Pirates/MLB
Pittsburgh Pirates
MARTE DESTINED TO TAKE OVER FOR MCCUTCHEN IN CENTER?
Starling Marte’s heroics in the field Friday night in making two game saving plays, had his manager gushing about his play in left field afterwards.
“Marte is playing left field as good as anybody in the game and playing like he invented it,” Hurdle told reporters Friday night.
And it isn’t just Hurdle who was marveling about Marte’s play in left.
“Nobody in baseball makes that play. Starling Marte, nobody makes that except him,” Pirates broadcaster John Wehner said of Marte’s game saving catch
Aside from a few mental gaffes here and there this season, Marte is showing the type of ability in left that has had the Pirates brass believing he’s primed to be the Pirates long-term center fielder.
Many believe Marte would be a better center fielder than McCutchen right now but who in the organization would have it in them to ask McCutchen switch positions as early as next season. That’s not happening anytime soon.
TONIGHT’S PIRATES LINEUP AS GERRIT COLE GOES FOR WIN NO. 15
1. Gregory Polanco, RF
2. Starling Marte, LF
3. Andrew McCutchen, CF
4. Aramis Ramirez, 3B
5. Jung Ho Kang, SS
6. Neil Walker, 2B
7. Pedro Alvarez, 1B
8. Chris Stewart, C
9. Gerrit Cole, P
