Andrew McCutchen: Face of the first half

By David Schoenfield
http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/
July 8, 2012

I've written before how certain seasons become identifiable with one player, or maybe a couple of players.

Last season, for example, clearly belonged to Justin Verlander. You can debate the historic nature of his season, but it just felt like his year, with the 24 wins, the no-hitter, the 100-mph fastballs in the ninth inning of starts and, eventually, the Cy Young and MVP trophies.

I'm not sure if 2012 will end up being one of those seasons; it's too early to know, plus the postseason can come into play -- 1988 turned into Orel Hershiser's year instead of Jose Canseco's when the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Oakland A's in the World Series.

But if I had to pick a face of the first half it's Andrew McCutchen, the 25-year-old center fielder of the first-place Pittsburgh Pirates. Yes, first-place Pirates. McCutchen had another huge game on Sunday in Pittsburgh's 13-2 victory over San Francisco, going 3-for-5 with two home runs, three runs and four RBIs. His two-run homer off Tim Lincecum in the first inning staked the Pirates to an early lead. He's now hitting .362/.414/.625, leads the major leagues in batting average and total bases, leads the NL in slugging percentage, ranks second to Joey Votto in OPS, and is among NL leaders with 18 home runs, 60 RBIs and 58 runs scored.

Jayson Stark gave his first-half NL MVP honors to McCutchen, and I'm inclined to agree. The Pirates keep winning, and McCutchen keeps delivering big hits.

Over his past nine games, McCutchen is scorching hot at 21-for-38 (.553) with 15 runs scored. But this stretch of dominance goes back to early June. McCutchen had helped keep the Pirates afloat the first two months, when the offense struggled to generate runs. The Pirates hit .228 in April and averaged just 2.6 runs per game. They weren't much better in May, hitting .210 and scoring 3.2 runs per game. Without McCutchen's .331/.389/.541 line through May, the Pirates wouldn't have been 25-25. On June 8 and 9, McCutchen went hitless in consecutive games for the only time this season. Since June 10, he's hitting .443 with 27 RBIs in the 26 games he's played. And since June 1, the Pirates are 23-12. If you want to go back a bit further, the Pirates are 34-19 since May 12, tied with the Angels and Yankees for the best record since that date.

McCutchen hasn't been a one-man show. Neil Walker had five hits on Sunday. A.J. Burnett won his ninth consecutive decision. Pedro Alvarez has been blasting some home runs and the bullpen has been terrific. The Pirates -- with 19 consecutive losing seasons -- are in first place at the All-Star break for the first time since 1997. It's the feel-good story of the first half.

"I am not going up to bat to hit home runs," McCutchen said after Sunday's game. "I am just trying to put good swings on balls and when I do that, depending on where the pitch is and how my swing is, some balls go out."

We've seen plenty of those good swings so far.

My other top-five faces of the first half:
2. Mike Trout and Bryce Harper
Youth, energy, excitement and, best of all, talent ooze from every pore of their body. Not since Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr. broke in with the Mariners have we seen players of this ability at this age, where we can realistically say "There is no limit to their potential."

Let's start with Trout. Stark gave his first-half AL MVP to Trout -- and once again I agree. It's time to stop looking for holes in his game. He doesn't have any. The 20-year-old rookie outfielder, who spent the first 20 games of the season at Triple-A, hit his 12th home run in the Angels' 6-0 shutout over the Orioles on Sunday. Simply put, he's having one of the greatest rookie seasons of all time and one of the greatest seasons ever by a 20-year-old. He's hitting .341/.397/.562 and leads the AL in batting average and stolen bases while ranking fourth in OPS. Entering Sunday, his Baseball-Reference WAR (wins above replacement level) was an astonishing 4.6 in just 63 games.

We ran this list earlier in the season, but here are the players since 1901 who had a 5.0 WAR season since 1901:

Ty Cobb, Tigers, 1907: 6.6
Mel Ott, Giants, 1929: 7.3
Ted Williams, Red Sox, 1939: 6.6
Mickey Mantle, Yankees, 1952: 6.3
Al Kaline, Tigers, 1955: 8.0
Frank Robinson, Reds, 1956: 6.2
Vada Pinson, Reds, 1959: 6.3
Ken Griffey Jr., Mariners, 1990: 5.0
Alex Rodriguez, Mariners, 1996: 9.2
Jason Heyward, Braves, 2010: 6.3

As for Harper, he's younger than Trout and is hitting .282/.354/.472. Like Trout, he's an impressive blend of power and speed. Most impressively for a 19-year-old, he's held his own against left-handers after struggling against them in his brief sojourn through the minors. Maybe nobody is surprised by this since Harper's future stardom was projected ever since he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a 16-year-old with anecdotes of his Ruthian feats at the plate.

Still, he's 19. Most kids his age are in Class A or rookie ball. Harper currently owns an .826 OPS. The only two 19-year-olds to post an .800 OPS were Ott and Tony Conigliaro. Maybe pitchers will find holes in their swings in the second half. Maybe the long grind of 162 games will wear them out. Or, scary thought, maybe they'll get better.

3. R.A. Dickey
The Mets are a surprising 46-40, and their 37-year-old knuckleballer is a huge reason why with his 12-1, 2.40 first half. He's allowed one run or no runs in 10 of his 17 starts and opponents are hitting .203 off him. No pitcher who employed the knuckleball as his primary pitch has ever won the Cy Young Award. I have a feeling Dickey will be in that discussion come season's end.

4. Josh Hamilton
In a season of perfect games, no-hitters and other pitching gems, Hamilton's four-homer game on May 8 in Baltimore stands out. So do his 27 home runs and 75 RBIs -- and that's despite a June slump that saw him hit .223 with four home runs. It will be interesting to see if Hamilton or Jose Bautista -- also with 27 home runs -- can chase down Roger Maris' 61 home runs. No, that's not the single-season record, but let's just say it will be interesting to see how everyone reacts if that number is approached.

5. Joey Votto
Votto's 14 home runs and 48 RBIs may not impress you, but hopefully his .348/.471/.617 line does. That on-base percentage is 90 points higher than Hamilton's and Votto actually raises his numbers with runners in scoring position (.377/.535/.836). With 35 doubles in the Reds' first 85 games, Votto is on pace for 67, which would tie Earl Webb's record set in 1931. It's an obscure record, but it will be a fun chase if Votto gets close.

It's been a wild ride in the first half. I can't wait for the second half.

Steve Blass hitting Northern Tier to tout book

By Deborah Deasy
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
http://triblive.com/sports/
July 11, 2012

Steve Blass, the former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher, pulled off the road last week to talk, via cell phone, about this new book, "A Pirate for Life."

"I'm just running errands. I'm just outside the post office,'" said Blass, 70, of Upper St. Clair, now an announcer for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Blass will sign copies of "A Pirate for Life," his first book — "and last," he said — at 6:30 p.m. July 17 in the Northern Tier Regional Library, Richland. Copies also will be available for purchase.

Blass pitched two of the Pirates' games with the Baltimore Orioles in the 1971 World Series, including the Pirates series-winning seventh game.

Blass then lost his pitching prowess.

"I still don't know why it happened," said Blass. "It was a gradual thing . . . I didn't hit a batter in the head, or do anything dramatic. It was just a slump that never got corrected.

"It was never a physical problem," he said. "I went to psychologists, visualization guys. I tried pitching from the knee — everything I could do physically, as a pitcher.

"I could pitch fine in the bullpen when it wasn't a game situation and there was no batter up," Blass said. "It was all psychological."

Blass chronicles his fall from glory in "A Pirate for Life" (Triumph, $25) with co-author Erik Sherman, 46, of New Rochelle, N.Y.

Sherman played baseball at Emerson College with Pirates announcer Tim Neverett.

"I found him to be the wittiest person I've ever met," Sherman said about Blass.

Blass also "speaks eloquently," said Sherman, also co-author of "Out at Home: The Glenn Burke Story," another autobiography by the first major league baseball player to reveal his homosexuality.

Pirates announcer Greg Brown actually suggested that Sherman write a book on Blass when Brown met Sherman a few years ago at the Grand Hyatt New York in Manhattan.

To help Blass write "A Pirate for Life," Sherman recorded and transcribed untold hours of phone interviews with Blass. Sherman also talked to dozens of his friends, family members and former teammates.

"Writing the book has helped my sons and my wife to understand a little more about what I went through, and what I was trying to do by internalizing. That's been an unexpected, real plus for our family," Blass said.

In October, Blass and his wife Karen will celebrate their 49th wedding anniversary.

The couple met as teenagers in a driver's education class, and once lived at Tamarack Farm on Babcock Boulevard in Pine.

"There's a little cottage. We rented that," Blass said. The kitchen was downstairs, so every time it rained, it flooded.

"We had a wonderful summer there," Blass said, recalling the summer of 1969. "We taught our sons about horse. It was all apple orchards back then."

In addition to having two sons — David and Christopher — Steven and Karen Blass have five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

"A Pirate for Life" includes a photo of the couple, with their two boys, at the Pirates' 1972 spring training camp.

Triumph Books published the 256-page hardback on May 1.

"It's been one of the best sellers for Triumph this spring" said Triumph spokesman Bill Ames. "Everybody has been thrilled with how actively Steve has been involved with promoting his book, and doing interviews and telling his story."

Blass sold Jostens class rings after he retired from the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1975.

"I played before free agency, so I didn't make a lot of money in the major leagues," Blass said. "So I took a job four months after I got through playing . . . My only problem was I was 32, and I was competing with other companies that had guys who were 22 and 23, dressed better and had more hair."

Blass worked eight years for Jostens.

"Then I worked for Frank Fuhrer, an Anheiser-Busch distributorship, and then I got into broadcasting," Blass said.

"All through that I still was connected to the Pirates through clinics and appearances. So my continuity is 54 years," Blass said.

In addition to supplying color commentary on Pirates' games, Blass also participates in the team's annual fantasy training camps for men age 40 and older.

"We major leaguers play a game against the campers on the last day of camp, so I pitch a couple innings, just for the joy of it," Blass said.

"The good news is that 30 years after all this went on, I ran into a guy who helped me pitch again — it sounds so simple — by replacing negatives with positives," Blass said. "His name is Dr. Richard Crowley, who helped me find the joy of throwing again.

"That's what I missed the most. "

 

Report: Star pitcher Mark Appel may return to Stanford

Bay Area News Group staff

San Jose Mercury-News

http://www.mercurynews.com/

July 9, 2012

Stanford ace pitcher Mark Appel, a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates, is reportedly strongly considering returning to the Cardinal and re-entering the draft next year.

CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman reported that Appel is "leaning against" signing with the Pirates. The deadline for draft picks to sign with MLB teams is 2 p.m. PT Friday.

Appel, who was drafted by Pittsburgh with the No. 8 overall pick last month, has thus far turned down the Pirates' reported maximum offer of $3.8 million. Due to new MLB draft rules, if Appel signs for more than $3.8 million, the Pirates will be stripped of their 2013 No. 1 pick.

However, if Appel eschews Pittsburgh's offer to stay at Stanford, the Pirates will get the No. 8 overall pick in next year's draft -- in addition to their other 2013 first-round pick.

Appel is one of six first-round picks from the June draft who have yet to sign.

Appel, a former Monte Vista High star, was a second-team All-America team selection after going 10-2 with a 2.56 ERA in 16 starts for Stanford. The right-hander led the Pac-12 during the regular season with 130 strikeouts in 123 innings.

The Unbelievable, and Still Underrated, Andrew McCutchen

By Matt Snyder
http://www.cbssports.com/
July 9, 2012

National League All-Star Andrew McCutchen #22 of the Pittsburgh Pirates at bat in the first round during the State Farm Home Run Derby at Kauffman Stadium on July 9, 2012 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images North America)

 

KANSAS CITY -- "Who is the best player in baseball?"

It's one of those sports-bar arguments where there's really no correct answer, but still fun to kick around nonetheless. I'm guessing if you hopped around random bars in America and asked the question to casual baseball fans, a sampling of the following names would come up: Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, Miguel Cabrera, Robinson Cano, Joey Votto, Matt Kemp and Ryan Braun. Depending upon where you were, geographically, obviously some others would come up, too.

But would Andrew McCutchen's name ever get mentioned -- aside from the areas surrounding Pittsburgh? Not nearly as much as it should. He's criminally underrated across most of the country. In fact, a great case could be made that he was the MVP of the National League in the first half of the season.

Just ask the man who won it last year.

“I think probably Andrew McCutchen, with Joey Votto a close second," said Brewers outfielder and 2011 NL MVP Ryan Braun, when asked who was his first-half NL MVP. "Both of those guys have had phenomenal first halves. David Wright's gotta be up there as well.”

Indeed McCutchen has been phenomenal. He leads the majors in batting average and total bases. He's hitting .362/.414/.625 with 18 homers, 60 RBI, 58 runs, 17 doubles, five triples and 14 steals. He plays excellent defense. He's the focal point of a first-place team. Basically, the 25-year-old doesn't have a weakness.

“[McCutchen is] on the very short list right now of the best players in baseball," said Reds right fielder Jay Bruce. "He's had a first half that almost tops anyone. You're talking about a center fielder with almost 20 home runs and stolen bases and when he plays center field, he's just not out there. He's a great fielder."

And yet, I still feel like he's underrated, at least nationally. His All-Star teammate, closer Joel Hanrahan has faith that it's about to change.

“His time is coming; the credit is coming," Hanrahan said. "I think if you ask anybody in this room here they're gonna tell you how good he is. He's been unbelievable and people are starting to talk about the Pirates and when they talk about the Pirates, they talk about Andrew McCutchen. That's how it should be. He's unbelievable right now.”

McCutchen and the Pirates stormed into the All-Star break in first place. They throttled Tim Lincecum and the Giants Sunday, with McCutchen going 3-for-5 with two home runs. Giants catcher Buster Posey had a front row seat.

“I don't think he's far off from getting his due," Posey said, agreeing with Hanrahan. "(Last weekend) he was locked in. He looked calm and controlled at the plate. He hit a ball in the gap and watching him run the bases is sickening, especially as a catcher that can't run.”

Unbelievable. Sickening. Phenomenal. Underrated.

What if he played in New York or Los Angeles? Everyone would be sick of hearing about him right now, that's what. The incredibly soft-spoken -- yet always smiling -- McCutchen echoes that sentiment.

"I just think it's the market we play in," he said. "If we played in a large market, we'd get tons more coverage."

"We." I asked about Andrew McCutchen and he answered "we," talking about the Pirates as a whole. That's McCutchen. He cares more about his team as a whole getting credit than himself -- and both deserve a lot more.

The winning will cure that. If the Pirates keep playing like they are right now, McCutchen will easily be a household name by the end of the season -- as well he should already be -- and the Pirates just might be the best story of the 2012 season.

Of course, I said "if."

Therein lies the issue. The Pirates fell apart in the second half last season. Both Hanrahan and McCutchen were adamant that these Pirates are a totally different team (and they are correct). Still, the Pirates haven't had a winning season since McCutchen was in elementary school. If the Pirates start to go through a losing streak, how will he react?

“No matter what happens during the day, there's always something you can reflect on, as my Dad taught me," McCutchen said, with a smile of course. "In high school, I tore my ACL and I thought that was it. But then I just kept thinking, 'it's all gonna work out. It's all gonna work out.' And I think about that when we go through those bad times. 'It's all gonna work out.' I know, truly, that it is all going to work out.'"

He speaks softly. He carries a big stick. He's Andrew McCutchen.

And he just might be the best player in baseball. Even if not nearly enough people know it ... yet.

For more baseball news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnBaseball on Twitter, subscribe to the RSS feed and "like" us on Facebook.

Tags: Albert Pujols, Andrew McCutchen, Buster Posey, David Wright, Jay Bruce, Joel Hanrahan, Joey Votto, Josh Hamilton, Robinson Cano, Ryan Braun, Tim Lincecum, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, MLB

Dream day includes Walker's 5 for 5

By Ron Cook
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
July 9, 2012

Neil Walker #18 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits an RBI single in the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants during the game on July 8, 2012 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images North America)

 

On any other day, Pirates second baseman Neil Walker would have been the happiest man at the ballpark. He went 5 for 5 Sunday for the second time in his big league career, hit a home run, scored four runs and drove in two. The Pirates crushed the San Francisco Giants, 13-2, to hit the All-Star break in first place in the National League Central Division.

But this wasn't just another day at PNC Park. Paul Foltz was in the house, thanks to Dream Foundation, which makes wishes come true for adults facing a life-threatening illness. He's 70 and lives near Tampa, Fla., but grew up in Evans City, Butler County, and said he has been a Pirates fan for 64 years. Ten operations for colon cancer haven't gotten him anything better than a prognosis of less than a year to live. His wish was to get to a ballgame in Pittsburgh so he could meet Walker, who nearly brought him to tears by posing for pictures with him and giving him an autographed bat and ball outside of the team's clubhouse.

"I played second base like him back in Evans City," Foltz would say later. "They called me, 'Butch,' back then. I was pretty good, but not as good as [Walker]."

Few second basemen in baseball are these days.

Start with Walker's defense. "You look at him and he's incredibly reliable," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington has said. Going into Sunday, Walker had handled more chances (397) than any second baseman in the big leagues. He was tied for sixth in fielding percentage (.990) and tied for sixth in fewest errors (4). He made a really nice play in the fourth inning Sunday to take a hit from Giants third baseman Pedro Sandoval, going far to his right to backhand a groundball and throw across his body to get an out.

But it's Walker's offense that is sizzling. His first-inning double extended his hitting streak to a team-best 12 games. Four hits later, his season average had climbed to .291, up from .256 when the streak started. His OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) has jumped to .774 from .668. He batted .489 in the past 12 games with 8 doubles, 11 RBIs and 15 runs scored. It's no coincidence the Pirates went 10-2 in those games.

"I predicted 5 for 5 for you this morning," Foltz told Walker.

"You're welcome at any of our games," Walker said, grinning.

It has been an amazing offensive turnaround, not just for Walker, but for all of the Pirates. They combined to hit .218 in April and May with 38 home runs and 147 runs scored. They hit .268 in June with 39 home runs and 146 runs. They have showed no signs of cooling off in July. They had 17 hits Sunday, including the home run by Walker and two more by MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen.


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/ron-cook/cook-dream-day-includes-walkers-5-for-5-643922/#ixzz207TAT1cI

This Pirates All-Star is a Cutch above

By Chuck Curti
Beaver County Times
ccurti@timesonline.com
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.

McCutchen is Pirates’ center of attention

By Bob Cohn
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
http://triblive.com/sports/
July 8, 2012

Pirates fans watching on TV recently uttered a collective gasp and then a whoosh of relief after Andrew McCutchen fell on his wrist. This week at PNC Park, there has been loud, sustained cheering for the Pirates and chants of “M-V-P” aimed at McCutchen.

Strange sounds have augmented the usual booms of thunder and fireworks during this sweltering summer, the summer of “Cutch.”

Like the weather, the Pirates are sizzling. Not coincidentally, so is McCutchen, the multiskilled, 25-year-old center fielder who was named National League Player of the Month for June, although May was pretty good, too. He is going to Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Kansas City and was added to Monday’s Home Run Derby, his splendid play, charisma and flying dreadlocks rapidly raising his national profile.

“This hasn’t happened in a Pirates uniform in a long time,” manager Clint Hurdle said.

In his fourth season, McCutchen is perhaps exceeding the expectations borne when he was taken from Fort Meade (Fla.) High School with the 11th pick in the 2005 draft. As catalyst of the club’s sudden surge to first place, he has been so good that any absence would be unthinkable.

The point was hammered home when he made a diving catch against the Cardinals in St. Louis and landed on his left wrist. Known for his physical and mental toughness, McCutchen winced in pain and did again later while checking his swing. It turned out to be a minor sprain, but an entire organization and its fan base saw the end of a promising season flash before their eyes.

McCutchen is that important.

Asked a few weeks ago if extra time is spent discussing how to pitch to McCutchen, Tigers manager Jim Leyland said, “We spend less time. You just say, ‘Don’t let him beat you.’ ”

The plan is sound but hard to implement. McCutchen was hitting .360, tops in the majors, entering Saturday’s game against the Giants. With Pedro Alvarez and others finally helping out offensively, the Pirates were 26-13 since May 25.

In the NL, McCutchen ranks among the top 10 in runs, hits, home runs, RBI, total bases and OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage), plus several more complex stats that further reveal his value. Going into Saturday, he had all 16 of his homers and 47 of his 56 RBI since May 8. He also plays a slick center field.

Shortstop Clint Barmes said McCutchen’s relentless pace reminds him of playing in Colorado two years ago with Carlos Gonzalez, who hit .336 with 34 homers, 111 runs, 117 RBI and a league-leading 197 hits in his first full big-league season.

“You kept thinking, ‘He’s gonna slow down. He’s gonna slow down,’ ” Barmes said. “A couple of weeks go by, then a couple of months, and the next thing you know it’s the last week of the season.”

“He’s playing the game with confidence,” Hurdle said of McCutchen. “He’s playing the game with joy.”

Room for improvement

McCutchen said he always loves to play but admits the second half of last season was difficult. After making his first All-Star Game, he sought to personally lift the team out of the 19-43 descent that would ruin the year. He tried to pull everything and “change the game with one swing,“ Hurdle said.

McCutchen had 23 homers and 89 RBI but batted just .216 during his final 72 games and ended up at .259. As soon as the season ended, he returned to Florida to work with former teammate Steve Pearce, study other hitters and revamp his stance and swing.

“I knew I could do better,” McCutchen said. “I wasn’t satisfied with mediocrity, being OK. To others it was good. To me it was horrible. That’s why I didn’t take much time off. I wanted to get back at it, get myself prepared.

“I basically just stopped listening to everything and asked myself, ‘What do I need to do?’ Because I know myself the best. Nothing against anyone else, but that’s what I told myself. The only thing I told myself was, ‘Be comfortable. Be comfortable. Get comfortable.’ And that’s basically what I did.”

McCutchen this season is hitting to all fields, even his home runs. Infielder Casey McGehee said he is struck by how “stubborn” McCutchen is at the plate, meaning “he refuses to change what his approach is and what his mindset is,” he said.

“I think he’s got a good grasp of what he’s good at and what his strengths are, and he really sticks to his guns, and he’s gonna attack this at-bat the way he wants to attack it and not let the pitcher dictate what he’s gonna do,” said McGehee, who spent the previous three seasons in Milwaukee playing with outstanding hitters Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder.

He added, “It would really have been easy for him, especially early in the season when he was the only one hitting, to feel like he had to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. But he stayed in his area and kept doing what he did really well.”

It was a busy offseason for McCutchen, whose agent worked out a six-year, $51 million contract extension.

“It definitely helped,” McCutchen said. “I don’t have to worry about putting pressure on myself. Now I can just go out and have fun.”

Even though he is among the fastest and best-conditioned players, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound McCutchen also put himself through a month of tortuous workouts at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

“These things echoed to me,” Hurdle said. “They screamed to me. This man is not your common player. He’s a craftsman. He wants to find a way to master his craft.”

A rock star

McCutchen has drawn inevitable comparisons to a young Barry Bonds who, starting at age 25, averaged 31 homers, 111 RBI, 45 steals and hit .301 over three seasons for the Pirates before signing a then-record contract with the Giants after the 1992 season.

Leyland, who managed Bonds with the Pirates, said he does not compare players but did allow that McCutchen seems “steadier” in temperament than the high-strung, emotional Bonds. “Barry was more of a brash-type player,” Leyland said. “I think Andrew’s more of a silent-type player.”

Leyland called McCutchen a “tremendously gifted athlete that happens to be a great baseball player.”

“If I was scouting Andrew McCutchen, he would stick out immediately,” Leyland said. “If they said, ‘Go find me a player,’ I could come to the game and watch the Pirates play and see that this guy has a chance to be a superstar.”

Leyland wasn’t finished.

“This guy’s special,” he said. “I don’t know him, but I like the way he goes about his business. I watch how he carries himself. I watch how he handles himself. He seems to be a very polite young man. He seems to have inner confidence. It looks like he’s got it figured out.”

Pirates broadcaster and former pitcher Bob Walk, who played with Bonds, said, “Right now they’re about as comparable as you can think. ... McCutchen probably gets along with his teammates better. With Barry, there wasn’t a whole lot of leadership stuff. With McCutchen, that’s definitely not the case.”

McCutchen’s quiet leadership style is generally avowed, along with his extensive work with youth and charity organizations. Michelle Mejia, the Pirates’ director of community relations, said McCutchen has a “rock star” appeal with fans and embraces the role.

As the so-called face of the franchise, McCutchen is so accustomed to being recognized, he tweeted in amusement the other day that no one stopped him on the Roberto Clemente Bridge as he walked home after a game.

He is familiar with Clemente and his legacy.

“If you want to do things the right way, that’s someone you would look at,” he said. “When I’m not here anymore, I want to be known as somebody that made an impact on somebody else’s life.

“This is something that we’re called to do as a player and a person. We’re on this earth for a reason, and I know, for me, it’s not just baseball. It’s not the only reason I’m here. There’s way more to it than just that. I’m starting to slowly figure out what I’m here for and what I’m capable of doing.”

Said Mejia, “He has the ability to do something really amazing in this town.”

Bob Cohn is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at bcohn@triblive.com and 412-320-7810.

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/2145441-85/mccutchen-pirates-season-game-player-leyland-myself-andrew-rbi-bonds

On the Pirates: Andrew McCutchen ... MVP?

By Bill Brink

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

July 8, 2012

    

The three syllables ricocheted off the steel trusses and limestone walls of PNC Park, echoing over Andrew McCutchen's head.

He dug his compact, muscular form into the batter's box and prepared to unleash the strength of a power hitter coiled within the body of a sprinter, the skills that are helping him produce one of the best seasons by any player in the National League.

"M-V-P! M-V-P!" shouted the 21,041 fans at PNC Park Monday night, and McCutchen, who went 4 for 5, who scored three runs, who raised his batting average to .354, didn't disappoint.


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/pirates/on-the-pirates-andrew-mccutchen-mvp-643791/#ixzz2021zOcO9

McDonald, Pirates shut down SF Giants, 3-1

By Henry Schulman
San Francisco Chronicle
http://www.sfgate.com/giants/
July 8, 2012

PITTSBURGH, PA - JULY 7: James McDonald #53 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the game on July 7, 2012 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) Photo: Justin K. Aller, Getty Images / SF

Pittsburgh -- Almost every team has its Zack Wheeler, the one who got away. He was the top pitching prospect whom the Giants traded last season for a 44-game Carlos Beltran rental.

As the Dodgers scour the trade market for a starter this month, they can look back at a somewhat similar situation.

Two summers ago, they fortified their bullpen by trading for Pittsburgh closer Octavio Dotel. The cost was James McDonald, then a 25-year-old thrower, now a 27-year-old pitcher who belongs on the All-Star Game All-Snub team with Ryan Vogelsong.

They met at PNC Sauna on Saturday. Vogelsong was good, but McDonald was much better in a 3-1 Pirates victory that sent the Giants to their sixth loss in the past eight games.

Every All-Star Game has its share of snubs, but this year's National League pitching staff is a banner example.

Johnny Cueto, Vogelsong and McDonald rank 1-2-3 in ERA at 2.35, 2.36 and 2.37, respectively, with Cueto scheduled to pitch for the Reds on Sunday. Yet barring a last-minute invite, none is going to the All-Star Game.

The Giants are sending Matt Cain, Pablo Sandoval, Melky Cabrera and Buster Posey. The first-place Pirates have Andrew McCutchen and closer Joel Hanrahan, who saved Saturday's win.

Perhaps the three starters can meet for an all-you-can-eat snubfest and watch the game.

"I'm sure it's tough picking picking the teams," Vogelsong said after ending his stellar first half at 7-4. "Every year there are probably deserving guys who don't go. It just happens to be us three. Everybody who'll be there deserved to be picked as well."

Vogelsong flashed All-Star credentials even in defeat. He lasted seven innings for the eighth consecutive start and allowed three runs, a good total considering he gave up a career-high five doubles, and six extra-base hits for the first time since 2004, when he was pitching for Pittsburgh at Oakland.

"We got a good start from Vogey, but we ran into one of the better-pitched games we've seen," manager Bruce Bochy said.

Dodgers fans who were frustrated with McDonald's lack of progress in Los Angeles might be surprised to hear that, but he has benefited from his experience and instruction in Pittsburgh. He throws a two-seam fastball that tails away from right-handed hitters, which he complements with a curveball and changeup.

He struck out 10 Giants in seven innings and had them completely baffled. They consistently swung at balls out of the zone, yet gazed at strikes.

One consolation for the Giants: They do not have to face McDonald up to six times a season as they might have had he remained with the Dodgers and become this good. They met twice in 2012 and dealt him one of his three defeats, a 5-0 Matt Cain one-hitter in April.

Cain had a perfect game that day until McDonald singled in the sixth inning, the only baserunner Cain would allow. McDonald hurt the Giants again at the plate Saturday, or rather, Vogelsong hurt himself by walking McDonald to start the third inning.

Neil Walker got McDonald home with a one-out double. Michael McKenry hit a solo homer in the fourth and Pedro Alvarez hit an RBI double in the sixth.

Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: hschulman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hankschulman

Dave Parker talks coaching, Hall of Fame

Former outfielder Dave Parker, who helped the Pittsburgh Pirates win their last World Series championship in 1979, made a formal appearance during an Eastern League game between the Erie SeaWolves and Akron Aeros at Jerry Uht Park Thursday.

Parker, now 61, was the National League's batting champion in 1977 and 1978. The latter year also saw him voted the league's most valuable player for hitting .334 with 30 home runs and 117 RBIs.

He also was voted the MVP of the 1979 All-Star Game at Seattle, when he drove in a run and threw out two American League base runners from right field in the National League's 7-6 victory.
Drafted by the Pirates in 1970, Parker broke in with the parent club during their 1973 season. He played in Pittsburgh for 11 seasons before signing as a free agent with his hometown Cincinnati Reds.

Parker concluded his 19-year major league career as a designated hitter in the American League with Oakland, where he received a second World Series ring in 1989, along with Milwaukee, California and Toronto. He recently sold the chain of Popeye's chicken restaurants he owned in the Cincinnati area.

Parker spoke to Erie media Thursday. Here are excerpts from the questions he was asked by the media in attendance and Parker's responses:


Q You've served on the coaching staff with Anaheim, St. Louis and Pittsburgh. Was teaching major league players the experience you thought it would be?
A Yeah, it was fun. My first job was as (first-base coach) with the Angels when Terry Collins was the manager. I had a chance to work with guys like Jim Edmonds, Tim Salmon and Garret Anderson.

When you have talent like that, it makes you feel antsy to get back in, get involved and be around that camaraderie.


Q You'd like to get back into coaching?

A Yes. After being in the chicken business for 25 years, I finally retired from that.

I'd like to get back into baseball. I sent some feelers out there this year. I probably started too late because (teams) had already filled out their (staffs), but I will be trying to get back in next season.


Q Did you ever play in Erie in the minor leagues?

A No. But I was telling somebody earlier that if they had stadiums like this (Uht Park), I wouldn't have been in such a hurry to get to the big leagues.


Q You have the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds, the teams you played for the majority of your career, vying for first place in the National League Central Division. Do you have an allegiance to either franchise right now?

A You know I live in Cincinnati, so this is a loaded question.

I really just want to go out and see good baseball. Pittsburgh is where I started, so I always have an allegiance to them. Once a Buc, always a Buc.
But to play back home in Cincinnati (1984-87) was a big thrill for me.


Q You were the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1998, when Mark McGwire and Chicago's Sammy Sosa were chasing Roger Maris' single-season home run record. How much did that help bring fans back to baseball in the wake of the 1994-95 players strike?

A That little competition between Mark and Sammy, baseball needed it because of the labor disputes they had. We needed something big to get people back.

The home-run competition between them was that.


Q Because of the lingering controversy over steroids and performance-enhancing drugs, do players like McGwire and Barry Bonds belong in the Hall of Fame?

A It's hard to say. It's hard to take away from what a guy does on the field if he was on steroids or not.

I think (we should) consider what the guys did on the field, and try to get away from off-the-field (issues).

And frankly, I think I should be in the Hall of Fame. But nobody's forgiven me yet (for admitted cocaine use in the mid-1980s), so I don't think (the voters) will be very forgiving to them.


Q Given your confession, as well as some of the fans' conduct toward you during your latter years with the Pirates, what's been their current reaction to you?

A They're always good. When I go to Pittsburgh now, I can't pay for a meal or buy a drink because the fans recall the way I played there and the numbers I put up there.

They love me and I loved them. I think we both did a lot of maturing. I had to grow up, and I think they had to grow up themselves.


Q What kind of influence did the late Willie Stargell have on you during your 11 seasons in Pittsburgh?

A Stargell took me under his wing and (pitcher) Doc Ellis, as well. They were like a father and a big brother to me.


Q Talk about playing on the "We Are Family" Pirates that won the World Series in 1979?

A It feels like it was last week to me, especially being in this atmosphere.


Q What's your lasting memory from the earthquake that struck San Francisco's Candlestick Park before Game Three of the 1989 World Series?

A The fans were yelling, "What a way to kick off a World Series (game)!" before anybody knew of the tragedy that had happened throughout the (San Francisco Bay) area.

It was a tragedy, but after a period of time, I think people there wanted baseball back.

When we returned, I think it was a relief to the area. Baseball did a lot of healing for them.


Q What do you think of baseball's current state?

A Baseball is as strong as it's ever been. When you look at salaries like $200 million going out to three or four guys, baseball has got to be healthy.

I really have nothing but positive things to say about those guys receiving that type of money because it's whatever the market can bear.


Q You've had both knees replaced, in part because of playing so many games on artificial turf. Because most parks have reverted to natural grass or field turf, would you have been able to play longer or been more productive on today's fields?

A I had six knee surgeries and the knee replacements, so AstroTurf definitely hurt my physical well-being.

But I still played a long career with as many years as I played, regardless of natural turf or AstroTurf.


Q Who first dubbed you "Cobra?"

A (Pirates announcer) Bob Prince made it famous, but (former team trainer) Tony Bartirome gave me the nickname.


Q Do younger fans who didn't see you play realize who you are and the impact you had on the Pirates?

A I often say that when parents try to tell their kids (in front of me), "This guy was a great player," I tell them he's too young. But then I'll go somewhere else and there's an 11-year-old quoting my numbers.
I'm just glad to see some (No. 39 jerseys) still around. It means that I did something right.

It's been 30 years since I played (for Pittsburgh), but they still identify with the number. I'm happy with that.


MIKE COPPER can be reached at 870-1614 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at . Read the Extra Innings blog at GoErie.com/blogs/extrainnings and post comments.

By Mike Copper
The Erie Times-News
http://www.goerie.com/
July 8, 2012

It's time for the midseason awards

By Jayson Stark | ESPN.com
July 6, 2012

The All-Star break of another mesmerizing baseball season is upon us. And once again, I know what you're thinking:

How come nobody has thrown a no-hitter in the past 10 minutes?

Has Aaron Hill done enough cycling lately to qualify for the Tour de France? ?

And, of course, is it true that wacky home run colossus in Miami also eats spiders, repels hurricanes and once had to be forcibly restrained from trying to sneak over to LeBron's house?

OK, so it's possible you weren't thinking about any of those important questions. But whatever. It's time again for my annual Midseason Awards Extravaganza.

*****

NL MVP OF THE HALF-YEAR

Andrew McCutchen, Pirates

Andrew McCutchen

#22 Center Fielder
Pittsburgh Pirates

2012 STATS

• GM- 78
• HR- 16
• RBI- 54
• R- 53
• OBP- .410
• AVG- .356

I can't believe I'm not casting this vote for Joey Votto -- a man with a shot to become the first NL player in the past 10 years not named Barry Bonds or Albert Pujols to have an 1.100 OPS … a man on the road to becoming the sixth NL hitter in the past 50 years to reach base 320 times … a man whose commitment to greatness elevates his team every day of the season. But as much as I appreciate the brilliance of Votto, I don't think he's the MVP of this particular half-season, though only in a not-quite kind of way. I'm casting this vote for McCutchen, because he's having a special year, at a special time in the life of his franchise, and one that gives special meaning to the "valuable" in Most Valuable Player. First off, let's consider what's at stake here. The Pirates, in case you nodded off after Sid Bream crossed home plate, haven't exactly reminded anybody of the Yankees these past 20 years. So consider the boulder that the Face of this Franchise has to lug on his shoulders. But McCutchen lugs it willingly. Instead of plotting his escape route out of town, he signed on this spring for six more years. Then he decided to go out and have a historic season for himself. If he has a second half to match his first half, he's heading for .356/.410/.603, with 32 homers, 28 steals and 207 hits. Given his .403 average on balls in play, you can expect a little dropoff. But just for the record, you know how many players since 1900 have even had a season in which they hit .345 or better, with 200 hits, 25 steals, 25 homers, a .400 OBP and a 1.000 OPS? Exactly two -- Larry Walker in 1997 (in Denver) and Willie Mays in 1958. Now let's add in the fact that McCutchen is doing all this in a lineup in which no other every-day player is within 80 points of him in batting average or OBP, or within about 200 points of him in OPS. So how is this possible, unless this guy is just willing his team toward the top of the standings? I know if you just crunch decimal points, they'll show you Votto should win this thing. But I surveyed two NL GMs who are both sabermetrically minded. And each said his vote would go to McCutchen -- in part because of the premier defensive position he plays, in part because of the credentials we just laid out and in part, one quipped, just because of his "overall awesomeness." whoa, it's tough to argue with any of that. So I didn't.

Apologies to: Votto, David Wright, Ryan Braun, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Ruiz, Melky Cabrera, Carlos Gonzalez, Giancarlo Stanton, Yadier Molina.

Hanrahan, McCutchen named as Bucs All-Stars

Selected by peers, both make trip for second straight year

By Mike Still / MLB.com
http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=pit&sv=1
July 1 , 2012

Andrew McCutchen #22 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a two run home run in the third inning against the Kansas City Royals during interleague play on June 10, 2012 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images North America)

ST. LOUIS -- For the second straight year, Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen and closer Joel Hanrahan have been named All-Stars. Both were named reserves to the National League team on the MLB All-Star Selection Show presented by Taco Bell on Sunday afternoon, and both are All-Stars for the second time in their careers.

The two were voted in by their peers, with McCutchen placing fourth in the player balloting, with 432 votes, and Hanrahan third among NL relievers, with 106.

"That's obviously a big honor, that means that everybody in the league knows what's going on here in Pittsburgh," Hanrahan said. "They see what we're doing, and it's obviously fun to get selected by your peers. It just means that the Pirates are heading in the right direction again."

Heading into Sunday's games, McCutchen was fifth in the Major Leagues with a .346 average and tied for fourth with 97 hits. His 51 RBIs also ranked sixth in the NL, while his 15 homers were tied for seventh-most. All 15 of his homers this season have come since May 8, tied for third-most in the Majors over that span. He also ranked in the top 10 in the big leagues in OPS (.993) and slugging percentage (.593).

McCutchen, who sat out Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Cardinals after spraining his left wrist Saturday, has been one of the hottest players in baseball as of late. His 26 RBIs in June ranked second in the NL. He was also tied for second in homers (seven) and fourth in batting average (.370).

McCutchen was added to the 2011 All-Star team only after Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun dropped out. McCutchen said the achievement is much sweeter this time around.

"Well, last year I wasn't even supposed to go, so ... definitely wasn't expecting to go last year at all, and then a couple of people got hurt, and the next thing you know I'm out there and I'm on the team," McCutchen said. "This year, I didn't really have to go through that, so it's definitely a lot different. It feels like it's more deserving than last year, and it definitely feels good just to go out and to be on the team."

Closer Joel Hanrahan #52 of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 28, 2012 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Rich Schultz/Getty Images North America)

Hanrahan was tied for sixth in the Majors with 20 saves in 31 games and owns a 2.10 ERA.

The drive from Hanrahan's hometown of Norwalk, Iowa, is less than three hours from Kansas City, and he expects to have a good group of family and friends in attendance. Hanrahan said while it's difficult to prepare for the atmosphere of an All-Star Game, having been there last year will be beneficial for both himself and McCutchen.

"It's a great experience to know what you're kind of getting into," Hanrahan said. "Last year, Cutch and I both didn't know what was going on, just kind of running all over the place. We'll have a better idea, and it will be an exciting time."

McCutchen went 0-for-1 in one at-bat in the 2011 All-Star Game, and Hanrahan threw one-third of an inning while striking out one in last year's contest.

The 83rd Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. Pregame ceremonies begin at 7:30 p.m. (EDT)/6:30 p.m. (CDT). ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage. MLB Network, MLB.com and Sirius XM also will provide comprehensive All-Star Game coverage.

Fans will also have the opportunity to participate in the official voting for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player presented by Chevrolet via the 2012MLB.com All-Star Game MVP Vote during the All-Star Game on MLB.com.

Pirates starters A.J. Burnett and James McDonald, both regarded as possible All-Star selections, were not chosen.

Burnett's nine wins were tied for fourth-most in the Major Leagues. He's holding opposing hitters to a .235 average and owns a 3.31 ERA. Burnett has never been named an All-Star in 12 years of big league service while winning at least 10 games nine times.

McDonald ranked in the top 10 in the Majors in WHIP (0.98), ERA (2.44) and opponents' batting average (.200). He hasn't allowed more than four runs in any of his 15 starts, has allowed one earned run or fewer in nine appearances, and has struck out at least 10 twice.

Hanrahan said he was shocked to have been selected over Burnett and McDonald. But as Pirates manager Clint Hurdle noted, picking pitchers for an All-Star team is no easy task for an All-Star Game manager.

"When you're tied to it, for every man that takes this upon them it's a challenge," Hurdle said. "They're trying to do the right things and make the right decisions, and it doesn't matter what decisions are made, at the end of the day, there will be guys that are deserving that probably won't be on it."

There's still a chance for the two to be selected. More pitchers will likely be chosen later in the week to take the spots of pitchers already named to the All-Star roster who will not be available to pitch in the All-Star Game.

Like Hanrahan, McCutchen would like to see at least one more ticket punched to Kansas City from the Pittsburgh clubhouse.

"Other guys deserve going as well, and the voting is not over," McCutchen said. "So I hope we can get a couple other guys to get on there with us."

Mike Still is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

First day of free agency much ado about nothing

By Mark Madden
Beaver County Times
http://www.timesonline.com/sports/
July 2, 2012

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed forward Tanner Glass to a 2-year deal worth $1.1 million per year. Glass, 28, is a native of Saskatchewan and has played five NHL seasons with the Florida Panthers, Vancouver Canucks and the Winnipeg Jets. Glass had five goals, 11 assists and 73 penalty minutes in 78 games with Winnipeg last year.(Rich Lam/Getty Images North America)

July 1. The first day of NHL free agency.

If Badger Bob Johnson was alive, he would have trouble characterizing July 1 as a great day for hockey. It might be the exception to his rule. Canadians sit paralyzed in front of their TV screens on a national holiday, waiting to see who goes where. American puck addicts play along pathetically.
Me, too. I’m no better.

Rumor rules. One of my tweets summed it up thusly: “Everyone has made offers to everyone. More to follow.”

On the club’s website, the Minnesota Wild trumpeted making offers to Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. Positive PR. The Los Angeles Kings’ Twitter feed quickly ridiculed the Wild.

It took the Kings 45 years to win a Stanley Cup. Does that earn the right to mock?

I’d love to see the Kings host the Winter Classic: Street hockey on Sunset Strip. Can’t wait ‘til that Cup run gets exposed as a lucky couple months. That should happen by Christmas.

Penguins fans spent Sunday waiting for Parise and Suter. They got Tanner Glass and Dylan Reese instead.

Glass is a physical winger who can’t really play. He has 13 goals and 306 penalty minutes in 262 NHL games.

Reese, a defenseman, doesn’t need whatever the Penguins pay him. He’s from Upper St. Clair, he’s a Harvard grad and his father was a telemarketing pioneer. Reese’s secret-handshake friends probably wonder why he’s still fooling around with hockey.

Reese is solid: Fluid skater, good puck skills. He exemplifies the Penguins’ defensive preferences. But where does he fit?

Arron Asham went to the New York Rangers, thus realizing his dream of playing for every team in the Atlantic Division. Colby Armstrong got bought out by Toronto Saturday, but got signed by Montreal yesterday. Thank God, too. Otherwise every caller to my radio show today would have clamored for Armstrong’s return to Pittsburgh.

Sunday in a nutshell: Nearly everyone who signed got overpaid.

For marginal talents like P.A. Parenteau and Brandon Prust, July 1 should be celebrated annually with a fervor usually reserved for New Year’s Eve in Times Square, V-J Day and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. How did Sheldon Souray, at 35, get a three-year pact worth $11 million when he spent 2010-11 in the American Hockey League?

Parise is an interesting situation. Credible sources give totally opposing news on Parise. One says the Penguins are Parise’s first choice. Another says Parise doesn’t want to play third fiddle behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

If the latter is true, it’s a popular affliction. The cure seems to be inking a long-term agreement with another team, like Jordan Staal did with Carolina. Ten years, $60 million: It's the same deal Staal got offered by the Penguins, but turned down.

Staal isn’t greedy. He is ambitious. He’s a franchise center now.

The Penguins are definitely going hard when it comes to pursuit of Parise and Suter. If General Manager Ray Shero doesn’t get what he wants, he’ll be back in the trade market.

But he won’t trade for winger Rick Nash. Shero would never be dumb enough to gut his team’s depth and youth to get Nash, one of hockey’s most overrated. Nash has only topped 70 points once in nine seasons with Columbus, and has little hockey sense.

Mark Madden hosts a radio show 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WXDX-FM (105.9).

Jolt of reality for Lynn

BY JOE STRAUSS

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/

July 1, 2012

Pedro Alvarez #24 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a grand slam against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on June 30, 2012 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images North America)

 

His initial success suggested otherwise, but this is indeed Lance Lynn’s first full-season rodeo.

A pitcher who reached the major leagues last June as a spot starter stayed on as an eighth-inning presence in a bullpen seeking a ninth-inning solution.

Lynn endured time on the disabled list with a strained oblique and returned in time to make 10 postseason appearances. He entered this season with too much service time to be classified a rookie but too few major-league starts (two) to be considered an experienced hand, even if for two months he made his craft appear disarmingly simple.

The game — and the Pittsburgh Pirates — continued to get even Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium. Making his second straight daytime start, this one against a team he had controlled twice, Lynn suffered his first career loss within the National League Central in a 7-3 setback before a crowd announced at 37,162 at Busch Stadium.

Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez made the outcome all but academic with a first-inning, two-out grand slam — the first such bruise in Lynn’s young career.

A power talent who rolled through April undefeated and compiled four wins for a second consecutive month in May finished June with a 2-3 record and 5.67 ERA. A starting pitcher described by one teammate as sometimes lapsing into "an eighth-inning mentality" of hard, harder, hardest may need to make an adjustment.

"He’s got a good personality. You can tell he’s a grinder. He’s not going to let it bother him too much," said fellow starter Adam Wainwright. "He’s excited about taking the ball every fifth day. The guys who fall into extended ruts are usually those guys who can’t let a start go. My sense is Lance is always looking to the next one."

Lynn (10-4) remained stoic after surrendering six runs in five innings. Among his seven hits allowed, he counted numerous flares and jam shots.

"I’m just trying to get better. I’m not worried about my health or anything. I’ve just go to start getting people out again," he said.

After scoring seven runs with two outs Friday, the Pirates created the first-inning opportunity for Alvarez with consecutive singles by center fielder Andrew McCutchen and first baseman Garrett Jones before a walk of second baseman Neil Walker loaded the bases.

Alvarez worked the count full, putting Lynn in a predictable situation. Lynn did not surprise.

"He knew a fastball was coming and he won," Lynn said.

"I don’t care who you are, you’re going to hit a lull at some point," said starting pitcher Kyle Lohse. "That’s the way the game works. Look at my April (4-0, 1.33 ERA). That can’t continue. I don’t see him getting too high when things are going his way and I don’t see him too down now. He’s good. He knows it. But he’s also learning."

For most of this season Lynn has helped keep the pitching staff together, even robust. That he has reached a plateau after becoming the first NL pitcher to 10 wins is not cause for alarm.

"He’s going to continue to learn," said manager Mike Matheny. "I don’t think anybody thought he was going to keep rolling through the league. You’re going to have your bumps. It’s all about how you adjust to them."

The Cardinals managed two runs in seven innings against Pirates starter Jeff Karstens (1-2), who won for the first time since last Aug. 10. Center fielder Jon Jay and left fielder Matt Holliday contributed RBIs to bring the Cardinals within 4-2 in the fourth inning. Right fielder Carlo Beltran’s 400th career double got the Redbirds within 6-3 in the eighth.

The Pirates completed a 17-10 month by leading from their first pitch. They ended June with 146 runs and 39 home runs. Both figures led the National League. Since May 25 their 22-11 record is best in the league. Six games behind the Cardinals on May 2, the second-place Pirates now lead them by 2½ games. The Cardinals finished 13-14 in June with three-game losing streaks to open and close the month.

The third-place Cardinals have come from behind in only 12 of 40 wins in such fashion. A dominant offense took control early during April and their starting pitching often put them way down in May. Mounting bullpen woes conspired against them in June. The defending World Series champions are 10-28 (.263) when opponents score first, compared to 25-36 (.410) in such situations last season.

Alvarez’s blast took the wind out of a stifling afternoon that forced at least 50 fans to seek on-site attention for heat-related problems. (More than 100 sought help Friday night.) No Cardinals opponent has done better than Alvarez’s 15 RBIs, which included four RBI Friday as well.

"When you give up four runs on one swing it’s a tough day. I can’t put myself in that position. I did today. And they won," said Lynn, who defeated the Pirates twice before May 3 and entered 7-0 against NL Central opponents. "I just need to stop putting myself in the position to give up the big inning. That seems to be my problem the last couple starts: the one inning where I give up three or four runs."

Alvarez has multiple RBIs in five games against the Cardinals this season. He is hitting .345 against this weekend’s opponent and .209 against the rest of the game.

Lynn struck out 23 in his last two wins June 7-13. He has since surrendered 17 earned runs and 25 hits while striking out 12 against seven walks in 151/3 innings.

Lynn has never thrown more than 164 innings in a professional season. He reached 97 innings Saturday with one remaining start before the All-Star break. For his part, Lynn has insisted after his last two starts that he’s felt fine. However, Saturday’s inefficient five-inning start (109 pitches) following a laborious effort in Kansas City six days earlier suggest something has changed.

Lynn has given up more hits in his last two starts than he did in April. He has allowed only one fewer earned run in his last three starts than the first two months combined.

The Kid Stays in the Picture

Breaking down the risk of Sidney Crosby's new 12-year deal with the help of science.

BY SEAN CONBOY

Pulling No Punches

http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Best-of-the-Burgh-Blogs/Pulling-No-Punches/

June 29, 2012

 

 

On Sunday, Sidney Crosby will put his signature on a $104 million contract extension that will keep him in black and gold through the dystopian future of 2025, when the seats of CONSOL Energy Center will surely be equipped with Coors Light I.V. drips and the skating Penguin on the team’s jerseys will be swaddled in a brand-synergized American Eagle cardigan.

Crosby's mega-deal will count just $8.7 million against the salary cap for those years, which is exactly the same average salary that he earns now. Somewhat startingly, some fans had expected the NHL’s only truly marketable superstar to take a pay cut due to the two years he lost in the post-concussion wilderness. Is a decade-plus contract too much of a risk for a player who looked a shadow of his former self when faced with playoff-caliber contact against the Flyers?

This assumes that it's Crosby who owes the Penguins a debt and not the other way around. History begs to differ. In 2004, a year before Crosby came to the Penguins, the franchise was dead-last in league attendance and playing in the NHL’s most dilapidated barn. Forbes had the Penguins valued 29th in the NHL during the 2004 lockout with a total franchise value of $101 million, an amount less than the value of Crosby’s new deal. The Penguins took in gate receipts of just $20 million that year, $4 million less than the Atlanta Thrashers.

So how did we get here — the Stanley Cup, the Winter Classic, the NHL Draft? The narrative says that Mario Lemieux saved the franchise. But that’s only partly true. The cause would’ve been hopeless without the electricity that Crosby brought to the city. He made hockey relevant again in a football town. According to Forbes, from 2006 to 2009, the value of the Penguins' brand grew by an NHL-best 88 percent. You know the rest. Mario finally got his new arena, the corporate sponsors started barging down the door, and free agents began to leave millions on the table to come play for a franchise that not long ago had one foot out the door to Kansas City.

Perhaps three years of post-Cup brand management, Nickelback Cover Band promos, and the installation of gourmet burger stands in the clogged arteries of the CONSOL have made it seem like Kansas City was a long, long time ago. But make no mistake, despite two years trapped in the dark woods of post-concussion syndrome, Crosby is still the NHL’s most valuable asset and when completely healthy, the game’s undisputed best player. He's what keeps the dollars rolling in to Pittsburgh.

And yet many fans and media members think the Penguins committed $104 million to a ticking time bomb. This week, I talked to former New York Rangers goalie Mike Richter, who was forced into retirement in 2003 after sustaining a combination skull fracture and concussion. Richter’s post-concussion symptoms lasted for years (he could barely walk for 10 minutes before keeling over in exhaustion) and he admitted that every time he watched Crosby play after his return last season, he was nervous. “You couldn’t help but hold your breath when there was any contact,” he admitted.

Penguins fans can relate to the anxiety Richter describes, whether they want to admit it or not. But is Crosby, at just 24 years old, really damaged goods? Is he one hit away from returning to the wilderness?

The truth is that the prudence of Crosby’s deal hangs on a medical conundrum that still remains unsettled: If an athlete suffers a major concussion, does it make him or her significantly more susceptible to sustaining additional concussions?

Using Twitter as a barometer for public opinion, it seems that most fans believe that yes, indeed, Crosby is at an extremely high risk to suffer another major injury.

However, the prevailing opinion of neurosurgeons and neuropsychologists is actually quite different. This week, at a concussion roundtable in New York City hosted by l (Protection Athletes Through Concussion Education), Dr. Mark Lovell, an international concussion expert and founding director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Concussion Program, reaffirmed his belief that once an athlete is 100-percent symptom free and neurological tests have stabilized back to the baseline, the risk of sustaining a new concussion is the same as it was before the athlete suffered the initial brain injury.

Lovell’s assertion echoed what Crosby’s own physician, Micky Collins, told me last summer.

“If you manage this correctly, the potassium will go back into the cell, the calcium will go back out of the cell and that membrane will go back to normal,” he said of the brain’s energy crisis. “The great majority of the time, you can hit the reset button on these athletes, if you make sure, again, that the cows are back in the barn. You have to do the right evaluation to make sure that’s happened."

The problem is that since symptoms can be fleeting and vague, it’s still very difficult for physicians to determine when an athlete is “100-percent” healed, or when the brain’s energy crisis has subsided. The increased risk factor comes into play when a player is not fully healed from the initial concussion.

"When brain cells are in this energy crisis, there’s two things that you do not want to do,” Collins says. “Number one is get hit in the head again. Because if you get hit in the head again when this problem starts, a lot less biomechanical force is going to cause what some people think is another injury, but which is actually an extension of the first injury. It doesn’t take much of a blow to cause that energy crisis to become worse and worse and worse.”

Back in 2002, Richter had tried to return to the ice just four days after taking a puck to the ear. At the time, he told reporters that he was starting to feel better and wanted to play in the upcoming playoff games. Only when a precautionary CAT scan revealed a skull fracture did he hang up his skates for the season. Two years later, long after he’d retired to the couch, he was still suffering from dizziness, exhaustion and an inability to fall asleep.

“I still have a lot of headaches,” Richter told me, a full decade after his retirement. “I get lightheaded when I lift weights. I have gotten my life back, but there are still symptoms.”

But Richter stressed that those were very different times. A comprehensive study released in April by the University of Calgary revealed that one in five NHL players who sustained a concussion during the 1997-2004 seasons went back on the ice that same game. While Crosby unknowingly did the same thing during the Winter Classic, he's fortunate to be living through a revolution in concussion research and education. And according to those on the cutting edge of the science, the brain’s defenses can return to normal if given proper rest and, most importantly, time to mend.

If you think about the biomechanics of the brain, this makes sense. A concussion is an event whereby the brain moves inside the skull by rotational forces. The brain is shaken because it is encased in fluid. No one has stronger or weaker brain fluid. Saying an athlete is “concussion-prone” is a bit of a lie. It's like saying someone is prone to car accidents. The real difference is how athletes react to post-concussion symptoms. Some have crippling headaches that last months. Some don’t have headaches at all. Some suffer from suffocating anxiety. Some don’t. Some are fine after a few weeks, while others, like Richter, exhibit symptoms for years.

The key isn’t the concussion itself, but rather how the brain is managed after the fact. Many have pointed to the past 18 months as proof that Crosby will never be the same, but Richter believes that it's just the opposite. "The Penguins have been absolutely fantastic in their handling of the injury with the incredible patience they've show," he said, "And I think Crosby has shown a lot of courage keeping himself off the ice to recover."

With post-concussion syndrome, the only way to escape the woods is to keep walking through the darkness until you come out the other side. Some saw two lost seasons as a death sentence. Others, like Richter, saw the layoff as hopeful.

This is crucial to understanding why the Penguins felt comfortable committing to their captain for 12 more years. For every Eric Lindros, who badly mismanaged countless (literally, they weren’t counted) concussions, there is a Patrice Bergeron, who has overcome multiple concussions with patience. How many Penguins fans thought Kris Letang was done for the season after taking a shoulder to the chin just a few months after returning from a concussion? And yet after experiencing some mild symptoms, he was concussion-free and played the rest of the season. Because the first injury was handled properly (a rare event before 2010), Letang walked away from a car crash.

Science still hasn’t cracked the nut of post-concussion syndrome, but that’s entirely irrelevant to the risk assessment of Crosby’s contract extension — as long as he’s symptom free and his neurons are completely nourished with energy when he puts pen to paper on Sunday. That doesn’t mean that he’ll never sustain another concussion, nor does it guarantee that his symptoms won’t be severe if that does occur. But that’s a risk inherent in any contract in today’s NHL. Every player is just one instant, one elbow away from two years of oblivion.

The real curiosity is fans’ mixed reaction to a sweetheart deal that not only gives the Penguins the financial wiggle room to pursue high-priced free agents Zach Parise and Ryan Suter this off-season, but opens the franchise’s Cup window for the next decade. If lightning strikes thrice and Crosby is relegated to the press box for another two years, or even for his entire career, fans should remember that it was #87 who built that press box and the entire barn that houses it. Crosby took millions less than market value to stay with the very team that he saved from the U-Haul trucks.

Only Sidney Crosby knows if his head is in the right place, but everyone should know that his heart is.