There’s nothing like the first time. There really isn’t. Wait, I guess that was phrased poorly. There’s nothing like making your Major League debut. Yeah, that’s better. It’s nothing that I or any of you reading this can relate to. It’s an honor that the elite athletes get to experience in their respective sports. For the Pirates, there have been some memorable debuts lately. Andrew McCutchen performed well in his in 2009. Pedro Alvarez showcased his power when he arrived on the scene in 2010. Lastly, who can forget what Starling Marte did in his first career game last year in Houston? There may, scratch that, there is one debut that trumps all of them and luckily for Pirates fans, it’s happening tonight.
Gerrit Cole is here.
The first round pick in 2011 out of UCLA has arrived to Pittsburgh and is set to make his Major League debut. The city is buzzing and the clubhouse is just as excited. Some of the players shared their memories on making their debut in the big leagues.
“Mine was slightly different. A week to go in spring training, Mitch Meluskey, who was the Tigers starting catcher, got injured. I was bumped up quickly and was the starting catcher on Opening Day,” Brandon Inge said. “Everything was kind of a whirlwind. It’s always the same game, though. I remember feeling excited, slightly nervous, but excited. I remember half way through the game feeling that I couldn’t feel my legs anymore. The adrenaline was running so much and I was moving around so much. It was such a great feeling. I was just soaking up the atmosphere, realizing that it’s so different here compared to anywhere on earth.”
Travis Snider was once a top prospect for the Toronto Blue Jays. He said he is able to relate to what Cole is going through on a smaller level.
“You only get one debut. That moment and that particular game is something that I will remember for the rest of my life,” Snider said. “The best advice that I got was from Scott Rolen on that day. He just said, No. 1, enjoy every minute of it. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you have fun and No. 2, take it for what it is and don’t make it anything more than that.”
McCutchen was once the top prospect in the Pirates farm system and it’s safe to say he’s enjoyed a good career so far. It seems like forever since he was called up, doesn’t it Andrew?
“It’s been four years,” McCutchen said jokingly.
Oh, my bad. But what was your debut like?
“It’s definitely the top [moment]. A lot of guys don’t get that chance. A lot of guys play in the minor leagues for years and years and years and don’t get that opportunity,” McCutchen said. “So to get that chance, you know, I’m one of a lot that get this opportunity. I’m definitely grateful for every moment that I get to go out there.”
“It’s what we’ve dreamed of since we were little kids. To get that opportunity and to finally get that chance; it might be a little different for pitchers. I don’t know,” McCutchen said. “You have to perform that way and pitch and get things done. For a position player, it’s like you might strikeout a few times and you say ‘oh well, okay.’ The best thing for him to do is to go out and pitch well. It’s a little added pressure, but that’s probably why I’m an outfielder.”
Well, what is it like for a pitcher then?
“When you get through the first inning, you kind of don’t feel your legs. There’s a lot going on,” Jason Grilli said. “You finally get to the point where you get to live out your dream for the first time. There’s only one time that you get to do that.”
Don’t be surprised if you see Cole call a few timeouts tonight and collect himself. That’s what Alvarez had to do during his debut.
“It went a little quick. At times I kind of had to take a quick breath,” Alvarez said. “It’s just one of those things where you dream all of your life to be up here and when you finally get the chance, it’s definitely exhilarating.”
While all of the above had very good debuts, there may be one person on the team that trumps them all. Manager Clint Hurdle hit a home run in his first at bat in his debut. Well, that’s how he likes to tell the story at least.
“I hit a two-run homer my first at bat. I should say my second at bat because the first one was a check-swing groundball to third. I always go back and replay it for everyone,” Hurdle said laughing. “The story is better because I was the last guy that got called up that got to play. So I got to watch five or six other guys make their debuts. I was catching a lot of heat. I finally did get to play and hit a homer my second at bat. Fantastic day. Mom and dad were in the stands and my sister.”
It’s a nice flash from the past, but we have to fast-forward to today. What kind of advice did the players give Cole?
“The crowds are bigger, the game is more electric; he’s going to enjoy it. Being a starting pitcher, I couldn’t imagine that. All of the eyes are going to be on you,” Inge said. “Probably the top moment in my career was making it to the big leagues. That’s everyone’s goal. You will never have that feeling again. It’s a one-time thing. You only play your first game once.”
Snider said regardless of what some people may think, a player will actually play at a different level when they make their debut.
“You’re playing at a different level that first game. Even after you get re-called from the minors to your first game back, it’s a jolt of energy,” Snider said. “Harnessing that energy and being able to contain it so that you can go out there and execute is the key to success. We’ve seen Gerrit pitch before and I faced him in spring training. He has great stuff and he just needs to go out there and pitch.”
McCutchen said the key for Cole is to go out there and pitch and that being nervous is actually a good thing.
“He’s going to be nervous, but nerves can be a good thing. You’re doing something and there’s a reason behind it. Nerves are good. He’s going to have a lot of fun doing it and won’t forget about it,” McCutchen said. “It’s something that you’ve dreamt of and finally get that opportunity. Regardless of the outcome and what you do, you can look back and say this is an experience that I’ll never forget. Hopefully he’ll have a long career from here.”
Hurdle said that he has only had the chance to talk to Cole for about 15 minutes since he came to Pittsburgh, but he gave him the same advice that he gives every other player.
“We chatted earlier today. He gets to blaze his own trail,” Hurdle said. “I share with all of the players when they get here to respect everything but fear nothing.”
Today is a day that Pirates fans have wanted to see for a long, long time. Regardless of what happens, sit back and enjoy the show. Grilli is sure that he will.
“He has arrived,” Grilli said with a smile. “Hopefully it’s a good show for everyone involved tonight.”
