The Pittsburgh Pirates’ Spring Training is winding down – but the guys are just getting started, celebrating a USA WBC win and bonding as a team.
WBC Champs
Andrew McCutchen and Josh Harrison rejoined the team Friday after their Championship win over Puerto Rico on Wednesday night. They showed off their medals in the clubhouse.
🥇🇺🇸 #WBC2017 pic.twitter.com/EBaKwwQW8M
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 24, 2017
(Here’s a close-up view thanks to Root Sports Pittsburgh)
Here's the front of J-Hay's WBC gold medal. -RI pic.twitter.com/S2CtiZoGHc
— AT&T SportsNet™ PIT (@ATTSportsNetPIT) March 24, 2017
And here's the back. -RI pic.twitter.com/paLzCD4btl
— AT&T SportsNet™ PIT (@ATTSportsNetPIT) March 24, 2017
Harrison, a late addition to the team, loved his time representing his country.
Truly a blessing and honor 2 rep the USA! Special thanks 2 @sluggernation @EvoShield @wilsonballglove @adidasBaseball @mimsbandz 4 the swag! pic.twitter.com/xSlGQsZ3cK
— Josh Harrison (@jhay_da_man) March 24, 2017
The celebration photos were fun, and it was neat that Cutch and J-Hay stuck together throughout.
Champions. #WBC2017 pic.twitter.com/gCwjjcbGt9
— WBC Baseball (@WBCBaseball) March 23, 2017
And even after his performance in the World Baseball Classic, in case you still had doubts as to whether Cutch is ready for 2017 – I mean REALLY ready…
Get Hyped with Andrew McCutchen (@TheCUTCH22) #springtrainging pic.twitter.com/W1v917zBAG
— Stack Sports (@StackSports) March 19, 2017
#FamaleeForever
Jose Osuna is working his butt off to secure a spot on the big league team this season. I’m rooting for him just so we can see more photos like this of him with his daughter. He’s already rocking the Pirates notion of “We Are Family” very strongly.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BSDypdRDKwJ/?taken-by=joseosuna36
Starling Marte takes the idea of family and extends it a bit. Last week we brought you the story of how Gregory Polanco got to be involved with Striking Out Poverty, a campaign through Food for the Hungry that uses baseball to end poverty in the most vulnerable regions of the Dominican Republic. Marte is also involved in the movement and visited Villa Mella along with other players (and Polanco) to play baseball with and inspire some of the kids there back in January.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BR81a4Dl1Ol/?taken-by=marte06
It looks like Adam Frazier got in a little family time last week when the Bucs played the Braves at Champion Stadium in Lake Buena Vista (Can you see the resemblance?).
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRmErwuB6CE/?taken-by=a_fraz12
Speaking of family – as far as family ties and baseball goes, the story doesn’t get any better than Gift Ngoepe and his little brother, Victor, who literally grew up in a baseball stadium in their native South Africa.
Gift and his brother Victor Ngoepe this morning at LECOM. pic.twitter.com/0TMjZAS2bj
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 24, 2017
Jameson Taillon’s parents paid a visit to their not-so-wee one, and by the looks of it, did a little shopping.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRl5Rw9j_Lw/?taken-by=j_taillon19
Jamo, and the other pitchers he’s spent time with on the farm, are just like family to Steven Brault – who got a little sentimental in his Insta (perhaps still trying to beat down those ridiculous feud rumors from a few weeks back).
https://www.instagram.com/p/BR6xhMSAI9j/?taken-by=skoobuh
And while the Steelers are, let’s say, cousins to the Pirates – Clint Hurdle is keeping his eyes on his men to make sure none of them leave camp with Uncle Mike…
.@steelers Mike Tomlin has eyes on @pirates @JBell_19, Hurdle does head count after. @PittsburghPG @PGSportsNow https://t.co/bCJeoFkrlZ pic.twitter.com/77S5mKuoGJ
— Matt Freed (@mattfreedpghpg) March 17, 2017
Josh Bell, for his part, knows what he needs to work on at least…
Off-season gig? Gotta work on my 40 time 😂💪🏾 https://t.co/FP1oMdtmiZ
— Joshua Bell (@JBell_19) March 19, 2017
Throwbacks
Gregory Polanco threw it way back on Insta – all the way back to when the Pirates played Team Dominican Republic earlier in the month!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BSAJ6zyl4mI/?taken-by=gpolanco25
He says here that he told Alen Hanson to smile because there would be people taking their pictures now that he’s on base.
Francisco Cervelli is always good for some nice #TBT action and this one didn’t disappoint…
https://www.instagram.com/p/BR-2xcHjA05/?taken-by=fran_cervelli
All Work and No Play
Spring Training is about getting in “Baseball Mode” for a long season ahead, and it’s also about bonding with your teammates. The Pirates did just that at a popular escape room in Bradenton.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRtSZd5FERH/?taken-by=davidfreese
What better way to bond as a team than escaping a serial killer's basement together @EscapeBradenton (with 30 minutes to spare) @Pirates
— Jameson Taillon (@JTaillon50) March 16, 2017
Final Thought
Sometimes, pictures speak volumes. Felipe Rivero’s simple sunset is the perfect soothing end to another week of Pirates baseball!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BSCi3kZDZf_/?taken-by=felipe_43rivero
That’s all this week for the Pittsburgh Pirates Social Media Round-up. The Pirates take on the Tigers today at 1:05 p.m. at LECOM Park. Have a great week and #LetsGoBucs
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