PSR Showdown
What Player Holds The Key To The Bucs' Success?

Oliver Perez
By Rob Rossi
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Sometimes, the argument simply comes down to numbers - and in this case, the numbers Oliver Perez posted in 2004 don't lie: 12-10 with a 2.98 earned-run average over 196 innings, 239 strikeouts and only 81 walks.

That is one of the best seasons any Pirates pitcher of the modern era has enjoyed. Had Perez, 24, performed anywhere near such a rarefied level during the 2005 season, the Pirates would have won more than 67 games.

In fact, they might have held on to the .500 mark the team reached in June. But in 2005, Perez was, at best, mediocre: 7-5 with a 5.85 ERA over 103 innings, 97 strikeouts and an alarming 70 walks.

Not exactly what the Pirates wanted out of a guy who was thought to be their ace.

Now, is there any question just who, exactly, is the key to this Pirates season? There shouldn't be. His name is Oliver Perez… and there's nobody even close to challenging him for such a claim.

Talk all you can about the importance a healthy Chris Duffy can mean to the top of the batting order or what a return-to-2004 form Jack Wilson could do for the club offensively.

Speak wishfully on Jason Bay's potential for a superstar-type year and the additions of Sean Casey, Joe Randa and Jeromy Burnitz.

Consider, if you will, a potentially dominant bullpen being led by a 42-year-old (Roberto Hernandez) and a closer who has all of four major-league saves to his name (Mike Gonzalez).

Point is, none of those things matter if Perez isn't what he was in 2004. Kip Wells, if he's healthy enough to pitch, is what he is - an occasionally great No. 2 or No. 3 starter.

Zach Duke and Paul Maholm, though ripe with potential to be top-of-the-rotation studs, aren't ready for such duties yet.

Sean Burnett, whose re-emergence will be something to watch this season, is still a question mark to even win the fifth spot in this rotation.

Perez, in all likelihood, however, has the opportunity to be "The Man" - the franchise's first true "ace" since Doug Drabek.

If this organization is to achieve respectability in the first season under new manager Jim Tracy, Perez needs to step up and deliver with consistency.

Rob Rossi covers the Pirates for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Jeromy Burnitz
By John Perrotto
Beaver County Times

The last move the Pirates made to reconstruct their pop-gun offense over the winter was their most important of a busy off-season.

The Pirates added a couple of veteran high-average hitters when they traded with the Cincinnati Reds for first baseman Sean Casey and signed third baseman Joe Randa as a free agent. However, those two alone are not going to pull the Pirates from the depths of the National League in offense. Casey has averaged only 13 homers a season over the last five years, while Randa has never hit more than 17 in a season during his 11-year career.

The only way the Pirates could really hope to improve on last season's 14th-place finish in the 16-team NL in runs scored was by adding another home run threat to the middle of their lineup. They feel they found their man in right fielder Jeromy Burnitz, signed in early January to a one-year, $6.75-million contract as a free agent with a club option for 2007 after backing out of a verbal agreement on a two-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles.

Burnitz has seven 30-homer and four 100-RBI seasons on his resume. Left fielder Jason Bay is the only other player on the Pirates roster ever to hit 30 homers in a major-league season as he connected 32 times last year.

Though PNC Park and its short right-field porch is seemingly made a for left-handed pull hitter like Burnitz, there are red flags. He turns 37 on April 15 and his home run total dropped from 37 while playing in the thin air of Colorado in 2004 to 24 while playing for the Chicago Cubs last season.

Age shouldn't be a major factor, though, as Burnitz was still spry enough to play in 160 games for the Cubs in 2005. Time will tell if his skills are eroding.

If Burnitz has another 30-homer, 100-RBI year left in him, the offense should be improved enough to give adequate run support to a talented young pitching staff and enable the Pirates to make a bid for their first winning season since 1992.

If he doesn't, the Pirates will scuffle to score runs again this year, just like they have during most of the last 13 seasons.

John Perrotto covers the Pirates for the Beaver County Times.