Yes, the word optimism and the Pittsburgh Pirates does not ordinarily fit into the same sentence, but their are a few reasons for the city of Pittsburgh to look for the light at the end of an 18-year-long tunnel.
The Pirates are coming off a 105 loss season, but with the additions of some veteran players and the continued development of the young players in the current lineup, the Pirates could be better this season.
I am not saying the Pittsburgh Pirates are going to win the NL Central and make a Tampa Bay Rays-like run to the World Series, but with the right mentality, timely call-ups, and an acquisition or two, the 2011 Pittsburgh Pirates could be the group that get the infamous monkey off the organizations’ back.