By Jason Shetler
ESPN’s Buster Olney has come out with his list of the Top 10 teams in MLB for 2014, and has rated the Pirates as the tenth best team in baseball, as well as the fifth best in the National League.
Olney mentioned the Pirates having a strong core with Andrew McCutchen, Pedro Alvarez, Starling Marte, Francisco Liriano, Gerrit Cole and Charlie Morton. Despite not currently having A.J. Burnett, Olney still rates the Pirates as having the fifth best rotation. He also rates the Bucs with the fourth best bullpen and tenth best defense.
The Pirates contended last season due to their pitching and defense, and 2014 should be no different.
Bucs Pipeline 