Off Season Progress Report

Entering the off season, the biggest weaknesses for the club were starting pitching, defense, coaching, and quality corner bats (pretty much in that order).  Expectations were high, as Sir Frank suggested during an online MLB chat in November:

Speaking candidly, I have said that we have the capacity to add meaningfully to our 2011 payroll if we are able to secure players who will help us win in Pittsburgh. We have the capacity to have a payroll over $50 million and we'll add those payroll dollars if we are able to bring in players that can help us win.

So suddenly we heard rumors about Jorge de la Rosa, Jon Garland, Adrian Beltre, Brandon Webb, J.J. Hardy, Jason Bartlett.  Not exactly the Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford tiers, but still at least mid-pack free agents and trade possibilities.  As of now obviously, none of these guys will be wearing the black and gold in 2011.  I don't think anyone reasonably believed that the Bucs would secure any of these guys in free agency.  Sure, we could all imagine a scenario of Beltre moving Pedro across the diamond, but it just wasn't going to happen.  Garland and de la Rosa would have been huge upgrades to the rotation, but neither signed with us either.  Why?  It's not about money, it's about perception.  Until the rest of the league sees and belives that this youth movement is going to lead us out of the current depths of losing, you could double Philadephia's Lee contract and he still wouldn't sign.  Not yet.

So the Bucs' front office has done what they can.  First, they have upgraded by attrition:  Good byes go out to Andy LaRoche, Delwyn Young, Zach Duke, Argenis Diaz and Lastings Milledge.  There's a pretty good chance that Ryan Doumit will be traded as well.  Secondly, they have added low-risk minor league talent, in hopes of finding lightning in a bottle (Andy Marte, Fernando Nieve, Josh Rodriguez) like they did with Garrett Jones a couple winters ago.  And thirdly, they have addressed the weaknesses I laid out at the top of the post.

Starting Pitching:  Out with Zach Duke, and in with Kevin Correia.  While I don't think Scott Olsen will even make the team, bringing him in to compete for the fifth rotation spot should help motivate Brad Lincoln and Charlie Morton to step up.  As I said last year, if everything clicks, the starting rotation has a chance to at least be league average.  The 7 or 8 guys competing this year are better, and there may be help on the farm as well. 

Defense:  Any team that doesn't put Lastings Milledge or Ryan Doumit in the field everyday should see an improvement almost immediately.  Matt Diaz isn't a huge upgrade defensively, but he's average (something Milledge was not).  Adding a Lyle Overbay suddenly means that throws to second base from first base might actually be caught, with a possibility of a pivot relay for a double play.  Another year under Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez' belts should mean continued improvement and confidence.  A full season of Chris Snyder behind the plate should help.  All around the diamond, the D is gradually improving, which in turn improves the starting pitching.

Coaching:  Thank God John Russell is gone.  Clint Hurdle's hire is huge, as it changes the atmosphere in the clubhouse.  He seems like the type of guy that will stand up for his players.  I don't know much about his field general tactics, but he's been doing this awhile, unlike Russell who had no major league managing experience before inheriting the '27 Yankees 2008 Pirates.  As an aside, I am absolutely livid that Rocco DeMaro was let go by those jerks at Clear Channel.  I heard ONE podcast before he got canned, a cool interview he had with the future 2011 Manager of the Year.

Quality Corner Bats:  OK, sure ... Adam Dunn's bat would have been nice, but his glove is atrocious.  Derrek Lee's glove would have been sweet, but wrist surgery left too many questions.  Paul Konerko would've been nice, but there's no way he was leaving Chicago.  Carlos Pena didn't even hit .200 for crying out loud, and the Cubs gave him $10,000,000!  Jayson Werth or Carl Crawford?  Um, no.  So who's left?  Not much.  So the Bucs went out and improved RF by (hopefully) creating a platoon of Matt Diaz and Garrett Jones and improved 1B by (hopefully) creating a platoon of Steve Pearce and Lyle Overbay.  The odd man out is probably John Bowker, who perhaps will be packaged with Doumit for a better return.  Or possibly he competes with Jones' role.  Either way, not great additions, but still baby steps.

I would still like to see the Bucs sign one of Justin Duchscherer, Brandon Webb, or Chris Young in the hopes of finding a top flight ace, but beggars can't be choosers.  Not yet at any rate.  But soon.