Hurdle has Bucs believing they can win

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

One by one, a seemingly endless train of reporters filed into first-year Pirates manager Clint Hurdle’s office on Wednesday. The limited seating quickly exhausted, media members that numbered more than two dozen stood two-deep around the perimeter of the suddenly cramped space.

Last season, the afternoon media session for a midweek game against a last-place opponent like Houston might have drawn no more than a handful in this town where the Steelers rule and the Penguins are a marquee attraction.

But it seems like everybody wants to hear what Hurdle has to say these days. And why shouldn’t they? After all, his surprising Pirates are the feel-good story of the National League.

A year after enduring 105 losses to extend its North American major professional sports record of consecutive losing seasons to 18, Pittsburgh is one win away from assuring itself its first winning record at the All-Star break since 1992.

Perennially an afterthought for virtually an entire generation, these pesky Pirates are only 11/2 games behind the NL Central lead.

“There’s been a mindset change in this clubhouse and in this organization,” second baseman Neil Walker said. “I think it’s a lot of guys, but Clint Hurdle has come in here and instilled confidence in every single one of us.”

In stark contrast to predecessor John Russell, Hurdle is at his best with an audience. He cracks jokes and churns out colloquialisms.

Standing 6 foot, 3 inches and weighing about 200 pounds with a booming voice, the instant Hurdle walks through the door, there’s no questioning who commands the room.

“Oh, no doubt, you hear him when he’s in the building,” center-fielder Andrew McCutchen said. “But that’s what he brings. And he’s brought it every single day as far as being positive and just being behind us.”

Hurdle takes an almost-parental approach to his players. Comforting them, being there when needed, defending them unwaveringly against outsiders, you name it. But he’s also not afraid to bring down the hammer on a player when he makes a mental error or steps out of line.

“He has a good balance: To get on you when you’re wrong, and to pat you on your back when you’re right,” infielder Brandon Wood said. “When you’re wrong, he’s going to let you know about it. You’re not going to be in the doghouse for a week. But he’s going to let you know.

“He gets it off his chest, and it’s nice to know he’s going to be honest and up front, and just be a guy who’s going to encourage you all the way to the end.”

Perhaps no one knows both ends of that this season better than McCutchen, the team’s best everyday position player who’s been the centerpiece of the most recent incarnation of Pirates’ rebuilding efforts.

McCutchen was disciplined by Hurdle in May — left out of the following day’s lineup — for not running out a ball in the dirt after he had struck out swinging.

But McCutchen also has been at the center of the caring, stick-up-for-my-guys side of Hurdle. When McCutchen was a surprising omission from consideration for an All-star roster spot last weekend, Hurdle publicly criticized all those involved for the decision.