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Lady Steel
02-16-2015, 08:06 PM
With spring training just days from beginning, there are baseball predictions almost everywhere. Predictions are what they are: someone’s opinion. But in the 21st century, the opinion of ESPN counts a bit more than most. David Schoenfield, a senior writer for ESPN, is predicting the Pirates will be the third best team in MLB (http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/55056/ranking-the-teams-6-through-1-2).

That’s not the third best team in the NL Central. That’s the third best of all 30.

Pretty sweet company!

Schoenfield had plenty of positive words for the Pirates, whom he ranked two spots ahead of division rival St. Louis and directly behind Washington (first) and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Among other National League Central Division teams, Chicago was ranked 13th, Milwaukee 22nd and Cincinnati 24th.

There is a growing trend among baseball experts that the Pirates have built what amounts to an elite organization and this is further proof of that. That the Pirates, notoriously small spending, are ranked ahead of such high-payroll teams as the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers is validation of what the organization, under General Manager Neal Huntington, has done.

Some key points in Schoenfield’s evaluation:


http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/smizik-on-sports/2015/02/14/Pirates-ranked-among-MLB-elite/stories/201502140122

Let's go Bucs! :applaudit:

X-Terminator
02-16-2015, 08:20 PM
Good Lord, are they overrating the hell out of this team or what? The Pirates will be good, but they aren't one of the best teams in baseball. Not until they fix the holes at 1B, SP and C, Harrison proves he isn't a one-year wonder, Kang isn't a $4 million bust, and Polanco is as advertised.

Sorry, boys and girls.

The Dodgers, Nats, Cards, Giants, Red Sox, Tigers, Angels and A's are all better than the Pirates, with the Brewers, Cubs, White Sox and Padres possibly being at least as good. I take these "rankings" with a grain of salt, especially before a single pitch is thrown in spring training.

That said, they will be a fun team to watch once again, because they play the game the right way.

Godfather
02-17-2015, 06:33 PM
Meh. Everyone knows the Cubs are going to sweep Miami in the Series this year.

Steelerette
02-17-2015, 08:48 PM
Meh. Everyone knows the Cubs are going to sweep Miami in the Series this year.

Last time the Cubs won the series, women weren't allowed to vote.