This article recounts Andrew McCutchen's initial struggles in reaching the major leagues and the pivotal conversation with his manager, Tim Leiper, that helped him overcome adversity and achieve greatness.
The road to the big leagues wasn't a smooth one for Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder turned designated hitter Andrew McCutchen. McCutchen believed he was on the cusp of reaching the big leagues at just 20 years old in 2007. Instead, he was sent down to Double-A Altoona on the final day of Spring Training to begin the year. A 'heartbroken' McCutchen struggled to begin the season, batting .189/.247/.311 with just seven RBIs.
Seeing McCutchen carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, Altoona manager Tim Leiper had a conversation with the Pirates outfielder. That conversation got McCutchen back to who he was and he credits it with getting him to where he is today. McCutchen said in a Q&A with MLB.com's Jim Lachimia 'But Tim Leiper, who was Altoona’s manager at the time, gave me one of the best pep talks I’ve ever had. He reminded me how good a player I could be, and why I played the game. That changed the trajectory of my career. It was beneficial to go through those struggles because that propelled me to my successes in the big leagues.' Leiper is currently the San Diego Padres third base coach, infield coach and baserunning coordinator. He spent three seasons as Altoona's manager from 2006-2008. After seeing his numbers steadily improve, McCutchen was back to being himself in July, batting .309/.389/.404 with two home runs and 11 RBIs. After putting together a strong month of August, he was eventually called up to Triple-A Indianapolis at the end of the season.PiratesMcCutchen has gone on to become a five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, an MVP, a Gold Glove award winner and he's won the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award. He's also among the franchise's best statistically, ranking in the top 10 in Wins Above Replacement, games played, at-bats, home runs, RBIs, hits, doubles and total bases
Andrew Mccutchen MLB Pittsburgh Pirates Tim Leiper Inspirational Story
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Insider: Andrew McCutchen Must Return To Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates legend Andrew McCutchen is still a free agent.
Read more »
Andrew McCutchen Returns to Pittsburgh PiratesFormer Philadelphia Phillies star Andrew McCutchen rejoins his original team, the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Read more »
Andrew McCutchen Believes Pittsburgh Pirates Are ClosePittsburgh Pirates legend Andrew McCutchen believes they're not far from contending in 2025.
Read more »
Pittsburgh Pirates' Andrew McCutchen Reflects on Time in WBCPittsburgh Pirates legend Andrew McCutchen was a part of the USA team that won the World Baseball Classic in 2017.
Read more »
Roki Sasaki's MLB Journey: 20 Teams in the Running for Japanese ProspectRoki Sasaki, a highly touted Japanese pitcher, is attracting significant interest from Major League Baseball teams. His agent reveals that over 20 teams have expressed interest, with Sasaki expected to make his decision soon.
Read more »
Brandon Lockridge's First MLB Hit and Journey to the MajorsThis article details Brandon Lockridge's journey from the minor leagues to the MLB, highlighting his recent achievement of his first major league hit.
Read more »