In our daily Wake-Up Call, we get you ready for the day with a complete look at all things Pittsburgh Pirates.
Colin Moran will undoubtedly enter the 2018 regular season with the least amount of experience of any Pirates starter.
Moran will likely be the team’s everyday starter at third base heading into the season despite having only played in 16 career major league games over the last two seasons.
His lack of experience at the big league level brings up the question, is Moran ready for this type of role? The answer is yes.
Moran, a former first round draft pick of the Miami Marlins, has had a very nice spring, hitting .333 in just under 50 at-bats with six RBIs.
The 25-year-old, who has started 14 games at third base this spring, was the Pirates top offensive threat against Toronto Thursday. He went 3 for 5 with an RBI and run scored in a 5-4 loss to the Blue Jays.
Moran tweaked his approach at the plate last season and it is clearly paying dividends.
The fact that he was the centerpiece in the trade that sent pitcher Gerrit Cole to the Houston Astros puts a little bit of pressure on him as a starter at third, but it won’t fall solely on him. He has David Freese to rely on as the veteran will serve as a capable back up at third base. Freese will back up Josh Bell at first as well.
This will certainly help Moran as he progresses through a grueling 162-game season, something he hasn’t had to do before. But if his spring training performance is any indication of what he will bring to the table this season, he should be up for the challenge of playing every day.
Pirates Guide – the perfect gift for a Pittsburgh Pirates fan
Our 280-page Pittsburgh Pirates 2018 season preview book is now available on Amazon in e-book and paperback formats! CLICK HERE to learn more. Makes a perfect gift for any Pirates fan in your life.
Baseball talk on the web
- Brian Roberts will enter the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame this summer.
- New York Mets pitcher Rafael Montero has a UCL tear and will likely undergo Tommy John Surgery.
- Express entrances have been added at a number of ball parks around the country.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
