Mid-January is upon us and the countdown to Pittsburgh Pirates Spring Training stands at 26 days until the first full-squad workout!
That means Pirates players are getting the last of their off-season relaxing in (in-between workouts, which most guys were doing anyway) before the grind of the season sets in.
Helping Hands
In 2008 the Pittsburgh Pirates instituted the Pirates Community Commitment Program, which encourages each player throughout the entire system to dedicate a minimum of 10 hours of community service to whatever city they play in during the season. According to the Pirates Community newsletter, the program is meant to emulate Bucco great Roberto Clemente’s dedication to service and has resulted in 23,500 hours of service since its inception. There’s no way to know if this helps encourage players to get out and help or if they would anyway (I tend to think it’s the latter) but plenty of the guys seem to be reaching out to help in their off-season communities, as well.
Gregory Polanco was a member of an MLB contingent that recently joined Food for the Hungry Foundation’s Striking Out Hunger Initiative helping nine communities in need his native Dominican Republic. Read about the initiative here and check out some heartwarming tweets below:
Last week, @FlashGJr and @El_Coffee along with a few others were in the DR with @koutpoverty! Check it out here: https://t.co/fuaoZbeAwg.
— Food for the Hungry (@food4thehungry) January 19, 2017
Great time yesterday with @FlashGJr supporting 2 great causes in my beloved DR 🇩🇴@koutpoverty & @food4thehungry 🙏🏼 #givingback #helpothers pic.twitter.com/sZ5XLVkJY3
— Gregory Polanco ☕️ (@El_Coffee) January 11, 2017
This week, Dee Gordon (@FlashGJr) and Gregory Polanco (@El_Coffee) are supporting @koutpoverty & @food4thehungry in the DR. pic.twitter.com/WzHtykgKzK
— Beverly Hills Sports Council (@BHSCouncil) January 11, 2017
If you spend any time following Polanco on social media it’s pretty evident that he has a big heart – especially when it comes to kids. When he’s not helping kids in impoverished communities, he’s hanging with his nieces in his hot tub. What a fun uncle!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPTIhoTjCzw/?taken-by=gpolanco25
Speaking of kids, Jordy Mercer gave these lucky kids a little one-on-one coaching at a baseball facility in Edmond, Oklahoma:
These two enjoyed every bit of their time today with @jordy_mercer in the cages @OKFuelAthletics . Thx @PoppaBrum24 for the gear! pic.twitter.com/tFcwIHyO9r
— Patrick Wellington (@PShakesWell) January 16, 2017
Josh Harrison was also all about hanging with the kids at the annual Harrison Brothers MLK Day camp in Cincinnati.
What a fun day with all these campers at The Harrison Brothers 2017 MLK Day Camp! I had a blast! pic.twitter.com/FHtVCv71ai
— Josh Harrison (@jhay_da_man) January 17, 2017
Thanks @jhay_da_man for being so hands on and involved with the kids at camp today. Frankie had a great time and told Mario you said hello! pic.twitter.com/k2N9hr0niU
— Christina Machi (@TinaPM) January 17, 2017
#NoOffseason
While the Pittsburgh Pirates players have been taking some much-needed time away from baseball this winter, it’s evident that the game is never far from their minds. And once January started, there’s been a noticeable uptick in their social media posts involving training and working out.
Polanco continues building that body – which went through a huge transformation two seasons back…
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPfc4hLDT2s/?taken-by=gpolanco25
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPdU5wSjC7C/?taken-by=gpolanco25
Jose Osuna is already working out with teammates…
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPNp9AqgWE_/?taken-by=joseosuna36
Mercer got in a workout (at least they’re dressed in workout gear) with a motley looking crew in his native Oklahoma.
Fab Friday!! #meanmuggin #BUCN @OKFuelAthletics @PoppaBrum24 @lawnjockey46 @WellnessOTMove @PShakesWell pic.twitter.com/Y1UFkUnYn4
— Jordy Mercer (@jordy_mercer) January 20, 2017
Alen Hanson is working on those fast feet:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPYZ9qsgT17/?taken-by=alenhanson
and is working up quite a sweat in the process.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPV5TDpg17L/?taken-by=alenhanson
Francisco Cervelli sat with Rawlings for the first installment of their Rawlings U program to describe a training drill he does wherever he is:
In the first edition of #RawlingsU @fran_cervelli shares his favorite drill. #TeamRawlings pic.twitter.com/3q0FYRgZ0V
— Rawlings Baseball (@RawlingsSports) January 19, 2017
Trevor Williams, who told us that the off-season is “boring,” continues the throwing program he started in mid-December with all eyes on Bradenton and Pittsburgh…
Getting closer 👀👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/LHvNkl7FA3
— Trevor Williams (@MeLlamoTrevor) January 21, 2017
Fellow pitcher Jameson Taillon is also ready to go.
Back to Houston to continue working/ to enjoy the last few weeks of the offseason. Mini-Camp was a nice tease for the season, so fired up!
— Jameson Taillon (@JTaillon50) January 11, 2017
Jamo trained in his native Houston during the offseason, with Nick Kingham, who apparently roomed with Taillon while there:
Less than one month left of the off season! What an unforgettable one it has been, thanks to… https://t.co/KotgmeRbUR
— Nick Kingham (@NickKingham) January 18, 2017
Felipe Rivero was getting some throwing in, too…
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPdIHi7gWqZ/?taken-by=felipe_43rivero
…and he also tried out his catching skills too.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPOg7X0grVP/?taken-by=felipe_43rivero
And thanks to old friend Joel Hanrahan, we have some idea of what Jared Hughes looks like doing Yoga…
Retired life doesn't mean you can't still be flexible, trying to show these youngs…. https://t.co/KpggiAIv8H pic.twitter.com/TPErI71nXn
— Joel Hanrahan (@hanrahan52) January 19, 2017
All Work and No Play…
Adam Frazier was working on his accuracy recently – not with a ball, though…at least I don’t think so. THAT would be rather Randy Johnsonesque, no?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPfluR3AMS8/?taken-by=a_fraz12
And yes, here is that video in case you were dying to see it…
Honoring MLK
Andrew McCutchen took a moment to honor Martin Luther King Jr. on his timeline this past week.
Stabbed,beaten,persecuted,and murdered but,he never gave up in what he believed.I could never measure how ultimate this man was #MLKday2017 pic.twitter.com/Xtpias1w5p
— Andrew McCutchen (@TheCUTCH22) January 17, 2017
STARling Power
Although we don’t have confirmation, it’s pretty obvious from this photo that two-time Gold Glover Starling Marte is up to some sort of promotional activities with New Balance.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPLXaZ1jLHp/?taken-by=marte06
Ivan Nova got in on the promotion act too, making a #CleanStartPledge for PowerBar.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPamER2AchD/?taken-by=inova47
Pittsburgh Pirates Fan Fun
Don’t forget that the Pirates are doing all kinds of fun stuff on social media to help bridge the gap until spring training. They feature a new fan of the week each Friday on their Facebook page, they’re also doing a #BucsFanFriday contest on twitter (and Snapchat). They throw in #BucsTrivia contests randomly throughout the week on Twitter as well. Pay attention and some autographed Buccos swag could be yours! Also, Spring Training tickets went on sale recently, grab yours before they sell out if you’re going to be in Bradenton!
That’s all this week for the Pittsburgh Pirates Social Media Round-up. Have a great week and #LetsGoBucs
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