Pittsburgh Pirates 2021 Previews: C Andrew Susac
Last season, the Pittsburgh Pirates finished as the worst team in Major League Baseball going 19-41. Without the Minor Leagues, there were several players laying in wait to help if the Pirates needed it. One of those players was catcher Andrew Susac, who was in his first season with the team. The Pirates signed Susac as a free agent as a mutually beneficial move. Susan was looking to get back to the Major Leagues after not receiving a full-time shot since the 2015 season, and the Pirates were looking got veteran insurance behind the plate. They had a first-time starter in Jacob Stallings behind the plate, and if things went bad Susac had the experience to step in.
Well, it turned out that Stallings was more than capable of handling the starting catching duties and John Ryan Murphy was a suitable back-up. However, Andrew Susac continued to travel with the Pirates all season long as a member of the taxi squad. He was just one injury away from getting on the Big League roster, but that injury never came. So, Susac lived the life of a Major Leaguer again but just didn't get any of the playing time. That was until the last game of the 2020 season against the Cleveland Indians. Manager Derek Shelton rewarded Susac for his patience, giving him a start in the final game. With the taxi squad reinstated for the 2021 season, the Pirates once again signed Susac to a Minor League contract. Today, we look at how Susac can impact the Pirates again and possibly earn some more playing time in 2021.
Riding the Taxi Squad
It may not have been the glamorous life, but Susac was with the Pirates throughout the 2020 season. With him came experience that no other Pirates player had, World Series experience. Andrew Susac had been the back-up catcher for San Francisco Giants star Buster Posey in the 2014 World Series. Susan would appear in two games during that World Series, and although he didn't get a hit, in that World Series, he still got to experience what it was like to play on a championship team. He would use that leadership to help guide Jacob Stallings and the other young Pirates even if he couldn't make a direct impact on the field.
Susan would get some time to train in 2020 down at the alternate training site in Altoona, but he spent most of his time on the road with the Pirates. Being that he was 30-years-old, Susac already knew how the game worked and was just looking to find time on the field with the team. He had played in just 26 games for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Baltimore Orioles over the previous three seasons. During that time, he hit just .145 (8-55) with just one extra-base hit during that span. He was a long way from being the back-up catcher on a World Series team, and he wasn't about to give up. After suffering an injury that made him miss almost the entire 2019 season, Susac came back with the Pirates to try to get back on the field.
Even though it wasn't meant to be, Pirates Manager Derek Shelton saw how hard Susac worked on the taxi squad and decided to reward him on the final day of the regular season. The Pirates not only selected the contract of Andrew Susac, adding him to the 40-man roster, but he was the Pirate's starting catcher on the final day of the regular season. He would end up getting four plate appearances in the game for the Pirates and went 0-2 with two walks. He was aggressive in his first two at-bats, popping out on two pitches his first time up, and lining out on the first pitch in his second at-bat. However, he finished the day with two walks working the count to 3-1 and 3-2 respectively before drawing walks. It wasn't the stereotypical ending that Susac was hoping for, but he got on base in two out of his four at-bats.
Non-Roster Invitee Again
For the second year in a row, Andrew Susac is a non-roster invitee catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates. While his job is mainly to catch bullpen sessions for the Pirates, he has gotten some opportunities at the plate this season. In seven spring training games, Susac is hitting .111 with a strikeout over nine at-bats. He has been used as both a designated hitter and a catcher late in games and hasn't been able to get going at the plate. But, his work behind it has helped give his pitchers the confidence they need to succeed. He has thrown out one of the two attempting base stealers and committed one error so far this spring.
He has helped guys like David Bednar, Kyle Crick, and Richard Rodriguez get ready for the upcoming season. By catching the later innings of the Spring Training games, Susac has gotten the chance to work with some of the Minor Leaguers and guys that are fighting for spots on the Major League team. Because of this, his job is not only to receive the ball, but it is to make sure that the young guys remain calm and stick to the gameplan. With his leadership behind the plate, these pitchers can feel comfortable taking to the mound knowing that they have a guy behind them who will guide them through the outing.
With the back-up catching spot having a lot more competitors this season, it is likely once again that Susac will end up being on the taxi squad. The Minor Leagues are back, but with so many young guys on the upper levels of the Minor Leagues, Susac would be taking playing time away from guys like Christian Kelley, Jason Delay, and Arxen Pabst who need the at-bats at the Minor League level. However, with the taxi squad coming back for the 2021 season, Susac will once again be on that squad in case the team needs him. It is a thankless position that doesn't get a lot of recognition, but it is a rile that Susac will fill for another season hoping to get on the field.
Comments
Post a Comment