DK's Daily Shot of Pirates: Andrew McCutchen just keeps banging

[Music] [Applause] people say it's always about the money and they're almost always right people say it's never about a player's commitment to his team to his City and they're usually right good morning to you good Wednesday morning I'm de katovich of DK Pittsburgh sports this is daily shot of pirates at Comes Your Way bright and early every weekday if you're into football Andor hockey I also offer daily shots of Steelers and Penguins in the same place that you found this Pirates 6 Marlins four the great and I mean great Andrew McCutchen with a three-run homer that put him at 20 for the season he's 37 years old he just hit his 20th bomb I know I know the team's fallen off of almost everybody's radar I get that I appreciate it but man I hope that doesn't get lost that's that's a a moment for this season for this extraordinary individual who's always found a way to rise above the mess that's around him this was Cut's eighth season in Pittsburgh of 20 plus home runs his 10th overall he's now five total home runs shy of Roberto Clement who of course did spend his entire career in Pittsburgh and wouldn't you know that's the sort of thing that came to mind for cutch when speaking with reporters after the game yeah it's cool but I I it's still there's still a sour taste in my mouth with that because I wasn't here my whole career so um it's nice to be able to be with those guys and those greats it's amazing but be cool if I was here my whole career see where I'll be at that that won't change things right so you know it is what it is you know it's it's nice but every time I hear it I'm like dang man if only you know so I just kind of just go cool and then I just move on so remember when he came back a couple years ago when he was signed and he conducted a bit of an impromptu press conference way up in the right Field Upper Deck with local reporters which was an odd scene unto itself but it was also so very cutch because there was downtown where he and Maria lived for a while right across the river back when he used to walk or bike over the bridge to games and he talked about how when he was playing for other teams for the Giants for the Yankees for the Phillies and he was still living here and he still had to drive past this ballpark to get home how much it would hurt when he and I talk when we have our longer conversations and we had one of those a week ago in Cleveland when he talks about the city when he talks about the people when he talks about the other teams in town when he talks about TJ Watt and cam Hayward cydney Crosby and yny malcin he's just one of us that's all he is and man if there was a way that you could expunge first off that he was actually born in Fort me Florida and he's proud of that because he behaves like a born and bred pittsburger but also that he ever ever ever suited up for someone else I've frequently made the case that Kutch is one of the top 10 players in franchise history that's not a challenging case to make I've made the case that he should at least be considered for the Baseball Hall of Fame even if you want to put him in the same bracket as say you know Joey VTO or Todd hton and yeah Nado never technically played for anyone other than the Reds because he didn't make it all the way up with the Blue Jays at least not in a regular season game Helton spent his whole career in Denver and cutch I mean he should have you know he should have you should be able to go to the back of that baseball card and race Philadelphia New York San Francisco I even forgot Milwaukee he was in Milwaukee what was he doing in Milwaukee whatever the case he's here he will be here next year Ben charrington's not going to be able to do a thing about that even if he'd want to and we're all that much luckier for it when we come back J1 [Music] Q this portion of daily shot of pirates is brought to you by our friends at Northshore Tavern that's directly across Federal Street from PNC Park it's home of steak on a stone an eating experience underscoring the word experience the steak is brought to you partially cooked on an 800° stone and you do the rest it's a ton of fun it's a great meal and it's a baseball atmosphere like no other in Pittsburgh Northshore Tavern right across Federal Street from PNC Park [Music] it's gun storage check week help prevent unwanted access to your Firearms no one wants their unsecured gun to be used in an accident a suicide or a crime use lock boxes safes and locks to secure your Firearms learn more at gun storage check.org that's gunstor check.org brought to you by nssf the firearm industry trade Association [Music] today's J1 Q comes from Bob who says DK what's with the consistent lack of hustle when someone from the Pirates hits a ground ball more often than not he trots toward first base if even that opposing infielders know there's no rush to Corral the ball set and throw numerous Pirates do this Brian Reynolds is a notable exception but not enough follow his example Bob you're you're going over the top with this you have a fair point as it applies to some incidents and to a couple of players but quoting you directly here more often than not he trots toward first base if I start naming names back to you and I say does Nick Gonzalez do that if I say does Connor Joe do that does Joey Bart do do that you'll see what I mean now that said if it's just one or two guys and they're regulars and you see that that's a problem there's no need to stretch it it's already bad enough we've seen it with O'Neal Cruz we've seen it with Rowdy tles we've seen it with krien Hayes those are the three that come to mind for me now here again three is three too many for something as simple as getting down the line 90 ft everyone should do it the way Reynolds does everyone the only time that I'd make an exception and this won't surprise you would be as if there's a medical consideration for example a month ago before Kutch went on the iil he was told and I'm saying told we know the knee's not in great shape we need your bat in the lineup be careful get a hit take your base we'll run for you okay great similarly Cruz has had different periods over the course of this summer in coming back from a major reconstructive surgery on his ankle where he's been told to chill a little bit not every time and not even most of the time but I'm throwing that out there as another reasonable exception every other instance no excuse every other player no excuse and I've got no doubt that between that and other fundamental issues these are part of what's piling up all around Derek Shelton and justifiably so it's bad enough to have a general manager who can't acquire or develop Talent it's that much worse when the field manager allows them to not give their very best I appreciate the question I appreciate everybody listening to daily shot of pirates we're going to do another one of these [Music] tomorrow e