A lot of people packed baseball's best ballpark for the baseball season's first game.
Almost everybody among the 39,500 in attendance thoroughly enjoyed a 4-1 win by the Pirates over the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park.
Not all that many knew what they were watching Sunday, though.
“Yeah, if they had seen us last year, they probably were confused,” Josh Harrison said.
“Our lineup was ... unconventional.”
Not in a pitcher-bats-eighth way.
Not that the new Pirates Way might not eventually include batting the pitcher eighth.
“I mean, we don't make the lineup, we just go out and try to get good at-bats,” Harrison said.
Then he shrugged.
“But, if the pitcher hits eighth, that's maybe another guy on base for him later in the game.”
He is Andrew McCutchen, and until a few weeks ago he had been the bedrock layer of whatever batting order manager Clint Hurdle could devise.
Cutch hit third.
That was a given.
Well, on Sunday, the No. 3 spot was given to David (the Spirit haunting St. Louis) Freese.
McCutchen batted second, which seemed strange.
Gregory Polanco batted sixth, which seemed curious.
Starling Marte batted cleanup, which seemed to at least fit with something Hurdle experimented with last season.
That was more of an experiment than anybody knew. Even then, Hurdle said he was preparing for a dramatic shift in lineup philosophy — though, he only fully bought into it over the winter.
Forget everything you've heard about the “middle of the order.” The middle has moved closer to the top.
The first-, second- and fourth-hitters now hold the value of the old 3-4-5 guys.
Or, so says Pirates Math.
And I'm not arguing against Pirates Math.
It was Pirates Math that pioneered the pitch-by-pitch shifting on defense that has helped transform the franchise into a perennial contender.
It is Pirates Math that will position McCutchen to win his second National League MVP in part because of it. (Also, it is McCutchen's improved health.)
Plus, who else is going to win the MVP after the Pirates finally chase down the Cardinals — not to mention race past the Chicago Cubs — to win the division?
Uh, that would be Marte, who has Breakout Parte written all over him despite going 0 for 4 on Sunday.
The 1-2-4 hitters went 1 for 10 against the Cardinals.
Still, don't expect Hurdle to bail on a lineup that will plant John Jaso first (when he plays), McCutchen second, Marte fourth and — call it a hunch — everybody else anywhere else.
Will be fun to watch, at least.
Could be frustrating for opponents, if not crushing.
For all the reasons I've heard from people as to why the Pirates won't reach the postseason again, the best had been one about their lineup. On Sunday, even Hurdle alluded to the absences of previous run-producing staples Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez.
We all missed a big positive about moving on from those players.
Now, the Pirates can move.
“That's exactly what it is,” Harrison said. “We're athletic.”
Hence the hit-and-runs Hurdle has been relying on since spring training.
Hence the pressure the Cardinals faced on a few occasions Sunday.
What they lack in power, the Pirates more than make up for in pace.
They'll push it once they hit.
They'll have to scrap out the hits, but that's not a bad look in modern baseball.
It's a look similar to the only low-revenue franchise to best the Pirates the past couple of years.
That would be the Kansas City Royals, and what are they?
Champions.
Rob Rossi is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at rrossi@tribweb.com or via Twitter @RobRossi_Trib.
