Glasnow seeks comfort zone
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
CHICAGO — Imagine yourself in Tyler Glasnow’s shoes. You recently were promoted, and you had a horrible first day. You’re now supposed to beat one of the best in the business, someone named Jake Arrieta, and his team of World Series champions. Also imagine you’re 6 feet 8 and barely can fit into your cubicle — in this case, the cramped visitors clubhouse at Wrigley Field.
It’s all a little hard to envision, even for Glasnow. But he much would rather anticipate his start Saturday against the Chicago Cubs than reflect on his season debut, which lasted just nine batters. He got five outs and allowed five runs on five walks and four hits. It was a nightmare.
“The day of, the day after, you dwell on it a little bit,” Glasnow, 23, said, “but as the days go on you get into that normal routine. You’ve done it for so long that you just kind of forget about it.”
When Glasnow and pitching coach Ray Searage looked at film earlier this week, they looked at “mostly good stuff,” Glasnow said. Meaning they focused on tape from last season and this spring, times when he was right. They spotted some differences and set a game plan. Glasnow never has faced the Cubs, never played at Wrigley Field, so it’ll be a first look for both sides.
“If you’re executing pitches, you can get anyone out,” he said. “If you’re not, people are going to do some damage off you. You have to do your scouting reports, but go out and compete.”
Though Glasnow declined to use too much time off as an excuse, there were 16 days between his final spring-training start March 25 and his first regular-season start April 10. The long layoff was a byproduct of off days, travel days and a rainout in Boston that reshuffled the rotation.
Glasnow said he is focused on repeating his delivery and settling into a routine. He wasn’t able to sequence his pitches much Monday, sticking primarily with two- and four-seam fastballs as he tried to find the plate. He hopes to use his curveball and changeup more often Saturday.
“I’ve just got to start fresh this time,” Glasnow said.
Back on top
After four days of offensive ineptitude, manager Clint Hurdle Friday put second baseman Josh Harrison in the leadoff spot for the first time this season. In 2016, Harrison had a .327 with a .773 OPS batting in the leadoff position, where he started 37 games.
Hurdle likes to use the energetic Harrison as a spark plug atop the lineup. Friday, Harrison singled twice off Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks. He was picked off once and later stole a base.
“We’ve given it [nine] games,” Hurdle said before the Pirates’ 4-2 win. “I don’t think this specifically — one man moving to the leadoff spot — will help us with driving in runners when they’re in scoring position. However, who knows? Give it a shot.”
College ball
The Penn State and West Virginia baseball teams will play at 7 p.m. May 10 at PNC Park. It is a makeup of a March 22 game that was postponed because of bad weather in University Park, Pa.
“Our organization has so many alumni from and supporters of both of these outstanding institutions that it is truly an honor to have these two schools showcase their talents at PNC Park before their large fan bases in Pittsburgh,” Pirates president Frank Coonelly said.