Clint Hurdle took no time in announcing his opening day starters he has given Francisco Liriano the honor on the first full day of spring training workouts.
Liriano, last years NL Comeback Player of the Year, had a stellar 2013 posting a 16 – 8 record in 26 games with a 3.02 ERA and 163 strikeouts in 161 innings of work. His ERA would have been in the mid-two’s had he not have given up 10 runs in Colorado and 7 runs in Milwaukee which dropped him out of Cy Young consideration. He finished ninth in last years voting.
Francisco was best known for last years performance in the NL Wild Card game where he went 7 innings while giving up 1 run on 4 hits and a walk in the Pirates 6 – 2 victory over the Reds in Pittsburgh’s first home playoff game in 21 years.
First pitch for opening day is set at 1:05 on March 31 against the Chicago Cubs.
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(Photo Credit: AP Photo / Gene J. Puskar)
