The main goal for the Pirates organization (and hope from season ticket holders) this coming season is to stop the “Streak”; the steak being 17-consecutive losing seasons. With every top player traded away, the team has little left but a team of novice players with Octavio Dotel the old man on the team at age 36.

This offseason, the team made very little noise choosing to keep payroll down. They signed a number of low-cost players to shore up the team with a number of them expected to make the final roster.

The pitching rotation will be one of the youngest in the league and looks to be: LHP Zach Duke, RHP Ross Ohlendorf, LHP Paul Maholm, RHP Charlie Morton and RHP Daniel McCutchen. Not one of these players is over the age of 27. The Bullpen, which has nearly been completely retooled, now features RHP Octavio Dotel as the closer, RHP Bendan Donnelly, RHP Evan Meek, LHP Javier Lopez, LHP Jack Tascyhner, RHP D.J. Carrasco and RHP Hayden Penn.

Possibly the strongest point on the team is the batting. The Pirates have a young, athletic offensive force that has both speed and power. Leading off is CF Andrew McCutchen followed by 2B Aki Iwamura, RF Garrett Jones, C Ryan Doumit, 1B Jeff Clement, LF Lastings Milledge, SS Ronny Cedeno and 3B Andy LaRoche.