Kuzul

The 2012 Pirates have relied on first-round picks such as Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez to carry the offense. These guys had been groomed in the system and unlike many other first round picks of the Pirates, made it to the big leagues and have been highly productive.Yet, the success of the 2012 Pirates is also largely due to players who came out of nowhere to start producing for the Bucs, and it is those players who I want to take a closer look at. Garrett JonesJones had a long path to reach the major leagues, let alone be a successful player. Garrett was drafted in the 14th round of the 1999 Draft by the Atlanta Braves. He played three seasons in their minor league system before being released and signed by the Minnesota Twins.He would remain in the Twins organization all the way until the 2008 season, yet ...

When 2010 came to an end it appeared that Garrett Jones would open the 2011 season as the Pirates starting first baseman.  Given the options on the roster, it was a fair assessment, but the Pirates have not stood pat.  They have signed a pair of players this offseason who can man first base and potentially appear headed for a timeshare: Lyle OverbayThe left-handed hitter enjoyed a renaissance of sorts in 2010, hitting 20 HR with 67 RBI and 75 R in 534 AB.  However, hitting for power as part of the Blue Jays lineup really was nothing special in ’10, nor was his total actually overly impressive.  He’s never hit more than 22 HR in a season, so if it is punch that the Pirates were looking for, Overbay certainly isn’t the answer. Many people may want to think of him as a good average hitter, but since hitting .312 in ...

Alright, kicking off my 30-team preview, we're starting in the wonderful city of Sixsburgh. A city of rich sports tradition, and champions all around. Whether you're on the frozen pond, or on the gridiron, Pittsburgh knows what it takes to win championships. Even the dismal Pirates were once synonymous with success back in the early 1900s as well as the entire 1970s. Since their last postseason appearance in 1992 the Pirates have had no winning records, and two 100-loss seasons. The Pirates ship sank a long time ago, and with any hope of bringing it back, well...not even Johnny Depp could produce a winner out of this one. A modern tragedy over 18 years in the making. The 2010 Pirates were one of two teams in all of baseball with more than 100 loses, and trading away Zach Duke early in the offseason sent a message—that this franchise is in a long, drawn out rebuilding process. ...

Who woke up the Pirates offense after the all-star break? Whoever it was, what took you so long? The Pirates entered the break with pretty much the worse offense in baseball. It looked like it would be another long and dreadful summer, but the Bucs have come out swinging the sticks to begin the second half of the season. So far, in six games after the all-star break, the Pirates have scored 50 runs on 77 hits, going 4-2 in that span. That averages out to a major league best 8.3 runs per game and 12.8 hits per game. Looking just at the wins after the break, the Pirates are averaging 11.75 runs and 16.25 hits. While I'm not suggesting we are looking at the 1927 Yankees, it has been a nice change of pace from what we've been used to seeing from the Pirates bats of late. What's the reason for ...

Nearing the midway point of the season, the differences between the "haves" and "have nots" have become relatively clear. With this, comes the debate of which players from the latter group could help teams in the former. This season, pitchers seem like the rage in the trade market, with various ideas for Roy Oswalt, Kevin Millwood, and the rejuvenated Brett Myers. However, many of the contenders, such as the Red Sox, Phillies, and Angels, could use assistance in the field and lineup. While Oswalt is considered the top prize on the market by the media and fans, here are 10 potentially available hitters who could help teams win in 2010.   10) Lance Berkman - 1B, Astros "Big Puma" is having one of his most forgettable seasons in 2010, currently sporting a mere 103 OPS+. A no-trade clause and relatively high salary (albeit with a $2 million dollar option in 2011) make him a difficult ...

Whenever the San Francisco Giants come to town, I always ask my parents if I can get tickets. I do this for these three reasons: Tim Lincecum Tim Lincecum Oh yeah, did I mention Tim Lincecum? As you may have assumed, Lincecum is my favorite pitcher. He has the nastiest stuff in the majors by far. Plus watching his funky motion come from that small body is something that every baseball fan should do before they die. But, contrary to popular belief, the Giants do have some other notable players. Pablo Sandoval and Aaron Rowand are always fun to watch. Rowand can take quite a few runs away with his kamikaze defense, and Sandoval is a colorful character who puts on great displays of prowess at the plate. This ought to be a good series filled with pitching. The Giants have one of the best, if not ...

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