As expected, Jim Tracy is the new manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

With the Pirates, Tracy takes over a team coming off 13 consecutive losing seasons, three short of the major league record, and a 67-95 record but one that broke in a half-dozen promising rookies during the second half of this season, including left-handed starters Zach Duke (8-2, 1.81 ERA) and Paul Maholm (3-1, 2.18 ERA).

It’s a good time to be taking over the Pirates. He has one of the premier hitters in the league in Jayson Bay, and a developing left-handed rotation. And it will be fun to compare the Pirates progress with the Dodgers over the next few seasons.