13 days until the first spring workout for the Pittsburgh Pirates

facebooktwitterreddit

There is now less than two weeks left until the Pittsburgh Pirates begin Spring Training for the 2018 season

Spring Training 2018 is just around the corner for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The countdown to the first workout of the spring for the team’s pitchers and catchers is now just 13 days away.

Number 13 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, of course, belongs to manager Clint Hurdle.

The now 60-year-old Clint Hurdle was hired as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates on November 14, 2010. After signing a new contract extension this past September, Hurdle is set to enter his eighth season as Pirate skipper in 2018.

As manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Clint Hurdle owns a 584-549-1 record. This includes making the postseason in three consecutive seasons from 2013-2015. In the postseason he owns a 3-5 mark. Hurdle led the Pirates to a victory in the 2013 National League Wild Card Game over the Cincinnati Reds, before falling to the St. Louis Cardinals in five games in the National League Divison Series that season. The Bucs then lost to the San Francisco Giants in the 2014 National League Wild Card Game and the Chicago Cubs in 2015.

Clint Hurdle helped lead the turn around that ended the Pirates’ consecutive losing seasons streak at 20 in 2013. His willingness to change and adapt by incorporating analytics and advanced stats is a huge reason why the Pirates have had success during Hurdle’s tenure.

Following that 2013 season, Hurdle was named the National League Manager of the Year. While he did not win the award for a second consecutive season, he was even more deserving of the award in 2014 due to the Pirates still making the postseason despite being decimated by injuries.

Prior to coming to Pittsburgh, Clint Hurdle was the manager of the Colorado Rockies from 2002-2009. In the Mile High City, Hurdle owned a 534-625 record. He made the postseason once with the Rockies. His lone postseason appearance with the Rockies came in 2007 when he led the Rockies to the World Series where they were defeated by the Boston Red Sox.

Next: Pirates trade for Josh Smoker

Only 13 more days until the Pittsburgh Pirates’ pitchers and catchers have their first workout of Spring Training 2018. Less than two more weeks until Pirate baseball. Yay!

facebooktwitterreddit