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Pirates are optimistic losing skid will end
That was the message delivered when the Pirates Caravan made its annual stop in Youngstown on Thursday at The Butler Institute of American Art.
Photo
LIFE IMITATES ART: Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen looks at a painting of Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente that hangs at The Butler Institute of American Art on Wick Avenue. McCutchen was in town Thursday with the Pirates Caravan, which stops annually at the museum. Some 200 fans attended.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN — After 17 consecutive losing seasons (a professional sports record), Pirates executives Frank Coonelly and Neal Huntington believe the pieces are in place for a Pittsburgh turnaround.
“The players that we’ve acquired will be the foundation for our future championship teams,” Huntington told some 200 fans on Thursday at the Pirates Caravan visit to The Butler Institute of American Art. “We have a better feeling about 2010 than we’ve had in a long time.”
Huntington (general manager), Coonelly (president) and John Russell (manager) are getting ready for their third season with the Pirates.
Their turnaround task won’t be an easy one — the Pirates are coming off a 62-99 season that had them 281‚Ñ2 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central Division.
Since July 2008, the Pirates have traded away outfielders Jason Bay, Nyjer Morgan and Nate McClouth; pitchers Ian Snell and John Grabow; and infielders Adam LaRoche, Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson.
“Clearly we’ve gone through a transitional period over the last three years,” Coonelly said. “There were many roster moves as we build a core of young players to bring us back to championship-caliber baseball in Pittsburgh.
“Sometimes, we didn’t handle that as well as we could have,” Coonelly said. “As a result, we’ve seen that our records in August and September the past two years have been poor.
“We are at a point now where were are through that transitional period ... we are moving forward,” Coonelly said.
Many of the prospects acquired in those trades will be competing in spring training.
Russell said the Pirates need to start scoring more runs in order to chase the Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers.
“Last year, we set a little bit of an identity for ourselves as a pitching and defensive ballclub,” Russell said. “The next piece is to add a little bit of identity with our offense because we didn’t score many runs.
“In something like 80 games last season, we scored 80 runs or less,” Russell said. “We’ve got to do a better job.”
Despite the franchise’s struggle, Russell is optimistic.
“Somebody asked me the other day, ‘do you see light at the end of the tunnel?’ ” Russell said. “I said I think we’re through the tunnel.
“Now is the time to challenge ourselves to see if we can do more than just win a few games or to break a streak. The playoffs are our goal.”
Russell is anxious to see what leadoff batter/center fielder Andrew McCutchen can do for an entire season. Last season, McCutchen was called up in June and did so well that Morgan was traded by the end of the month.
“Realistically, the biggest thing for us is winning,” McCutchen said. “We want to be able to compete for a championship.”
In 108 games, McCutchen batted .286 and used his speed to generate 26 doubles and nine triples. He also hit 12 homers and drove in 54 runs.
“I love [Pittsburgh], I love the atmosphere that we have,” McCutchen said. “If start winning, I’m sure that the crowds are going to be there.”
Also at The Butler were pitchers Kevin Hart (a starter acquired from the Cubs) and Evan Meek (a reliever for two seasons with the Pirates).
“I think the sky is the limit for this group of guys we have,” Hart said. “And this is such a great sports city. That T-shirt that have that says ‘City of Champions,’ I want to be add a World Series [icon] to it before I’m done.”
williams@vindy.com