Commentary

Prediction marks new expectations

Let's start with two reactions to a prominent national baseball guru picking the Pittsburgh Pirates to win the World Series.

Wow!

Easy.

Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington shares that first sentiment. In some ways, it seems like yesterday that he took over the team after a 94-loss season in 2007, its 15th consecutive losing season on its way to 20 in a row. In other ways, it seems like a million years ago. The perception of the Pirates has changed dramatically in that time, from laughable losers to World Series contender. It's a tribute to Huntington and the front office, to Manager Clint Hurdle and his staff, and, of course, most of all, to the players.

"It's humbling," Huntington said.

And that second reaction? How can ESPN's Buster Olney pick the Pirates to win it all? How can anyone pick against the Washington Nationals or the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League? How do you pick against the St. Louis Cardinals in the Central Division?

Privately, Huntington might wonder those same things. But publicly, he won't apologize for Olney's pick. He welcomes it, actually.

"That's always been our internal goal -- to win a championship -- but this raises the bar for us and ramps things up a little bit," Huntington said. "It's much harder to win when you're expected to win. But that's OK. On paper, this is the deepest, most talented, most versatile club that we've had. This team should be able to score runs. If our starting pitchers carry us the way we think they can, we should be that club with a chance to play meaningful baseball in October and be that last team standing."

Huntington is right about two points. The lineup is very, very good.

"We have a chance to get on base," he said. "We have a chance for extra-base hits. We have a chance to run the bases. We have a chance to hit home runs."

But the team will go only as far as the starting pitchers take it. Francisco Liriano, Gerrit Cole and A.J. Burnett (North Little Rock, Central Arkansas Christian) are ready to go. Huntington acknowledged Charlie Morton, Vance Worley and Jeff Locke have had some struggles this spring, but said, "Each pitcher has had significant success on the major league level. We feel comfortable we can get them to continue to be quality major league pitchers or get them back to being quality major league pitchers."

With the start of the season little more than a week away -- April 6 in Cincinnati -- it seemed like the right time to ask Huntington for a scouting report on a couple of his key players. Catcher Francisco Cervelli has the tough task of taking over for Russell Martin. Pedro Alvarez is settling in at first base and trying to find the stroke that enabled him to hit 30 home runs in 2012 and 36 in 2013 before dropping off to 18 last season. Cervelli and Alvarez, nearly as much as the starting pitchers and MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen, will determine the Pirates' success.

"Our guys love him. They love throwing to him," Huntington said of Cervelli. "He brings everything we want defensively. Energy. Receiving. Blocking. Throwing. Game-calling. He's swinging the bat well, as well."

And Alvarez?

"His hands and feet are working really well at first base," Huntington said. "He's made the throws he's needed to make this spring. The big thing is his bat. There are signs that guy [who hit the 66 home runs] is here. The challenge is to get consistency. There are times he tries to do much and his holes get exposed. But we think he's poised to have a nice season."

It will take that and more for the Pirates to win the World Series.

Much more.

"We all have to have a good year," Huntington said. "Me and the front office. Clint and the coaches. The players ...

"We have to continue to lock in on what we need to do. That's our challenge. We can't start to focus on external things and get away from what's worked for us. That's showing up every day to get better and win the game that night."

That doesn't mean there isn't motivation in Olney's prediction. He has the Pirates beating the Seattle Mariners in the World Series.

"We're working to make him a prophet," Huntington said.

Sports on 03/31/2015

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