Welcome Back Francisco – Cervelli’s Impact on Pirates Undeniable

Francisco Cervelli Rejoined the Pittburgh Pirates Line-up Tuesday Night, Injecting Enthusiasm and Amore in a Team Lacking Both of Late

A lot of things went down in last night’s Pittsburgh Pirates game against the Brewers.

They weren’t pretty in baseball terms.

There were errors, a triple with no-outs that resulted in the dreaded runner left in scoring position, lack of run support for rookie pitcher Jameson Taillon, a second blown save for closer Mark Melancon…and yet, what we see in the headlines this morning across Pittsburgh, even national sports media, is “The Pirates Are Back.”

Why, after what was a lackluster game punctuated by two huge events (Taillon taking a 105-mph line drive to the back of the head and a walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth on a little league homer – or triple with an error if you want to be less dramatic) is that the pervasive feeling about this team? Two words: That’s Amore.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”#000000″ class=”” size=””]Cervelli plays the game like a guy who considers himself lucky to be on that field every night.[/perfectpullquote]

For the first time since June 10, Pirates fans heard Dean Martin croon that song as catcher Francisco Cervelli, sidelined after breaking the hamate bone in his left hand and undergoing surgery to repair the injury, stepped up to the plate. The crowd responded – many giving the beloved Venezuelan-Italian catcher a standing ovation and others cheering loudly. He acknowledged the moment by subtly touching the bill of his batting helmet – and then squaring up to take his pitch. And while I didn’t see what was going on in the dugout at that moment, I have to imagine Cervy’s teammates we also cheering him on – whether it was visible or not.

Upon joining the team for the 2015 season, Francisco Cervelli infused the Pirates with an energy and a boyish excitement punctuated with a desire to work hard and lift up the entire roster. He had big shoes to fill, and he’s done so with the humility, grace, honesty and 1,000 watt smile that have become his hallmarks on and off the field. His exuberance about the game, his work and his team is infectious – so much so, that during last night’s game, it felt like the Buccos were all coming down with a case of the Cervys.

And that’s what this team has been missing.

Cervelli plays the game like a guy who considers himself lucky to be on that field every night. And with a past peppered with injuries and one poor decision – he is. He is a man who stated that he was “embarassed” after getting injured mere months after signing a three-year, $31 million contract extension with the Pirates. He is the player who is routinely photographed kissing his teammates on the tops of their heads in the dugout after great plays. He is a player who allows his emotions to show, but never lets them get in the way of doing his job.

While on the DL, he was seen in the dugout, sitting in his usual corner, cheering on the team and the two new catchers the Pirates acquired to spell back-up catcher Chris Stewart (who was beaten up after taking on the starting role to the point that he’s now on the DL himself). But sitting on the bench, walking into the clubhouse at the end of the night with a pristine uniform, isn’t the same as climbing up those stairs and crouching behind that plate 300 some-odd times a game. That’s what made last night different. It wasn’t his at bats – although a walk, stolen base and sac fly is nothing to sneeze at, especially in a game that came down to the wire. It was his presence on that field, watching over the team from the unique perspective only a catcher has that injected some fire back into a team that to date hasn’t performed up to its own expectations this season – especially in the month of June.

While there are many moments in Cervelli’s return to play last night that could be examined to determine his “worth” to the team in terms of the statistical mumbo jumbo that empowers people with much more formal baseball education than I to forecast the catcher’s probable performance for the rest of the season, I choose to focus on the most human of them all. When that line drive left the bat of Brewers third baseman Hernan Perez at 105 miles-per-hour and glanced off the back of Taillon’s head so hard that it left stitch indentations on his cap near the MLB logo, Cervelli sprinted out to the mound. He knelt at Taillon’s head and stayed with him until trainer Todd Tomczyk reached him seconds later.

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Cervelli’s actions in that moment and his work to get back onto the field – and Taillon’s a few minutes later in getting up and staying in the game – exemplified what we think of when we think of the Pittsburgh Pirates we’ve seen make it to the post-season. Reacting from the gut when the moment is needed, a grit and determination to perform your duties at all cost and the desire to put the team before the individual – those are the things that have led the Pirates to greatness in the past – and if there, will lead them to greatness once more.

Welcome Back Fran – the Pittsburgh Pirates and their fans have missed you.

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