It's History
Pirates Will Be Improved
By John E. Sacco

Do not fret. History strongly suggests the Pirates are going to be better this season.

Coming off a 100-loss 2001 season, they have virtually no chance of repeating the misery.

The last team to lose 100 games in consecutive seasons is the expansion Toronto Blue Jays, which lost in triple-digits three straight years from 1977-79.

Prior to that, San Diego, just four years removed from expansion, dropped 100 in 1974-75. The Texas Rangers pulled of the dubious distinction in 1972-73.

Before that, the Oakland Athletics turned the trick in 1964-65 and the expansion New York Mets lost 100 or more in four straight seasons from 1962-65.

Until those woeful Mets, the last time a team lost 100 or more games consecutively was the Philadelphia Phillies from 1938-1942. The fact is only 13 teams since 1901 have lost 100 games or more in back-to-back seasons.

Numbers Game

o   Arizona infielder Jay Bell is chasing several career milestones this season. He needs 66 hits for 2,000; 41 games for 2,000; eight doubles for 400; seven home runs for 200; 54 runs batted in for 900 and nine stolen bases for 200.

o   Roberto Alomar enters his 15th season in the majors with the Mets. He's hit .300 or better in nine of his last 10 seasons. His on-base percentage has been higher than .400 five times and in eight of his 14 seasons his OBP has been .378 or higher. He has stolen 30-plus bases eight times and has an 81 percent success rate stealing bases.

o   Philadelphia outfielder Bobby Abreu's stolen base total has risen five consecutive seasons, topping out at 36 in 2001. He has a 73 percent stolen base percentage.

o   New York closer Armando Benitez has converted 84 of 92 (91.3 percent) save opportunities in the past two seasons.

o   Brian Boehringer, a Pirates' non-roster invitee to spring training, has been a serviceable major-league pitcher the last few years. Just don't ask him to close games. Boehringer has blown nine of 11 save opportunities (an 81.8 percent failure rate) in parts of seven seasons.