Hurdle: Pirates still have areas to improve on
Clint Hurdle will begin his fifth season as Pirates manager Thursday when pitchers and catchers go through their first workout of spring training at the Pirate City complex in Bradenton, Florida.
Much has changed for the Pirates since Hurdle was hired following a 105-loss season in 2010.
The Pirates ended their major North American professional sports record of 20 consecutive losing season in 2013, when they also qualified for the postseason for the first time since 1992. They then had a return engagement to the playoffs last season.
With spring training just a few days away, Hurdle answered some questions about the upcoming season.
Q: You have had a specific area that you wanted to improve on in each of the last three spring trainings. What will the focus be this spring?
A: 鈥淲e鈥檝e got about three tangible areas.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to make sure that we continue to remain and identify with who we are as a pitching core. There were times last year that we got away from it a little bit, and we had some challenges with personnel.
鈥淏ut once we reset the bar, we focused on fastball command, (throwing) low strikes, (arm) angle, getting people out on three pitches or less, we got back into a good rhythm. We were efficient with our innings.
鈥淲e also have athletes that I believe can run the bases in a more dynamic fashion. We鈥檝e gotten better. But the progress has been incremental. For the talent we have, I think we can make a big push forward there.
鈥淭hat is one of the reasons why we took Nick Leyva and moved him (from third base coach to first base coach) and moved Rick Sofield from first to third because Rick is the guy that鈥檚 in charge of the baserunning
鈥淎s odd as it might sound, our pitchers鈥� offense continues to be a very sore spot for us. To be able to bunt the ball, to be able to swing the bat, to be able to do something from an offensive side is an area we鈥檙e continuing to explore and learn how to make better improvement from what we have.
鈥淭here are teams that have a very big competitive advantage over us. And I do think that the ownership part of it can make a difference. When you鈥檙e in a division where you won 88 games (last season) and lose by two (games to the St. Louis Cardinals), if you break it down, there are a number of different ways where each one of these groups can win two more games or one more game.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think there is any doubt that our pitchers swinging the bat (better) could win us two more games over the course of a season.鈥�
Q: Speaking of the National League Central, you鈥檝e finished second to the Cardinals each of the last two seasons and wound up having to play in the winner-take-all wild card game. Is the next step for your team to win the division title?
A: 鈥淚t鈥檚 difficult because the Cardinals are the model in our division in how they continue to find ways to reshape yourself, rekindle, re-ignite.
鈥淎t the end of the day, though, we as much as anybody should understand the value and importance of winning the division. We鈥檝e been on both sides of the wild card game now. Wonderful when you win it and move on. It鈥檚 really abrupt when you don鈥檛. It鈥檚 really, really abrupt.
鈥淪o there is no time. We don鈥檛 have time to have just another day at the park. And I鈥檝e said this since I joined up, you鈥檒l hear this comment if you ask people throughout the day, 鈥榟ow you doing?鈥� and they鈥檒l say 鈥榡ust another day.鈥�
鈥淲e don鈥檛 have time for just another day. Elite organizations don鈥檛 have that opportunity. We鈥檝e got to continue to be hungry, and I do think that鈥檚 a term that might not be used enough in our industry or shared with players is the need for hunger within our game.鈥�
Q: Some analysts are ranking the NL Central the best of the major leagues鈥� six divisions. Will the competition be strong?
A: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good division, it鈥檚 a tough division.
鈥淭he Cubs have been building, and they believe that they鈥檙e in a very solid position to make a significant difference within the division this year. Cincinnati had to battle through a bunch of injuries last year. They have a good talent pool in which to draw from at the major league level, and a very good starting rotation.
鈥淢ilwaukee showed its strength 4/5th of the way through (last) season. St. Louis has set the bar high and continues to find a way to bump it up, and we think we鈥檙e in the right lane for the first time in a long time in our back-to-back postseason trips.
鈥淪o whether it鈥檚 reshaping or not. It鈥檚 a good, tough division. I鈥檓 sure every division would say that about themselves, but there is a lot of evidence in our division that there鈥檚 going to be no games to take for granted. There never are. But this is going to be exciting to play in this division.鈥�