Cervelli declares himself healthy after practicing martial arts in offseason

BRADENTON, Fla. — Although he is one of the oldest of the pitchers and catchers who reported to Pirate City for spring training, Francisco Cervelli prefers to not be called a veteran. More important to him, though, is not feeling like a veteran.

That was the 31-year-old catcher's focus this offseason after various injuries, including four stints on the disabled list, limited him to 81 games in 2017. Beginning in October, Cervelli revamped his workout regimen, practicing martial arts to focus on flexibility.

It was far different than anything he had done in the past. Cervelli was willing to try anything to avoid the injuries that prevented him from contributing for the Pirates.

"Every year I don’t take this for granted," he told DKPittsburghSports.com Tuesday morning at Pirate City. "This is a job, man. For me, this is my 16th spring training. This is the love of my life. When I have a chance to be here one more year, I’m the happiest man in the world. I don’t care what people say about me. I know what I can do, and I know what we can do. ‘We’ is first, but people can say whatever. I’m going to keep hustling."

Cervelli was referring to those who doubt he'll ever recover from the past two injury-shortened seasons. After playing a career-high 130 games in the Pirates' 98-win season in 2015, Cervelli was limited to 101 games in 2016 and played in only 81 last season.

The problems began when he broke the hamate bone in his left hand in 2016. Doctors expressed confidence that surgery would correct the problem, but the injury continued to bother him in 2017.

Cervelli's four stints on the disabled list last season were the results of a concussion, left wrist inflammation and left quadriceps irritation — which led to him having a cyst removed — but it was his hand that bothered him the most.

Catching pitchers low in the zone was painful. Even swinging a bat became an arduous task. But nothing bothered Cervelli more than to see the injuries affect his defense, specifically his pitch framing. With Cervelli behind the plate, Pirates pitchers had a combined 4.27 ERA — the second-highest total of the four catchers who played last season. He also allowed seven passed balls.

"For me, defense is the first thing, especially to make my pitchers feel they can throw pitches around the zone and I can make a strike," Cervelli said. "When I’m not able to do that, I feel like they are going to lose trust and that’s frustration for me because I’m all about my guys. But when you can grab a bat and can't even have a good grip, it’s frustrating. You start changing mechanics, getting in bad habits."

Cervelli's relationships with pitchers are built on trust. He urges each one to have unwavering confidence in his calls behind the plate, and in turn, he will trust them to execute. It's a dynamic that has helped Ivan Nova and Felipe Rivero thrive for the Pirates, as Rivero explained Tuesday afternoon.

"Nova and Cervelli are something else," Rivero said. "Now, me and Cervelli are something else. The main reason he has been so important to me is his confidence. If you trust him, he’ll trust you. That means so much."

Chad Kuhl had a similar analysis, adding, "Cervelli is constantly giving advice. He'll grab you while he's hanging out in the training room and explain what you did wrong during a previous start. He's been a tremendous help to all of us."

But Cervelli missed the final five weeks of last season, making Elias Diaz the Pirates' starting catcher. After Diaz thrived in that role and with the Pirates going younger, it raised questions whether or not Cervelli would return to the Pirates in 2018.

After all, he's now the club's highest-paid player with Andrew McCutchen gone. But Clint Hurdle emphasized throughout the offseason that Cervelli was very much a part of the Pirates' plans to contend this season.

The Pirates, though, will need more out of Cervelli on offense. He batted just .249/.342/.370 with a below-average OPS+ and only 31 RBI in 2017. Cervelli also registered a negative-3.8 fWAR on offense

"I think it’s health," Cervelli said. "I don't like to give excuses. Probably pitchers are better, but I think it was health. When I feel good, man, I think I can do so many good things to help this team, especially do my game. Being on base, do my thing. ... That's in the past."

Cervelli wanted to look ahead. He said he's back to 100 percent, expressing confidence rest has allowed his hand to heal. Also, he spent the offseason practicing capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art that can improve agility, balance, coordination, flexibility and mobility. The hope is the regimen can help him continue to use his unorthodox movements behind the plate to help his pitchers thrive.

Lastly, Cervelli addressed the elephant in the room: the absence of McCutchen and Gerrit Cole. He said he was "sad" to see both players traded. But Cervelli, entering the second year of a three-year, $31 million contract extension he signed in May 2016, wants to be a foundational piece of the Pirates' return to prominence.

"I would love to retire on this team," he said. "I would love to stay in Pittsburgh because that city is special. The best city. In the short time, they’ve made me feel home. I would love to be part of this. I want to finish my contract, stay here for another one and retire here."

MATT SUNDAY GALLERY