The Dreaded 100 Loss Season

On the list of goals that every MLB team has each season is to break 100 wins. The dreaded 100 loss season is definitely not a part of that list. There will be a bunch of teams that find themselves hitting that milestone on both sides.  Historically, three to four clubs hit the chart on either column.  The last thing you want to do is have the dreaded 100 loss season back-to-back.

The Pirates Do It Again

Last season’s 100 loss teams were the Washington Nationals (55-107), Oakland A’s (60-102), Cincinnati Reds (62-100), and Pittsburgh Pirates (62-100). Of those clubs, the Pirates were the only team to reach the dreaded 100 loss season back-to-back. They were 61-101, in 2021. They were only able to get one game better last year.  It definitely wasn’t for lack of trying at the end of the 2022 season. The schedule makers were not kind to Pittsburgh, as they had to play 16 out of their last 19 games against teams that would make it into the postseason. Having exactly 100 losses is tough. It is no different than losing by one. There is no stat for “we almost won.”

Will 2023 Be Different?

The Pittsburgh Pirates, known more commonly as the Bucs, have to clean up some of the games they should have won if 2023 is to be different. Last season, the Bucs went 21-29 in one-run games or games that went into extra innings. One of those losses came in the second to last game of the season. Pittsburgh blew a 7-3 lead late in the game against the Cardinals and lost in extra innings. It does not sound like a big deal in a 162 game season as it usually works both ways. The big difference was they would have 99 losses and stayed out of the record books.

The Fans Need Something to Rile Them Up

The Pittsburgh fan base is not happy with all of the losing. PNC Park, home of the Pirates, drew the fourth-worst attendance in MLB. If it were not for the fans that came to see the other team, it may have been worse. A dejected team definitely does not want to hear the cheers for their opponent in their own backyard. Changes were needed in the offseason if they want to rile up their fan base.

One of the major changes was bringing former MVP Andrew McCutchen back. McCutchen is 36 and has lost a step, but the fan favorite will be a welcome addition. Veteran Carlos Santana joins the team and is capable of putting a few balls over the fence. Ji Man Choi signed on in the offseason finishing out the more experienced fielding section. Starting pitching does not go very deep, especially from the left side. This will allow a few up-and-coming relievers to develop at the highest level. There was a glimmer of hope for the future last season. Oneil Cruz was brought up for the second half of the ’22 season. He hit 17 homers and had 54 RBI in 87 games. Overall, it is a step in the right direction for a team that has been rebuilding for the past few seasons.

OVER/UNDER WINS

The Bucs are listed at 67.5 wins this season by the over/under odds makers. The MLB was kind to Pittsburgh as it begins the 2023 season. They open the year battling it out with another 100 loss team, the Cincinnati Reds. It is also for early bragging rights in the NL Central. One thing is for sure. Barring rainouts, at the end of the weekend one of these two teams will be over .500. How long that lasts, is anyone’s guess.  Either way, the Pirates are going to need six more wins than last year to beat the number and cash the over. Now that does not sound like much, or does it?

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