... is it, is it, like, more you stay out of the way or you kinda feel, not a obligation, but, like, um, we'll just use obligation for lack of better terms, to help guide them?

Man, I think it's more, like, you know, I talk to everybody.

Like, I wanna talk to everybody, and, you know, like, just kinda, like, be myself.

Like and, you know, try to, you know, enjoy getting to know everybody and the relationships and stuff.

But I also, like, don't wanna, like, be, like, telling, barking out any kinda like-

Miami Marlins, 2020.

Mm.

What do I need? I need a shortstop, a center fielder, a catcher, and a first baseman.

But isn't it a little strange being at camp, uh, wearing a Pirates, uh, hoodie, uh, without Andrew McCutchen around?

Yeah.

I mean, I think that's definitely a, a, you know, a tough subject.

Um, because just because of what Kutch has meant to the organization and the fans here for so long.

Um, you know, with that being said, it's...

I just got here.

Like, I'm not making any demands or, like, s- telling them who I think they should sign.

What is his most impressive superpower?

So what's changed about the Pirates when they called you, Ben Cherington calls your agent and says, "We want you to come to Pittsburgh," and you said, "Yes, sir"?

Yeah, I mean, I could...

That's fair.

You know, the Pirates have, they won 71 games last year.

They didn't, you know, they haven't been very good.

But if you look at the team, like, there is a lot of good players.

And starting with the Cy Young winner, you know what I mean? Like, that's a big deal.

Did, were you a little taken aback before you started really talking to Ben Charrington and hearing what their plan and vision was?

... and just kind of tell us how those hard times really shaped you into the ballplayer that you are now?

Yeah.

Uh, you said it.

There was a lot of hard times in, um, some down years in Kansas City, uh, you know, where I was just trying to fight to stay on a Major League roster.

Um, and, you know, I credit, uh, a lot of those, the difficult years as, you know, I, I really appreciate getting to play now because it's been taken away from me before.

And, um, you know, when someone tells you, "Hey, like, you're not on the team anymore.

You're going to Triple-A," whatever, and after that happens a few times, like, you know, it's...

And whether I wanted to or realized it or not, I think I was able to give a lot of information to guys that otherwise may have not been through what I had been through