“To celebrate is fun, but we’ve still got to take care of business.”-Andrew McCutchen
I could not help but latch onto that quote from the Pirates NL MVP candidate and star center fielder. Like a lot of other Pirates fans, we watched the Pirates celebrate a second consecutive playoff birth.
We logged onto Twitter to remind people who gave up on the Pirates when the Pirates were 10-18 in early May, that this team was resilient and never gave up. They found a way.
We maybe even kicked ourselves for saying the Pirates were done after getting swept in St. Louis three short weeks ago. They were done, it was over, no chance this team would find their way into the playoffs.
Too many injuries. The bullpen stinks. Not enough quality starting pitching. Can’t win without Pedro…
Since that 1-0 loss to the Cardinals on September 3, the Pirates have reeled off 15 wins in their last 18 games. Now suddenly, and some might say miraculously, they could be on the verge of doing something that would have been considered nearly impossible just days ago; surpassing the Cardinals and winning their first division title since 1992.
Every day there seems to be a new storyline. Josh Harrison challenging for a batting title, a washed up, independent league pitcher coming out of nowhere to be a key piece of the bullpen, the resurgence of the starting rotation.
However, I latch on to McCutchen’s quote.
Seems simple enough, sounds like hyperbole on the surface. Just another low-hanging fruit type of quote to placate the masses.
That’s until you see the look on McCutchen’s face. Once those googles were off (those were pretty darn cool, by the way), you saw the look of a player, and in turn, a team, that is on a mission to make this journey count.
Make no mistake, McCutchen is easily as a good as there is in baseball, one of a handful of the best players in the game. He might even win his second consecutive NL MVP in spite of missing time with a rib injury. However, the difference this year is this team is about more than McCutchen, it’s a team.
We know about Harrison. His story is becoming the stuff of legend; from bench player to a bonafide star. More importantly, he seems to thrive in the big moments, and there will be some assuredly ahead in October. Speaking of guys who shine brightest when it counts the most, Russell Martin looks like he’s ready to make his off-season price tag even more pricey, and I think every Pirate fan will live with that if it means a long postseason run.
Just when there was serious doubts about the bullpen, they seem to be finding their 2013 form just in time for the postseason. Folks, John Holdzkom is for real, and adding him into the mix with Jared Hughes, Tony Watson and Mark Melancon, and suddenly there is reason to believe this group is good enough to help the Pirates win against the best baseball has to offer.
Though one has to wonder if this starting rotation can be good enough in the postseason, they certainly come in hot. Momentum means a lot, especially in October. Just ask Clint Hurdle, he rode a serious wave of it all the way to the World Series in Colorado.
If that 2007 Rockies team can make it to the World Series, than you have to believe the 2014 Pirates can.
What I will take away from last night’s celebration is the look in McCutchen’s eyes.
It told me he believes that too.
