Andrew McCutchen leading the Pittsburgh Pirates in offence - MLB News
This past week it was San Francisco Giants' Buster Posey who won the NL MVP. Decided by the Baseball Writers' Association of America's ballots, Pittsburgh Pirates' Andrew McCutchen finished third in it.
A fact reflected in the Pittsburgh Pirates this year was the club’s reorientation; its essentially changing outlook and the competitiveness found missing in the previous seasons. The 2012 Major League Baseball could have been a success story had things gone as smoothly as they initially did.
The Pirates had last won a World Series title in 1979. That is a history now as certain parts of history are not meant to remain static. They need to constantly appear competitive so as to maintain their freshness.
Vital, lively and spirited as the Pirates seemed this year, there was a role that seemed quite holistic, quite influential and potentially decisive: That of centre fielder Andrew McCutchen.
This breakthrough season for this young and potentially history-making player will be long remembered as he went on to add more aggression to the Pirates’ offence, making it one of the dreaded, if not invincible offences in the Division.
The first half of the season, a quick look at the record, show was amazing wherein the club followed the National League Central topper Cincinnati Reds. But the downward spiral afterwards, the descent, was quite an unsettling thing to happen for the Pirates.
Nonetheless, figuring prominently in almost all the aspects of the batting is where McCutchen stood apart. That he held a .327 average was not only impressive but could also be ultimately crucial for the team in their winning ways.
However, that .327 could have been better had McCutchen maintained his magical touch. In the last two months of the season, his batting average slowed to .253 and the team eventually were out of the season.
Nonetheless, he was among the top 5 nominees for the National League Most Valuable Player Award along with the four big names of the league. Although he could not net that award, he did make his mark through his batting prowess.
His winning Gold Glove Award, after all, was an acknowledgement of the consistency and significance he retained on the field. In short, he clicked in almost all departments of the game.
The Pirates have a long way to go to rewrite history; to make the ascent to glory. In the years to come, beyond any doubt, McCutchen will be key to attain this goal.
He, after all, personifies consistency.
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