Pirates Spring Training Gets Under Way
The Pittsburgh Pirates are getting ready for the 2014 season right now in spring training in Bradenton, Florida.
The field that the Pirates train on is called McKechnie field, named after a former Pirate player, Bob McKechnie. It was built in 1923, and is one of the 16 different training sites that the Pirates have used for spring training throughout the years.
On Wednesday, February 26, the Pirates had their second Spring training season game against the Yankees, winning 6-5. Most of their games will be played at 1:05 and 7:05.
The schedule is as follows for the rest of the spring training season:
| Date | Opponent | Site | Time |
| Feb. 26 | Yankees | Bradenton | 1:05 |
| Feb. 27 | Yankees | Tampa | 1:05 |
| Feb. 28 | Blue Jays | Dunedin | 1:05 |
| Mar. 1 | Rays | Bradenton | 1:05 |
| Mar. 2 | Phillies | Clearwater | 1:05 |
| Mar. 3 | Red Sox | Bradenton | 1:05 |
| Mar. 4 | Tigers | Lakeland | 1:05 |
| Mar. 5 | Blue Jays | Dunedin | 1:05 |
| Mar. 6 | Blue Jays | Bradenton | 1:05 |
| Mar. 7 | Twins | Bradenton | 1:05 |
| Mar. 8 | Rays | Port Charlotte | 1:05 |
| Mar. 9 | Red Sox (ss) | Bradenton | 1:05 |
| Mar. 9 | Orioles (ss) | Sarasota | 1:05 |
| Mar. 10 | Orioles | Bradenton | 1:05 |
| Mar. 12 | Twins | Fort Myers | 1:05 |
| Mar. 13 | Rays | Port Charlotte | 1:05 |
| Mar. 14 | Phillies | Bradenton | 1:05 |
| Mar. 15 | Rays | Bradenton | 1:05 |
| Mar. 16 | Phillies | Clearwater | 1:05 |
| Mar. 17 | Yankees | Bradenton | 1:05 |
| Mar. 19 | Red Sox | Fort Myers | 7:05 |
| Mar. 20 | Orioles | Bradenton | 1:05 |
| Mar. 21 | Yankees | Tampa | 7:05 |
| Mar. 22 | Phillies | Bradenton | 1:05 |
| Mar. 23 | Orioles | Sarasota | 1:05 |
| Mar. 24 | Tigers | Bradenton | 1:05 |
| Mar. 25 | Blue Jays | Bradenton | 1:05 |
| Mar. 26 | Twins | Fort Myers | 1:05 |
| Mar. 27 | Yankees | Bradenton | 1:05 |
This year, the Pirates lost AJ Burnett as a pitcher. Many do not think that they will struggle with out him because they did so well last year with a strong bull pen behind them. “If anything, the Pirates will miss Burnett’s 191 innings and 209 strikeouts from last season. At least one team, probably more, will figure he can duplicate those numbers this season and will be willing to pay him $14 million or more. Some baseball people have suggested he can get a two-year, $30 million deal.”
Last season, the Pirates finished the season with a win. That was a first in twenty years. This year the Pirates hope to do the same.
