BRADENTON, Florida: Here in the land of Wal-Marts, Applebee’s, Cracker Barrels, abandoned crosswalks on eight-lane freeways in every direction, red lights everywhere, bugs larger than puppy puppies, and, of course, weather that’s not too dissimilar from what’s back home, it’s February.
No, really:
Putting all that Florida stuff aside, I’m really glad to be back here, if only because this week will undoubtedly remind me how much fun it can be to cover a Major League Baseball team in contention, as I was fortunate enough to discover in 2013–15. It’s doubtful that I have ever had any experiences like to those three seasons during my career—and this comes from someone who has competed in five Olympics, a Super Bowl, and a Stanley Cup. A pennant race has a certain kind of power and excitement that is unmatched in the NFL or NHL and grows with every pitch, let alone every day.
Can you imagine witnessing that this summer?
No, that’s not what I mean. Only in the following context do I intend it: Maybe not much more needs to be obtained for this rotation than a legitimate No. 2 starter.
To clarify, here is how I perceive the rotation:
1. Mitch Keller, who has been exceptionally good for the past 1.5 seasons, may now be jokingly and accurately referred to as the staff’s ace.
2. SIGN SOMEONE, YOU CHEAPSKATES WHO ARE NOT COMPETITIVE. I’m going to boldly face it because I’d like to think that’s the pitcher’s name, actually.
3. Ben Cherington acquired Marco Gonzales for a respectable, low-cost trade. If he can overcome arm nerve problems, which is always a big if for a pitcher, he would fit right in the middle.
4. Martin Perez, a respectable, inexpensive free-agency addition signed by Cherington, will turn 33 in April, which is equivalent to 25 in lefty years, despite having just won a World Series with the Rangers. He’ll fit in with the fourth turn just well.
5. Roansy Contreras, who is out of options and would be fixed by the Rays in roughly five minutes, would only have an advantage over two other pitchers that the Pirates’ coaches have deprived of velocity, Quinn Priester and Luis Ortiz. But it has to be one of them.
(A pause here to state that no reasonably knowledgeable baseball follower would put forth Paul Skenes as an option no matter how many batters he obliterates in Grapefruit ball. He’d legit be risking injury if moved straight from a college schedule to the majors. He should be up in June, I’d think, when the Pirates can reap the woo-hoo bonus of avoiding Super-2 arbitration and saving a few bucks.)
Look at what’s up there, then pony up for SIGN SOMEONE YOU NON-COMPETITIVE CHEAPSKATES, then factor in a bullpen that, to Cherington’s credit, should be among the majors’ best with David Bednar, Colin Holderman and now Aroldis Chapman at the back end, and the pitching staff would have a legit hopeful feel to it, yeah?
The lineup won’t knock anyone over, but this prospective batting order might be as promising as it been in these parts for some time:
1. Oneil Cruz, SS
2. Bryan Reynolds, LF
3. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B
4. Rowdy Tellez, 1B
5. Andrew McCutchen, DH
6. Jack Suwinski, CF
7. Liover Peguero, 2B
8. Omar Olivares, RF
9. Yasmani Grandal, C
And once Henry Davis convinces management that his catching won’t cause famine, pestilence and locusts, as they seem to fear, he’ll add that much.
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