I too liked Pike. I thought in The Cage after reminiscing on it, Ray Liotta looks alot like Jeffrey Hunter. Been a long time since I've watched The Menagerie two-parter though.
I'm still wondering if the Enterprise crew will still meet/encounter the following in this Alternate Reality:
Khan Noonien Singh; V'Ger; Whale probe; The Borg; Klingons; etc.