Pirates Andrew McCutchen Finalist to Grab Cover of MLB 13 The Show

We can help get Pittsburgh Pirates All Star, Gold Glover, Silver Slugger, general bad ass on the cover of MLB 13 Ths Show.  McCutchen was on 93.7 The Fan this morning to announce he is a finalist to grab the cover.   The competition will be Ryan Braun, Bryce Harper, and C.C.

The voting will begin on January 7 and use the hashtag #MLB13Cutch  to vote on Twitter

Bryce Harper was the first candidate announced for the cover and here is an indepth article on Harper and the game’s new features.

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A few links for you.

Travis Snider looks back at the trade to the Pittsburgh Pirates.  HeraldNet

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Speaking of Cutch.  One of the interesting articles surrounding the 2013 outlook for Cutch.  It relies heavily on the claim that McCutchen’s .375 BABIP is unsustainable.  We agree.  But we think 2013 will be more about McCutchen trying to improve on some more specific aspects of his game.

The Silver Slugger set a career high strikeout percentage in 2012.  We think that improves in 2013, it’s hard to see that going higher than 19.6% largely due to the number of pitches he flailed at outside the zone.  His career high of swing and miss will also improve.

We believe this because of Jay Bell.  The Bucs new hitting coach is more mental than physical.  While Gregg Ritchie often tinkered with hands, bat drag and stance, Bell is going to get into the minds of the Bucs hitters.  Why did you chase that slider Cutch will be a common sentence.

We say McCutchen responds to Bell in 2013 and while the BABIP will certainly regress….IF CUTCH GETS SOME LINEUP SUPPORT,  the career low contact rate bounces back, and the plate awareness soars.   SB Nation

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As you read on twitter yesterday, the Bucs are working hard to move Joel Hanrahan.  We told you that a long time ago.  As this article mentions a quote from Neal Huntington…the “Pirates still have some irons in the fire.”  WPXI