Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates Social Media Round-Up: The Boys are Back in Town (Bradenton, that is)

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Alan Draper
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Sports Editor
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In our weekly Pittsburgh Pirates Social Media Round-up, we take a look at how the Pirates players are transitioning back into baseball form.

 

All of the talk around the Pittsburgh Pirates beat this week is about spring training. Although pitchers and catchers officially had their first workout in Bradenton just yesterday, a majority of the team is already in Florida and ready to go.

The Pirates and their players’ social media feeds are bursting with messages and images of baseballs, black and gold, and that enviable Florida sunshine.

Jordy Mercer spent some time before hitting the road working out in his home state of Oklahoma with Giants’ minor leaguer Ryder Jones (with a little music from fellow Okie Garth Brooks) …

And Gregory Polanco spent his last days in the gym in the Dominican Republic (check out those arms!).

https://www.instagram.com/p/BB3Zj7SJouY/?taken-by=gpolanco25

Soon, he’ll join his off-season workout partner Starling Marte, who headed out to Florida two days ago, as 2/3 of MLB’s greatest outfield. Marte, as always, credited God and hard work for making it possible to do the job he loves.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BB53-ZFhzLP/?taken-by=marte06

Pitching prospect Jameson Taillon is also ready to get things going…

Josh Harrison and Sean Rodriguez worked to squeeze in a little more family time before getting back to the grind. Sean and wife Giselle celebrated an anniversary (Her nickname for him is the best term of endearment ever!).

The Rodriguezes also spent a little time at the Tampa State Fair with their four little ones…

Sean’s kids seemed to enjoy the rides, as did Josh Harrison’s daughter upon her recent trip to the airport with her daddy…

You’d have to be living under a rock to not know that the Pirates introduced a new Sunday alternate uniform this week, to rave reviews by fans and media types alike. Andrew McCutchen, earning his paycheck as the face of the franchise, served as the premier model of the new gear, which is meant to be a nod to the 1979 team. And just to prove that models have their own issues with appearance, Cutch expressed concern with his own looks as well…

Jung Ho Kang, however, seems content enough with his appearance to turn it into a tattoo – on himself.

A lot of folks spotted an interesting bit of art on Kang’s leg while watching videos and viewing photos from his workouts in Florida. With players wearing standard issue pants during the season, sometimes, spring training (when they often take to the field for warm-ups in shorts) is the only time people get a good look at their bare legs. Spied on Kang’s left leg, just below the scar from the surgery to repair the tibial fracture he incurred from a Chris Coghlan take-out slide in mid-Spetember, is a tattoo, of a familiar looking Korean gentleman.

Could it be Kang himself?

Cutch says no.

But Pirates Breakdown source for all things Korean players in MLB Joseph Kim (@blackwings2011) got the real story – from the tattoo artist!

Pittsburgh Pirates Social Media Round-Up: The Boys are Back in Town (Bradenton, that is)
Photo montage courtesy of Joseph Kim

The tattoo is, in fact, of Kang, Kim said. He got it just before coming to the US to play for the Pirates. The image depicts Kang in his Nexen Heroes jersey and Kim explains Kang got the tattoo as a way to encourage himself. “It’s like a decisive act [to give] himself confidence for playing well in MLB,” Kim said.

He added that the tattoo artist uses his work on Kang as a way to draw in business, with a message by the tattoo that says “Many entertainers got some tattoos from this shop. And Kang too.”

Watch Kang reference it, and talk about his overall health and preparedness for the new season in this clip from KDKA Sports.

As spring training gears up, the guys are settling into their homes in Pirate City – but not without a few essentials. Jared Hughes is quoted in an article on MLB.com this morning about his need for ear plugs and a sleep mask to ensure he gets enough rest during spring training. And when he isn’t resting, he can watch movies on his phone or tablet without getting those dreaded neck aches with his new device from Firebox…

The Pirates are working hard to get fans hyped up and in the know during spring training with a litany of photos and videos. Here’s a small sampling:

Finally, we’re going to end things this week on a serious note. It was revealed earlier this week that Texas Rangers third base coach Tony Beasley has rectal cancer and that he will undergo chemotherapy during spring training. Baseball is a competitive sport, but as Cutch says, “Different team, same family.” Healing thoughts and wishes go out to Tony and the Rangers organization.

Thanks for checking us out here at Pirates Breakdown. Make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook for the best Pirates coverage all year long!

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Alan Draper

Alan is a vastly experienced sports and gambling writer who is the Chief Editor of The Sports Daily.
View All Posts By Alan Draper

Alan Draper

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Alan is a vastly experienced sports and gambling writer who is the Chief Editor of The Sports Daily.
View All Posts By Alan Draper
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