As I went through the Pirates roster to determine possible changes in the starting lineup, I came to realize that in terms of the starting 8 are concerned, not as many positions are up in the air as I thought. I have covered left and right field and third base as areas of change. However, it is also worth noting the players that have performed up to snuff this season that have, for all intents and purposes, earned a starting position in next season's lineup.
At first base will return Adam LaRoche. This despite the fact that he will again get a raise through arbitration, putting his salary in the 6 million per year range, making him one of the highest paid players on the Pirates in 2009. However, do not be surprised if the Pirates are less tolerant of his slow starts than in previous seasons. If he struggles in April and May, look for Steve Pearce to get some work in at the position.
At the catching position, Ryan Doumit has shown that A. he can hit right handed, and B. he can be a decent defensive catcher. He also has proven that he can be a middle of the lineup threat for the Pirates in the future, and hopefully will be a 20 homerun 80 RBI guy in the coming years. Doumit is also due for a raise, but it is well deserved and the Pirates are considering offering him a long term deal.
At second base, Freddy Sanchez will reprise his roll as a starter. He is one of the few players that truly has no immediate competition for the position, and with him being locked up for the next few years, look for him to stay entrenched there till at least 2011. With an injury free offseason, Sanchez will hopefully be able to come back strong next year and hit at least .300.
The big surprise this season was the break-out of Nate McClouth in center field. Nate is inching towards 100 RBI's for the year and is the first Pirate since Jason Bay 3 years ago to have a 20 HR-20 steal season. What is nice is that McClouth earned his starting job out of spring training this season and played the entire season strongly to back it up. With the possibility of a long term contract offered to McClouth in the winter, look for McClouth to be a mainstay in the Pirates outfield for at least the next 3 seasons.
