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…