Mercer has put together two solid seasons as the Pirates' starting shortstop. Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pittsburgh Pirates say Jordy Mercer will be their shortstop on Opening Day and there is no reason not to believe them. However, there is reason to wonder how long Mercer will be the regular shortstop.
On Jan. 16, the Pirates signed another shortstop, free agent Jung Ho Kang, who was the Most Valuable Player in the Korean Baseball Organization last season. The Pirates gave Kang a four-year, $11-million contract and also paid his Korean team, the Nexen Heroes, a $5 million posing fee.
Kang will begin the season as a utility infielder but is only natural to wonder how long he will stay on the bench. He has told reporters from Korea that he has designs on being the starting shortstop.
“It obviously gives you some kind of a competition edge,” Mercer said. “Competition, ultimately, brings out the best in you. When you see stuff he supposedly said and you’ve got to like the confidence that he brings and think he’s going to help us out.”
Though his numbers aren’t flashy like Kang’s .360 batting average and 40 home runs last season in the KBO, Mercer has put together two solid seasons as the Pirates’ starting shortstop.
He hit .255 with 12 home runs in 149 games last season while, according to the various advanced defensive metrics, played exceptionally well in the field. Mercer also overcame a horrible start in which he batted .190 with one home run in his first 152 plate appearances.
Manager Clint Hurdle stuck with Mercer, though, and he batted .280 with 11 home runs in his final 403 trips to the plate.
“Not a lot of people understand it and it took me a while to understand it, but eventually you have to learn from your mistakes and setbacks,” Mercer, 28, said. “Ultimately, it makes you better. I learned so much in that two-month span.
“It was my first full season breaking camp with the team being the Opening Day guy. I wanted to get off to a hot start and prove everybody right that I was the right guy for the job.”
With the presence of Kang, Mercer will have to prove himself again this season.
“You always have to prove yourself in this game,” Mercer said.
