Like their division rival Reds, they don't have pitching. But unlike the Reds, they don't have much hitting either. Jack Wilson is a budding Gold Glover but other than that, it looks pretty bleak. So far, they have given up 74 runs in just 11 games.

The Pirates had players like Jack Wilson and Oliver Perez break out 2 years ago, only to have mediocre seasons in 2005. If these guys don't rebound from their performances last season, the Pirates might very continue to be awful. They don't have any top of the line players, and I don't see them being very competitive.

Teams can't be bad forever. They may surpise and win 82-83 games.

No realistic shot, would be surprised if they rose any higher than 4th in their division. They made a few minor improvements to be sure, but are still a long way off from serious contention.