By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024 & Jeff Kleiner (Org. Depth Chart Expert) Follow @prosportsroster

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The Pittsburgh Pirates broke a 21 Year Old playoff drought in 2013, by winning 94 Games, winning the Wild Card Game to the Reds – before bowing out to the St. Louis Cardinals in 5 games of the LDS.

Neil Huntington has done an exceptional job assembling this club both via trade an drafting.

Not signing A.J. Burnett to a deal is actually a smart move when you figure he is going to earn $16.0 MIL in 2014.  If the Bucs GM would have doled out the 1 YR/$14.1 MIL for the cagey veteran, it would have blown the teams salary structure.

A.J. Burnett had gone 26 – 21, with a 3.41 ERA – and gave the Bucs a veteran presence the last few campaigns. His price point was simply too much for what the Pirates could spend. The Bucs can possibly replace him with depth from their own Minor League System.

This team still needs to fork out some money for a 1B, but other than that, the team has answers at most position players.

Gregory Polanco and James Taillon will be given every chance to be part of the 2014 squad. 

When you factor in Jeff Locke and Gerrit Cole, and you add reigning NL MVP Andrew McCutchen and HR champ – Pedro Alvarez, and you are talking about a great core of young players.

In the coming weeks, we will have a 2014 Pirates State Of the Union.  While I think this year may see them regress a little, I believe this club is primed for a 4 – 6 year run with the talent it already has in its system.

Management

Pittsburgh Pirates Players

The 2013 Pittsburgh Pirates went from zeros to heroes, after 20 seasons of cellar dwelling. Finally, the people of Pittsburgh PA, finally had something to cheer about besides the NHL’s Penguins, and NFL’s Steelers. They were the last NL team to make the playoffs (Post 1994 Player Strike).  Having sustained success in the MLB these years is based from the ability to replenish your Major League Roster from your affiliates – if you are a mid market team like Pittsburgh.

For all of the Rosters, Depth Charts, State of the Unions and Salaries Posts that we do, please visit our dedicated page link here.

For a Full 3 year Salary Outlook plus last years Stats for every player in the Pirates Organization year round click here

Authors for this post:

Jeff Kleiner:  “I have been a sports fan since the first Baseball game I went to at Comisky Park in Chicago in 1959, when baseball for me turned from black and white to color.

I have attended or watched thousands of games, always paying attention to statistics, rosters and salaries of all professional sports.

Luckily I had the advantage of watching WGN TV and seeing hundreds of games in the 60’s. Collecting Baseball Cards and then later dealing them gave me an extra sense of the sport, both good and bad.”

For all of your Salaries, Roster and Depth Charts for all 4 Major Sports (entire organization – Minors and Majors) click here or Follow Me on twitter  Follow @prosportsroster

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