Buccos Cove

Opening Day is tomorrow, and we can't wait for the 2021 season to begin against the Chicago Cubs. In our final installment of Three Things to Watch, we take a look at how Manager Derek Shelton will use his pitchers coming into 2021. The 60-game season in 2020 was a nice sprint of a season during the pandemic, but it is nothing compared to the marathon of a 162-game season. Players get a full season to show off their talents and pitchers can work their arms out and build up their innings on the mound. Tomorrow, that marathon begins when the Pittsburgh Pirates head to Wrigley Field to take on the Chicago Cubs for the opener. The Pirates aren't picked to do much this season, but this young and hungry team is looking to prove the critics wrong and show how talented they are. They aren't going to be competing for a playoff spot this season, but they are going to be in some competitive games and it will be fun to watch. However, they are only going to go as far as the

With Spring Training in the books, it is finally time to begin the 2021 Regular Season as the Pirates travel to Chicago to take on the Cubs. We look at what to expect as the Pirates play their first three-game series of the 2021 season. Spring Training 2021 is officially in the books, and no you aren't dreaming, Opening Day is tomorrow! After seeing just 60 games last season, baseball is back in all of its glory with 162 games and six months of baseball sitting in front of us. For the Pittsburgh Pirates, a new season brings new opportunities for a young team that is looking to start an upward swing after being the worst team in baseball in 2020. While all the experts have the Pirates down and out, don't tell that to this team of young and hungry players. Guys like Bryan Reynolds, Ke'Bryan Hayes, and Jacob Stallings are looking to prove the critics wrong and show how good this team can be. While they won't be World Series contenders, this team is showing sign

In order for the Pirates to turn things around in 2021, it has to start with their defensive play. They were one of the worst fielding teams in Major League Baseball last season and put an emphasis on that side of their game in 2021. If there is one part of their game that the Pittsburgh Pirates need to improve upon, it is their defensive game. Without good defense, you are allowing a lot of free base runners, and that puts your pitchers in a tough situation as they have to work out of jams. As a team, the Pirates ranked 29th in fielding percentage last season (.978), just one point higher than the Need York Yankees, and committed the second-most errors of any team (47), again just one more error than the New York Yankees. It was a combination of bad routes and bad decision-making that led the Pirates to be one of the worst fielding teams, and it is something that cannot happen again in 2021. That is why coming into camp this year, Manager Derek Shelton made it a point of e

Opening Day is just two days away, and the Pittsburgh Pirates Opening Day roster is starting to take shape. We look at the latest round of cuts and what effect they have on who might make the Pirate's Opening Day roster in Chicago. As the Pittsburgh Pirates Spring Training schedule begins to wind down, roster cuts need to be made as the Pirates determine their Opening Day roster. On Monday, the Pirates made a round of cuts that offer some more clarity into what that Opening Day roster in Chicago may look like. While there were some surprise moves by the Pirates, these moves also help open a path for younger players to make their impact on the team right now. However, other moves might have opened the door for veterans to make the team as the Pirates look for someone to be leaders in the clubhouse. However, just because a player was cut from Spring Training doesn't mean that they won't have an impact on the Pirates sometime during the 2021 season. On Monday, the

With just three days left before Opening Day, anticipation for the start of the season is at an all-time high. Before the year gets going, we look at some things to watch for the Pirates this year as they get ready to start the 2021 season. Opening Day is just three days away when the Pittsburgh Pirates get set to take on the Chicago Cubs on April 1st. For this young Pirates team, anticipation is building as the players and coaches are ready to take the field. Expectations might not be very high this year, but the fact that we get to see a 162-game season in itself has fans across the league ready to roll. However, with a young team like the Pirates, there are always some questions that need answered. Over the next couple of days, we will highlight the three things to watch as the team heads into 2021. We will focus on every aspect of the team and get you ready with everything you need to know before April 1st. Today, we focus on the young offense, who will be relied on to

We are just three days away from Opening Day 2021, and Manager Derek Shelton has yet to name his Opening Day starter. Today, we look at who may get the ball when the Pirates head to Chicago for Opening Day on April 1st. It is an honor that has been bestowed on pitchers year after year. The Opening Day starter is a big role as they are the ones to get the ball rolling and set the tone for the rest of the season. A great start can get a pitching staff going and give a team momentum going into the year. However, a slip-up could lead to the team being behind the eight ball and having to play catch up throughout the season. However, here we are on March 29th, just three days before Opening Day, and Manager Derek Shelton has yet to announce his Opening Day starter. Nobody on the Pirate's current roster has ever been named an Opening Day starter, but the Pirates are looking for someone to step up and get this young team some momentum. Last season, it was Joe Musgrove who got t

This off-season, General Manager Ben Cherington went to work adding a lot of talent to the Pirates system. Today, we look at which of Cherington's editions will have the biggest impact on the 2021 Pittsburgh Pirates. In his first full off-season as Pirates General Manager, Ben Cherington has gone to work adding talent to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. While most of that talent has gone to the Minor Leagues, giving the Pirates the eighth-best Minor League system in all of Major League Baseball, he has brought in some talent that will help the Major League club. From veteran players to young, up-and-coming talent, they are all looking to help a team that doesn't have many high expectations behind them. The good thing about not having high expectations is the players don't know that. They are battling every day to try and win, so why can't this team come out and win some ball games? If many of the Pirate's young talented players play up to expectation

With spring winding down, it is our final edition of the Buccos Cove Players of the Week, Spring Training addition. Today, we honor an infielder trying to earn his way onto the roster and a pitcher who has made an impressive debut this far. The final three spring training games are upon us and the Pirates have shown some upside during this 12-12-1 schedule so far. However, as the regular season draws near competition is heating up for the final few spots on the roster. Because of this, players are elevating their game in the hopes of being with the club when they head up to Chicago on April 1st. It is our final edition of Buccos Cove Players of the week for Spring Training, and today we are honoring two guys who are hoping to claim those final two spots. Both players have elevated their games and are showing that they can perform for the Pirates during the regular season. The Buccos Cove Hitter of the Week is infielder Phillip Evans and the Buccos Cove Pitcher of the Week i

Yesterday, MLB Beat Reporter John Heyman announced that Todd Frazier had opted out of his contract and has become a free agent. Today, we look at how losing Frazier affects the Pirate's Opening Day roster and what opportunity this awards players. If you haven't heard by now, the Pittsburgh Pirates will not get to use the services of Todd Frazier in 2021. After signing the 12-year MLB veteran to a Minor League contract on February 20th, Frazier had come in and helped guide many of the Pirate's young players. One guy he had a big impact on was third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes. Frazier was quoted as saying that Hayes is going to be "a beast" at the Major League level. He was even quoted as telling Jameson Taillon in a Spring Training game "Don't worry I'll take care of your guys." However, in a surprising move, Frazier was told on Friday after the game that he would not be making the Major League club. Because of this, Frazier opted out

The 2020 draft was Ben Cherington's first as the General Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates and he picked infielder Nick Gonzales. As Gonzales enters his first season of pro ball, we look at what to expect from the New Mexico State alumnus. The 2020 MLB Draft was not Ben Cherington's first go around, but it was his first chance to make a good impression with Pittsburgh Pirates fans. With the season being delayed, there was no way to judge his team's on-field performance so this was their first chance to evaluate his eye for talent. While many thought he would go with a pitcher or a catcher, Cherington had his eye on the best talent available. That is why he picked infielder Nick Gonzales at #7 overall out of New Mexico State. During the shortened season, Gonzales led the nation in all three major offensive categories in 2020 hitting .448 with 12 home runs and 36 RBI in 16 games played. Even though he hasn't gotten a chance to play in a live game yet in pro ba

We are now less than a week away from Opening Day 2021, and the Major League rosters are beginning to take shape. However, the Pittsburgh Pirates are going to be looking at some tough cuts before they break camp and head to Chicago on April 1st. With just six days left until the Pittsburgh Pirates open the 2021 season in Chicago, fans and players alike are getting excited. However, there are still moves that need to be made as the Pirates cut their roster down to the 26-man roster that will travel north for Opening Day. There have already been some surprising cuts to this point, with Cole Tucker and Edgar Santana being optioned, and some devastating injuries, with Steven Brault and Blake Cederlind both missing significant time. Both of these situations have a significant impact on how the roster will look and what moves the Pirates will make before the season begins. This may mean some surprising moves are on the way as the team deals with Minor League Options, veterans not

After trading away guys like Jameson Taillon and Joe Musgrove, the Pittsburgh Pirates were looking for a new leader for the clubhouse. That is when they brought in free agent infield Todd Frazier who brings 12 years of experience to a young team. A young and hungry team can be exciting to watch, and that is the product that General Manager Ben Cherington has put on the field this season. However, even the youngest teams in the league need veteran leadership to show them the way. That is why on February 20th, 2021, Cherington took a chance and signed veteran infielder Todd Frazier to a Minor League deal. Frazier was a long-time enemy to the Pirates, playing for the Cincinnati Reds from 2011 to 2015, but now he is bringing his knowledge and leadership to the Pirates. It is a mutually beneficial relationship as the Pirates get a strong, proven leader, and Frazier gets a chance to show that he can still be a consistent contributor at the Big League level. So far this spring, Fr

It is probably one of the hardest position groups to guess on the field, but today we try and predict the 2021 Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen. With so many guys performing well this spring training, the competition is cut-throat for those eight to nine spots. After a year where the bullpen was one of the shakiest parts of the Pittsburgh Pirates team. Especially at the beginning of the year, no lead seemed to be safe and you were continuously holding your breath in big situations. Because of this, General Manager Ben Cherington went out and acquired several depth pieces to help the Pirate's young guys as they develop. Now, it is time for those pieces to show they can be effective and win games for the Pirates. With the rosters growing to 26 men this year, there are several different combinations the team could go with, in the center-field bullpen. They could go with 12, 13, or 14 pitchers and each combination pose different challenges for filling out the roster. Today, we co

This off-season, the Pittsburgh Pirates took a flier on a veteran middle infielder to help young guys like Cole Tucker in their development. Now, Wilmer Difo is fighting for a spot on the 2021 Pirates as he tries to turn his career around. With all of the young talent on the Pittsburgh Pirates 2021 roster, the team was looking for a veteran presence to help out around the field. They have done this by adding guys like Todd Frazier, Trevor Cahill, and Brian Goodwin to help the young players in their development. However, one move for a veteran that might have been forgotten is one of the first free-agent signings of the off-season for the Pirates. On January 15th, 2021, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed veteran middle infielder and utility man Wilmer Difo as a Minor League Free Agent. Difo has spent the past six seasons with the Washington Nationals organization and is exactly what the Pirates are looking for in a super-utility guy. Throughout his career, he has played every pos