3-27-25 – By Gary Morgan – @garymo2007 on X
We made it.
We fought through the entire offseason and here we are, ready for the first pitch.
I don’t know what to make of the team this year. I mean, they could be worse than last year, .500 on the nose or better.
The Pirates have in the year of our Lord 2025 assembled a team full of question marks and placeholders. I can tell you anyone predicting this team to tread water in the upcoming year probably have a lot of dancing partners. Frankly, that’s what I see too.
That’s what I see because the hardest thing in the world to envision, is something you haven’t seen yet in MLB.
Get what I mean? Like, for instance, back in 2021 before the season began, it was considered silly to believe Bryan Reynolds could ever be more than a 20 Homerun guy, and he’s never hit fewer than 24 since.
Point is, no projection is going to give you credit for what you haven’t done. In fact, some of them are reluctant to even extrapolate, meaning you played 100 games, they aren’t going to pretend they know you’re getting 150 this year, feel me?
Fans aren’t projection sites of course, but we think a lot like them.
We give credit to two things as baseball fans.
- Guys we’ve seen do something. Bonus points if he’s done it more than once.
- Guys we haven’t seen do anything yet, but they have boundless potential. This lasts for maybe 60 at bats or 20 innings.
Me too man, it’s not like I’m pointing at you here, I’m just saying we all struggle to see or accept something until it happens. If we disagree its really about how long you give things to work before you’ve seen enough. That’s all.
We’re at a place in this whole thing, meaning the Cherington Era, where they really should have some urgency to succeed. There’s no escaping it really, it just hasn’t felt like a very inspired effort this offseason to really hype up the team, beef up the team, sell a move, push a narrative, speak to a burning question, whatever.
Just quiet. Accepting almost of their fate. I don’t know, it just felt like they went dormant. They started rumors themselves telling reporters they still wanted to get another outfielder as camp began, and directly claiming another move would be coming siting the end of Spring Training as when they see the end of the offseason.
What happened to that? Did they try? As hungry as these media are for rumors you’d think you’d have heard something. Did you? I mean come out and tell us we saw what Jack and Bae did and we were like, F it, we don’t need one now. Sure, some people will be mad or challenge you that it wasn’t enough, but at least it would feel purposeful. After all You changed Your plan, not the plan we gave you. I’d just like to know why that changed.
The players are saying all the right things and they seem confident but hey, that’s Spring to a degree. That’s like asking your mom if you look good before you leave for prom. Of course you look handsome as hell to her you ugly bastard.
I want to like the bullpen. 4 lefty’s is a bit weird, but then again, the NL Central has a decent amount of big lefties or guys you’d like to have hitting righty instead, so maybe there is some hidden logic there. Generally the biggest concern is Bednar, at least to me. Man, if you’re telling the dugout reporter you need to remember you’re a good pitcher, it doesn’t give you the warm and fuzzies. His season could go any number of ways. If it does, who do they go to, how many games to they wreck on the way to the decision?
Is Cruz gonna finally show all the way up? I mean are we done with reasons why we can’t expect that yet? Does he have to be 30 first? Here’s where I really have to say, let’s see it now. Run the bases like a deer. Pay attention all the time. Hustle all the time. Embrace centerfield like you could dominate the position. And just hit baseballs. We need to see this guy arrive if they’ve got any shot.
We need to see Ke’Bryan Hayes fully accept what he is and take those line drives to right and right-center, and walks. Steal some bases here and there. Pop the odd homer. Play 120 games. That’s a fair challenge right? Do that, I completely get it, and that’s a nice part of a lineup, a solid 6-7 hole guy.
Endy, just stay within yourself, see, how can you predict what he’s gonna do this year?
The team is full of stories like this, from cast offs like Jack to guys you thought were tossed out last year like Bae. This year’s opening day roster is completely loaded with question marks.
So predict all you like. I host 6 or 7 shows a week and write a crap ton too, it’s kinda hard to avoid it once or twice. Just have the humility to accept, you might think….but you don’t know.
There are reasons to believe, there are probably more to be skeptical, but a lot of this roster is the exact opposite of consistent.
I lead off with Reynolds, well, he’s about it. Mr. Consistent. Skenes too, even if that’s not fair to him.
Until we see it, you’re foolish to believe it. Right?
I’m all for miracles, I’d just like my chances better if I were only praying for one.
I think the Pirates will get to the .500 mark this year, I have them around 83 wins, which I don’t think will get it done this year. That said, I made this pick before Jared Jones was injured, so I’m bitter about keeping continuity there. LOL If I had to do it over, I dunno, maybe I’d still go 81 and 81, I never thought until right now.
This division is like this actually. Look at the Reds Outfield….. gross. Cubs probably don’t have enough pitching. Brewers have the Cardinals devil magic, but on paper they took a real hit. The Cards are going to be accidentally right there because they couldn’t sell off.
Hey, listen, we’re all gonna watch it right? I mean you read this far, yeah, you will.
I’ll be here to talk about it. We’ll see what happens.
I’d love to call them geniuses in September and laugh at all my freezing cold takes.
And honestly, I’d rather talk about baseball, good or bad over offseason BS any day, so let’s go.
Steel City Pirates 