The Grapefruit League season is starting and the Pirates are beginning their bid to snap an 18-year losing streak.

There have been a few good players roll through here during that time. The following is my batting order and starting rotation of the best Pirates of the past 18 seasons.

Anyone who was a starter on the 1992 team is ineligible for this list:

Andrew McCutchen, center field: This is my leadoff hitter who is likely only scratching the surface of a stellar career. I like the blend of speed and power at the top of the lineup, let alone his defensive ability.Whether he’s still a Pirate five years from now will dictate where this franchise will be in the standings.

Freddy Sanchez, second base: Sanchez won a batting title here and his bat control makes him the ideal No. 2 hitter.

Brian Giles, left field: Tough call over Jason Bay, but the left-handed bat is more suitable for PNC Park and he had more big-time hits than Bay. The grand slam against Billy Wagner to cap a seven-run ninth-inning rally against Houston is a fun memory.

Aramis Ramirez, third base: It’s still amazing to think he was traded for Bobby Hill. Ramirez has had weight and hamstring issues, but he carried a productive bat while in Pittsburgh.

Kevin Young, first base: This position has been plagued by musical chairs for years. Young was the leader of the 1997 team with a $9 million payroll that nearly stole the division title. Young was outstanding defensively as well.

Jose Guillen, right field: Like Ramirez, he just wasn’t here long enough. Guillen possessed a rifle of an arm and produced 14 homers and 70 RBI as a 19-year-old in 1997. He hit 14 homers and had 84 RBI the following year. In 1999, he was dealt to Tampa Bay for Joe Oliver and Humberto Cota because the Pirates needed a catcher at the time.Bad move.

Jack Wilson, shortstop: A true beacon through many of these 18 years. Always a treat to watch at shortstop, Wilson also put together a 200-hit season while hitting .308 in 2004.Never beaten down by the losing, Wilson’s positive approach never changed in this town.

Jason Kendall, catcher: Horrendous broken ankle and $10 million contract aside, he was a bona fide all-star for a number of years and played the game as hard as anybody who’s ever worn a Pirates uniform.

Starting pitching rotation: There’s a few one-year wonders here, but my choices are Jason Schmidt, Todd Ritchie, Oliver Perez, Denny Neagle and Francisco Cordova.

Closer: Mike Williams. The Pirates have had a number of closers who threw harder than Williams did during this losing stretch, and he often made it interesting in the ninth inning, but his save percentage here was impressive.He also earned 43 saves for a last-place club one year.