CHICAGO -- The Pirates’ most glaring need when the past offseason began was shortstop.
It is obvious shortstop remains the Pirates’ biggest hole.
Starter Erik Gonzalez is hitting .160/.276/.280 in eight games while committing two errors. Kevin Newman, who lost to Gonzalez in the competition for the starting job during spring training, is hitting .273/.333/.384 in six games with three errors. All three errors came in a six-run second inning Monday, though, as the Pirates were pummeled by the Cubs, 10-0, in the winner’s home opener at Wrigley Field.
Yes, it was as ugly as it reads for the 25-year-old rookie.
“It felt like a long one, for sure,” Newman said of the second inning. “It’s not the way you want it go, especially when a pitcher is out there doing his job by getting ground balls.”
After a game like Monday’s, Jordy Mercer never looked better.
The Pirates, of course, moved on from Mercer at the end of last season after seven solid years. They felt the 32-year-old Mercer was losing range – and he was – and that they could find a cheaper alternative either via trade, free agency or in-house.
So, they dealt with the Indians for Gonzalez, who was 27 and spent three years as a utility player. Many Pirates scouts were convinced he was a diamond in the rough and would shine with regular playing time.
However, Gonzalez has been found wanting through the first eight games of the season and Newman hasn’t been much better. Of course, the Pirates’ first-round draft pick in 2015 seemingly couldn’t have been any worse on Monday, playing a large role in a 0-0 game quickly turning into a 6-0 game.
After Jameson Taillon retired the first two batters in the second inning, Daniel Descalso hit a routine grounder to Newman, who was stationed on the right side of the second-base bag as part of a shift. However, Newman’s throw to Bell was so far off target that it wound up in the Pirates’ dugout.
The two-base error kept the inning going and the Cubs bull-rushed through the opening. The last of the six runs came on a play in which Newman was charged with two errors.
With runners on first and second, he booted a grounder by Kyle Schwarber that allowed Anthony Rizzo to score. Newman compounded matters with a bad throw to first base that allowed Javier Baez to advance an extra base to third.
Taillon took Newman off the hook for the third error by striking out Willson Contreras for the second time in the inning. The damage was done, though. All six runs were unearned and the Pirates’ four-game winning streak was effectively over at that point as their record dropped to 5-4. For good measure, Gonzalez grounded out as a pinch-hitter to end the eighth inning.
Newman spent the final six weeks of last season with the Pirates. He admitted that the speed of the game in the major leagues was quicker than at Triple-A. He says he is now up to speed and wouldn’t use that as an excuse for is error trifecta.
“I wouldn’t relate it back to last year,” he said. “I think I didn’t make a couple of plays. That’s what happened.”
Newman’s teammates were empathetic. After Newman showered and dressed, Keone Kela spent a few moments with his arm around Newman as they chatted in the renovated visitors’ clubhouse.
Newman’s nightmare came two days after he was the hero Saturday, doubling home the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Pirates rallied past the Reds 6-5 at PNC Park.
“A couple days ago, it’s the greatest day I ever had on the field and today is quite the opposite,” he said sadly. “This game’s humbling.”
Clint Hurdle knows that, spending his entire adult life in professional baseball.
“It’s a rite of passage for the game and it defines people for their opportunities to play,” Hurdle said of Newman’s rough day. “You either get better from it or it can pick you up and choke you. We’ll go encourage him and coach him up. The lessons up here are a lot more real. You make an error in Triple-A — it’s a big deal but it’s not the same context. There is more collateral damage up here. Life challenges you. Sport challenges you. How you deal with adversity is usually what defines you. We have the confidence that he’ll continue to work through it and become better for it.”
The Pirates, though, also say they plan to contend this season. Few teams win pennants while experimenting with inexperienced players at shortstop.
There were a couple of solid options on the free-agent market over the winter in Freddy Galvis and Jose Iglesias. Neal Huntington continually said Gonzalez and Newman were just as good. Of course, what else could Huntington say when he was forced to cut the payroll by almost $17 million?
You do what the boss tells you, even if it means you can’t spend enough money to fill a gaping hole at one of most important positions on the field.
THE ESSENTIALS
• Boxscore
THE GOOD
Though it was in mop-up duty with the Pirates down 10-0, Francisco Liriano pitched two scoreless innings and rookie Nick Burdi struck out the side in order in the eighth, fanning Kris Bryant, Victor Caratini and Javier Baez.
Liriano had a rocky spring training in which he walked nine batters in 10 2/3 innings during exhibition play. The left-hander then walked the only batter he faced in his season debut, last Monday against the Cardinals in the home opener.
However, Liriano has pitched a total of four scoreless innings in his last three appearances.
Burdi had allowed three runs in 3 2/3 innings over five games prior to Monday. It was a homecoming for Burdi, who is from suburban Downer’s Grove, Ill.
THE BAD
The Pirates were shut out by a Cubs pitching staff that entered the game with a 7.51 ERA, the worst in the major leagues by nearly a full run. The White Sox’s 6.52 mark was second, showing that bad pitching must be contagious in the Windy City.
Furthermore, the Pirates seemingly caught a break when ace left-hander Jon Lester left the game in the top of the third inning with tightness in his left hamstring. Yet down 6-0, the Pirates never mounted much of a comeback attempt as four relievers finished the seven-hitter.
All the Pirates’ hits were singles. They were also 0-for-6 with four strikeouts and two double plays with runners in scoring position.
THE OTHER SIDE
The Cubs came home off a 2-7 road trip, representing their worst start since they lost their first 14 games in 1997. The bullpen had been particularly bad, carrying an 8.37 ERA.
However, Brad Brach, Brandon Kintzler, Randy Rosario and Pedro Strop combined to shut down the Pirates for seven innings.
"That will build their confidence. They need that," manager Joe Maddon said. "The group needs that. They were all really good."
THE DATA
• Taillon allowed one more unearned run Monday than he had in his previous 77 career starts combined over four seasons.
• Taillon’s start was the second-shortest of his career. He pitched just 1 2/3 innings last April 19 against the Phillies, allowing five runs.
• Adam Frazier extended his hitting streak to seven games with a third-inning single. He has been on base in all nine games.
• The six runs the Cubs scored in the second inning were as many as the Pirates had given up in any of their first eight games this season.
• The Pirates had four errors in a game for the first time since committing four against the Reds on May 1, 2016. In addition to Newman’s three, Colin Moran mishandled a grounder to third base in the seventh inning.
THE INJURIES
• Taillon was struck in the head by a line drive off the bat of Rizzo in the second inning that caromed into center field for a single. Taillon stayed in the game, then was placed in the concussion protocol afterward. The exam showed Taillon had no symptoms but he will be evaluated again tomorrow as a precaution.
• Corey Dickerson, outfielder, has a strained right shoulder but has resumed swinging and "some exercises." The initial expectation was for him to be back in late April/early May, and that hasn't changed.
• Gregory Polanco, outfielder, is recovering from left shoulder surgery and is on a rehab assignment with high-A Bradenton.
• Dovydas Neverauskas, right-handed reliever, is recovering from a strained left oblique and is on a rehab assignment with Bradenton.
• Lonnie Chisenhall, outfielder, out with a broken right hand, has started gripping activities and simulated throws.
• Kyle Crick, right-handed reliever, was placed on the injured list with right triceps tightness and could return as soon as the weekend.
• Elias Diaz, catcher, is recovering from a virus and is on a rehab assignment with Bradenton.
• Jose Osuna, first baseman/outfielder, is in extended spring training rehabbing a strained neck and is participating in all baseball activities except throwing.
THE SCHEDULE
After an off day Tuesday, the three-game series resumes with the middle game on Wednesday at 8:05 p.m. Jordan Lyles (0-0, 0.00) will face Yu Darvish (0-1, 8.10). I will be on the coverage.
THE COVERAGE
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