Special Guest Blogger: Dan Bonk

In a rare move, I am turning over The Grandstander for one post only to a Guest Blogger, my friend, fellow SABR member, breakfast companion, occasional golf partner, author, fellow Central alumnus, and the Voice of the Montour High School Marching Band, Dan Bonk.  Dan put this post out on the "Pirate Chat" Facebook page yesterday, and I think it is one of the most cogent analysis of the 2012 Pirates season that I have read so far, by either a professional reporter or columnist, or by anyone with a keyboard and access to any of the various social media platforms.  With his permission, here is Dan's post (unedited):

I honestly believe that as long as the Pirates end this season above .500, which I think is a good bet at this point, it should be viewed as a great success. Here's some reason I think this way.

1) Finishing with a winning record takes the monkey off this team's back.

2) The most important question coming into the season for the team involved Alvarez and his future. Though we can't say for sure that Alvarez will be a star, we can say for sure that he isn't an absolute bust. That's important. On April 30 of this year, that question was still up in the air.

3) Catcher - We know Barajas isn't the answer and maybe neither is the Fort, but the latter is certainly an up an comer. Considering the entire organization was practically bereft of major league caliber catching, the Fort gives us some breathing room until we develop one of our own.

4) Neil Walker is a stud - offensively and defensively. He proved it this year with a career year. We have to sign him. Maybe most importantly he helped me forget about Freddie Sanchez, a nice hitter, average fielding 2nd baseman who definitely spent too much time in the ice tub. In my opinion a legitimate No. 5 batter.

5) Andrew McCutcheon may not be this year's MVP, but he is another guy who had a career year. A legitimate No. 3 or 5 batter.

6) Garrett Jones is strictly a platoon guy, but he is having a career year. He's the kind of platoon guy that winning teams have.

7) AJ is not a long term solution, but he is a true team leader and we should be happy to have him one more season.

8) McDonald - took a big step forward this year. I think he simply ran out of gas. Next year him and Alvarez will be the two biggest question marks again, but not to see if they will bust. No we will be watching to see if they can advance.

9) Snider - a great pick-up as far as I'm concerned. He might bust next year, but he has upside, bats left and plays the outfield. For 20 years the Pirates haven't even had many guys with real upside, just a series of, dare I say their names, Cedeno, Milledge and Delwyn Young. Yuck! We have to hope he becomes a Garrett Jones who also can hit left handers. That would be great.

10) Starling Marte - Perfect for PNC Park in either CF or LF.

11) Jeff Karstens - has proved to me that he is a legitimate 4 or 5 starter on any team in MLB.

With all of that and the Bucs pitching prospects in the minors, the future for once is bright.

Now that all being said I'm getting real close to jumping off the Band Wagon for this season. You'll know that happened when I post simply "Go Steelers!" on this page. Not yet however. I am going to the game again tonight and i will sitting in Section 312 with the other 99 percenters.