Pirates Finally Learning To Play "Pick Me Up"

"Cole 45" is Set To Debut Tonight for the Pirates
vs. the SF Giants at PNC Park

Tonight is the night that alot of Pirates fans have been awaiting for over a year...Gerrit Cole makes his Major League Debut against the San Francisco Giants at PNC Park.  The city, the fan base, and everyone that is remotely connected to the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball club is buzzing over tonight's game.  I have moderate expectations for the young phenom based solely on the fact that you can't expect him to step onto the mound and have a "Strasburg-esque" MLB debut.  Is it possible?  Certainly.  Is it probable against the defending World Series Champions?  Probably not.  The one thing that the Pirates are finally doing that will help "Cole 45" out is they are learning to play "Pick Me Up".

What is playing "Pick Me Up"?  Well, this might be something that only I am familiar with dating back to my playing days, but nonetheless its something that all great baseball teams have.  A team that has "Pick Me Up" is the team that doesn't just have one player,  but everyone contributes.  I distinctly remember how it was used when I used to play.  If a player was up with runners in scoring position with no outs and strikes out, he would come to the dugout saying "Someone pick me up here!".  He acknowledged his mistake/lack of performance and was relying on his teammates to help make the play he felt he should have made.  Same was said when a fielding error was made.  If the SS made a throwing error he'd tell the pitcher: "My bad there...pick me up here!"  To me, a team that has that "Pick Me Up" factor is a dangerous team.

Think back to last year's magical June and July for the Buccos.  As good as they were, they were essentially carried by Mr. Andrew McCutchen.  Cutch did it all...incredible fielding plays, stealing bases, hitting the snot out of the ball.  You name it, Cutch got the job done.  I realize that pitchers had to make pitches, but I remember games where Cutch had more than half of the team's hits and 2 of them drove in runs.  He carried a very inconsistent and spotty offense.  This year is a little different for several reasons.  First, McCutchen isn't going crazy like he was last year...YET.  Cutch is having some of that bad luck that sometimes accompanies solid hitters.  He is hitting the ball hard, but right at defenders.  At some point you have to think those will start to fall, but in the meantime players like Pedro Alvarez, Garrett Jones, Travis Snider, and even Gaby Sanchez are picking up the offense for the Buccos.  Secondly, there have been some very uncharacteristic fielding errors this year, but the Pirates pitching/bull pen is picking up the defense in almost ALL of those situations.  Essentially, this team is playing more as a team this season than they were last year, even during their red hot June and July stretch.

How does this affect the debut of "Cole 45"?  Simple.  The first thing that comes to mind is the scene from the baseball movie "For Love of the Game".  Kevin Costner's character is pitcher Billy Chapel and plays for the hapless Tigers.  While throwing a perfect game (SPOILER ALERT) his catcher goes out to the mound when it looks that Chapel has nothing left in the tank and says "We don't suck right now...we are the best team in baseball RIGHT NOW.  Just throw pitches and let us make plays!"  Gerrit Cole can't go into the game tonight thinking he is going to simply mow down hitters like Pablo Sandoval, Hunter Pence, and Buster Posey.  Instead, he has to rely on his defense and that defense needs to "Pick Up" their young pitcher.

The Pirates are a better TEAM this year than the past 2 seasons, but that has to continue throughout the duration for the full effects to really be felt.  Good things on are the horizon for this team, and it starts with the  Gerrit Cole debut tonight.  If Cole can get out of the first 3 innings unscathed, I think he will settle down and just pitch...and when that happens...only good things can happen.  Lets Go Bucs!