State of the Pittsburgh Pirates I: Jekyll and Hyde

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Apr 28, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Gift Ngoepe (left) and Pirates third baseman Josh Harrison (right) react after scoring runs during the second inning against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Best Story: Gift Ngoepe

All of us know at least the gist of the Gift Ngoepe story, so I won’t go deep into the details of that. Given all that this man has had to go through to make history in getting to the big leagues, he will be an inspiration even if he never gets another hit. With that said, if early results are any indication, Ngoepe could be turn out to be an asset to the Pirates regardless of nationality.

Gift is off to a respectable start, hitting .292 with an OBP of .433 as of May 9. It might be hard to see the African become an everyday starter, but Ngoepe has defied the odds all his life. If the 28-year-old rookie can live his life in a clubhouse, bust his hump in the minors for almost a decade, and do what nobody else from his continent has ever done in getting to the big leagues, there is no telling what else this man can accomplish.

In any case, Gift Ngoepe is an inspiration, and not only is he the story of the year in Pittsburgh, but possibly in all of baseball as well.