Even the worst teams are optimistic on the first day of spring training.

It is the beginning of a new season and a chance to wipe the slate clean. As the saying goes, every team is 0-0 on the day pitchers and catchers report to Florida and Arizona.

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Thus, the Pittsburgh Pirates return to their venerable spring training home in Bradenton, Fla., each February, believing it is the year the franchise will turn things around. That feeling will permeate the Pirate City training complex on Wednesday when Pittsburgh begins workouts.

Reality almost always catches up with the Pirates, though, once they head north to play games that count. They have had 29 losing seasons in the last 33 years.

Yet Pittsburgh’s optimism this year doesn’t feel hollow. They seem poised to improve on last year’s 71-91 record and last-place finish in the National League Central following a busy offseason by general manager Ben Cherington that finally saw him permitted by ownership to make significant roster additions.

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All-Stars Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn, and Marcell Ozuna have been added to a lineup that was last in the major leagues in runs scored last year. Two hard-throwing left-handers, Gregory Soto and Mason Montgomery, join the bullpen mix. Outfielders Jake Mangum and Jhonstynxon Garcia are expected to strengthen the Pirates’ depth.

“I think all of us are really excited. I know I am,” Pirates right-hander Braxton Ashcraft said. “We have a really good opportunity this year to be ultra-competitive. I think that we’ve solidified ourselves across the board in the game, as one of the best rotations from top-to-bottom in the game and to be able to add some bats and to be able to add some power, I think it’s going to bode really well for us, like last year, there were a lot of one run games that we fell a little bit short on and I think with the additions we’ve made this year, we’re going to be poised to be able to come on top of those one-run games.”

Pittsburgh was 25-35 last season in one-run games. History says that those results tend to even out over time.

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However, the Pirates haven’t just left everything to history. They have been proactive in building their roster and are still open to adding a left-handed starting pitcher and a third baseman.

“We’re just excited to get the season going,” first baseman Spencer Horwitz said.

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