Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen and Giants catcher Buster Posey played together as teenagers on the U.S. Junior National Team.
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).
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
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