PITTSBURGH, Pa. — The first time a player takes the field for their Major League debut, a lot of things race through their mind. Everything slows down. Their heart feels like it’s beating through their chest. Raw emotions. Pirates Manager Clint Hurdle remembers that feeling all to well when he stepped onto the grass back in September of 1977 for the Kansas City Royals.
“It’s one of the best things I’ve experienced,” Hurdle said. “It’s a life highlight. It’s a priceless memory. For me, it was the culmination of since I was five playing wiffleball in the backyard. There was some challenges in-between but just to play and play, then all of a sudden, ‘BOOM!’ It’s not like you hit the finish line but you get to where you’ve dreamt of getting to. There’s a couple cool moments that [Phil Irwin is] going to have today that are just out of this world type moments.”
For Phil Irwin, he got the opportunity to make that memory for himself and his family, who came in from Tennessee for his big league debut. Triple-A Manager Dean Treanor delivered the news to Irwin in a form of a prank on Friday.
“He asked me if I paid my dues in spring training,” Irwin said. “I was like, ‘Yeah, I paid my dues.’ He said, ‘That’s not what I heard. You’re going to Pittsburgh to pay your dues.’ It wasn’t too dramatic, but it was awesome.”
Irwin has flown under the radar since being drafted in 2009 out of Ole Miss in the 21st round. In College, the 26-year-old was used both in relief and in the rotation, but has spent the majority of his professional career as a starter with Pittsburgh (72 starts, 81 appearances). Irwin has put up some of the best numbers in the Pirates system over the last handful of years. A career 3.02 ERA in parts of five seasons in the Minors, his 2.83 ERA last season at Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indy was ranked fifth. Irwin was also named the Curve’s Pitcher-of-the-Year following his 2.93 mark over 18 games in 2012.
“I’ve always liked under the radar,” Irwin said. “I think I’ve told a lot of people that. It happened fast this year. First big league camp, one start, then all of a sudden, BAM! I’m here. According to some people I’m on the fast track. According to some people I’m on the slow track. I don’t know. Doesn’t matter, I’m here. It’s awesome.”
“There’s so many players out there and we do such enormous amounts of work, guys go and see players all the time,” Hurdle said. “Where you get them and how they get here, that’s the beauty of what we do. But now to think about how many teams passed on him before we got him. 21st round and he’s in the big leagues? That’s pretty impressive. Did we help him? I think so. It also speaks volumes to what the kids got inside himself, his aptitude, his desire. He is a real steady young man. Not too high, not too low…He’s a smart kid and he loves to compete.”
In the offseason, the Pirates protected Irwin from being selected in the Rule 5 draft and added him to the 40-man roster. The right-hander posted solid numbers while in his first big league camp in spring training in relief –2.25 ERA over 8.0 innings with nine strikeouts and holding the opposing team to just a .185 clip. That earned him his first start against the New York Yankees, but Irwin didn’t fare well allowing six runs over 2.1 frames.
Despite not being ranked in Pittsburgh’s top 20 prospects by Baseball America and not having a well-known name among fans, Irwin was quietly made a name for himself from the feedback given to Hurdle from minor league managers.
“He’s always competed,” Hurdle said. “Pitches smart, doesn’t hurt himself. His pace and his rhythm are good, which helps your defense…He’s done some things to get himself to that point in time and to get recognized. I can call up a couple Managers [in the minors] and ask them for some thoughts on some guys, or just ask about them about our club they played. The names they mention against the names that are popular. His name continually came up whenever he’s been in different situations…He’s been a guy that when I ask about the club, his name would get broughten up.”
His first two innings of work in the big leagues, however, started out shaky. Known for his excellent control in the minors, the 26-year-old’s nerves got the best of him. Irwin walked just 72 batters compared to 369 strikeouts over 413.2 frames in the minor leagues, and walked four over just 4.2 on Sunday at PNC Park. Those four walks were the most he’s ever allowed in any of his 81 professional games prior.
The first hit of Irwin’s career came off the bat of Shin-soo Choo, who singled to center on the third pitch he saw to start the first. The right-hander went on to walk Zack Cozart and Joey Votto to load up the bases. Brandon Phillips drove in both runners by hitting a single up the left side. Irwin was able to settle down after that and induced a 6-4-3 double play and ground out ended the inning. Of the 19 pitches he threw, just nine were from strikes.
Chris Heisey lead off the top of the second by lacing a single into left field and went on to swipe second. The Reds’ starter Mat Latos attempted to lay down a bunt to move the runner over, but popped out to catcher Michael McKenry for the first out. Choo picked up his second hit of the game by hitting a double to the gap in left center field to drive in Heisey. A second run (unearned) scored after Starling Marte bobbled the ball. Irwin was able to get two grouners back to the mound to escape the frame.
But from there, Irwin settled down over his final three frames allowing just one run to the Reds.
“I was trying to be as calm as possible and I was trying to look as calm as possible,” Irwin said of the moment he walked out to the mound for the first time. “That wasn’t quite the case. It was so much fun. A dream come true, obviously. Every kids dream is to pitch in the big leagues and I can officially say that I’ve done that.”
[Michael] McKenry kept talking to me, making sure I was settled down,” Irwin said. “Pedro [Alvarez] came and visited me in the first. He was like, ‘Hey. Just throw it over the plate. We’re behind you. If they hit, we’re going to make some plays behind you.’ That made me feel a lot more comfortable.”
“It’s tough, spot start,” McKenry said. “After that second inning, he really settled down. We really needed him…It was huge what he did. He kept us in the ballgame and once those nerves shut down a little bit, he was really good.”
Irwin picked up his first Major League strikeout to Jay Bruce swinging on a curveball in a scoreless third, and followed that up with a second straight scoreless inning of work in the fourth. The right-handers fourth walk of the outing came around to score after Phillips drove him in with his second RBI single.
Overall, Irwin allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits over 4.2 innings. He walked four, struck out four while throwing 93 pitches, 55 for strikes.
“The first two innings, just fighting through some nerves,” Irwin said. “I felt like I settled down pretty good. And once I did, I felt normal. Everything was good. The stuff was there. The command was there. I had the guys backing me, so that was nice.”
Irwin was promoted from Triple-A prior to the game on Sunday and the club optioned infielder Josh Harrison to make room. Although it was just a spot start, Irwin learned an invaluable experience by getting his feet wet in the Majors in his short stint.
“This was a very gratifying experience because we walked away with a W,” Hurdle said. “There was definitely some nerves out there that he dealt with. I think he finally found his rhythm in the third inning to some degree…At least he got us to a manageable part of the game when it looked like that might not happen. He didn’t really settle down and find his comfort zone until the third inning. It was good to see him battle. He will feel much better the next time he gets the ball and opportunity again. The experience from this one will help him out a lot.”
