Cole Tucker Reminds Pittsburgh Pirates Fans Why Baseball Is Special

Saturday afternoon was an unforgettable day for Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Cole Tucker. It also reminded fans that there are few things in the world quite as special as baseball.

“I’ll never forget today as long as I live,” Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Cole Tucker told a group of reporters huddled around his locker following a rain shortened 3-1 Pirate victory over the San Francisco Giants at a soaked PNC Park on Saturday evening. How could he ever forget Saturday?

Not only did Tucker make his MLB debut for the Pirates on Saturday, he did it in grand fashion. With the game tied in the bottom of the 5th inning and rain on the way Tucker crushed a 2-2 pitch form Derek Holland into the bushes in center field to give the Pirates a 3-1 lead. At the culmination of that half inning the tarp came on the field and was never removed. Tucker’s home run proved to be the game winner.

This moment was a special one for Tucker. His home run came with his parents in the stands and led to him quickly receiving the first curtain call of his MLB career. The first of many, both he and fans of the Pirate hope.

Tucker’s game on Saturday was reminder that baseball is a special game. As longtime baseball writer Tim Kurkjian likes to say, every time you go to a MLB game you may see something that you have never seen before. For Tucker and his family, this was certainly the case on Saturday.

Another factor that made Tucker’s game winning home run on Saturday were the expectations surrounding him. The Pirates drafted Tucker as a string beaned high school kid in the first round of the 2014 draft. Tucker’s offensive potential combined with his elite defense at shortstop quickly made him the shortstop of the future for the Pirates. Well, for Tucker and the Pirates, the future appears to be now.

The situation in which Tucker hit his home run also made it special. While it was a 1-1 game in the bottom of the 5th inning, with heavy rain quickly approaching everyone knew the tarp was coming on the field at the end of that half inning. Due to this, Tucker’s home run came in a very clutch situation. Had the game still been tied after that half inning, then we’d likely be looking at the two teams having to finish a suspended game prior to Sunday’s 1:35 scheduled first pitch.

There are moments as a baseball fan you never forget. Some big , some little, and some falling somewhere in between. For the Pirate fans in attendance and watching at home, Tucker’s home run on Saturday will be one of those moments. Few things in baseball are quite as special as a top prospect hitting a game winning home run in their MLB debut.

Tucker has the ability to quickly become a fan favorite in Pittsburgh. On top of being one of the top shortstop prospects in all of baseball, he also has a personality fans will gravitate to. During Saturday’s lengthy rain delay Tucker emerged from the Pirate clubhouse to sign autographs for fans.

I can also attest from personal experience that Tucker is an awesome dude. Following my wedding last summer, Nick, another one of my groomsmen, and I met Tucker at bar in Altoona. Despite him having played a baseball game just a few hours earlier and three of us being the state of mind you would expect following a wedding, he gladly took a few minutes to chat with us and snap a few pictures. Those are the types of moments off the field that paired with special on field moments like Saturday’s make a player a fan favorite.

Saturday may have been the beginning of the Cole Tucker Era at shortstop in Pittsburgh. With Erik Gonzalez on the 60-day injured list after breaking his collarbone, shortstop will be Tucker’s job for the foreseeable future. If he continues to have special performances like Saturday, Tucker may never surrender his job as the team’s starting shortstop.

As Moneyball famously quote Billy Beane saying, “how can you not be romantic about baseball?” Saturday’s performance from Tucker was one of those moments that makes you ask that question. It was also a reminder to fans far and wide as to why baseball is such a special sport.