Pirates farm director Brian Graham said something intriguing a few days ago that all Curve fans need to know
‘‘We want to win in Altoona’’

It’s that simple

That’s why the Curve win year after year - because the Bucs make it happen

Sure, there have been some outstanding prospects come through Altoona during the Curve’s four straight seasons in the playoffs
But it’s almost impossible to win solely with prospects in Double-A

To win consistently at this level, the organization either must have an endless amount of prospect talent - like the Akron Aeros - or have the right mix of young players and the commitment to sign veterans to fill in the holes
Year after year, Graham and the Pirates make sure the Curve have such a mix

But why?
What makes Altoona so special that the Bucs care so much about this team winning?

‘‘We love our situation in Altoona’’ Graham said
They love sending their players to gorgeous Blair County Ballpark, they respect the loyalty shown by the region’s fans and they admire the leadership of the Curve front office

The Pirates, therefore, figure the least they can do to repay things is to send a winning team to Double-A every year
If that means they’ve got to go out and sign a proven veteran hitter like Randy Ruiz or re-sign a free agent like last year’s Curve MVP Brett Roneberg, that’s what they do

It doesn’t guarantee a winning team, but it’s darn close

Here’s what fans can expect to see from this year’s club

Overall outlook

There are great prospects like Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker, the usual proven veterans and lots of players in between
The offense should be fun to watch, though there are a few question marks in the starting rotation
Record prediction? - 75 and 67
Playoffs? - Yes, for a fifth straight season

Season breakdown

The offense will ensure the team gets off to a good start, with Ruiz, Roneberg, Adam Boeve and Vic Buttler getting the big hits
McCutchen and Walker haven’t faced early season Double-A pitching, but if they adapt quickly, the team could put up a lot of runs
Even if the two youngsters struggle, there are enough quality bats around them to pick up the slack
The rotation may struggle with consistency early, then improve as Yoslan Herrera and Luis Munoz get more work
It’s impossible to know exactly what will happen once players start getting promoted, but Graham’s ability to find adequate replacements cannot be overlooked
A good sign would be - McCutchen getting off to a strong start
A bad sign would be - If Ruiz doesn’t drive in runs

First player promoted

The Pirates are looking for any reason to get McCutchen up to the big leagues as soon as possible
If he’s hot and Chris Duffy struggles in Pittsburgh, the Bucs could give the 20-year-old phenom a shot

Most exciting new player

Reliever Justin Vaclavik, who’s skipping high-A ball

Most exciting returning player

McCutchen and Walker are givens, so let’s go with Boeve here
He’s a proven Double-A hitter who can carry an offense at times

Most intriguing new players

There are three with fascinating backgrounds
Ruiz has the drug suspensions in his past, while Herrera is a Cuban defector with great potential
And it’s tough figure why reliever Alay Soler is back in a Double-A bullpen after reaching the Mets last season and throwing a two-hit shutout in his fourth major league game

Around the Eastern League

Well, what do you know, Akron is loaded once again
The Aeros have the Indians’ No. 2, 3 and 5 prospects (LHP Chuck Lofgren, OF Trevor Crowe, OF Brian Barton), so they might already be printing playoff tickets in Akron
Bowie also should be solid in the Southern Division, with some good prospects and EL veterans like Val Majewski, Jeff Fiorentino and Eli Whiteside coming back
In the Northern Division, defending EL champ Portland has some of Boston’s top farmhands (OF Jacoby Ellsbury, RHP Clay Buchholz and RHP Bryce Cox) and should be tough again
One team that could struggle is New Britain as the Rock Cats don’t have much in terms of prospects

Look who’s coming back

Former Curve pitcher Landon Jacobsen will start opening day for Reading, while outfielder Shawn Garrett will be Trenton

In closing

Tim Leiper did an outstanding job managing the Curve’s ever-changing clubhouse in 2006, but he may not have to do so this year
If the Pirates are greatly improved as expected, there shouldn’t be as many big league moves that create a trickle-down effect to Altoona
That means the players here on opening day could be here a good while, which would bode well for the Curve