PITTSBURGH -- It was a season of streaks, some good, some forgettable. New faces stole the show, while more familiar ones struggled to maintain consistency.

But with the book on the 2007 season closed, it should be looked at as another stepping stone moving forward.

"I think it was good that we got guys a little more experience," first baseman Adam LaRoche said. "That helps. It always helps for the future."

The Pirates watched some young starters become promising stars and saw glimpses of how potent the offense can be when everyone performed at the same time. The biggest stumbling block simply seemed to be inexperience. And that inexperience translated into inconsistency.

"Our inconsistency this year has hurt us badly," manager Jim Tracy said. "We've had major high points, higher than we had any high point last year, and we've also gone through a couple of periods that have been just very tough."

The disappointing final record, however, doesn't mean the season was lost. Young players were able to get another year of experience under the belts. And the team worked to create a culture of success, something that will continue to be critical heading into 2008.

"We have to go into a place knowing that we're capable of winning," Xavier Nady said. "We've got guys with another year under their belts. Hopefully we don't have to experience [a losing season] again."

Record: 68-94, sixth in NL Central.

Defining moment: The Pirates' 5-4 extra-innings loss to the Yankees on June 8 could be a microcosm of the entire season. It saw the Pirates show great heart in a hostile environment, only to fall just short. The bullpen blew a late lead and the offense let numerous run-scoring opportunities pass by without capitalizing. Heading into the game, the Pirates were seven games out of first. They would never get any closer, as the loss was the first of 10 Interleague defeats for the Pirates in June.

What went right: The month of August. For 30 days, the Pirates were teased by how good things can be when everything clicks. Offensive production up and down the lineup, a stingy bullpen and consistently above-average results from the starting corps led to the Pirates winning more games in the month (17) than in any month since 2004. The reasons August went right leads back to ...

What went wrong: Consistency. While everything came together in August, the pieces never all quite fit in place consistently during the rest of the year. Getting all aspects of their game in sync has to be the key moving forward.

Biggest surprise: On June 1, the Pirates saw a change of the guard in their closing duties. Matt Capps replaced Salomon Torres, and his immediate success as the ninth-inning stopper gives the Pirates a closer that Tracy often refers to as "very special." And don't forget that the second-year big leaguer is just 24 years old. The emergence of Tom Gorzelanny as one of the top pitchers in the league comes in a close second.

Lineup: The Pirates have every position player under their control through next season, which takes away much of the guess work in who will dent the 2008 Opening Day lineup. Catcher Ronny Paulino will remain the starter ahead of Ryan Doumit. LaRoche and second baseman Freddy Sanchez will again hold down the right side of the infield, as well as the heart of the order. With the way shortstop Jack Wilson closed out the season, it appears less likely he'll be dealt away, though the same can't be said for shortstop Cesar Izturis. Third base will belong to Jose Bautista, but with prospect Neil Walker waiting in the wings, the question remains -- for how long? Left fielder Jason Bay and Nady are obvious fixtures, while some combination of Nyjer Morgan, Nate McLouth, Steve Pearce, Doumit and possibly Andrew McCutchen will battle for the final outfield spot.

Rotation: Again, don't expect for there to be too many surprises here. Left-hander Gorzelanny emerged as the team ace this season and will head up a rotation that shows great youthful promise. Both lefty Paul Maholm and righty Ian Snell went through growing pains in 2007, but also showed signs of maturing into potentially dominant starters. Though he missed two months with elbow irritation, southpaw Zach Duke believes his struggles this season were an anomaly and the expectations for a rebound year are high. Rounding out the starting five is veteran right-hander Matt Morris.

Bullpen: Capps has a monopoly on the closer's role, and with the right-hander working on adding an off-speed pitch to his repertoire, he should become even more feared. Versatile setup man Shawn Chacon is the only player not under contract and appears headed elsewhere via the free agent market. In Chacon's absence, right-hander Torres will need to hold down the setup role. Lefties Damaso Marte and John Grabow can be two of the league's best at keeping left-handed hitters at bay.

Biggest need: While there aren't any glaring weaknesses going into next season, the Pirates do need to sure up their bullpen. With Chacon likely gone, the Pirates could use another veteran right-handed arm to complement Torres in the setup man role. A new veteran presence in any capacity would be a plus.

Prospect to watch: Will 2007 be the season when Andrew McCutchen leaves behind all the hype and shows Pittsburgh why high expectations have followed him since he was drafted in 2005? It seems that way. McCutchen will likely start the season in Triple-A Indianapolis, but don't expect him to stay there through season's end.