Andrew McCutchen Shares Appreciation For Pirates' Bob Nutting
While the Pittsburgh Pirates' payroll is often under scrutiny due to Chairman Bob Nutting's lack of willingness to spend money, franchise icon Andrew McCutchen had nothing but positive things to say about how he's been treated by him.
McCutchen was effusive in his praise of Nutting, noting his impact has gone well beyond the baseball field and credited him with how he has been able to take care of those closest to him.
"Bob has always been there for me," McCutchen said in a Q&A with MLB.com's Jim Lachimia. "He was always like, “My phone line is always open no matter what you need.” And we would talk. Not necessarily much to do with the game of baseball, but it helped me to talk to him on more of a personal level. He’s been amazing to me and amazing to my family. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be able to take care of them the way I’ve been able to take care of them. I’ll forever be appreciative for what he’s done, and I’m going to do everything I can to help this club."
McCutchen, 38, was drafted by the Pirates with the No. 11 pick in the first round of the 2005 MLB Draft. To say the decision to draft him panned out would be an understatement, as he's gone on to become a five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, an MVP, a Gold Glove award winner and won the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award.
McCutchen ranks among the franchise's all-time greats, as he's top 10 in Wins Above Replacement, games played, at-bats, home runs, RBIs, hits, doubles and total bases. For his career, the former MVP has hit 319 home runs, driven in 1,095 runs while slashing .273/.367/.462.
In his 11 seasons with Pittsburgh, McCutchen has hit .284/.375/.475 with 235 home runs and 818 RBIs across 11 seasons. McCutchen is entering his 18th season in the big leagues and 12th with the Pirates after he agreed to a one-year $5 million deal on Dec. 23.
McCutchen has also played for the San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers.
