Pirates receive good news on Cole
BRADENTON, Fla. 鈥� The first bad news of spring training for the Pirates has been followed by good news.
Ace right-hander Gerrit Cole showed Monday that his ribs are fine.
鈥淚 thought about basting them but I put dry rub on them instead,鈥� he cracked after throwing off a mound for the first time in spring training during a morning workout at the Pirate City training facility.
Cole was limited to flat-ground throwing last Friday on the first day of camp because of inflammation in his right ribcage. He was injured in mid-January while working out.
鈥淚鈥檓 fine,鈥� Cole said. 鈥淚t was just a precaution last week. It was no big deal. Just trying to play it safe. It if were during the (regular) season, I wouldn鈥檛 have missed a beat. It was just a matter of not trying to push things too soon and end up paying for it by making it worse.鈥�
Manager Clint Hurdle would not say who will start April 3 when the Pirates open the season against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park, though Cole seems to be an overwhelming favorite to face fellow righty Adam Wainwright after winning 19 games last season.
Missing one mound session should not keep Cole from being ready to throw 100-110 pitches by opening day.
鈥淚t蘑菇视频 just a modified throwing program at this point,鈥� Cole said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not too far behind everybody else, but I feel good.鈥�
鈥滱nother time off the mound or two and I鈥檒l basically be caught up. We鈥檒l just see how it responds but I don鈥檛 foresee any problems going forward.鈥�
Cole, 25, was 19-8 with a 2.60 ERA in 32 starts last season, striking out 202 in 208 innings while posting a 1.09 WHIP.
鈥淚 think he can be better because he wants to be better,鈥� Hurdle said. 鈥淗e truly aspires to being a great pitcher.鈥�
The Pirates seemingly need another big season from Cole if they are to reach the postseason for a fourth straight year.
Three of the five starters who finished last season in the rotation departed in the offseason as A.J. Burnett retired, left-hander J.A. Happ signed with the Toronto Blue Jays and Charlie Morton was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Lefty Jon Niese was acquired in a trade from the New York Mets for Neil Walker and Ryan Vogelsong was signed as a free agent. Lefty Jeff Locke will return to the rotation after being bumped last September in a season in which he was a lackluster 8-11 with a 4.49 ERA in 30 starts.
That trio will slot into the rotation behind Cole and left-hander Francisco Liriano.
鈥淚 think we鈥檙e going to be better than people think,鈥� Locke said. 鈥淲e have a really athletic group. We have guys who know how to pitch, have proven they can win games in the major leagues and are hungry to have success.鈥�