BRADENTON, Fla. -- It was only last September that the Pirates' potential "Seinfeld" double-play was all the rage.
Both Kevin Newman and Kevin Kramer had been called up from Triple-A Indianapolis to make their major-league debuts. However, instead of Newman and Kramer just being pals like on the former hit television series, these two Kevins appeared to be the middle infield of the future with Newman at shortstop and Kramer at second base.
Yet five months later, Newman appears to be the underdog in the spring-training competition with Erik Gonzalez for the starting shortstop job. The Pirates have raved about Gonzalez since acquiring him from the Indians in a trade Nov. 14.
Meanwhile, the Pirates have chosen Adam Frazier to be the starting second baseman after the former utility player had a strong finish last season.
Kramer, unlike Newman, seems to have no clear path of making the team. Newman could wind up being the primary utility infielder should Gonzalez become the starting shortstop and a case can be made that fellow rookie Pablo Reyes and journeyman Nick Franklin have a better chance of winning bench jobs than Kramer.
Also hurting Kramer's cause is that he bombed in his first taste of the major leagues, hitting .135/.175/.135 in 21 games. He managed just five singles in 40 plate appearances while striking out 20 times and walking twice.
However, the personable Kramer says he learned a lot from his 27 days in the bigs and plans to apply those lessons this season.
"It wasn't the easiest time, but you get through it," Kramer said. "I'm hoping to use that experience to make me a better ballplayer. That's how you have to look it. You can't let it defeat you."
Kramer felt fatigued by the time he reached the major leagues. The previous season, he spent six weeks playing in the Arizona Fall League after his regular season ended at Double-A Altoona.
"It was definitely good to have a full offseason of training this time," Kramer said. "I didn't have the strength I normally have at the end of last season. I think a full offseason of lifting will make a big difference. I don't think I'll be lacking strength in September this year."
The 24-year-old Kramer had a fine season at Indianapolis last year. He batted .311/.365/.492 with 15 home runs and 13 stolen bases in 129 games and was one of just three players in the International League to reach double digits in both homers and steals.
Neal Huntington says Kramer's Triple-A season wasn't a fluke
"Kevin Kramer has not forgotten how to hit," Huntington told me. "He isn't the first good hitter to come up and struggle his first time at the major-league level."
Kramer believes his problem in the big leagues stemmed from becoming too spread out in his batting stance.
"The pitchers really exploited that in September because I had a hard time getting to the high pitch," Kramer said. "I need to get back to being more upright and athletic with my swing. When I looked back at the video from last September, it was obvious what the problem was."
Kramer has hit since being the Pirates' second-round draft pick in 2015 from UCLA. He has a .293/.363/.432 line in 362 minor-league games.
A scout who has watched Kramer move up through the farm system told DKPittsburghSports.com he has made great improvement since his pro debut.
"He's learned how to drive the ball now," the scout said. "He was just content to kind of slap the ball around at first but now you can tell he means business when he steps into the batter's box. All the strikeouts in the major leagues surprised me because he has a good eye and he didn't get himself out on bad pitches in the minor leagues.
"You can't write the kid off after only one month (in the majors), He's going to hit in the big leagues. I'd be surprised it he didn't."
Kramer also provides defensive versatility, something the Pirates greatly emphasize. He started 82 games at second for Indianapolis last season as well as 19 at third base and 15 at shortstop.
"He's never going to be known for his defense," the scout said. "He doesn't have a lot of range or a very strong arm. He makes the plays he should make but he's not going to make many highlight plays. That's OK, though, because he'll hit enough to make up for it."
Kramer knows he needs to get better defensively, which is why he spent much of the offseason working with a speed coach.
"I can feel the difference," Kramer said. "I'm getting off the ball a little bit faster, I have more first-step quickness, all the things that's important to someone playing infield."
More than anything, Kramer yearns for another chance to play in the major leagues. Whenever that may be, he knows he will be more prepared.
"I'm a pretty tough critic," Kramer said. "I wasn't happy with the way I played in September. But I worked on what I needed to work on over the winter and I'm looking forward to being a better player this year, and being ready the next time the opportunity to play in Pittsburgh knocks now that I have a little experience at that level."
