Cut4 Postseason Primer: Pittsburgh Pirates

From 30 World Series hopefuls, only a few remain. In case you haven't been following every contender, here's a catch-up on what you missed and what to expect next. In this edition: The Pittsburgh Pirates.

Also: BAL | DET | KC | LAA | LAD | OAK | SF | STL | WAS

For the second time in as many years (and coincidentally, the second time in 24 years) the Pirates clinched a postseason berth, this time with their 86th win of the 2014 season.

Regardless of who or when they'll play to start their postseason run, you should be thrilled that they're spraying champagne in 2014.

Why? Glad you asked ...

5. Burgh Man!

Nothing says "October baseball" quite like a dude on roller blades wearing a cape and juggling bowling pins.

According to his official website, which totally exists, Burgh Man was born from the smoke and soot in the mills during Pittsburgh's "Workshop of the World" era. Burgh Man harnesses energy from a "Positive Stone" (yup, really) to maintain an optimistic outlook on life while setting a good example for the citizens of Pittsburgh and providing a quality example for the youth of the city. He's even got his own holiday.

With the help of Burgh Man and the powers of his "Positive Stone," how could you possibly doubt the Pirates heading deep into October?

4. Racing (and fighting) Pierogies

"Food fight" doesn't even begin to describe the delightful chaos that is the Pirates Pierogies race. Every game at PNC Park features Cheese Chester, Jalapeno Hannah, Oliver Onion, Potato Pete and Sauerkraut Saul racing around the warning track and using every imaginable tactic to gain a competitive advantage. 

They've fallen:

They've fallen short:

They've fought:

And they've banded together in the face of a greater threat ... Teddy and the Nationals' Racing Presidents:

An enemy of my enemy is my friend, indeed.

3. The emergence of Josh Harrison as a five-tool force

After three years of marginal relevance for the Pirates, utility man Josh Harrison forced his way into the hearts of Buccos fans by hitting for average, hitting for power, swiping bases and leading the team in triples in 2014. Oh, and he did all of that while playing five different positions and making his first All-Star appearance.

Don't believe us?

... Harrison channeled Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez:

... single-handedly beat the Reds at the end of August:

... and started a textbook around-the-horn triple play for the Buccos:

2. The only thing better than baseball is baseball with a side of professional wrestling

Early in the 2014 season, Pirates fans in the PNC Park bleachers started repurposing WWE superstar Daniel Bryan's popular "YES! YES! YES!" chant to celebrate big plays for the home team. Shortly thereafter, Pirates backup first baseman and clubhouse leader Gaby Sanchez caught wind of it and the team officially adopted it. 

It didn't stop there. The affinity for all things WWE infected the Pirates clubhouse in other entertaining ways, too:

.@Tony26Montana pic.twitter.com/SrudODctq5

- Steve Braband (@stevebraband) September 24, 2014

1. Andrew McCutchen (obviously)

Cutch is cooler than cool to the point that it's impossible not to root for the guy. Cutch posted another 20-homer season while batting over .310, leading the NL in OBP and entertaining Pirates fans (and the baseball community at-large) all season long.

He hit an inside-the-park home run:

He herded ducks in the outfield:

He trolled his teammates:

He made a 100-year-old fan his new BFF:

He made us laugh. He made us cry. He stole our hearts and took our breath away.

So, what can we expect from the Pirates this October? A few predictions:

Andrew McCutchen will hit his first career postseason home run. In six career postseason games he hit .333 and walked five times while striking out just three times, but he had only one extra-base hit, a double in Game 3 of the NLDS. Look for Cutch to bring that power into October this year.

They'll harness the power of the ducky. Last season, an art installation had a massive rubber ducky floating in the river outside PNC Park. The duck has already made its 2014 debut.

A 15-6 September record means they're the hot hand heading into the Postseason. Ask the 2011 Cardinals how that worked out for them.