about?

McCutchen has an ADP of around 50, according to Mock Draft Central. In the early fifth round, to get a player who can help you across the board is a win/win scenario.  I wouldn’t hesitate to make that selection every single time.

What about you?  Is McCutchen a player you would select that early in your draft?  How do you think he can perform in 2011?

Make sure to order your copy of the Rotoprofessor 2011 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide, selling for just $5, by clicking here.

Make sure to check out some of our 2011 projections:

Buchholz, Clay
Butler, Billy
Choo, Shin-Soo
Ethier, Andre
Freese, David
Hughes, Phil
Jaso, John
Johnson, Chris
Morrow, Brandon
Uggla, Dan
Reyes, Jose
Suzuki, Kurt
Wieters, Matt
Willingham, Josh
Young, Michael

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Pittsburgh Pirates had little reason to smile last season, holding the worst record in Major League Baseball by a full four games. At 57 wins with 105 losses, the Pirates won just 17 games on the road en route to their 18th consecutive losing season. That’s right, 18 years in a row they have had a losing season, which also happens to be the longest streak in professional sports today.

The worst, however, may have already passed as the Pirates have begun to pay attention to the growing talent in their farm system while slowly calling up the next wave of future Pirates and possible superstars.

Center fielder Andrew McCutchen leads the pack of youthful Pirates. At just 24, McCutchen has already established himself as the face of the Pirates. A former first-round pick, McCutchen splashed onto the Major League scene following the trade of Nate McClouth to the Atlanta Braves.

The move opened up a spot for McCutchen who has never looked back. On Aug. 1, 2009, McCutchen homered three times and drove in six runs against the Washington Nationals.

Although he was considered an 2010 All-Star snub, McCutchen has made enough of an impact to be considered one of the best young center fielders in the league.

If McCutchen is Batman, then Pedro Alvarez may be Robin. The second overall pick in the 2008 draft was actually selected in the 14th round of the 2005 draft by the Boston Red Sox.

Alvarez, however, didn’t sign and went to play college ball at Vanderbilt, where he set a school record for home runs in a season and earned a number of awards, including National Freshman of the Year according to Baseball America and was selected to the USA National Team. Alvarez also lead Vanderbilt to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) title in 2007 where he was named tournament MVP.

Alvarez was called up in June of 2010 and after struggling for part of the season, Alvarez finished the season strong, including being named National League Rookie of the Month for September. Alvarez looks to the be the corner stone for the Pirates for many years.

The Pirates continued the youth movement with former first-round pick and starting second basemen, Neil Walker and outfielder Jose Tabata, who was brought over from the New York Yankees in the Xavier Nady trade back in 2008.

Still a few years away, the 2009 fourth overall pick, Tony Sanchez might be second most highly regarded catcher in the minors after New York Yankees’ Jesus Montero.

The Pirates pitching staff may be one of the youngest in the league, with Kevin Correia being the eldest at just 30-years-old. Ross Ohlendorf (brought over in the 2008 trade for Xavier Nady from the Yankees), Paul Maholm (first-round pick), and Brad Lincoln, the fourth overall pick of the 2006 draft lead a youthful Pirates pitching staff.

The Pirates pitching staff could still be joined by the 2010 second overall pick, Jameson Taillon, who stands at 6’6″ and throws a fastball that touches the upper 90s as well as Rudy Owens, the left-handed hurler who was the Pirates Minor League Pitcher of the Year honoree. Last season, Owens finished 12-6 with a 2.46 ERA while playing for Double-A Altoona of the Eastern League.

Finally, relief pitcher Evan Meek, the only Pirate in the 2010 All-Star Game, might be one of the most underrated relievers in the league today. Meek finished the 2010 season with a 2.14 ERA in 70 total appearances.

At the All-Star break, Meek’s ERA was just 0.98, the third lowest in the league after Yankees closer Mariano Rivera and Tigers closer Jose Valverde.

In the end, the Pirates may still suffer a 19th and possibly a 20th straight losing season before things start to turn for the better, but in the meantime, the Pirates are on the right track. They have the talent and farm system in place, the only question will be is, do they have the time to develop that farm system before McCutchen and Alvarez come up as trade bait or free agency.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With the baseball season right around the corner, the baseball hot stove is scolding hot. Teams that missed out on big free agent signings are still trying to make a splash via trades. 

Some players could find themselves landing in a favorable situation, that opens the door for them to make some noise. Fantasy studs could be born next season with a change of scenery.

Begin Slideshow

Alright, kicking off my 30-team preview, we’re starting in the wonderful city of Sixsburgh. A city of rich sports tradition, and champions all around.

Whether you’re on the frozen pond, or on the gridiron, Pittsburgh knows what it takes to win championships. Even the dismal Pirates were once synonymous with success back in the early 1900s as well as the entire 1970s.

Since their last postseason appearance in 1992 the Pirates have had no winning records, and two 100-loss seasons. The Pirates ship sank a long time ago, and with any hope of bringing it back, well…not even Johnny Depp could produce a winner out of this one. A modern tragedy over 18 years in the making.

The 2010 Pirates were one of two teams in all of baseball with more than 100 loses, and trading away Zach Duke early in the offseason sent a message—that this franchise is in a long, drawn out rebuilding process. But how long does it take to rebuild? 

The hiring of manager Clint Hurdle was a great move in my opinion, he’s someone who can help the Pirates immediately. Hurdle is going to put his best lineup on the field every day, and he is a winner.

Unfortunately, he doesn’t have much to work with. Here’s what the Pirates’ lineup and starting rotation looks like right now.

C: Chris Snyder

1B: Lyle Overbay

2B: Neil Walker

3B: Pedro Alvarez

SS: Ronny Cedeno

LF: Jose Tabata

CF: Andrew McCutchen

RF: Garrett Jones

SP: Paul Maholm

SP: Ross Ohlendorf

SP: Charlie Morton

SP: James McDonald

SP: Kevin Correia

CL: Joel Hanrahan

The Pirates were relatively quiet this offseason and that should come as no surprise, but I like the move they made by signing Lyle Overbay. He’s an experienced first baseman who brings a consistent bat to a very inconsistent lineup. 

Jones and McCutchen are the best players on this team though, without question, and it will be interesting to see what happens with both of these player throughout the course of the regular season.

This is McCutchen’s team, and he is an emerging superstar. Leading the Pirates with a .286 AVG last season, as well as 33 stolen bases. There is no doubt in my mind that McCutchen is an all-star talent, but as Pittsburgh has proven in the past. They simply are not willing to pay up in order to keep their talent.

If Pittsburgh manages to hold onto both of them, the rebuilding may be over sooner rather than later…unfortunately, the Pirates are also in one of the toughest divisions in baseball year in and year out.

Pitching is the key concern for the Pirates, as their “ace” Paul Maholm won a total of nine games last season and had an ERA of 5.10. However, their is no lack of talent, or prospects in this rotation.

Ross Ohlendorf has solid stuff, a high 90s fastball and a nasty sinker, he was the only Pirate’s starting pitcher with a winning record during his first full season in 2009. If this club wants to climb out of the cellar of the NL Central, they will be needing a big year from Mr. Ohlendorf.

An interesting position battle surrounds this team heading into spring training as well. That is the battle for the full-time closer between Hanrahan, and Evan Meek. Hanrahan was the closer during the 2010 campaign, but I expect his duties to be handed over to the surprisingly dominant Meek.

As the setup man in 2010, Meek posted impressive numbers for a less than impressive bullpen with a 2.14 ERA, as well as 15 holds for a team that only won 57 games. Meek was also selected to the NL All-Star team and is one of the few bright spots on a team that has not been able to hold on to their talent for over a decade.

Although the Pirates still have many questions, including the middle of their batting lineup, as well as the bottom half of their starting rotation. This is a team who has more potential than the rest of the bottom feeders.

But as for this season, well…the 2011 Pirates may not win any Oscars (or more than 60 games), but this sequel should be an improvement on an atrocious 2010.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com