Rum Bunter 2020 Pittsburgh Pirates Staff Predictions: Noah

BRADENTON, FL- FEBRUARY 22: Manager Derek Shelton #17 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during a game against the Minnesota Twins on February 21, 2020 at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)
BRADENTON, FL- FEBRUARY 22: Manager Derek Shelton #17 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during a game against the Minnesota Twins on February 21, 2020 at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PA – JULY 07: Manager Derek Shelton of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during summer workouts at PNC Park on July 7, 2020 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – JULY 07: Manager Derek Shelton of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during summer workouts at PNC Park on July 7, 2020 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /

Team Record: 28-32

The Pittsburgh Pirates are not supposed to be a competitive team, nor are they really built like one. Now, yes, I would love for them to get off to a blazing hot start and somehow make the postseason, even if it is a shallow run, and that isn’t out of the question as we know they can get off to a hot start.

But just because they’re not competitive doesn’t mean they’re going to be completely awful. The Pirates could have one of the best defenses in the National League by the end of the season. Plus they’ll have Josh Bell, Bryan Reynolds, Kevin Newman as above average bats with Adam Frazier, although not really all that great of a batter, one who you can rely on to put up a .277/.340/.410 line at the plate.

But there are a lot of questions about pitching. Aside from Joe Musgrove and Mitch Keller, can Trevor Williams bounce back? How will the Steven Brault/Chad Kuhl piggyback starts work out? Can Derek Holland bounce back to some form that isn’t his 2019 self?

What about guys in the bullpen like Geoff Hartlieb, Clay Holmes, Michael Feliz, Kyle Crick, and Richard Rodriguez? Can they take that next step to be reliable relief pitchers, or bounce back from rough 2019 seasons? Some of these players will have good 2020 seasons, as I don’t think all will fail, but there’s a lot of if’s surrounding the pitching staff.