September song: Pirates try again to end losing

PITTSBURGH (AP) — “See You In September?”

More accurately, the theme song for the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 2009 season easily could be “Saw You In September,” because the lineup the Pirates field during their season opener Monday in St. Louis will be virtually unchanged from the one that ended last season.

Adam LaRoche, Freddy Sanchez, Jack Wilson and Andy LaRoche still make up the infield. The starting outfield is Nyjer Morgan, Nate McLouth and Brandon Moss. Ryan Doumit remains behind the plate. The rotation of Paul Maholm, Ian Snell, Zach Duke, Ross Ohlendorf and Jeff Karstens is unaltered.

The Pirates may be the most unchanged 95-loss team in major league history, yet their patient management considers that to be positive — to them, it reflects a lack of panic and a belief there is talent in place, with more soon to arrive from an improving farm system.

“The fans are tired of losing. The players in the clubhouse are tired of losing,” general manager Neal Huntington said. “The field staff, the front office, everybody. That’s why we’re here — we’re here to win. But we’re here to do it the right way, and first you’ve got to build a foundation.”

What the Pirates don’t yet have is any proof that this roster can win now, despite the organization’s mandate to its players that it’s time to end the nonstop losing that began in 1993 and has yet to cease.

Certainly, their spring training record was better — but, then again, the Detroit Lions had the NFL’s best preseason record before going 0-16 last season. The Pirates did have more of a professional feel about them in Florida, partly because they added two proven coaches in Joe Kerrigan (pitching) and Perry Hill (infield).

It also was easy to see the impact that prospects Andrew McCutchen, Pedro Alvarez and Jose Tabata made, showing off the kind of offense and we’ll-be-here-soon confidence the Pirates haven’t seen from young talent since perhaps the 1980s.

Still, winning isn’t always about predictions, prospects and payroll (the Pirates, at around $50 million, remain near the bottom in the majors) but, more often, pitching, power and performance. It’s questionable whether there are enough home runs in the lineup, enough improvement possible from a pitching staff that had a woeful 5.10 ERA last season — the third-worst in club history — to make that much difference this season.

One problem with losing as much as the Pirates do — they averaged 95 losses over the last four seasons — is that even a significant improvement might make only a marginal difference in the standings.

They could win 10 more games than they did last season — and no Pirates team has made such an improvement following a full season since 1990 — and they would still be a below-.500 club at 77-85.

No wonder Alvarez, McCutchen and Tabata can’t get to Pittsburgh soon enough.

The Pirates expect further improvement from newly designated No. 1 starter Paul Maholm, whose 3.71 ERA last season earned him a $14.5 million, three-year contract although he won only nine games. They also need a much-better Ian Snell (7-12) and Zach Duke (5-14), both of whom struggled badly most of last season.

The two former Yankees, Ohlendorf and Karstens, make up the bottom of the rotation, with Ohlendorf trying to build off a solid spring and Karstens hoping to pitch more games like that of Aug. 6, when he threw 72‚Ñ3 perfect innings against Arizona.

Around the infield, the LaRoche brothers can only hope that September (Andy) and April (Adam) don’t last all season.

Andy LaRoche’s .167 batting average in September was the third-worst in the NL, while big brother Adam’s .179 career average in April is the third-lowest of any NL hitter since 1900.

“But I don’t think the new guys are going to be pressing as much,” Sanchez said, referring to Andy LaRoche and Moss. “When you’re in trades, especially for guys like Jason Bay and Xavier Nady, to try to come in and fill their shoes is a lot of pressure.”

The Pirates also need the dependable Wilson to stay healthy — he missed nearly half of last season due to injuries — and for Sanchez to get over his shoulder miseries of last season, when the former NL batting champion hit only .226 before the All-Star break but .346 after it.

The bullpen’s 4.66 ERA was the NL’s worst (as was the rotation’s 5.36), and there hasn’t been much of an upgrade, with the only major addition being Rule 5 pick Donnie Veal. Matt Capps (21 saves in 26 opportunities) is a reliable closer who hasn’t had that many opportunities to close.

“If we pitch better, we will be a different ballclub because we have some defense, we have a back end of the bullpen, we’ve got some talent on the field,” manager John Russell said.