Steven Brault had always found himself on the fringes with the Pirates; the fringe of making the rotation, the fringe of making even the major league roster.
Now, all of sudden, Brault is not only off the fringes but the soon-to-be 29-year old lefthander finds himself as the leader of a young, inexperienced pitching staff. Jameson Taillon and Joe Musgrove were traded for prospects and his close friend Trevor Williams was released, so Brault feels like the last man standing.
"Yeah, it sucks," Brault admits, "because I've had so many guys that I've really liked, that I've played with over six years now get traded away. It happens; this is what we're doing right now and I'm sad to see them go, but that's the business."
He's especially sad to not just lose Williams as a teammate but to an NL Central Division rival. "Trevor's playing with the Cubs so I hope we crush him whenever we face them," Brault says. "He's done. We're no longer friends … so you guys can print that we hate each other."
Now that it's in print, Brault says the truth is that he and Williams worked out together nearly every single day in the offseason. "So we actually are still friends."
Actually, it's impossible for a teammate to NOT be friends with the affable, always quotable, Brault who is hoping to build off his final two starts of 2020 when he threw a complete game 2-hitter against the Cardinals and then allowed just 2 hits against the Cubs over 7 scoreless innings
Brault held court this week on a number of topics.
Being a team leader
"I like being the silent leader type, making sure that especially new guys are comfortable. If (someone) is not comfortable I like being the guy they can come to with questions."
"I'm not a big Rah-Rah guy. The whole 'team speech' thing is really cool in movies but I feel doesn't have the same effect in real life."
So what is his favorite movie speech?
"Miracle, definitely Miracle. I actually watched it again this off-season. 'This is our time' and then they beat Russia, USSR at that time."
Not having to compete for a job
"I'm excited; there's no other way to put it. I'm going to try to cement myself for the long-term in a starting role. Hopefully that's with this team moving forward."
Saying he is now a freaking throwing machine after the Cubs CG
"Just less thinking in general … keep going with it until it stops working. That's pretty much the essence of baseball."
Addition of LHP Tyler Anderson
"I just met him but he seems like a cool dude and of course I love having another lefty; lefties are different, we're just odd. Hopefully he's another weirdo. Based on his delivery I think he is probably is sort of a weirdo." (later Anderson admitted he has a little weirdo in him)
His goals for 2021
"Fastball command and first-pitch strikes; in fact, I'm going ton start keeping track of first-pitch strikes throwing bullpens, live batting practice and spring games. (Otherwise) I don't really do specific goals; I used to so specific goals and it really just (ticks) you off. Numbers goals are never a good idea."
His team goal for 2021
"I would like our team to come together and fight every game. That's what we want to do."
