Andrew McCutchen lashes an RBI single in the first inning Sunday. — GETTY
BY JOHN PERROTTO
Sights, sounds and the scene at PNC Park …
• Chris Stewart was considered a catch-and-throw guy when the Pirates traded for him in November 2013. That is baseball-executive and scout shorthand for a catcher who is good defensively but can’t hit a lick.
However, Stewart has proven to be more than that since being acquired from the Yankees.
In his first game of the season this afternoon, Stewart hit a two-run single in the sixth inning that put the Pirates ahead by what proved to be the final score, 5-2, and gave them breathing room to cap a three-game sweep of the increasingly hapless Brewers.
Stewart did not hit better than .241 or have an OPS higher than .611 in the three seasons in which he had at least 100 plate appearances before coming to the Pirates. Last season, though, he had a .292 average and .693 OPS in 154 trips, very solid statistics for a No. 2 catcher. And this afternoon, he provided the game’s only multi-RBI hit, two days after being activated from the disabled list after straining his right hamstring in spring training.
While Ray Searage justifiably gets a large share of credit for the way he has turned around the careers of various pitchers, Stewart says hitting coach Jeff Branson has had a comparable effect on him.
“He gave me a totally new approach,” Stewart said. “He taught me to be more patient and be willing to wait for the ball a little longer to travel deeper before committing. It’s really changed things. I’m a much better hitter now. I’ve never felt as confident at the plate as I have in these two years I’ve been with the Pirates.”
• Gerrit Cole can admittedly be hard-headed at times. However, he is learning the importance of making in-game adjustments, which was evident this afternoon. He gave up two runs and four hits in the first two innings but shut down the Brewers on two hits over the next four, and Clint Hurdle credited the turnaround to Cole throwing more fastballs.
According to BrooksBaseball.net, 72 of Cole’s 96 pitches were fastballs.
“I started throwing the fastball inside, up and down in the strike zone,” Cole said. “It wasn’t like I was getting killed on the other pitches early, but I knew I needed to mix in more fastballs and it worked. They never really adjusted.”
• PNC Park favors pitchers, and Cole seems to be learning to take advantage of that. He has posted a quality start in each of his past six home outings, including both this season.
Yet Cole downplays the idea of having a home-field advantage.
“I wouldn’t say I’m more comfortable here,” Cole said. “I’ve made most of my starts here, of course, so I’m more familiar with how the park plays. But more comfortable? Not really.”
• Neal Huntington, in his regular session with reporters before Sunday home games, vehemently defended his decision to keep Jung-Ho Kang on the major-league roster despite the fact he has just 10 plate appearances through the season’s first two weeks.
Huntington said he believes Kang is learning much more about making the transition from the Korean Baseball Organization to American baseball — and the American way of life, in general — by being a part-time player in the major leagues than a regular at Class AAA Indianapolis.
“There are times that guys graduate the level from which they came,” Huntington said. “We have a ton of respect for what he did in Korea. We have a ton of respect for what our scouts saw. And we have tremendous respect for what we’ve seen so far. We want him to develop and become accustomed to the culture in our environment, in our city, in Pittsburgh. And the best way for him to get used to hitting major-league pitching is to hit major-league pitching, albeit in a limited role, for now.”
• And because no one can ever get enough Charlie Morton medical updates, Huntington said the right-hander will make at least more start in extended spring training before going on a rehab assignment with one of farm clubs as he recovers from right hip surgery.
“Charlie is starting to feel more comfortable with how his body is working.” Huntington said.
John Perrotto is a freelance writer for DKonPittsburghSports.com.
April 19, 2015
Perrotto on the scene: A new Stew brews
45by Dejan Kovacevic • On the scene • Tags: Pirates
Andrew McCutchen lashes an RBI single in the first inning Sunday. — GETTY
BY JOHN PERROTTO
Sights, sounds and the scene at PNC Park …
• Chris Stewart was considered a catch-and-throw guy when the Pirates traded for him in November 2013. That is baseball-executive and scout shorthand for a catcher who is good defensively but can’t hit a lick.
However, Stewart has proven to be more than that since being acquired from the Yankees.
In his first game of the season this afternoon, Stewart hit a two-run single in the sixth inning that put the Pirates ahead by what proved to be the final score, 5-2, and gave them breathing room to cap a three-game sweep of the increasingly hapless Brewers.
Stewart did not hit better than .241 or have an OPS higher than .611 in the three seasons in which he had at least 100 plate appearances before coming to the Pirates. Last season, though, he had a .292 average and .693 OPS in 154 trips, very solid statistics for a No. 2 catcher. And this afternoon, he provided the game’s only multi-RBI hit, two days after being activated from the disabled list after straining his right hamstring in spring training.
While Ray Searage justifiably gets a large share of credit for the way he has turned around the careers of various pitchers, Stewart says hitting coach Jeff Branson has had a comparable effect on him.
“He gave me a totally new approach,” Stewart said. “He taught me to be more patient and be willing to wait for the ball a little longer to travel deeper before committing. It’s really changed things. I’m a much better hitter now. I’ve never felt as confident at the plate as I have in these two years I’ve been with the Pirates.”
• Gerrit Cole can admittedly be hard-headed at times. However, he is learning the importance of making in-game adjustments, which was evident this afternoon. He gave up two runs and four hits in the first two innings but shut down the Brewers on two hits over the next four, and Clint Hurdle credited the turnaround to Cole throwing more fastballs.
According to BrooksBaseball.net, 72 of Cole’s 96 pitches were fastballs.
“I started throwing the fastball inside, up and down in the strike zone,” Cole said. “It wasn’t like I was getting killed on the other pitches early, but I knew I needed to mix in more fastballs and it worked. They never really adjusted.”
• PNC Park favors pitchers, and Cole seems to be learning to take advantage of that. He has posted a quality start in each of his past six home outings, including both this season.
Yet Cole downplays the idea of having a home-field advantage.
“I wouldn’t say I’m more comfortable here,” Cole said. “I’ve made most of my starts here, of course, so I’m more familiar with how the park plays. But more comfortable? Not really.”
• Neal Huntington, in his regular session with reporters before Sunday home games, vehemently defended his decision to keep Jung-Ho Kang on the major-league roster despite the fact he has just 10 plate appearances through the season’s first two weeks.
Huntington said he believes Kang is learning much more about making the transition from the Korean Baseball Organization to American baseball — and the American way of life, in general — by being a part-time player in the major leagues than a regular at Class AAA Indianapolis.
“There are times that guys graduate the level from which they came,” Huntington said. “We have a ton of respect for what he did in Korea. We have a ton of respect for what our scouts saw. And we have tremendous respect for what we’ve seen so far. We want him to develop and become accustomed to the culture in our environment, in our city, in Pittsburgh. And the best way for him to get used to hitting major-league pitching is to hit major-league pitching, albeit in a limited role, for now.”
• And because no one can ever get enough Charlie Morton medical updates, Huntington said the right-hander will make at least more start in extended spring training before going on a rehab assignment with one of farm clubs as he recovers from right hip surgery.
“Charlie is starting to feel more comfortable with how his body is working.” Huntington said.
John Perrotto is a freelance writer for DKonPittsburghSports.com.
Share this: