With the Pirates’ Spring Training underway, it begins yet another baseball season and the hopes of a winning season for the Bucco Faithful. However, with virtually the same roster as the team they finished with last year, there is little hope for a different showing. Pirates’ management has expressed that in order for the team to play well, the younger players such as Andy LaRoche, Brandon Moss and the starting rotation need to show they belong.

Ian Snell and Tom Gorzelanny are both players coming off a pretty bad year, but the potential they showed in 2007 is what the Pirates hope to see this year. Paul Maholm is coming off a great season which earned him the “ace” title for the Pirates after securing a 3.71 ERA. Paul Maholm has been named the only player in the Pirates’ rotation with a guranteed spot while the other four spots will be duked out between Zach Duke, Ian Snell, Tom Gorzelanny, Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Karstens, Daniel Mccutchen, and perhaps Phil Dumatrait when he becomes healthy enough.

The Pirates starting lineup for the 2009 season will likely look like this…

• LF Nyjer Morgan
• CF Nate Mclouth
• RF Brandon Moss
• 3B Andy LaRoche
• SS Jack Wilson
• 2B Freddy Sanchez
• 1B Adam LaRoche
• C Ryan Doumit

but depending on the players’ Grapefruit League showings, anything is up for grabs.

Spring Training begins with the biggest additions of Eric Hinske, Ramon Vasquez, Craig Monroe, Donald Veal, and Virgil Vasquez. Donald Veal and Virgil Vasquez will both be competing for a place in the bullpen while Monroe, Hinske, and Vasquez will be fighting for positions on the Pirates’ bench.

The Pirates play the Phillies tomorrow which opens up the Grapefruit League Schedule. The games is set to begin at 1:05 P.M. ET and is a home game at Mckechnie Field. Slated to pitch in the game will be Chris Bootcheck for the first inning and followed by Matt Capps, Donald Veal, Romulo Sanchez, Ronald Uviedo, Juan Mateo, Craig Hansen, Evan Meek and Jesse Chavez. Lefty Jamie Moyer will make the start for the Phillies. Pirate broadcaster Tim Neverett will be on the air for the first time as the Bucco announcer.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers played 13 innings on Thursday afternoon and the Pirates came out on the losing end by the score of 4-3. They Pirates just couldn’t get that big hit late in the game to score the winning run and dropped to 64-89 on the season.

T.J. Beam allowed a rbi single in the top of the 13th to James Loney which proved to be the game winning hit for the Dodgers. Craig Hansen ended up with loss as he was responsible for the winning run that was on base. Paul Maholm was the starting pitcher and he only gave up three hits but did allow three runs to score in seven innings of action. It was an up and down game for Maholm as he shouldn’t have allowed three runs to score on only three hits.

Nate McLouth had the first rbi for the Pirates when he hit a rbi sac fly that scored Nyjer Morgan in the first inning. Andy LaRoche then added a rbi single in the sixth inning which was followed by a rbi single in the seventh inning from Luis Cruz.

It was a tough loss for the Pirates but they don’t have much time to think about it as the Houston Astros will be in down for a weekend series starting Friday night.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates were up on the Cincinnati Reds heading into the eighth inning but the Reds scored three times in the bottom of the inning and went on to win 8-6. The Pirates were going for the three game sweep against the Reds, but I’ll take two out of three games that is for sure.

The losing pitcher of the game was Craig Hansen who fell to 0-3 on the year. Hansen was charged with all three runs that the Reds scored in the bottom of the eighth inning. Starting pitcher Tom Gorzelanny gave up seven hits and three runs in just 3 2/3 innings to get the no decision. Jason Davis and Jesse Chavez both gave up one run in relief as well.

Chris Gomez and Steve Pearce finished the game with two rbi each. Nate McLouth also added a solo home run for the Pirates. Andy LaRoche also added a rbi in the first inning. It was a good showing for the Pirates offense on the day as they put up six runs.

It’s just too bad that the bullpen wasn’t able to hold the lead. They will try again on Friday when the Pirates begin a series with the San Francisco Giants.

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Starting pitcher Jason Davis was rocked on Wednesday night as the St. Louis Cardinals put a butt kicking on the Pirates. Davis didn’t last long in the game as he gave up nine hits and eight runs in only 3 2/3 innings. The Pirates were going for the short two game sweep but the Cardinals sure had other ideas.

Besides Davis giving up eight runs, Craig Hansen was charged with three hits and three runs over two innigs of action. Romulo Sanchez was the only Pirates pitcher to throw that did not allow a run to score.

At the plate, it was only two runs for the Pirates offense and they both came in the third inning. Ryan Doumit homered as Nyjer Morgan scored on the long blast. It was Doumit’s 13th home run of the season.

The Pirates will now be off on Thursday and then start up a series with the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday.

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