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magnumo
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.....with many important questions on the table for Pirate fans:
1. The Bucs finished ST with a 9-20 record (.310) following their 19-43 performance (.306) to finish out 2011. Are they going to find the switch to flip that will somehow enable them to perform better during the regular season?
2. Our starting pitchers finished ST by going only 3 or 4 innings. What's that about? Normally, healthy starters are going at least 7 innings or 100 pitches by now.
3. When will Morton and Burnett return to the rotation? (And who will be cut when they do?)
4. Will the rotation perform up to expectations?
5. Will the bullpen perform? (Can Hanrahan repeat his 2011 performance?)
6. Pedro Alvarez finished ST with 22 strikeouts in 53 at bats..... and only 9 hits while batting .170. Will Alvarez find himself and become at least a minimum-adequate third-baseman? ..... or will he continue to struggle? If he struggles, how long will the Pirates continue to run him out there?
7. Will Matt Hague go north? If he does, will he get any playing time? If he does, will he continue to hit?
8. Will the offense perform better? Will the young outfielders stay healthy and continue to develop? Will Barmes and Barajas hit enough to keep the bottom third of the lineup from becoming the proverbial black hole?
9. Will Pirate players learn how to run the bases? Will they steal more? .....and avoid running into so many outs?
10. Will the defense perform as well as expected?
11. Will the team improve at fundamentals?
12. Is it possible for the team to stop the CLS (current losing streak) in 2012?
There are a number of additional questions which could be added to the list..... but I'll stop there. And rather than throw out specific answers, I'll conclude this post with just the questions..... and a general answer applicable to most of those questions: I'll believe it when I see it. (I.e., I'm gonna hope for the best..... while expecting the worst.)
1. The Bucs finished ST with a 9-20 record (.310) following their 19-43 performance (.306) to finish out 2011. Are they going to find the switch to flip that will somehow enable them to perform better during the regular season?
2. Our starting pitchers finished ST by going only 3 or 4 innings. What's that about? Normally, healthy starters are going at least 7 innings or 100 pitches by now.
3. When will Morton and Burnett return to the rotation? (And who will be cut when they do?)
4. Will the rotation perform up to expectations?
5. Will the bullpen perform? (Can Hanrahan repeat his 2011 performance?)
6. Pedro Alvarez finished ST with 22 strikeouts in 53 at bats..... and only 9 hits while batting .170. Will Alvarez find himself and become at least a minimum-adequate third-baseman? ..... or will he continue to struggle? If he struggles, how long will the Pirates continue to run him out there?
7. Will Matt Hague go north? If he does, will he get any playing time? If he does, will he continue to hit?
8. Will the offense perform better? Will the young outfielders stay healthy and continue to develop? Will Barmes and Barajas hit enough to keep the bottom third of the lineup from becoming the proverbial black hole?
9. Will Pirate players learn how to run the bases? Will they steal more? .....and avoid running into so many outs?
10. Will the defense perform as well as expected?
11. Will the team improve at fundamentals?
12. Is it possible for the team to stop the CLS (current losing streak) in 2012?
There are a number of additional questions which could be added to the list..... but I'll stop there. And rather than throw out specific answers, I'll conclude this post with just the questions..... and a general answer applicable to most of those questions: I'll believe it when I see it. (I.e., I'm gonna hope for the best..... while expecting the worst.)
