Holding Down the Fort: Michael McKenry

As the hanging Carlos Marmol slider was reciprocated into a fly ball into the cheap bleachers at PNC Park, Michael McKenry slowed to a trot halfway down the first base line. The stadium erupted into pandemonium as the Bucs took a 7-4 lead in the bottom of the eighth, about five minutes after being down 4-3 with two outs as Marmol trotted in from the bullpen. But after Josh Harrison flared a single to center on the first pitch to score Neil Walker, McKenry held his own on a 0-2 count and launched a three-run shot to send the Pittsburgh Pirates into first place in the NL Central... goddamn Mark Kotsay.

Awesome shot

My first impression of McKenry was on June 21, when I went to his Buccos debut vs. the Mets. He picked a guy off second base and sprinted out every ball he hit, whether it was a knubbly ground ball or a pop fly to shallow outfield. He was giving it every ounce of effort on every single play, throwing his entire body at all of the balls in the dirt and blocking all of them. You have to respect a ballplayer who doesn't take anything for granted.

Really, why would he? As a career minor leaguer with the Rockies, McKenry was in Colorado's minor league system from 2006-2010 and went hitless in the only eight at-bats he saw in the majors. He was in the Red Sox AAA affiliate in Pawtucket when the Bucs traded for him in mid-May. Ryan Doumit and Chris Snyder had gone down with injury, and Wyatt Toregas wasn't really doing the job...

Precisely

I love McKenry's attitude. He digs out wild pitches, he hustles his ass off and in every shot you see of him there is a distinct layer of sweat on his face. Nothing paints the picture of a ballplayer more than a dirty jersey, a receding hairline and a smile. Even though his homerun count was 0 before tonight, McKenry has looked much better at the plate as of late. After being nearly an automatic out early in his Buccos career, he is fighting through counts, making good contact and is beginning to get hits on a regular basis.

Since McKenry slipped on the black and gold #55, Pittsburgh is 13-5 when he is in the starting lineup. It really doesn't matter that McKenry may not hit many more homeruns this year, or that he probably won't hit above .250. Because what he brings is that defensive rock behind the plate and a positive attitude that the Bucs need from every single player for nine innings each day.