PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Only two National League teams are off to better starts than the Pittsburgh Pirates. Yes, it’s six games into a 162-game season, but Pirates players are confident in this group.
“Especially with the offseason moves we made and the young talent we have coming up and the comradery between the guys, watch out for the Pirates,” Bucs reliever Colin Holderman said on 93.7 The Fan. “We are going to shock a lot of people not just in the Central, but the whole NL and MLB. If we catch fire, we are going to run off a lot of wins in a row.”
The 6’7” right-handed reliever was drafted by the Mets in 2016 and isn’t the only confident pitcher.
“It’s awesome, it’s unbelievable,” said Pirates Mitch Keller during Pirates postgame on 100.1 FM/AM 1020 KDKA. “The energy is great in here. We are having a lot of fun. A couple of those games in Cincinnati, we liked how we were playing and like where we are at. I think this shows us we can play with the best of them. We have a really good team and having a lot of fun. It’s going to be a good year.”
Bryan Reynolds leads the majors in home runs and is hitting .417 on the season. Other than Reynolds, none of the other Pirates hitters really have caught traction, yet they are 4-2. The pitching has been good, ninth best ERA in MLB, but nothing so over the top that they couldn’t sustain at some level.
“We have a lot of young guys who care about each other,” Holderman told 93.7 The Fan. “They have that swagger on the field and we are all playing for each other. It’s is a brotherhood here, that means the world when we are out there. We are not just playing for ourselves, we are playing for the team. That’s when things get interesting and we win games.”
There is one position Pirates broadcaster Bob Walk points to as a reason he likes this team. It’s not even the offense coming from that spot, rather it’s finally having defense at first base with veteran Carlos Santana.
“We haven’t exactly had Gold Glovers over at first base the last few years,” Walk said during Pirates postgame on 100.1 FM/AM 1020. “It’s nice to see him over there, he can do a little bit with the glove. I like what I’ve seen. It’s definitely an improvement from what we had in the past.”
There is also a confidence with this team, not just from the veterans like 43-year-old Rich Hill who starts Friday afternoon. But rookies Canaan Smith-Njigba and Ji-Hwan Bae who help bring an energy. How about the way Holderman sees himself on the mound?
“Every time I grab the ball, I’m the best pitcher in the world,” Holderman said. “That’s what I have to think, even if it’s wrong, that’s what I think. I take that confidence and attack every hitter possible, then I had it to Bednar and watch the show.”
It’s way too early this season, but this Bucs team believes in itself and it should make for some fun games this season. First pitch for the home opener is 4:12p Friday afternoon on 93.7 The Fan.