Tease...

Well, it is 70 degrees today, grass is green and the birds are singing. Naturally my mind thinks there has to be a baseball game today, but alas, there is not...yet. Soon I will be sitting in left field in PNC Park, cheering on the Buccos. I am not at my computer right now, but I did want to update, so I am writing this from my phone. Isn't technology great?

To the point of this entry, the recent streak of warm weather has gotten me more excited for the 2010 baseball season. Just being outside in warm weather makes me giddy for the dog days of summer where I'm sitting in PNC Park, hot dog in hand. I truly do not believe there is a better way to spend a summer day than watching a ball game. I just love how the warm weather makes me think baseball. No other sport has that. Football is all about bitter and cold weather. Hockey and basketball are both played in arenas, so you can't really link them to a specific temperature. That's what makes baseball wonderful. If it's 70 degrees and sunny outside, that's baseball weather. Yeah, night games are played where it's cooler outside and the playoffs stretch to the cooler days of October, but baseball brings one thing, and that's the boys of summer.

The Pirates have been doing moderately well in Spring Training. Delwynn Young is trying to prove why he deserves a roster spot. He has been swinging the bat extremely well lately, and has hit 5 Homeruns in the past 6 games. He will be an off the bench player, but he's trying to win the primary Pinch Hitting job, and with the way he is swinging the bat, it's his to lose. I've been extremely impressed with the pitching so far as well. The key to any winning baseball team is pitching and so far, I don't think anyone can be disappointed. Duke, Maholm, Ohlendorf and D. McCutchen have all looked very, very good. They're definitely trying to show people that they will be part of a very young and upcoming pitching staff. I am disappointed in Kevin Hart. He was competing for the 5th starters job, but right now, he is way behind of D. McCucthen and will probably get a Bullpen job, and no one should be able to argue against it. Hart has walked too many people during Spring Training, and at times has looked very erratic. Hopefully, coming out of the Bullpen will help him gain some of his control back, because right now, he just doesn't have it.

The offense has been steadily getting better over the course of Spring Training, as it usually does. I like the way Milledge has been swinging the bat, and of course I love the way Andrew McCutchen has been playing. He is the centerpiece of the Pirates and needs to have a big season, and judging by his play during Spring Training, it appears 2010 is going to be a good season for Andrew.

It's hard to completely judge anything based on Spring Training, but as of now, it isn't wrong to be a bit cautiously optimistic about the Pirates in 2010. I don't think we're looking at a World Series team, but I truly don't think we're looking at a 100 loss team either. As long as the young players continue to develop and improve, I will be pleased with the season. Plus, it's baseball, anything can happen. Who knows, maybe the Pirates will surprise a lot of people this season? Weirder things have happened.