Morse’s situation with Pirates murky
BRADENTON, Fla. — Michael Morse’s situation with the Pirates is somewhat murky. His desire to stay with Pittsburgh is not.
“I really like here,” the first baseman/outfielder said recently at the Pirates’ spring training camp. “I felt very welcome from the moment I arrived. I like the guys in the clubhouse. I like the winning attitude. It’s a great place to be.”
Morse was acquired from the Miami Marlins by way of the Los Angeles Dodgers last July 31 as part of a three-team trade. He helped the Pirates reach the postseason for the third straight season, hitting .275 with one home run in 45 games.
Primarily, Morse’s role was to serve as the right-handed hitting half of a first base platoon with Pedro Alvarez and pinch hit.
That was supposed to be Morse’s role again this year coming into the spring training after left-handed hitting Jose Jaso was signed in the offseason as a free agent to replace Alvarez, who was not tendered a contract.
However, Morse may be a player without much of a role following the signing of free agent David Freese on March 11.
Freese will be the starting third baseman while Jung Ho Kang continues to rehab from the broken left leg and torn knee ligament he suffered on last September.
However, the Pirates plan to use the right-handed hitting Freese at first base against left-handed starting pitchers once Kang is activated from the disabled list, likely sometime in May.
Morse can also play the corner outfield positions, but there figures to be limited starts for him on the grass because two of the three of the starting outfielders also bat right-handed — left fielder Starling Marte and center fielder Andrew McCutchen.
“I’m the kind of guy that whatever plan that (manager) Clint (Hurdle) has for this team, I’m for,” Morse said.
Morse turns 34 on Tuesday and has spent 11 seasons in the major leagues. He understands that his days as a regular might be over.
At this stage of his career he is more concerned with winning than how many plate appearances he accumulates. He learned to appreciate what a championship means when he helped the San Francisco Giants beat the Kansas City Royals in the World Series in 2013.
What gave Morse an even greater appreciation for winning a ring is that he grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., as a Miami Dolphins’ fan and his favorite was quarterback Dan Marino. While the former Pitt star had a Hall of Fame career, he never won a Super Bowl title during his 17-year career in the NFL.
“I just thought to myself how rare is it to go to a World Series and actually win it?” Morse said. “And to go for the first time, for me to go for the first time and actually to win was so awesome.”
Pirates fans would certainly find winning a World Series to be awesome. The franchise hasn’t been to the Fall Classic since beating the Baltimore Orioles in 1979.
“There’s no greater feeling in the world,” Morse said. “I’d love to experience again here with the Pirates.”