CINCINNATI -- After doing some long toss on the field of Great American Ball Park before the game Friday, John Nogowski was heading back to the Pirates’ dugout before getting stopped.
In the stands there was a fan asking for an autograph. Nogowski often obliges, usually scribbling on a baseball or a card.
This time, the fan had his jersey.
After signing and taking a picture, I asked Nogowski how many times he had seen his jersey in the wild.
“My dad has one, and that one right there,” he replied. “It’s kind of surreal.”
That was at the start of the series. There must have been a fresh batch of No. 69 Pirates uniforms shipped out around then, because his jersey and signs for him kept popping up at Great American Ball Park throughout the weekend, including in the Pirates’ 3-2 loss to the Reds Sunday afternoon.
ALEX STUMPF / DKPS
Fans waiting for an autograph from The Dude.
The Pirates have an All-Star and potential MVP candidate in center field, one of the game’s best young third basemen and a local kid who is the presumed closer of the future. But it’s Nogowski’s jersey that’s popping up more and more. He has become a bit of a cult hero with his new team.
Perhaps he was destined to gather some following. To teammates, he’s “Nogo,” but to the Internet, he is commonly referred to as “The Big Nogowski,” a reference to the classic Coen brothers movie. The nickname has spawned a t-shirt that, according to him, has been selling.
But there’s far more than that. His No. 69 jersey number draws “nice” comments. In a three true outcome game, three-quarters of his plate appearances result in a ball in play, keeping the game moving. He is in the extremely rare “throws left, bats right” demographic. He blasts Bruce Springsteen's 'Born In The USA' as his walkup music. In July, he unintentionally found himself in the middle of a benches-clearing incident between the Pirates and Mets because pitcher Marcus Stroman thought he directed comments towards him. Nogowski said he didn’t, and left that skirmish smiling. He’s become Derek Shelton’s go-to mop up guy on the mound, pitching the final inning three times to finish blow outs. (It’s happened so often that his Baseball Reference page actually lists pitcher as one of his three positions.) Even when he’s in a rut performance wise, something interesting tends to happen with him.
He’s in on the joke. Some good is coming from it, too. A portion of the profits from those Big Nogowski jerseys go to the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
“I know my number and everything has kind of gotten some attention,” he said. “If that attention can go to someone who needs it, help somebody out, that’s good."
But this weekend in Cincinnati, things might have taken a turn for Nogowski’s career as a Pirate. Some of it is his doing, some of it just how the roster has changed.
Colin Moran was activated off the injured list Friday and started the last two games at first base. To be clear, it is Moran’s job, and that was always the case. It’s why they wanted someone with a little defensive versatility when they were looking for a fill in
“We knew that when we acquired him that he had the ability to go in the outfield also,” Shelton said.
Nogowski has also been taking fly balls with first base and outfield coach Tarrik Brock just about everyday since joining the team, but with Bryan Reynolds in center and the recently-promoted Anthony Alford having the left field job secured from now, that leaves only right field and Gregory Polanco.
Filling in for Ben Cherington on his radio show on 93.7 The Fan Sunday, assistant general manager Kevan Graves said that Polanco’s playing time and opportunity is a “daily conversation.” For now, though, it looks like he is going to stay the starter.
Even if he wasn’t, and even though Nogowski played outfield regularly in high school, he’s not a natural out there.
“I don’t know if I'm going to be robbing home runs like Polanco,” Nogowski joked, referencing Polanco’s game-saving catch Tuesday night.
Unfortunately for Nogowski, the recently acquired Michael Chavis and Tucupita Marcano can also play the outfield and first base, as well as a handful of other positions. That flexibility made the Pirates comfortable enough to designate Erik González for assignment Saturday after filling that utility role for three seasons.
Defensive versatility is a major selling point for being a Pirates bench player, and they’ve got him beat there. There’s no timetable for a promotion for either player, but if they do get the call, Nogowski would likely be the one leaving Pittsburgh.
A lot of it is results based. While he was the Pirates’ hottest hitter shortly after being acquired, he has not had much batted ball luck. Over his last 17 games, including a fly out as a pinch-hitter Sunday, he has just seven hits in his last 55 at-bats, a .127 average.
He recognizes that. One of the first things he said on the field was a matter of fact, “I need to get some hits here.” In eight at-bats here, he did not.
He was brought in mostly to fill-in while Moran rehabbed. He has minor-league options. Perhaps a stint on the bench goes better than it did with the Cardinals, where he went 1-for-18 as a pinch-hitter, but Nogowski is approaching a point where he needs to make the most of whatever opportunities he has.
He’s focused on doing just that.
“It’s awesome to be getting a chance to play,” he said. “It’s good to learn. I’m blessed to have the opportunity to learn from it… I’m happy where I’m at, to have that chance.”
GETTY
MORE FROM THE GAME
• For five of his six innings Sunday, Bryse Wilson did a terrific job keeping the Reds in check, filling the strike zone with pitches and keeping them off balance.
In the fourth, though, he was tagged for three runs, though most of the damage was done on bloops that stemmed from a couple failed diving attempts.
Leading off the inning, Jacob Stallings made a leaping attempt to grab a pop foul up the third base line, but fell just short. Jesse Winker ended up blooping one to right for a book rule double, and then advanced to third when Bryan Reynolds couldn't close the glove after diving at a sinking Nicholas Castellanos liner.
By the time Joey Votto and Kyle Farmer came around, they ripped honest line drives for runs to decide the game.
That was the outlier on a very positive afternoon for Wilson, who matched a career-high seven strikeouts over his six frames. Half of those came via the curveball, a pitch that he didn't utilize much with the Braves. It got more play Sunday because of the Reds' right-handed heavy lineup, but Wilson acknowledged a change in pitch mix could help him find some more success in the big leagues.
"I think the big thing for me is being unpredictable," Wilson said. "That's what makes the best pitchers great. The hitter has no idea what's coming. If I can establish that curveball as a pitch that I can go to in any count, that would be huge, to go along with the four-seam, two-seam and the changeup."
• After snapping an 0-for-19 skid Thursday and getting more comfortable at the dish by focusing on his stance and hand placement, Ke'Bryan Hayes ended up having a good weekend, capped off by hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning Sunday.
"He had a good series," Shelton said. "His swings the entire series were considerably better, way more aggressive. Really a step forward for Key in this series. If there was one bright spot offensively, in this series, it was Key."
Hayes went 2-for-4 Sunday and 5-for-15 with a home run, double and walk this weekend.
• During his interview before the game, Graves, hinted that Gamel will most likely need more than the minimum 10 days to return from the injured list. So expect more Alford in left. He went 1-for-4 with an RBI and two strikeouts Sunday.
• And so completes the four game sweep at the hand of the Reds. The Pirates remain winless at Great American Ball Park this season and have dropped their last 12 in this ballpark.
"I mean, the Reds, they just put really good swings on balls," Hayes said about this series. "We were kind of leaving some pitches elevated in the zone and out over the plate, and they were capitalizing on them. It will be good just to get home and get back in front of that home crowd against St. Louis and Milwaukee."
THE ESSENTIALS
• Boxscore
• Scoreboard
• Standings
• Statistics
THE LINEUPS
Shelton's card:
1. Hoy Park, SS
2. Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B
3. Bryan Reynolds, CF
4. Colin Moran, 1B
5. Anthony Alford, LF
6. Gregory Polanco, RF
7. Rodolfo Castro, 2B
8. Jacob Stallings, C
9. Bryse Wilson, RHP
And for David Bell's Reds:
1. Jonathan India, 2B
2. Jesse Winker, LF
3. Nick Castellanos, RF
4. Joey Votto, 1B
5. Tyler Stephenson, C
6. Kyle Farmer, SS
7. Eugenio Suarez, C
8. Shogo Akiyama, CF
9. Tyler Mahle, RHP
THE SCHEDULE
The Pirates are off Monday and will return to PNC Park Tuesday to start a three-game set with the Cardinals. Steven Brault (0-0, 2.25) will take on J.A. Happ (5-6, 6.62), with first pitch coming at 7:05 p.m.
IN THE SYSTEM
• Indianapolis
• Altoona
• Greensboro
• Bradenton
THE CONTENT
Visit our team page for everything.
