Bucco Stats this year

Yesterday or so I predicted the Pirates will go 77-85. Here's why:

(These first eight players are the expected regular starters in projected batting order.)

CF Chris Duffy: Duffy is a good center fielder but I don't think he will be a consistent leadoff hitter in the near future. This is our biggest weakness as a hitting club. Eventually, we'll try someone else at the leadoff spot, without much success. 7 HR, .260 average. His speed is all that allows him to get even that high an average.

SS Jack Wilson: Jack will rebound defensively to deserve the Gold Glove (of course he won't actually get it). He will surprise some with his relative competance at the plate. 8 HR, .280.

2B Freddy Sanchez: Sanchez will start slow coming back from the DL, but will pick it up and will do OK, although of course he won't get near that .344 he got last season. He will be a great 2nd basemen (he's moving over from third because Jose Castillo is lazy). 12 HR, .310.

1B Adam LaRoche: Alright, this is the tricky one. The new guy will continue to improve on his numbers as he has every year. The ballpark is on his side. .290, 40 HR.

LF Jason Bay: Steady, dependable. .280, 38 HR.

C Ronny Paulino: I really like this young catcher. I don't know if he's any good, but I like the guy. .295, 13 HR.

RF Xavier Nady: This guy improved when he came to Pittsburgh last year. (How often does THAT happen?) We actually got the much better end of this deal when we gave the Mets Oliver Perez. .290, 16 HR.

3B Jose Bautista: Earned his job in Spring Training. He'll split a lot of time with Castillo. 15 HR, .240.

Starting pitchers (I will not predict wins, as it is pretty much all luck for a Pirates player to get a win, considering our bad run scoring):

Zach Duke: Will be solid and steady. 3.25 ERA.
Ian Snell: Breakout star. 2.75 ERA.
Paul Maholm: Will hit some rough spots. 4.75 ERA.
Tom Gorzelanny: Eeeeh. Will have some good starts, but will not be a competant major league starter. He'll be replaced at some point. 6.00 ERA.
Tony Armas: Whatever. 4.75 ERA.

Bullpen will be fine. Torres will be a good closer. I like Torres.

McCutchen will be in the Major League by the end of the year.

Once again, 77-85 is the prediction. Although I'd love to see us do better. Really, with these stats, and decent help off the bench, we could reach 81 wins for the first time since 1992. But that would mean that everyone outside of Chris Duffy and a couple pitchers would have to have at least a good season, and LaRoche would need a career season (although I'm fully expecting this anyway).

All the pitchers are gonna get roughed up once and a while. They are very young.

But we'll still finish ahead of the Cubs.