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The Pittsburgh Pirates‘ difficult start to the 2013 season encountered another obstacle Monday night, as starting pitcher Wandy Rodriguez left the Bucs’ 5-3 victory in the third inning with a tight left hamstring.

Rodriguez was expected to be re-evaluated on Tuesday, and the extent of the injury is at this point unclear. But if Rodriguez is sidelined for an extended period of time, the Pirates’ suddenly thin rotation will face a big challenge.

The Pirates’ rotation features several hit or miss players, with Rodriguez perhaps representing the safest option Clint Hurdle has at his disposal. Though A.J. Burnett, the Bucs’ clear ace at this point, put together a rather consistent year in 2012, he does not have a track record anywhere close to Wandy‘s in this department.

The current Pittsburgh rotation also features James McDonald and Jonathan Sanchez, two pitchers who are capable of excellence or incompetence on any given day. Rodriguez is an important stabilizing force for this ballclub.

Tim Williams posted a good breakdown of Rodriguez’s potential replacements this morning, and though the options look decent at first glance they underscore the fact that the Bucs are not prepared for this injury.

Kyle McPherson and Phil Irwin, the two most likely fill-ins, both may very well be deserving of Major League jobs, and each will likely make it to Pittsburgh at some point this season. But the Pirates’ brass did not believe either pitcher was a better short-term option than Jonathan Sanchez a week ago, which is rather disconcerting.

The organizational view is clearly that McPherson, who struggled towards the back end of Spring Training, and Irwin both would benefit from more time in Triple-A. For this reason it may be more likely that Irwin, who is slightly more “Major League-ready” but has a lower ceiling, gets the first call-up.

Neither option is a total disaster for the Bucs, but the Pittsburgh rotation was already in a pretty tenuous position to begin with. The Pirates’ offense may find the need to break out of its early-season doldrums even more urgent soon.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates have started 2013 in a very similar manner to 2012, struggling to get anything going at the plate. Despite four solid pitching performances in a row, the Bucs are 1-3 heading into Saturday night’s tilt with Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers.

The Pirates have scored six runs in four games, with three of those runs coming against struggling Chicago Cubs closer Carlos Marmol.

While it is way too early to react strongly to specific results, the Bucs’ overall approach at the plate does not suggest that a significant improvement is around the corner.

It is one thing to go on a cold streak because batted balls simply aren’t finding holes, as can often happen in the sport. It’s another to pile up heavy strikeout numbers while drawing few walks and swinging at pitches out of the strike zone, as the Pirates are currently doing.

The biggest culprits at this early stage are Pedro Alvarez, Garrett Jones and Starling Marte, three players who are critical complementary components of the Pirates offense. Marte took a very good walk in his first plate appearance before reverting to his historical on-base struggles, while Alvarez and Jones have just looked out of sync.

Alvarez, whose contact issues have always been one of his biggest flaws, has already struck out twice in situations with a man on third base and less than two outs, including a three-pitch strikeout at the hands of Marmol Thursday night.

Jones also has the distinction of striking out against Marmol, as he was the only Pirate the Cubs closer successfully retired on Opening Day.

Each player has fallen victim to sliders that were not particularly sharp, starting at the knees at best and breaking into the dirt well before crossing home plate. At this point, there is no reason to throw either player—or most Pirates for that matter—a fastball in the strike zone.

For his part, Clint Hurdle thinks the Pirates’ offensive approach is improving (per Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review):

While this may be true on the margin, one of the very things that has been discouraging about the Pirates’ early-season offensive performance is their propensity to swing at bad pitches even when the count is full. 

The Bucs’ recent offensive flaw has always been getting on base, as the team has plenty of power and speed. It is way too early in the season to be sure that a given trend will continue, but Pirate fans were certainly hoping for a very different start. 

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The Pittsburgh Pirates‘ starting rotation has been a key component of the team’s first-half success in 2011 and 2012, keeping the team afloat while the offense struggled at the start of the season.

While there are many question marks in this year’s rotation, the Bucs also boast several higher ceiling pitchers in addition to more credible depth than they have had in previously.

It will be interesting to see how the back of the Pirates’ rotation, which is not fully set yet, shakes out over the first few months of the season, as well as when they give some of their higher-impact prospects a shot in Pittsburgh.

Starters

The Pirates enter the season with only two real “sure things” at the top of their rotation. Both A.J. Burnett and Wandy Rodriguez may see some decline, but each comes off a strong 2012 season and can be labeled a somewhat reliable veteran at this point.

Yankees fans would probably argue with this description of Burnett, who saw substantial improvement in his first season in Pittsburgh thanks to an improved walk rate. But his advanced metrics were generally decent in New York. Meanwhile, Rodriguez is staving off decreased strikeout rates thanks to solid command.

James McDonald, the team’s No. 3 starter, is the biggest wild card in the rotation and likely on the team as a whole. McDonald was one of the best pitchers in the National League before the All-Star break, and he was worse than replacement level after it. If McDonald can locate his fastball, he has the stuff to be a top of the rotation starter.

The No. 4 and No. 5 slots in the rotation are essentially up for grabs, though Francisco Liriano and Jeff Karstens likely have the inside track on those positions when healthy. Their inability to stay healthy is essentially the only thing these two pitchers have in common. Liriano can strike out anyone but remains extremely erratic, while Karstens relies on command and consistency.

Liriano and Karstens almost certainly will not both be in the Opening Day rotation (Liriano in particularly is not likely to return from his most recent injury by then), so other candidates may be considered. At the moment, the erratic Jonathan Sanchez and former prospect Jeff Locke appear to have the inside track. The Sanchez experiment will end quickly if he cannot throw strikes, while Locke can be a serviceable No. 4 or No. 5 starter until a better option comes along. 

Bench

Even with seven players listed in the “Starters” category, there are still a few additional pitchers who may fit into the Pirates’ 2013 rotation plans.

Jeanmar Gomez, Vin Mazzaro and Chris Leroux can start if necessary, though all profile as nothing more than sixth starter or swing reliever types. Given that they are no better than the ninth or tenth options on this team, that is fine for the Pirates, and it’s important both to have these types of players and not have them be your first option if a starting pitcher gets injured.

Kyle McPherson is another former prospect who is just about ready to join the big club, but unlike Locke, McPherson is ripe for a little more seasoning, as he has only pitched 18 innings in Triple-A. McPherson has a higher ceiling than Locke, as well, as he has the ability to post somewhat serviceable strikeout numbers while maintaining his pinpoint control.

Phil Irwin is another relatively under-the-radar prospect who may be able to help the big-league club this season. Irwin displayed superior control in Double-A before before excelling in a brief Triple-A debut, and he is another player the Pirates can look to for solid starts as the season wears on.

Top prospect Gerrit Cole is the big name to watch here. Cole will start the season in Triple-A, but the Pirates’ No. 1 prospect will likely be in Pittsburgh by the middle of the season. He will probably take a few lumps early, but Cole is the kind of player who can give the Pirates a huge boost toward contention, the race for .500, or whatever it is they find themselves playing for in July.

Down on the Farm

Even after accounting for Cole, there is no shortage of high-impact pitching talent in the Pirates’ farm system. 

Slotting in just behind Cole is Jameson Taillon, who is probably a year behind Cole in his development but also profiles as a potential future ace. Taillon, who turned some heads with a strong performance against the United States in this year’s World Baseball Classic, should spend most of the season in Triple-A (even if he doesn’t start there) before making his Pittsburgh debut in 2014.

Luis Heredia is still considered to have ace stuff as well, though at the young age of 18 he remains a long way from the majors. Heredia seems to be progressing solidly though, and Pirates fans look forward to potentially seeing him pitch more innings in full-season ball this year.

As usual, the Pirates have several projectable right-handed pitchers worth watching in the lower to mid levels of the system. The more well-known names here are Nick Kingham, Clay Holmes and Tyler Glasnow, while new draftees Adrian Sampson and Jonathan Sandfort look to replenish the ranks.

Other names of interest for Bucs’ fans, due to either draft pedigree or recent acquisitions, include Zack Von Rosenborg and Stolmy Pimentel. 

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As the Pittsburgh Pirates‘ young talent has started to graduate from their farm system in recent years, their outfield has become a much more exciting unit.

Entering 2013, the Bucs likely have two thirds of their outfield set for the better part of the decade, with several interesting candidates to fill the third position in the short- or long-term future.

There are still questions to be answered, and the Pirates cannot necessarily expect above-average production from any position other than center field. But the Bucs’ outfield is starting to look like a long-term strength,

Starters

The Pirates have two young, athletic players that should be patrolling their outfield for years to come in superstar Andrew McCutchen and prospect Starling Marte. It is pretty clear what McCutchen will bring to the Bucs this year, but Marte’s contribution is less certain.

As he has been for the past four seasons, McCutchen will be the centerpiece of Pittsburgh’s 2013 offense. The main question he must answer is whether he can sustain his MVP-caliber 2012 performance over the course of a full season.

Given that McCutchen was worth more than seven wins last year, despite a noticeable drop-off in the season’s final third, his ceiling remains frighteningly high.

Marte has a somewhat similar ceiling to McCutchen. H is an excellent defensive player with great bat speed and more power than is first anticipated. But unlike McCutchen, Marte has yet to mature and refine his approach in order to become a consistently productive offensive player. The Pirates have a lot to gain if he can make that leap.

The Pirates’ third outfield position is not as set in stone, and the Bucs could see a bit of a revolving door in right field if no player claims an everyday role. For the time being, former Toronto prospect Travis Snider is penciled in as the starter. Snider has power, can take a walk and plays decent defense but needs to cut down on his strikeouts. 

Bench

Jose Tabata is currently the odd-man out in the Pirates’ outfield, but if he sustains his strong spring play, then he may see a lot of at-bats fairly early in the season.

Like Snider, Tabata is a former top prospect that hasn’t put it all together yet. He has frustrated Pittsburgh management with his immaturity at times, but he is still only 24 years old and is actually one of the best players on the team at getting on base.

Alex Presley will likely make the team as well.

Presley probably is what he is at this point, a decent contact hitter that contributes in the field and on the basepaths but doesn’t provide much power or patience. 

Jerry Sands may also factor into the Bucs’ outfield equation before the year is through, and strong play from Gaby Sanchez could result in Garrett Jones getting more starts in right field.

Down on the Farm

The Pirates have a deep organizational pipeline in the outfield right now, with a few high-ceiling prospects supported by decent depth.

Twenty-one year-old Gregory Polanco, coming off a breakout 2012 season in Single-A, headlines the system. Polanco is another athletic center field type who looks to have all the requisite hit tools, though he is still several years from the majors.

Josh Bell, the recipient of a big signing bonus less than two years ago, is often a forgotten man in the Bucs’ organization. Nagging injuries mean he has only had 62 professional at-bats, but he remains the Pirates’ best power-hitting prospect.

Barrett Barnes, the Pirates’ sandwich-round pick in the 2012 draft, is another player who sits at the higher end of most Pittsburgh top prospect lists. A .401 on-base percentage in 153 plate appearances in his debut did nothing to harm his status.

Other outfielders to watch in the lower levels of the organization include Adalberto Santos, Willy Garcia and Elvis Escobar. 

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The first week of Spring Training has come and gone, and there are a few interesting developments within the Pirates organization.

The majority of Spring Training results are meaningless (Andrew McCutchen isn’t going to bat .143 this season), but the Pirates have so many interesting, fringe-starter types on their roster that there is more information worth monitoring than usual.

The #MartePartay Begins

Starling Marte has gotten off to a very good start to Spring Training, which is exactly what Pirate fans wanted to see from a player who can be a staple in Pittsburgh for a long time.

The #MartePartay started before the Pirates’ first game, as Marte hit home run in an intrasquad game and hasn’t looked back since. He has five hits in 12 at-bats and his approach has generally looked sound.

It is certainly to early to suggest that he has made the leap, but Marte is already an elite defensive player and it is a very good sign if his offensive game is beginning to mature.

Bench Players Announce Themselves

Gaby Sanchez and Jordy Mercer, two players once thought to have bright major league futures, have had a very good first week.

Sanchez has reached base in seven of his 11 plate appearances and hit two home runs in a game over the weekend. He is only one year removed from two productive seasons, and if he can match his .340+ OBP from those years he will be a very useful player. Garrett Jones can also play right field, so there is playing time available if Sanchez steps up.

Mercer has reached base on six of his first 10 plate appearances and is slugging .833. The Pirates do not have a long-term solution at shortstop (aside from potentially Alen Hanson, a top prospect who will start the year in High-A), so they will be watching Mercer closely.

Erratic Pitching Continues

There have been much fewer positives for Pirate pitchers. Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon looked good in their first appearances, but several major league wild cards have struggled and often looked, well, wild.

Justin Wilson and Jonathan Sanchez both have a tremendous amount of talent, but a history of struggling to find the plate. Those struggles have reared their ugly head this spring, with the two pitchers combining to walk seven batters in 5.1 innings. Wilson at least has four strikeouts to go with his two walks.

James McDonald wasn’t wild in his first start, but he struggled nonetheless, allowing three home runs. Fastball command remains an area of focus for him.

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Although spring training is officially under way, there are still players finding homes with new teams for the 2013 season, including pitcher Jose Contreras, who was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.

The right-handed Contreras’ signing, which was a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training, was announced via the team’s official Twitter feed:

The @pirates have signed RHP Jose Contreras to a minor league contract with an invite to spring training.

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) February 24, 2013

The signing was confirmed in a subsequent report by MLB.com’s Andrew Simon.

The 41-year-old Contreras is a veteran of 10 major league seasons, playing previously for the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies.

He defected from his native Cuba and signed a $32 million contract with the Yankees in the winter prior to the 2003 season.

He began his major league career as a starter but has pitched exclusively in relief in recent years.

The best season of his career came in 2005 with the White Sox, when he went 15-7 with a 3.61 ERA and 154 strikeouts in 32 starts.

Last season, he appeared in just 17 games with the Phillies, going 1-0 with a 5.27 ERA.

During his career he has a combined record of 78-67 with a 4.55 ERA in 292 games (175 starts).

CBSSports.com’s Dayn Perry wrote that Contreras has missed major chunks of the past two seasons because of elbow surgeries. He appeared in just 34 total games during that time. He will still be rehabbing his most recent procedure during camp with the Pirates.

If Contreras can bounce back from his most recent injury, he may be able to earn a role as a setup man in the Pittsburgh bullpen.

He has produced much better results in relief throughout his career, posting a 3.78 ERA and 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings in that role. By contrast, he has just a 4.63 ERA and 6.6 strikeouts per nine innings as a starter.

The Pirates are seeking their first winning season since 1992. Adding a veteran like Contreras is a good gamble that could pay off if he is healthy and productive.

Statistics via BaseballReference

Follow @historianandrew

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Most teams would not extend their manager’s contract after a 79–83 record and a historic collapse. However, most teams are not the Pittsburgh Pirates.

After two decades of perpetual mediocrity, the Pirates have decided to extend Clint Hurdles’ contract for making them less bad.

Clint Hurdle pretty much has it all going for him. The owner loves him, and the fans seem to have a favorable opinion of him.

No, he hasn’t led the pirates to the playoffs, yet. But, he has done something that many before could not— made them respectable.

The fact that the Pirates were even in the position to possibly make the playoffs is a reason to celebrate within itself in Pittsburgh. The Pirates are no longer a laughing stock, and opponents are now forced to respect them when they see them on their schedule. 

The Pirates are a team that’s building toward a playoff berth. That’s much more than they can say for the last 20 years.

This past season, they finished with their best record since 1997. Although that’s not saying much, it is undoubtedly an improvement. It’s the Pirates we’re talking about, not the Yankees. The expectations aren’t exactly high for this franchise on the yearly basis.

Furthermore, this is a franchise that lost 105 games in the season before Hurdle’s arrival. And prior to that, they earned five consecutive 90-loss seasons.

The Pirates are a franchise whose futility is unrivaled by almost any other. There are more empty seats in that arena than there would be for a Backstreet Boys reunion concert.

Clint Hurdle’s personality is almost enough to warrant keeping him around. He has a vibrant disposition that energizes the fans and draws their attention. He has brought new life into a clubhouse that has severely needed it. He’s given the fans, the players reason to believe that next year can possibly be better than the past one.

Pittsburgh will finally be buzzing with energy come spring for the first time in a while. Spring and summer are no longer the dreaded and stale waiting period until the Steelers strap on their cleats. The Pirates will finally get some love.

Clint Hurdle has given an entire city a taste of success and hope. He’s re-energized an entire fan base that has been dormant since the “We Are Family” Pirates of the ‘70s. For those reasons alone, he more than deserves his extension.

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2012 Record: 79-83 (fourth in NL Central, missed postseason)

Key Additions

C Russell Martin (FA), SP Francisco Liriano (FA), RP Mark Melancon (BOS), IF/OF Jerry Sands (BOS), IF Brandon Inge (FA), 1B/OF Brad Hawpe (FA), IF Ivan DeJesus (BOS), SP Jeanmar Gomez (CLE), SP Jonathan Sanchez (FA), SP Vin Mazzaro (KC), SP Stolmy Pimentel (BOS), SP Andrew Oliver (DET), 1B Clint Robinson (KC)

Key Losses

RP Joel Hanrahan (BOS), SP Kevin Correia (FA), RP Chris Resop (OAK), RP Chad Qualls (FA), RP Hisanori Takahashi (Released), C Rod Barajas (FA), IF Brock Holt (BOS)

Projected Starting Lineup

1. LF Starling Marte (.257/.300/.437, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 18 R)

2. 2B Neil Walker (.280/.342/.426, 14 HR, 69 RBI, 62 R)

3. CF Andrew McCutchen (.327/.400/.553, 31 HR, 96 RBI, 107 R)

4. 1B Garrett Jones (.274/.317/.516, 27 HR, 86 RBI, 68 R)

5. 3B Pedro Alvarez (.244/.317/.467, 30 HR, 85 RBI, 64 R)

6. C Russell Martin (.211/.311/.403, 21 HR, 53 RBI, 50 R)

7. RF Travis Snider (.250/.319/.378, 4 HR, 17 RBI, 23 R)

8. SS Clint Barmes (.229/.272/.321, 8 HR, 45 RBI, 34 R)

Lineup Overview

The Pirates‘ lineup will once again be driven by the performance of center fielder McCutchen, as the 26-year-old emerged as a bona fide superstar last season.

Hitting .362/.414/.625 at the break, McCutchen fell off a bit in the second half but still ended with terrific numbers for a third place finish in NL MVP voting.

Getting some support from secondary guys like Neil Walker, Pedro Alvarez and Garrett Jones would go a long way towards taking some pressure off of McCutchen and making the Pirates offense more dangerous.

All three have solid power but battled inconsistency and injury the past few seasons, and if they can all put it together in the same year the Pirates could have a real chance.

Russell Martin was signed away from the Yankees on a two-year, $17 million deal, and he’ll do a nice job handling the pitching staff while providing an upgrade over Rod Barajas offensively.

The leadoff spot will go to prospect Starling Marte, who put up solid numbers over 167 at-bats and has the inside track to win the left field job over Jose Tabata.

Rounding out the lineup are former top prospect Travis Snider, who was acquired from the Blue Jays at the deadline last year and could be in line for his first full season of at-bats, and glove-first shortstop Clint Barmes, who is vastly overpaid at $5.5 million this coming season.

Projected Bench

C Michael McKenry (.233/.320/.442, 12 HR, 39 RBI, 25 R)

1B Gaby Sanchez (.217/.279/.341, 7 HR, 30 RBI, 30 R)

IF Brandon Inge (.218/.275/.383, 12 HR, 54 RBI, 33 R)

IF/OF Josh Harrison (.233/.279/.345, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 34 R)

OF Jose Tabata (.243/.315/.348, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 43 R)

Bench Overview

The Pirates have a solid bat off the bench in backup catcher McKenry, and they were wise not to thrust him into the starting role and instead keep him where he thrived in over 240 at-bats last season.

Sanchez, an All-Star as recently as 2011 when he was with the Marlins, was acquired at the deadline last year and could be used in a platoon role with Snider, playing first base and shifting Garrett Jones to the outfield.

The veteran Inge was signed to a minor league deal, and he showed he still had something left in the tank last year after being released by the Tigers. He had 11 home runs and 52 RBI in 283 at-bats after signing with the A’s.

Harrison provides terrific versatility, playing six positions last season, while Tabata will look to regain his everyday job in the outfield after falling off last year.

Projected Rotation

1. RHP A.J. Burnett (31 GS, 16-10, 3.51 ERA, 180 Ks, 202.1 IP)

2. LHP Wandy Rodriguez (33 GS, 12-13, 3.76 ERA, 139 Ks, 205.2 IP)

3. RHP James McDonald (29 GS, 12-8, 4.21 ERA, 151 Ks, 171 IP)

4. RHP Jeff Karstens (15 GS, 5-4, 3.97 ERA, 66 Ks, 90.2 IP)

5. RHP Kyle McPherson (10 G, 3 GS, 0-2, 2.73 ERA, 21 Ks, 26.1 IP)

DL. LHP Francisco Liriano (34 G, 28 GS, 6-12, 5.34 ERA, 167 Ks, 156.2 IP)

Rotation Overview

The Pirates took a chance on acquiring Burnett from the Yankees last offseason, with New York paying $20 million of the $33 million he was still due, and he turned in a terrific season emerging as a true staff ace.

Rodriguez was acquired from the Astros at the deadline, and he’ll give the Pirates a solid second veteran starter behind Burnett in his first full season with the team.

McDonald was the best pitcher on the team during the first half of the season, going 9-3 with a 2.37 ERA in his first 17 starts of the season. However, he fell off badly after that with a 7.52 ERA the rest of the way.

Though he was non-tendered to kick off the offseason, Karstens was re-signed to a one-year, $2.5 million deal and he’ll fill out the back of the rotation once again.

The fifth starter spot is up for grabs, and 25-year-old McPherson will get the first crack at the job after posting a 3.22 ERA over 12 minor league starts last season before pitching well in Pittsburgh.

After lengthy negotiations, the team finally agreed to terms with Liriano on a one-year, $1 million deal, and though he’ll likely open the season on the disabled list with a fractured right arm, he could wind up being a steal in his first National League action.

Projected Bullpen

CL Jason Grilli (64 G, 1-6, 2 SV, 2.91 ERA, 13.8 K/9)

SU Mark Melancon (41 G, 0-2, 1 SV, 6.20 ERA, 8.2 K/9)

SU Tony Watson (68 G, 5-2, 3.38 ERA, 8.9 K/9)

MR Jared Hughes (66 G, 2-2, 2 SV, 2.85 ERA, 5.9 K/9)

MR Justin Wilson (8 G, 0-0, 1.93 ERA, 13.5 K/9)

MR Bryan Morris (5 G, 0-0, 1.80 ERA, 10.8 K/9)

LR Chris Leroux (10 G, 0-0, 5.56 ERA, 9.5 K/9)

Bullpen Overview

One of the Pirates’ biggest offseason moves was trading closer Joel Hanrahan to the Red Sox, and the ninth inning role will now fall to Grilli.

The 36-year-old turned in the best season of his career last season, and earned himself a two-year, $6.75 million contract on the free-agent market.

Melancon was acquired from the Red Sox in the Hanrahan deal, while Watson and Hughes will once again return to key roles in the bullpen after solid seasons last year.

A starter during his four minor league seasons, Wilson will likely join Watson as the team’s second left-handed option out of the bullpen. 

Morris, who was acquired from the Dodgers in the Manny Ramirez-Jason Bay deal back in 2008, had a 2.67 ERA in 46 minor league appearances before making a solid debut last year.

Prospect to Watch

SP Gerrit Cole

The first overall pick in the 2011 draft out of UCLA, Cole was terrific in his pro debut last season as he opened the year in High Single-A and ended it in Triple-A.

In 26 combined starts, he went 9-7 with a 2.80 ERA and 136 strikeouts in 132 innings of work at the age of 21.

With a fastball that sits in the high-90s and a plus slider, he already has two big league ready pitches. He also throws a curveball and changeup that both have a chance to be above-average pitches.

He’ll open the season in the minors, alongside fellow top pitching prospect Jameson Taillon, but he should be up by midseason and could be the ace of the staff by the end of the year.

Final Thoughts/Predictions

The Pirates have one of the better minor league systems in baseball and they have built a solid core of position players through the draft and trades.

Looking to post their first winning season since 1992, the Pirates will need some consistency from their offense outside of superstar Andrew McCutchen and their rotation to hold up over a full season if they want to avoid another losing record. 

The pieces are there for the Pirates to once again make some noise in the NL Central, but with the Reds, Cardinals and Brewers seemingly a notch above them, they have their work cut out for them.

By next season, behind a rotation led by Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon and an offense capable of making some noise, the Pirates could push for a winning season. That said, 2013 will likely be more of the same with them finishing just below the .500 mark.

Record Projection

77-85 (fourth in NL Central, miss playoffs)

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Spring training is around the corner, and in only a couple days, the Pittsburgh Pirates will once again begin the quest to break their streak of what is now 20 consecutive losing seasons.

On February 11, pitchers and catchers will report to Bradenton as the Bucs start preparing for their 2013 campaign.

There is a fair amount of intrigue surrounding Pittsburgh pitchers this spring. The Pirates may have a somewhat open competition at the back of the rotation over the next six weeks, with several young pitchers ready to make their mark and a top prospect waiting in the wings. 

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Rather than ruminate over a potential trade—where we don’t know the identities of half of the players—that would send closer Joel Hanrahan to the Red Sox, Pirates fans should instead concentrate on what is known.

And what we do know is the following: Hanrahan is almost certainly on his way to Boston, and Jerry Sands and Stolmy Pimentel are very likely to be members of the Pirate organization next season. 

So what we can do is look at what Jerry Sands, the more notable player of the two who are seemingly on their way to Pittsburgh, brings to the table. And he appears to be an intriguing corner outfield option who possesses a fair amount of question marks. 

There are two primary views about Sands right now, and both revolve around the polarizing stats he posted in the minor leagues. The first camp points to his elite walk and power numbers and thinks he has a bright future. The second camp disregards his power numbers due to a hitter-friendly Triple-A park and sees a player who strikes out a lot and was the third-best hitter on his minor league team last year.

As is often the case, the answer probably lies somewhere in the middle. Yes, the fact that Sands played in the PCL likely inflated his Triple-A stat lines, which saw him post slugging percentages of .586 and .524 in consecutive seasons.

But Sands has posted a slugging percentage above .500 at every minor league level, not just in the PCL, and he has compiled a walk rate of over 10 percent in every season except one. Bill James projects an OPS of .812 for Sands in 2013, which would certainly make him a useful player though not a star in a corner outfield role.

The question then becomes where Sands fits on the roster. Is it as simple as either letting him and Travis Snider compete for the right field job and seeing who lives up to their potential or just platooning the two? Or will the Pirates move Garrett Jones?

It seems like between Snider, Marte and Sands (yes, there is even more depth with the likes of Alex Presley, Jose Tabata and Clint Robinson but none of these players has earned a starting job at this point) the Pirates have three players whose value is at least somewhat derived from projection. Trading Jones and relying on all three as full-time players may be a bit risky.

That said, the Bucs have to feel more comfortable jumping on an offer for Jones now if they feel like they are getting a good deal. Including Marte in a blockbuster trade for a proven outfielder like Giancarlo Stanton or Justin Upton becomes more enticing as well.

The Pirates are building solid depth in the outfield, and they are doing so through players who have at least a decent likelihood of major league success. In a vacuum, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. 

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