PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pirates play their first game in front of home fans Thursday afternoon against the Cubs. While we have six more months to break down team issues, home openers are about optimism. With that in mind, here are some positive signs from the first week of the season.
Colin Moran owns home openers
In his career as a Pirate, Colin Moran has hit four home runs and driven in nine during Pirates home openers.
“I don’t know. I wish I could bottle that up and use it for every game. I think it just happened to be three games where I had a couple of good swings.”
“Obviously, I love playing at PNC. I love playing in front of fans. I look forward to fans being at the part again this year. I really enjoy playing there.”
So far this season, the Bucs first baseman is hitting .286 with a pair of home runs.
“Coming out of spring felt like the timing was good,” Moran said. “Just trying to keep it simple up there, work good at bats and find the barrel.”
Bryan Reynolds
After being top 5 in voting for NL Rookie of the Year, outfielder Bryan Reynolds looked lost at times in 2020. The switch-hitter hit .189 after hitting .314 in 2019.
“I’ve hit a few balls hard this year and am happy with that, trying to put himself in a position to hit it harder more often.”
This season players are allowed to have an I-Pad in the dugout again. Reynolds believes evaluating his swing on the bench after an at bat is a big advantage.
“It’s really helpful to help check on little things on your swing,” Reynolds said. “Your timing things like that. To have it this year is really nice.”
He believes he also benefits from hitting third with Moran fourth.
“I like hitting in front of him,” Reynolds said. “He hits the ball hard. All I have to do is get on base and I have a good chance of being driven in. I’m sure he will hit a homer on opening day in Pittsburgh because that’s what he does.”
Evans is everywhere
Evans has done everything well this year, including a 1-2-3 inning as a relief pitcher on Tuesday night.
The only thing that slowed Evans down as a Pirate was running into Gregory Polanco August 8th of last year. Evans would leave on a stretcher with a broken jaw that took three surgeries to fix, plus concussion symptoms.
The 28-year-old was hitting .359 at the time. He returned to the Pirates this year, hit .361 in Spring Training and is hitting .438 so far this year.
David Bednar
You can imagine being David Bednar Thursday morning. It’s one thing to put on the Pirates uniform in Bradenton or Chicago or Cincinnati. It’s another to drive to the North Shore, park inside the ballpark and put the uniform on with people sitting in the same seats you used to growing up.
It’s not a gift roster spot or a gimmick to get fans to come to have a hometown kid in the bullpen. Bednar has earned it.
Since coming over in the Joe Musgrove trade to San Diego, Bednar with a pair of perfect innings until giving up a pair of solo homers to the Reds. In Grapefruit League play, Bednar led the team in strikeouts with 18 and didn’t allow a run in 8.2 innings.
“We knew what we were getting in terms of velocity, the one thing that has improved as the spring as gone on is the curveball,” said Pirates bullpen coach Justin Meccage. “His curveball has made a big jump. There’s a little bit of a grip adjustment that we made early in the spring. I think you are starting to see a pretty good pitch in the making.”
“Mentally this cat is impressive. This guy has ice in his veins.”
Luis Oviedo
Meccage had a similar sentiment about Luis Oviedo. The 21-year-old came to the Pirates in a trade, but since he was a Rule 5 pick, those rules still apply. Oviedo has to stay on the major league roster all year or be sent back.
Despite never pitching higher than Class A ball, two years ago, Oviedo has impressed not only with this stuff, but his demeanor. The native of Venezuela has allowed a home run as the only hit over three innings while striking out five.
This is a guy who could be part of a young starting rotation in the future. If he keeps this up, that future could be later this season.
This team has issues. It will lose a lot of games. If you are willing to look for it, there are a few bright spots as well.