The Pittsburgh Pirates will look to start the season 2-0 and lock-up a series win against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night. The game’s starters will be Jonathon Niese and Michael Wacha for the Pirates and the Cardinals, respectively. Niese is 4-3 with a 3.10 ERA in nine career starts against the Cardinals.
Tonight’s game already has something in common with Sunday’s home opener, as Niese, like Francisco Liriano, is a left-handed starting pitcher. This is the first time the Pirates have had two consecutive left-handed starters since the 1994 season, when Zane Smith, Steve Cooke and Denny Neagle (all of whom were lefties) started the season.
Polanco officially extended
The big news of the day was already a few days old as Gregory Polanco’s contract was officially extended. (News of the contract broke Sunday.) The terms were for five years, beginning in the 2017 season.
“We believe it’s a great day for the Pirates organization and also for Gregory Polanco,” said general manager Neal Huntington. “This was a long time coming. Both parties had Gregory’s best interest at heart, and it allows us for him to be one of our building players and build around him. We’re honored and humbled with his commitment to us, and he’s shown us nothing to give us any hesitation whatsoever to make this type of commitment to him both as a person and as a player.”
Polanco was understandably excited.
“I’m very excited to be here for a long time,” he said. “I know the city now and how much the fans and players love me. Every time we play here, you have so much fun. It makes me feel proud and happy to be here.”
Manager Clint Hurdle was one of many faces to join the media at Polanco’s press conference, not just because he had to be, but because he is a fan of the team’s starting right fielder.
“He’s very coachable, and he wants to do the right thing all the time,” Hurdle said. “He has a great heart and passion to be the best player he can be.
For Polanco, it felt like yesterday when he was in the PNC Park press conference room after he got the call-up to join the Pirates. Now, he can say all of the hard work leading to this point has paid off.
“I’m very happy,” Polanco said. “One of my goals was to play in the major leagues for a long time, and I’ve done that. This just makes me feel proud, and I can go play every day.”
Marte, Harrison Speak
Polanco said his fellow outfielders were a big influence on the deal, and he specifically cited fellow Dominican countryman Starling Marte.
Polanco said Marte always told him signing the extension would be a good thing for Polanco. Marte’s explanation was that the contract insures you for life and allows you to play with more confidence.
“My first advice was to speak with his mom. After that, if this amount feels good for you, then take it, you’re playing for a good organization,” Marte said.
The extension drew several parallels. For one, Marte knows that the money means a lot to Polanco because he can use it to help loved ones back in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic who need his assistance.
But more than that, it’s about the idea of feeling at home.
“I’m playing for a team I love and an organization I enjoy, which helps,” Polanco said.
Josh Harrison may best understand how Polanco feels, having gotten the additional job security at the same time last year, prior to the second game of the regular season.
“I’m sure his was similar to mine where he knew for a while but had to do the final physical,” Harrison said. “It’s something where it feels good to be rewarded for what you’ve done. It doesn’t make you think that it’s time to settle. You just want to go out there and play. This lets you play free.”
For anyone, the idea of being wanted and desired can be comforting, and Harrison noted Polanco’s contract validates that.
“Whenever there is a contract, they want you, and you want to be there,” Harrison said. “That right there lets you know that you’re going into a situation where you are liked. It makes you want to go out there and just play. They trust in you, and you go out there with no second thoughts.”
At the end of his question-and-answer session with assembled media members, Marte was asked if Polanco would have to pay for dinner tonight. It appears that is one check Marte will not cash.
“We’ll be sharing a lot of this together,” he said. “All of this is celebrating one another.”
Tonight’s lineups:
Pittsburgh Pirates (1-0)
1. John Jaso 1B
2. Andrew McCutchen CF
3. David Freese 3B
4. Starling Marte LF
5. Francisco Cervelli C
6. Gregory Polanco RF
7. Josh Harrison 2B
8. Jordy Mercer SS
9. Jonathon Niese P
St. Louis Cardinals (0-1)
1. Matt Carpenter 3B
2. Stephen Piscotty RF
3. Matt Holliday LF
4. Randal Grichuk CF
5. Yadier Molina C
6. Brandon Moss 1B
7. Jedd Gyorko 2B
8. Aledmys Diaz SS
9. Michael Wacha P
Bottom of the ninth
Harrison has always been a team player, and he showed that Sunday by sacrificing himself on several occasions. The biggest instance came in the second inning when he grounded out but advanced Polanco to third base and forced Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright to pitch around Jordy Mercer. The result was a two-run inning.
“We put our nails down and try to get a guy 90 feet,” Harrison said. “Every time you go to the plate, you try to get a hit, but there are certain situations where, if you don’t get a hit but get the job done, it’s just as rewarding. I was just trying to stay within myself …The main objective was to get the runner to third with one out, and I did that.”
Most of the time, major leaguers keep a strict sleeping schedule, which, a lot of the time, involves going to sleep early. Harrison, however, couldn’t resist staying up to catch the NCAA Championship Game, which Villanova won.
“I was jumping off my couch the last couple of minutes over the shots they were making,” Harrison said. “It was definitely a good game. I would say it was the craziest final seconds. … Villanova drew up a play and got a good look. As soon as you saw it, you were saying ‘March Madness, this game’s over.’ You knew it right away. They don’t miss those in March Madness.”
Photo credit: Jonathan Satriale / WEBN-TV.
