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Pittsburgh Pirates: Goals For First Base This Season

By Cody Potanko

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 03: Colin Moran #19 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action during the game against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on September 3, 2020 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 03: Colin Moran #19 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action during the game against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on September 3, 2020 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /
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VENICE, FLORIDA – MARCH 09: Todd Frazier #99 of the Pittsburgh Pirates stands at the plate during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves during a spring training game at CoolToday Park on March 09, 2021 in Venice, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
VENICE, FLORIDA – MARCH 09: Todd Frazier #99 of the Pittsburgh Pirates stands at the plate during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves during a spring training game at CoolToday Park on March 09, 2021 in Venice, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) /

Goal Number Two – Power

One of the typical things you want from a corner infielder is some sort of power. Now I’m not asking for Barry Bonds numbers, I’m asking for a good amount of extra base hits and home runs. Take Moran for example. Moran had 44 hits last year, and about 45% of his hits were extra base hits with 10 doubles and 10 home runs. Now asking for 45% again is crazy, but I wouldn’t mind around 20-25% of his hits being extra base hits.

Todd Frazier historically has had a good amount of pop in his bat producing around 40-50 extra base hits per season excluding last season’s crazy season where he only had 14. Obviously, Frazier isn’t going to be the starter right away unless an injury or a trade happens, so that 40 – 50 extra base hit mark will be hard to achieve, but the elder statesman could still produce around 10-12 home runs and around the same in doubles.

Phillip Evans, in this role, is your icing on top of the cake. We will see him in many roles, but at the plate, we know he has the ability to hit and hit well. For the Cubs Triple-A team in 2019, he hit for a combined 47 extra base hits (30 doubles 17 home runs.) Before his injury in 2020, Evans surprised a lot of people, and I would assume the 26-year-old is looking to do the same in 2021. Honestly, who wouldn’t root for a guy like this!?

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