Andrew McCutchen thankful to Pirates, excited about Giants after trade

A reporter from San Francisco asked Andrew McCutchen to describe the emotional roller-coaster ride that ended Monday when the five-time All-Star was traded from the Pirates to the Giants.

“How much time you got?” McCutchen replied. “This could take a while.”

Even McCutchen chuckled at that one.

“There have been a lot of emotions that came along with this,” McCutchen said. “I was (with the Pirates) for nine seasons. To put it all in a nutshell, we have a lot to be excited about, and we also have a lot to be thankful for.

“We're thankful for the Pirates as an organization, for having faith in me that I could be the player that they saw in me. We're also excited and looking forward to what's ahead of us.”

The teleconference Tuesday was the first time McCutchen spoke publicly since being jettisoned by the Pirates, the organization that drafted him, developed him and molded him into an MVP player.

There were nearly two years of speculation that Pirates general manager Neal Huntington was trying to trade McCutchen. For the most part, McCutchen tried to block out the external noise.

That was difficult over the past few days, though, when it became clear McCutchen's time with the Pirates was up.

“The anticipation was high on my end because my name has been circulating a little bit,” McCutchen said. “It was more anticipation, wondering if it was going to happen. When the reality of that hit, the emotions definitely were high. At the end, me and my family were very excited, and we're looking forward to this next chapter in our lives.”

A first-round pick in 2005, McCutchen saw plenty of changes, transitions and player moves by the Pirates over the years. This winter, another roster retooling — Huntington adamantly refuses to call it a rebuild — is underway.

Two days before McCutchen was dealt, the Pirates shipped pitcher Gerrit Cole to the Houston Astros. Other veteran players, such as infielder Josh Harrison, soon might be traded.

What do those moves say about the course Pirates are taking?

“I really can't speak on behalf of their direction,” McCutchen said. “All I can speak on is the direction when I was there. It seems they're trying to stay young and build from there. They have some good pitching. They have some guys who can play the game.

“I don't necessarily know their direction. I'm sure you could ask them that. They're a young team. They've got a lot to learn. It was a good nine seasons there, but I'm looking forward to this next season with the Giants.”

Acquiring McCutchen was a priority for Giants executive vice president of baseball operations Brian Sabean.

“This player has been kind of the apple of our eye in the offseason,” Sabean said. “It was a dogged pursuit … with Pittsburgh reciprocating on their end. And, lo and behold, we were able to make the transaction.”

Sabean described the outcome — McCutchen was obtained at the cost of a middle reliever, a minor league outfielder and some international pool credit — as “a feel-good story.”

McCutchen in turn said he was happy to be with the Giants.

“It's an organization that knows what winning is all about,” McCutchen said. “I've seen it over the years, played against it, been eliminated by it. So I'm very excited to be here.”

Manager Bruce Bochy plans to play McCutchen in right field. It was a move McCutchen overtly resisted when the Pirates tried to make it last season.

Now, McCutchen appears eager to get accustomed to his new position.

“I'm looking forward to right field,” McCutchen said. “That's one place people can't pick on me, saying my defensive metrics are so bad.

“I've got to see Hunter Pence patrol out there quite a bit, so I'll be able to pick his brain to learn where and how to play. I'm just ready to go. I look forward to being out there in right field.”

After about 20 minutes, the reporters on the teleconference ran out of questions for McCutchen, who phoned in from his home in Pittsburgh's northern suburbs.

“That's it? That was painless,” McCutchen said and quickly hung up.

Rob Biertempfel is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at rbiertempfel@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BiertempfelTrib.