BRADENTON, Fla. -- The Pirates did not exactly have a lot of outfield depth before they traded Starling Marte to the Diamondbacks last month. Without him, they are down to the dregs.
At the moment, the Pirates' opening day outfield appears to be Gregory Polanco in right and then Bryan Reynolds and Guillermo Heredia in center and left, or vice-versa on the positioning. Even though Ben Cherington said Polanco is “at 100% right now from a basic health perspective” during PiratesFest, his injury history is a major concern.
There should be reinforcements coming. Cherington told DKPittsburghSports.com Monday that he expects to add another outfielder. He did not specify whether it was a center fielder or not, just an outfielder. He almost has to bring in another just because there are not a whole lot of options coming to camp this year
So far, the Pirates have invited three non-roster outfielders to camp: Free-agents Socrates Brito and Charlie Tilson, and minor-leaguer Jared Oliva, who played double-A in 2019 and is almost certainly starting the year in triple-A. Besides them, the 40-man roster only lists two more outfielders: Jason Martin and Kevin Kramer.
Wait, Kevin Kramer? The second baseman? He's considered an outfielder now?
"Whatever the team needs," Kramer was telling me. "That's the way I'm approaching it."
Kramer is still an infielder, too. Working in the outfield just makes him more versatile and gives him a better chance of making the team.
"If I can get more comfortable in the outfield and have that in my tool belt, that's what's going to help me in the long run," Kramer said.
Before 2019, Kramer was solely an infielder — whether it was at the professional, college or high school level — but he started taking reps in the corner outfield positions midseason. He ended up playing 20 games in left and 10 in right for triple-A Indianapolis, and then an additional 14 games in the outfield with the Pirates down the stretch.
He was learning on the fly, so he tried to pick everybody's brain, including J.B. Shuck, Indianapolis manager Brian Esposito, Reynolds, Marte and even Martin, who is now his competition.
He peppered them with questions. Where are you going on this play? Where are you backing up? Where do you go on a double to the opposite gap?
"All the little things that make a big difference," Kramer described it.
Martin helped Kramer learn the ropes, but he wants the major-league job, too. While Kramer is more versatile, Martin is more experienced in the outfield and can play center, a major point in his favor.
"I just take it day by day," Martin was telling me about trying to make a good impression this spring. "Just try to go in and showcase what I could do and just let the rest take care of itself. I know I can play, so I've just got to go out there and do it. All that other stuff will take care of itself."
Both players were promoted midseason taking over for injured players and then called up again in September. If either does not win the opening day spot, they will almost certainly be in the same role for 2020.
"Nobody wants to be the guy that goes up and down [from the majors and triple-A], but that's part of the business. That's part of the game," Kramer said. "I'm looking to put in good work. I'm looking to do what what I can and the results I hope are going to show up."
• Also on Martin: He is fully rehabbed after undergoing surgery on a labrum tear in his left, non-throwing shoulder.
"I'm really happy [with] where I'm at," Martin said.
• Martin and Kramer are in Bradenton early, as is Kevin Newman. Position players don't report until Feb. 16.
• There were also plenty of pitchers throwing Monday, even though the first workout is not until Wednesday. Among the active pitchers were Joe Musgrove, Richard Rodriguez, Nick Burdi, Cody Ponce and Chad Kuhl.
This is hardly the first time Kuhl has thrown since his Tommy John surgery, but it is the first time he has been able to do so alongside his teammates since 2018.
“More than anything, it’s just good to be out there, good to be part of it," Kuhl told Dejan Kovacevic. "I’m ready to get going.”
• Player physicals start Tuesday at 7 a.m..
• After signing a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training last week, Derek Holland is looking for redemption in 2020.
"I felt like last year wasn't exactly the way I wanted it to go, obviously number wise," Holland said. "I had to make some adjustments, bounce back and forth between the pen and starting a little bit. I just feel like I've got to get myself back together."
Holland went 2-5 with a 6.08 ERA in 2019, pitching 51 games and making eight starts. He was designated for assignment by the Giants on July 23 and spent the rest of the season with the Cubs.
Holland felt he relied on his fastball too much last year, so he is going to try mix in more offspeed pitches this season.
"Missing over the plate and being a little too predictable, that's what it comes down to," Holland said of his 2019 woes.
• Holland is also in the mix for the fifth starter job.
"When going into the offseason, I thought for sure I was going to be a reliever," Holland said. "To have that opportunity to possibly get to start, I'm ready to try to do the best I can with it. If it doesn't work out for me, I'm going to look at the bullpen as the next chapter of my career, too."
• Holland didn't have an assigned locker when he walked into Pirate City Monday, so he ended up snatching the spot next to Chris Stratton since he knew him. The two played together on the Giants in 2018.
"Derek's a great dude, just fun to be around," Stratton was telling me. "Hopefully, he'll bring some energy into here and we'll have some fun with it."
• Dejan and I bumped into Steve Blass at Mixon's after we were done at Pirate City. He looks good. And, of course, Mixon's lived up to the hype.
