Kovacevic: If only those who run the Pirates had any competitive spirit

BRADENTON, Fla. -- It’s February here in the land of Wal-Marts, Applebee’s, Cracker Barrels, unused crosswalks on eight-lane highways in all directions, a red light every stone's throw, bugs bigger than puppy dogs and, of course, weather that's … well, pretty much the same as what's back home anymore.

No, seriously:

WEATHER.COM

The Weather Channel's five-day forecast for Pittsburgh.

I’m for-real happy to be back here, though, all Florida stuff aside, if only because this week's sure to remind what a blast it can be to cover a contending Major League Baseball team, as I was blessed to find out in 2013-15. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve experienced anything like those three seasons in my career, and take that from someone who’s done Super Bowls, Stanley Cups and five Olympics. There’s an electricity, an energy to a pennant race that can’t be rivaled in the NFL or NHL, one that mounts with each pitch, never mind each day.

Imagine seeing that this summer, huh?

No, I mean that. Only I mean it in the following context: A legit No. 2 starter needs to be acquired for this rotation, and maybe not much else.

To wit, here's the rotation as I see it:

1. Mitch Keller, who can now casually and correctly be called the staff’s ace after a season and a half of being really, really good.

2. SIGN SOMEBODY, YOU NON-COMPETITIVE CHEAPSKATES. I'd like to think that's the pitcher's name, actually, so I'm bold-facing it.

3. Marco Gonzales, a decent, low-cost trade acquisition by Ben Cherington who, if he’s capable of overcoming nerve issues in his arm -- always a massive if for a pitcher -- would slot in well as a lefty in the middle.

4. Martin Perez, a decent, low-cost free-agency acquisition by Cherington who's fresh off a World Series championship with the Rangers, will slot in well enough as yet another lefty in the middle.

5. Roansy Contreras, who’d only have the edge here over two other pitchers the Pirates’ coaches have robbed of velocity, Luis Ortiz and Quinn Priester, because he’s out of options and he’d get fixed by the Rays in about five minutes. Has to be one of them, though.

(A pause here to state that no reasonably knowledgeable baseball follower would put forth Paul Skenes as an option no matter how many batters he obliterates in Grapefruit ball. He’d legit be risking injury if moved straight from a college schedule to the majors. He should be up in June, I’d think, when the Pirates can reap the woo-hoo bonus of avoiding Super-2 arbitration and saving a few bucks.)

Look at what’s up there, then pony up for SIGN SOMEONE YOU NON-COMPETITIVE CHEAPSKATES, then factor in a bullpen that, to Cherington’s credit, should be among the majors’ best with David Bednar, Colin Holderman and now Aroldis Chapman at the back end, and the pitching staff would have a legit hopeful feel to it, yeah?

The lineup won’t knock anyone over, but this prospective batting order might be as promising as it been in these parts for some time:

1. Oneil Cruz, SS
2. Bryan Reynolds, LF
3. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B
4. Rowdy Tellez, 1B
5. Andrew McCutchen, DH
6. Jack Suwinski, CF
7. Liover Peguero, 2B
8. Edward Olivares, RF
9. Yasmani Grandal, C

And once Henry Davis convinces management that his catching won’t cause famine, pestilence and locusts, as they seem to fear, he’ll add that much.

So what’s the problem?

Why the wait?

If all concerned, Cherington and Bob Nutting included, have been comfortable sharing for months a vision of contending in 2024, and if they have the money — which they sure as hell do, with the coming payroll still projected at a pathetic $88,339,974, per Spotrac, or more than $20 million below its 2017 peak of $109,460,508, while all revenues since then have increased exponentially exempting the COVID years — then what's preventing them from sending out a limo right this second to welcome home SIGN SOMEONE YOU NON-COMPETITIVE CHEAPSKATES?

Oh, right. Equipment manager Scott ‘Bones’ Bonnett would have stitch those letters up and down both sleeves, and there goes the needle-and-thread budget.

• I don't call someone non-competitive lightly. Same goes for calling someone a cheapskate. But I've got ample evidence of both, and they'd have next to nothing if trying to counter it. The next time this operation prioritizes anything above the bottom line will be the first under Nutting's stewardship since 2007, and I state that not as opinion but as incontrovertible fact.

• Sure would be wonderful if this year were the exception, though. And I'm remaining open to the chance it'll be that. I've advocated since the middle of last summer that 2024 should be the year the Pirates' payroll finally climbs back to nine figures again, and I'll be happy to eat this column if you-know-who steps into that limo.

• It's not just Nutting. It courses through the front office and even to field level, aside from the players themselves. And understand this: It’s not that they don’t want to win. It’s just that it’s not the No. 1 priority. Significant difference but with a similar impact.

• That said, give credit where due for this team's consistent efforts to keeping their own players with long-term extensions, having now added Keller to the active trio of Reynolds and Hayes. And anyone who'd stretch all the way back to Gerrit Cole for a counter-example wouldn’t know or grasp that Cole’s always been represented by Scott Boras, who invariably advises -- no, admonishes -- his clients to test free agency. Cole had as much chance of signing with the Pirates before his trade as I did.

• There aren’t many scenarios more exciting in all of sports than teenage phenoms, and that might go double for baseball, where it generally takes forever for even the most gifted prospects to climb all the levels. And then, there’s Termarr Johnson whacking two bombs off two of the Blue Jays’ big-leaguers yesterday up in Dunedin, Fla.:

My goodness. Look at that swing.

He’s 19. No. 4 overall pick. Loaded with pedigree, character and … man, look at that swing again.

If he opens this season with Class AA Altoona, he’ll be only the third teen to ever play for the Curve, joining Cutch (2006) and Jose Tabata (2008).

• Which should serve to remind, I’d add, that windows really don’t exist in Major League Baseball, certainly not in Cherington’s broader plan. Not that they’ll ever get there with the embarrassing level of pitching/hitting instruction in house, but the Pirates’ front office always talks about focusing on an unending cycle of young talent. Just sharing the mindset.

• Word came last night that Jose DeLeon died at age 63 after a long bout with cancer. It’s difficult to describe to anyone who didn’t see the man pitch the electricity that coursed through our city each time a young DeLeon took the mound at Three Rivers Stadium. He was a no-hitter waiting to happen, and he’d be the only one in the place unfazed by it. A remarkable, if brief, legacy in franchise lore.

• I’ll be here all week, reporting from spring training each day. I’ll also cover all four games of the season-opening series against the Marlins, March 28-31 in Miami.

• Thanks for reading my baseball stuff. This'll be my 20th year on the beat, beginning, formally, today at 8 a.m. when the clubhouse at LECOM Park opens to media, followed by the 1:05 p.m. game against the Braves.

• Audiophiles assemble: