Kevin Gorman's Take 5: Pirates cross paths in spring training, as foes become teammates

BRADENTON, Fla. – There is a big difference between spring-training stories and regular-season stories, and then there are times when they overlap and become unbelievable stories.

Allow me to explain.

A great spring training story last year was the return of Jung Ho Kang, who raised eyebrows (and hopes) by hitting two home runs in his first game back for the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park.

Kang hit a team-best seven homers but struck out 18 times in Grapefruit League play. That should have been a sign of the boom-or-bust season where he would hit 10 homers but strikeout 60 times while batting .169 in 65 games.

I'd call Jung Ho Kang's first at-bat of Grapefruit League play a rousing success. pic.twitter.com/eNI41Tqep4

— Kevin Gorman (@KGorman_Trib) February 24, 2019

But two of the biggest stories of last April – one good, one bad – have crossed paths at Pirate City.

1. Ding! Ding!: Cole Tucker needed no reminder of who the opposing pitcher was in his major-league debut, when he hit the game-winning home run in a 3-1 five-inning victory over the San Francisco Giants.

“Mr. Dutch Oven himself,” Tucker said.

That would be his new teammate, Derek Holland.

The dramatic homer came up when the two were sitting together in the cafeteria. Tucker said Holland brought it up in conversation, talking about the 2-2 pitch.

“He’s got 50,000 years of service time. I’m not trying to come in here and rock the boat,” Tucker said of the 33-year-old Holland, who is entering his 12th season. “He was really cool about it and joked about it. We re-hashed the at-bat and broke it down. He said, ‘I wanted to pound you in but I left it over and you clipped it.’”

Cole Tucker's first major league hit is a two-run go-ahead homer pic.twitter.com/Gxp3d9Q0ob #LetsGoBucs

— Tater Talk: A Baseball Podcast (@TaterTalkPod) April 20, 2019

2. Rite of passage: Then a 22-year-old shortstop, Tucker got a raucous ovation and a curtain call while Holland took the loss when the game was called after a three-hour rain delay.

Tucker gave the city the morale boost it needed after the Pirates lost starting shortstop Erik Gonzalez and center fielder Starling Marte to injuries in a full-speed collision.

It’s a favorite memory for Tucker and a forgettable one for Holland, who has 1,145 strikeouts and allowed 202 homers.

Holland struck out Tucker in his first career at-bat, then gave up the homer to deep center in the fifth.

“It’s sweet, man. It’s something I’ll never forget,” Tucker said. “He’ll probably forget about it. He was joking: ‘I’ve given a lot of people those moments in my career but I’ve also struck out a lot of people, too.’

“He’s aware. It’s the game. I’m going to have a lot more strikeouts. As baseball players, we’re always passing along those moments to the next player. One day, when I’m the old guy, I’m going to do something to some 22-year-old punk kid who’s making his debut.”

We wish a speedy recovery to Nick Burdi ? Tonight he sustained an arm injury and fell to the ground in pain. He fought all the way back from Tommy John surgery in 2017, and he is currently being evaluated. pic.twitter.com/qNTAQZt5KB

— The Dugout (@dugoutonline) April 23, 2019

3. In the box: While working on a story about how reliever Nick Burdi bounced back from a heartbreaking injury and complicated surgery to throw live batting practice, I watched video of the pitch in which he was injured.

What I couldn’t help but notice was who was at bat for the Arizona Diamondbacks when Burdi hurt his right arm and doubled over in pain on the mound.

The camera panned away from Burdi and to the batter’s box, showing Jarrod Dyson turn away.

“I felt bad,” Dyson said. “You don’t ever want to see that happen to nobody – position player or pitcher, I don’t care. That’s somebody’s career.”

Dyson didn’t realize the connection until he met Burdi at Pirates camp and they started talking about it.

“It didn’t look good from my view,” Dyson said.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton talks about facing Gerrit Cole when they play the New York Yankees on Monday night and a reunion of sorts in the opener with the Minnesota Twins and manager Rocco Baldelli. pic.twitter.com/viFpCxUrs9

— Kevin Gorman (@KGorman_Trib) February 20, 2020

4. Cole train: It was hard to tell at first whether Pirates manager Derek Shelton was feigning ignorance or totally unaware to learn that Gerrit Cole is scheduled to pitch against the Pirates on Monday night.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, Cole was 59-42 in five seasons for the Pirates before being traded to the Houston Astros. A two-time All-Star and Cy Young Award finalist, Cole signed a free-agent deal for nine years and $324 million with the Yankees.

“Are we facing the Yankees Monday?” Shelton said, breaking into a grin and then a laugh. “Is he really starting? That’s awesome. That’s good for us. Any time you get a chance to face a guy of that caliber at any point, it’s good.”

5. Mitch to pitch: The Pirates will start top pitching prospect Mitch Keller in the first game of spring training on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins at LECOM Park.

Keller struggled last spring, giving up 10 runs (all earned) on six hits (three homers) and a 22.50 ERA in four games. He had a miserable debut, allowing six runs in the first inning at the Cincinnati Reds and finished 1-5 with a 7.13 ERA last season.

That Keller is starting the first game is a sign that the Pirates are taking a long look at him for a spot in the starting rotation, where he is competing with Holland, Steven Brault and Chad Kuhl.

“It’s cool, I guess,” Keller said. “It’s just another game to get us going in the spring. I’m hoping to get us a good start to start the year and building off of that.”

The Pirates have to be hoping that Keller will be a feel-good story, both in spring training and this season.

Love baseball? Stay up-to-date with the latest Pittsburgh Pirates news.