http://www.timesonline.com/
July 9, 2012
Andrew McCutchen #22 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a two run home run in the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants during the game on July 8, 2012 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pirates defeated the Giants 13-2. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images North America)
PITTSBURGH – Pittsburgh fans are acutely aware of the last time a Pirate was named the National League's MVP, though the mention of that honoree's name is met with much derision.
Barry Bonds earned the award for Pittsburgh in 1992. The following year, Bonds departed for San Francisco via free agency and ushered in what has been an endless string of losing seasons. When he left the Golden Triangle, among his baggage was a bad reputation -- a reputation for postseason shortcomings and, perhaps even more damning, a reputation for being a first-class knucklehead.While the city embraced Barry Bonds the player, it was tough to embrace Barry Bonds the person.
These days, there are MVP chants ringing through Pittsburgh once more. They could be heard Sunday as the Pirates beat the Giants 13-2 at PNC Park. They're for another outfielder, another All-Star.
The chants are for Andrew McCutchen, who enters the All-Star break leading the major leagues with a .362 batting average.
The purpose here is not to stump for McCutchen for NL MVP. It's pretty clear he is on a short list of candidates at the season's midpoint.
No, there's something more important here than his MVP candidacy. As good a player as McCutchen is, he comes across as an even better person.
As he stood in front of his locker and spoke to a handful of media Sunday -- yes, unlike Bonds, McCutchen is media friendly -- he could hardly contain his smile as he talked about his upcoming appearance in the All-Star Game and his participation in the Home Run Derby. He joked about how he asked his former high school coach to pitch to him during the Derby.
He admitted to still being nervous before every game -- All-Star or not. He said he's not doing the Home Run Derby to raise his national profile; he's just out to have a good time. He even balked initially at the invitation he got from the Dodgers' Matt Kemp.
“You look at the guys who are in the Home Run Derby, they're guys who hit 50 home runs. They're big guys who drive the ball 500 feet,” said McCutchen. “I'm not a person who's going to hit a ball 500 feet. It's not going to happen.
“I never thought I'd be in a Home Run Derby ever. I kind of had to talk myself into it. My girlfriend (Maria) actually talked me into it. I tried to talk myself out of it.”
Clearly, McCutchen is a guy who gets it. Recently, he hosted players from rival City League high schools Oliver and Perry at PNC Park. The schools' baseball teams will combine next season, and McCutchen did a brief clinic as well as talked to the players about the importance of hard work and being a good teammate.
When asked if he feels like he belongs in the All-Star Game this time around -- he was added to the roster last year as an injury replacement -- McCutchen didn't spout his numbers while thumping his chest. He didn't loudly proclaim that he deserved every bit of the $51.5 million the Pirates just gave him in his contract extension.
Braggadocio and brashness are not his style.
“I'm there because of what other players noticed,” he said. “Yeah, they noticed it, so I must be doing something right. I feel like I belong because of that.”
“MVP! MVP! MVP!” It cascaded from the stands after McCutchen hit his 17th homer of the season in the first inning Sunday. He took Tim Lincecum over the right-center field wall to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead.
It came again after he hit another two-run homer in the seventh. McCutchen acknowledged the cheers with a curtain call.
It was a fitting way for McCutchen to go into the All-Star Game, an experience he said he's better prepared to face this time around.
“Last year I wasn't expecting to go in. My eyes were so wide and so big. I just really didn't know how to handle it,” he said. “I went to take (batting practice) and there's hundreds of people in front of the dugouts and cameras. I couldn't even take a comfortable batting practice.
“Now I know what to expect and I can kind of relax and just look around and soak it in and smile and have fun instead of looking around like a little kid in Toys R Us.”
He can leave that to the PNC Park crowd that watches as his star continues to rise and his ego remains grounded. He's an MVP candidate the city can embrace both as a player and a person.
Barry Bonds earned the award for Pittsburgh in 1992. The following year, Bonds departed for San Francisco via free agency and ushered in what has been an endless string of losing seasons. When he left the Golden Triangle, among his baggage was a bad reputation -- a reputation for postseason shortcomings and, perhaps even more damning, a reputation for being a first-class knucklehead.While the city embraced Barry Bonds the player, it was tough to embrace Barry Bonds the person.
These days, there are MVP chants ringing through Pittsburgh once more. They could be heard Sunday as the Pirates beat the Giants 13-2 at PNC Park. They're for another outfielder, another All-Star.
The chants are for Andrew McCutchen, who enters the All-Star break leading the major leagues with a .362 batting average.
The purpose here is not to stump for McCutchen for NL MVP. It's pretty clear he is on a short list of candidates at the season's midpoint.
No, there's something more important here than his MVP candidacy. As good a player as McCutchen is, he comes across as an even better person.
As he stood in front of his locker and spoke to a handful of media Sunday -- yes, unlike Bonds, McCutchen is media friendly -- he could hardly contain his smile as he talked about his upcoming appearance in the All-Star Game and his participation in the Home Run Derby. He joked about how he asked his former high school coach to pitch to him during the Derby.
He admitted to still being nervous before every game -- All-Star or not. He said he's not doing the Home Run Derby to raise his national profile; he's just out to have a good time. He even balked initially at the invitation he got from the Dodgers' Matt Kemp.
“You look at the guys who are in the Home Run Derby, they're guys who hit 50 home runs. They're big guys who drive the ball 500 feet,” said McCutchen. “I'm not a person who's going to hit a ball 500 feet. It's not going to happen.
“I never thought I'd be in a Home Run Derby ever. I kind of had to talk myself into it. My girlfriend (Maria) actually talked me into it. I tried to talk myself out of it.”
Clearly, McCutchen is a guy who gets it. Recently, he hosted players from rival City League high schools Oliver and Perry at PNC Park. The schools' baseball teams will combine next season, and McCutchen did a brief clinic as well as talked to the players about the importance of hard work and being a good teammate.
When asked if he feels like he belongs in the All-Star Game this time around -- he was added to the roster last year as an injury replacement -- McCutchen didn't spout his numbers while thumping his chest. He didn't loudly proclaim that he deserved every bit of the $51.5 million the Pirates just gave him in his contract extension.
Braggadocio and brashness are not his style.
“I'm there because of what other players noticed,” he said. “Yeah, they noticed it, so I must be doing something right. I feel like I belong because of that.”
“MVP! MVP! MVP!” It cascaded from the stands after McCutchen hit his 17th homer of the season in the first inning Sunday. He took Tim Lincecum over the right-center field wall to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead.
It came again after he hit another two-run homer in the seventh. McCutchen acknowledged the cheers with a curtain call.
It was a fitting way for McCutchen to go into the All-Star Game, an experience he said he's better prepared to face this time around.
“Last year I wasn't expecting to go in. My eyes were so wide and so big. I just really didn't know how to handle it,” he said. “I went to take (batting practice) and there's hundreds of people in front of the dugouts and cameras. I couldn't even take a comfortable batting practice.
“Now I know what to expect and I can kind of relax and just look around and soak it in and smile and have fun instead of looking around like a little kid in Toys R Us.”
He can leave that to the PNC Park crowd that watches as his star continues to rise and his ego remains grounded. He's an MVP candidate the city can embrace both as a player and a person.
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