Commentary
Kiss 'Em Goodbye: Pittsburgh Pirates
Over there, off in the distance, could it be ... a light?
Originally Published: September 21, 2009
By Buster Olney, Baseball Prospectus and Insider staff | ESPN Insider
Insider's series on MLB teams that are out of the playoff race continues with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have a really nice ballpark.
Baseball Prospectus' preseason PECOTA projection: 64-98, sixth place
Current record: 56-91, sixth place
The Pirates racked up their 17th consecutive losing season for a very simple reason: They have very few difference-making players.
To read Buster Olney's take on what went wrong for the Pirates and what's next, plus items from the rumor mill, number-crunching analysis from Baseball Prospectus, a draft recap and whom to watch in spring training, you must be an ESPN Insider.To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
-
ESPN The Magazine subscribers
-
Need more information?
SPONSORED HEADLINES
MORE MLB HEADLINES
- Nats' closer calls out Harper's OF positioning
- Canseco accused of sexual assault in Vegas
- Reports: Shoulder surgery for Cards' Garcia
- Mattingly criticizes Dodgers before victory
MOST SENT STORIES ON ESPN.COM
Kiss 'Em Goodbye on ESPN Insider
Insider and Baseball Prospectus now ask: What went wrong for each MLB team, and what may the future hold? We'll be covering the playoff teams as they're eliminated, and finish off with what the World Series champs need to do to improve (hey, there's always something).![]()
The Champions
The Playoff Teams (as eliminated)
- Detroit Tigers
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Boston Red Sox
- Minnesota Twins
- Colorado Rockies
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Anaheim Angels
- Philadelphia Phillies
Week of Sept. 14
- Sept. 14: Tampa Bay Rays
- Sept. 15: Chicago Cubs
- Sept. 16: New York Mets
- Sept. 17: Milwaukee Brewers
- Sept. 18: Baltimore Orioles
- Sept. 19: Washington Nationals
- Sept. 20: Kansas City Royals
Week of Sept. 21
- Sept. 21: Pittsburgh Pirates
- Sept. 22: Cleveland Indians
- Sept. 23: Houston Astros
- Sept. 24: Oakland A's
- Sept. 25: Seattle Mariners
- Sept. 26: Arizona Diamondbacks
- Sept. 27: San Diego Padres
Week of Sept. 28
- Sept. 28: Texas Rangers
- Sept. 29: Toronto Blue Jays
- Sept. 30: Chicago White Sox
- Oct. 1: Florida Marlins
- Oct. 2: San Francisco Giants
- Oct. 3: Cincinnati Reds
- Oct. 4: Atlanta Braves
- Olney: Miggy eyes another Triple Crown
- Cameron: Top early-season turnarounds
- Petriello: Quiet winter doesn't slow Texas
- Spratt: Goldschmidt setting MVP pace
- Law: Appel not No. 1 in mock draft
