NL CENTRAL - Pittsburgh Pirates

CF Andrew McCutchen is an MVP-candidate...except for the part where he plays for the Pirates.

OVERVIEW:

POSITION PLAYERS:

C Russell Martin (0.7 WAR avg. in poor season, 1.7 WAR avg. in medium season, 2.7 WAR avg. in good season)

1B Garrett Jones (-0.1 WAR avg. in poor season, 1.4 WAR avg. in medium season, 2.8 WAR avg. in good season)

2B Neil Walker (1.3 WAR avg. in poor season, 2.4 WAR avg. in medium season, 3.5 WAR avg. in good season)

SS Clint Barmes (0.4 WAR avg. in poor season, 1.5 WAR avg. in medium season, 3.1 WAR avg. in good season)

3B Pedro Alvarez (-1.3 WAR avg. in poor season, 0.7 WAR avg. in medium season, 2.3 WAR avg. in good season)

LF Starling Marte (0.4 WAR avg. in poor season, 2.1 WAR avg. in medium season, 3.4 WAR avg. in good season)

CF Andrew McCutchen (3.4 WAR avg. in poor season, 5.5 WAR avg. in medium season, 7.0 WAR avg. in good season)

RF Travis Snider (0.0 WAR avg. in poor season, 0.7 WAR avg. in medium season, 1.6 WAR avg. in good season)

BENCH (0.5 WAR avg. in poor season, 1.7 WAR avg. in medium season, 3.0 WAR avg. in good season)

PITCHERS:

SP A.J. Burnett (-0.3 WAR avg. in poor season, 1.1 WAR avg. in medium season, 2.6 WAR avg. in good season)

SP Wandy Rodriguez (1.0 WAR avg. in poor season, 2.1 WAR avg. in medium season, 3.5 WAR avg. in good season)

SP James McDonald (0.2 WAR avg. in poor season, 0.9 WAR avg. in medium season, 2.2 WAR avg. in good season)

SP Jeff Karstens (-0.1 WAR avg. in poor season, 1.2 WAR avg. in medium season, 2.3 WAR avg. in good season)

SP Francisco Liriano (-0.1 WAR avg. in poor season, 0.6 WAR avg. in medium season, 2.3 WAR avg. in good season)

CL Jason Grilli (-0.1 WAR avg. in poor season, 0.6 WAR avg. in medium season, 1.3 WAR avg. in good season)

BULLPEN (-1.1 WAR avg. in poor season, 0.5 WAR avg. in medium season, 1.6 WAR avg. in good season)


MLB FORECASTER SCHEDULE-ADJUSTED OVER/UNDER LINE: 75.4 (4th, NL CENTRAL)

VEGAS OVER/UNDER LINE: 77.0 (5Dimes); 77.0 (LVH); 79.0 (Atlantis) 

RECOMMENDATION: The Pirates are headed in the right direction, but this feels like a stay away to me, or failing that, an Under bet.