The 2016 season was supposed to be the beginning of an evolution for the Pittsburgh Pirates
2016 was to be the time when a trio of outfielders armed with the MVP pedigree of Andrew McCutchen, the five-tool talent of Starling Marte and the untapped potential of Gregory Polanco were expected to begin their collective climb as the preeminent pieces of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ future.
Marte was expected to continue his ascension to becoming an eventual All-Star in his third full season, while Polanco would enter his second full year with hopes of building on his nine-home run output in 2015. McCutchen was projected to continue his torrid pace of production as one of baseball’s top performers, and likely speeding up the countdown for his anticipated, yet inevitable departure from the North Shore.
The previously-named “Dream Outfield” was finally ready for its eventual takeoff into baseball’s stratosphere of stardom, but as we stand today, has yet to arrive at its destination.
A Speed Bump Or Something More?
But as the early months of the season unfolded, the four-time MVP finalist continued to look less and less like himself as his offensive numbers slowly spiraled downward, prompting fans, media and industry insiders alike to ask: What’s wrong with Andrew McCutchen?
[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””](Polanco) can range from looking like a natural outfielder to Bambi on the frozen pond[/perfectpullquote]The precipitous decline cost McCutchen his streak of five straight All-Star game appearances, four straight Silver Slugger awards and four consecutive appearances on the National League Most Valuable Player ballot. He eventually rebounded in August and September to still lead his team in home runs (24), but the damage had already been done, and his future with the Pittsburgh Pirates was even more in doubt.
Despite Polanco reaching the 20-home run milestone and Marte emerging as the Pirates’ all-around best player, as evidenced his first All-Star Game and back-to-back Gold Glove awards, the disappointment that was 2016 had created shockwaves for McCutchen.
By the time the Winter Meetings began in Washington, D.C., it wasn’t a matter of if he would be traded; it was when. Reports of potential trade deals, negotiations and prospective partners continued to circulate, but in the end, McCutchen was still a Pirate. Then the team announced the outfield alignment was changing, with all three men switching positions: Marte to center field from left, McCutchen to right field from center, and Polanco over to left field.
They were being rearranged before our eyes like a game of “Three Card Monty,” but the star-studded trio would indeed stay together for what could potentially be one last ride together. Unfortunately, that ship never got far from the port.
A Grinding Halt
The three men had each done their part to help the Pittsbugh Pirates Pirates sweep the Chicago Cubs in a weekend series at Wrigley Field before the season would suffer another significant setback, perhaps its biggest. On April 18, Major League Baseball announced Marte was suspended 80 games for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs.
Marte said in a written statement: “Neglect and lack of knowledge have led me to this mistake with the high price to pay of being away from the field that I enjoy and love so much.” It was a plea for forgiveness that may have fallen on mostly unforgiving ears. Marte’s suspension has kicked out one of the legs of the tripod that was supposed to lead the charge together. But the truth is, each of those supporting legs had shown signs of wobbling.
Polanco has been given manager Clint Hurdle’s complete trust with the cleanup spot in the batting order, but is also the only player from the team’s Opening Day lineup that has yet to hit a home run. His slash numbers have trended downward monthly dating back to last season, leading some (including myself) to wonder if he is indeed a true fit for the role. Add in his defensive efforts that can range from looking like a natural outfielder to Bambi on the frozen pond, and it adds the missing color to the image of potential that has yet to fully blossom.
Back to the MVP
McCutchen – tied for the team lead in home runs (three) and second on the team in RBI (nine) – has shown a slight uptick in his first 19 games played, if only because his production is historically worse in the beginning of the season. But there have been moments when his actions and performance have been confusing, if not frustrating. In the first game in St. Louis after Marte’s suspension, McCutchen made a series of plays against the Cardinals in his return to center field, and emphatically let it be known that “This is my spot.”
[mlbvideo id=”1299429183″ width=”400″ height=”224″ /]Days later, McCutchen made one of his worst plays of the season when what should have been an easy fly out fell between him and Polanco for a base hit. With the lack of a fourth outfielder (by trade) listed on the roster, the scramble to re-shuffle the defense with Marte’s absence could be made even more complicated, given McCutchen’s combined -50 defensive runs saved in center field, dating back to 2014.
The 2017 season was expected to have its share of adversity, given the absence of Jung Ho Kang because of legal trouble in his native South Korea, the expected bumps in the road for young pitchers like Jameson Taillon, Chad Kuhl and Tyler Glasnow in the rotation, and the departure of players the team relied heavily upon last season (whether by trade or free agency). The play of their talented triumvirate of outfielders was supposed to be the pillar that kept this team standing until help arrived later in the season, but that foundation has undoubtedly faltered and may never be the same again.
What was once a dream, for many reasons, has still yet to become a reality, and will probably be remembered as what merely could have – or should have been – for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Josh Taylor is an award-winning sports broadcasting personality, currently hosting BUCCO TALK the Pirates’ flagship 93.7 The Fan every Saturday. Josh can also be seen on KDKA and The CW networks.
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