Projected roster

Monday, 03 December 2012 06:11

Written by Bill Brink

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- First thing: We will chat here on PG+ tomorrow, Tuesday, at 1 p.m. ET.

To understand what the Pirates might do this week, it's helpful to determine what they currently have at their disposal, so let's take a look at the projected opening-day roster if they did not add any more players. You can quibble over who starts at some positions, and who are the last few guys on the bench, but the main goal is to determine where they are set and where they need help.

Here is the 40-man roster.

Here are the Pirates' stats from 2012.

Alex Presley is one of several options the Pirates have at corner outfield.

Starters

Catcher: Russell Martin

First base: Garrett Jones

Second base: Neil Walker

Shortstop: Clint Barmes

Third base: Pedro Alvarez

Left field: Alex Presley

Center field: Andrew McCutchen

Right field: Jose Tabata

Rotation:

A.J. Burnett
Wandy Rodriguez
James McDonald
Kyle McPherson
Jeff Locke

Bullpen:

Joel Hanranan
Tony Watson
Bryan Morris
Jared Hughes
Justin Wilson
Vin Mazarro
Zach Stewart

Bench:

Michael McKenry
Gaby Sanchez
Starling Marte
Travis Snider
Josh Harrison

The immediate need is starting pitcher. McPherson has good stuff and displayed flashes of it in the majors last year, and he has a better shot of making the rotation than Locke. The Pirates believe in having more pitchers than they can fit on the roster, and in the past two years that issue has helped them, when Charlie Morton and Jeff Karstens got hurt. They will probably sign or trade for two, and it wouldn't surprise me if one of them was coming off of an injury (think Mike Pelfrey) or a down year, a guy with good stuff who struggled.

They could also use an experienced bench player. They aren't as young anymore, but they still need someone who has pinch-hit successfully and can stabilize a clubhouse when necessary.

It's almost a guarantee that they will add a left-handed reliever at some point, in case Wilson struggles. Recently signed minor league free agent Mike Zagurski could fill that role, though his command left something to be desired with Arizona last year.

Expect the Pirates to target pitchers like Pelfrey, John Lannan, Jair Jurrjens and others of that ilk.

-- Photo courtesy of Gene J. Puskar/AP