Posey and McCutchen reunite as rivals

Buster Posey knows Andrew McCutchen is a talented baseball player, but he has a little more insight than most.

That’s because, as 17-year-olds, they experienced Taiwan together as U.S. Junior National teammates.

McCutchen had already begun his burgeoning center-field career. Posey played opposite his normal position as one of the club’s top pitchers.

That 2004 team made it to the bronze medal game where they lost against Korea and snapped a 20-year run of winning medals in World Junior competitions.

Posey pitched to a 0-1 record and a 1.23 ERA in 7-1/3 innings pitched.

He mused prior to Wednesday’s Wild Card on missing the beginning of his senior year in high school to play:

“It’s definitely fun to look at now.”

McCutchen had a tumultuous run in the tournament. He batted .133 (2-for-15) with just one RBI.

Both players hold the last two National League MVPs (Posey 2012, McCutchen 2013) so it makes sense the microscope is above them going into Wednesday’s Wild Card.

Tuesday night’s 12-inning, American League thriller will be a tough act to follow.

Wednesday’s game will air at 5 p.m. on ESPN. Starting pitchers are Madison Bumgarner (18-10, 2.98 ERA) and Edinson Volquez (13-7, 3.04 ERA).

Giants 25-man roster

Pitchers (10)

41 Jeremy Affeldt – LHP

40 Madison Bumgarner – LHP

46 Santiago Casilla – RHP

55 Tim Lincecum – RHP

49 Javier Lopez – LHP

63 Jean Machi – RHP

22 Jake Peavy – RHP

52 Yusmeiro Petit – RHP

54 Sergio Romo – RHP

60 Hunter Strickland – RHP

Catchers (3)

28 Buster Posey – R

14 Guillermo Quiroz – R

34 Andrew Susac – R

Infielders (7)

13 Joaquin Arias  – R

9 Brandon Belt – L

35 Brandon Crawford – L

50 Matt Duffy  – R

37 Adam Duvall – R

12 Joe Panik – L

48 Pablo Sandoval – S

Outfielders (5)

7 Gregor Blanco – L

56 Gary Brown – R

45 Travis Ishikawa – L

8 Hunter Pence – R

2 Juan Perez – R