BRADENTON, Fla. – Main as much as the 2024 season, Joey Bart did one thing new to arrange: he began working with a hitting coach. In his eyes, he “simply went up there and swung” early in his profession. Main as much as that pivotal 12 months of his profession, Bart labored on some mechanical adjustments and wound up being one of many Pirates’ greatest hitters, clubbing 13 residence runs with a .799 OPS over 80 video games.
Main as much as this season, Bart’s state of affairs is loads totally different. Quite than being in no-man’s land with the Giants, he’s going to be considered one of Pittsburgh’s catchers out of the gate, and almost certainly the starter. He now has some job safety, however the want to get higher is as robust as ever.
“I believe it provides you a bit bit extra of a baseline of the place you might be and what you’ll be able to enhance on,” Bart mentioned about constructing on final season. “I believe that’s the best way to have a look at it. It’s like, ‘OK, a few of these issues went nicely, a few of these issues didn’t go nicely. How can I enhance on them?’ That’s what I did all offseason. I attempted to dive in and determine it out.”
Final winter, a lot of that focus was on the offense. This winter, it was the protection.
Bart obtained excessive grades from his pitchers final season, and he was capable of be taught his new employees on the fly after he was acquired on April 2. However metrically talking, he graded as a below-average defensive catcher in 2024, being value -4 Defensive Runs Saved. FanGraphs graded his pitch framing at -3.5 runs, a departure from what the Pirates usually have behind the plate.
From 2020-23, Pittsburgh catchers have been value 41.1 framing runs, the third most within the Majors behind the Brewers and Yankees. They nonetheless graded positively final season as a group, however their 2.4 framing runs was nearer to the center of the pack than they’re accustomed to. So this winter, Bart dove into the defensive aspect of the sport, sending movies of him in bullpen classes to catching coach Jordan Comadena and third-base coach Mike Rabelo (a former Main League catcher) to get suggestions on his adjustments. The 2 coaches additionally joined Bart in Atlanta for a number of days this offseason to do some instruction in particular person.
The most important change is Bart transitioning to receiving from one knee extra typically. It’s one thing the Giants didn’t do a lot of however which the Pirates worth. Ideally, being on one knee means a leg may be kicked out, which places the catcher in a spot the place his torso can sink decrease and keep stage. That lets him see the ball clearly and make his transfer.
Comadena and Rabelo labored extensively with Henry Davis the 12 months earlier than on the identical concepts, and he grew exponentially behind the plate. Jacob Stallings and Jason Delay are their different success tales in recent times, displaying that Pittsburgh may also help catchers enhance as receivers.
Bart is seeking to observe their lead. Final season, there have been instances he was “leaping throughout” whereas receiving. The objective this 12 months is to alter that.
“The sport is gonna inform us what’s occurring, how I’m feeling [and] how issues are,” Bart mentioned. “It’s undoubtedly an adjustment. It’s not tremendous snug, however that’s the place I’m at.”
“Proper now, he is most likely a bit uncomfortable doing various things, however it’s undoubtedly displaying indicators that it is enjoying higher,” supervisor Derek Shelton mentioned.
Not being snug is much from a dealbreaker, although.
“I’m effective with it being uncomfortable,” Bart mentioned. “I believe it needs to be uncomfortable if I’m actually making an attempt to enhance and making an attempt to push the bounds, discover alternative ways to get higher.”
Spring Coaching is a time the place gamers have flexibility to experiment and take a look at these new issues which may not come utterly naturally. It’s a time of self-reflection and progress. That’s what Bart is trying to find proper now. He tries to keep away from what the skin sources are saying, whether or not it’s optimistic or detrimental. On Tuesday, his spring debut, Bart threw out Eli White making an attempt to steal within the first inning of a 2-1 loss to the Braves. That’s much more of an indicator of the place he’s defensively.
“I’m a day-at-a-time sort of man, man,” Bart mentioned. “I’ve a course of, and I’m making an attempt to remain centered on that course of, and finally, that’s going to make me a greater participant.”
