Gene Lamont once made a candid observation about spring training competitions.
“As a manager, you say there is competition because you want to keep your options open in case something happens,” said Lamont, the Pirates’ manager from 1997-2000. “But you know before spring training begins who you really want to have the job. You always have someone in mind.”
That is instructive as the Pirates get set to open spring training Monday when pitchers and catchers report to Bradenton, Fla.
The most interesting camp battles shape up to be at third base, shortstop and fifth starter.
The only one of the three battles in which there is not a clear-cut favorite is third base, though the Pirates privately would love to see Jung Ho Kang flash the form he showed in his first two major-league seasons and seize the job from incumbent Colin Moran.
Offseason trade acquisition Erik Gonzalez will ostensibly compete with rookie Kevin Newman for the starting shortstop job. Free-agent signee Jordan Lyles will, in theory, battle Nick Kingham and Steven Brault for the last spot in the rotation.
However, reading between the lines, Gonzalez and Lyles are the clear favorites to be in those roles by the time spring training ends, March 26, with the second of a two-game exhibition series against the Astros in Houston.
Let’s look at how the three competitions shape up, as well as the roster in general:
THIRD BASE
Kang had been away from the major leagues for nearly two full years before returning for the final three games of last season.
He missed the 2017 season when he was denied a work visa following a third DUI arrest in his native South Korea. That also caused him to get a late start on last season, then he needed elbow surgery while playing at Triple-A Indianapolis.
Kang hit a combined 36 home runs in 2015 and 2016 after becoming the first native position player to make the jump to the major leagues from the Korea Baseball Organization. He batted .273/.355/.483 with a 126 OPS+ and 6.5 WAR.
The Pirates believe Kang is capable of a 30-home run season if he’s right, but don’t know if he can overcome the long layoff.
“It’s unchartered territory,” Clint Hurdle said two weeks ago during PiratesFest at PNC Park. “I wouldn’t count Jung Ho out but the first thing we need to establish in spring training is if he can still play. We don’t know. We believe he can, but we have to find out.”
Moran had a so-so rookie season in 2017, hitting just 11 home runs, a low number for a corner infielder, and was far below average defensively. He had a .277/.340/.407 batting line with a 111 OPS+, 1.0 WAR and minus-8 defensive runs saved.
However, Hurdle believes Moran is capable of much more in his second year.
“He held his own last year and knows what he needs to improve upon,” Hurdle said. “He has the work ethic and desire to become a better player.”
SHORTSTOP
Even though Gonzalez started just nine games at shortstop during three seasons as a utility player with the Indians, the Pirates have been talking up his offensive potential and defensive prowess since trading for him Nov. 14.
Gonzalez, 27, fully realizes this is his chance to establish himself as a major league regular after hitting .263/.292/.389 in 162 career games with an 80 OPS+ and 0.9 WAR.
“I am thankful for the Indians because they gave me an opportunity to sign and gave me an opportunity in the big leagues,” Gonzalez said. “I need to play baseball. That’s why I am in the big leagues, because I want to play baseball. This is the opportunity I have been waiting for.”
Newman is hoping to do more with his opportunity than he did last season. Newman made his major league debut Aug. 16 but then hit just .209/.247/.231 in 31 games with a miserable 37 OPS+ and minus-0.9 WAR. He also played sub-par defense.
Neal Huntington, though, is still a staunch supporter of Newman, who was the Pirates’ first-round draft pick in 2015.
“The guy you saw in September is not the guy we were excited about to take in the first round,” Huntington said. “The man was out of gas and down about 10 pounds. He’s back strong and back healthy. He’s going to be able to drive the ball better than he did last September.”
FIFTH STARTER
The Pirates feel that Lyles, a journeyman right-hander, is ready to be Ray Searage’s next reclamation project after using his curveball more while spending the final two months of last season with the Brewers.
Lyles made just eight starts among his 35 games pitched with the Padres and Brewers last season, working 87 2/3 innings. However, the Pirates feel he can at least keep them in games as a starter now that he is willing to throw his curveball more frequently.
That is why they signed him to a one-year, $2.05-million contract in February, and Lyles believes he can transition to a full-time rotation member.
“That’s up to me,” Lyles said of being a starter when the season opens. “It’s in my control. If I ... do what I can do, then I think things will work out just fine.”
Lyles has split time almost evenly between the rotation and bullpen during his nine-year career, making 115 starts and 113 relief appearances. He is 27-46 with a 5.18 ERA and 1.46 WHIP as a starter. In relief, he is nearly identical with a 5.28 ERA and 1.42 WHIP.
Kingham broke into the major leagues last season by retiring the first 20 batters he faced in his debut against the Cardinals on April 29. While he had some strong outings, Kingham faded down the stretch and ended the year with a 5-7 record, 5.21 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 18 games.
Kingham told DKPittsburghSports.com during PiratesFest that he has regained his confidence after having the offseason to reflect on his initial big-league foray.
“When I looked back on it and reflected, the biggest mistake I made was putting everyone else in the major leagues on too high of a pedestal,” he said. “I know I can compete at that level. I had some success at that level. I might have given the other guys a little too much respect. This time, I’m going in with the mindset that I belong and can compete with anybody.”
Kingham is almost assured of making the opening day roster as he is out of minor league options and would have to clear waivers if the Pirates tried to send him down. The Pirates also feel Kingham could be a useful long reliever, though they still believe starting is his long-term future.
Meanwhile, Brault has one minor league option remaining and that could work against him this spring.
Furthermore, the Pirates want a second left-hander in the bullpen to go with Felipe Vazquez and have signed veterans Francisco Liriano and Tyler Lyons to minor league contracts this winter.
In parts of three seasons with the Pirates, Brault is 2-4 with a 4.76 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 16 starts and posted a 4.61 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in 48 relief appearances. The left-hander was the International League Pitcher of the Year at Triple-A Indianapolis in 2016, going 10-5 with a 1.94 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 21 games, but the Pirates are still waiting on the 27-year-old to fulfill that potential in the major leagues.
“I think competition, in general, is always good for you,” Brault said. “I’ve always thought if I ever became a college coach, I would do it like wrestling: ‘We’re going to have a wrestle off Thursday and grade you on your performance. If you (stink), you’re not going to be in the lineup Friday. I think that’s the best way to do it. Let the best man win.”
THE OVERALL ROSTER
Lyles and Kingham will assuredly be on the opening-day roster in some form. If Brault joins them then all 12 spots on the pitching staff would be accounted for, barring injury or other unforeseen circumstances.
Hurdle strongly prefers carrying 12 pitchers rather than 13 because the extra position player gives him more flexibility with the bench.
Jameson Taillon leads a rotation that will include Chris Archer, Trevor Williams and Joe Musgrove. Vazquez will anchor a bullpen that will include Keone Kela, Kyle Crick, Richard Rodriguez and Rule 5 Draft pick Nick Burdi.
If Brault is sent to Indianapolis, that would leave one bullpen spot open that could go to any number of pitchers, including Liriano, Lyons, Michael Feliz, Doyvadas Neverauskas, Jesus Liranzo or Brandon Maurer.
The position players who figure to be on the opening day roster are Francisco Cervelli, Elias Diaz, Josh Bell, Adam Frazier, Kang, Moran, Gonzalez, Corey Dickerson, Starling Marte and Lonnie Chisenhall. Gonzalez will be a utility player if he isn’t the shortstop, and Moran may also play some first base in spring training to increase his versatility.
That would leave two spots open. If Newman loses the shortstop competition, he will start the season at Indianapolis and that would leave the last two spots to some combination of Pablo Reyes, Nick Franklin, Jose Osuna and J.B. Shuck.
