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Impact of the Reese McGuire Trade on Altoona’s Staff; Jin-De Jhang’s Turn

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ALTOONA, PA – If you, as a fan, think the trade deadline is tough to stomach, imagine being one of these players who just hopes it’s not their phone that rings as 4 PM approaches on Deadline Day. You do whatever you can to distract yourself, especially if you have an off day like the Altoona Curve did on Monday.

A small group of players hit up a local golf and played an 18-hole scramble amongst themselves, while another group decided to hop on some inner tubes and go for a float down the Stonycreek River in nearby Johnstown, PA. Reese McGuire was a part of the latter.

A member of the Pirates organization actually had to call another player to try to get a hold of McGuire, telling him to immediately call Larry Broadway, the Pirates’ Director of Minor League Operations. That is the reason why the Pirates had to wait so long to announce the move — because they had to wait until they got ahold of McGuire himself.

After the dust settled and the deal went through, players were still quite shocked about the departures of Ramirez and McGuire, especially the former first round pick. One player told me that he was confused about the trade and the reasons behind it, not really understanding why two players of such a high caliber would be traded without a major leaguer in return.

Another player asked me if I knew anything about the list of player options provided to the Yankees to complete the Nova trade.

Obviously, the trade deadline weighed heavy on the players in Altoona, especially after seeing two of their own moved.

The emotional impact will subside over time. But, what about the impact felt on the field by losing a player like Reese McGuire — especially to the pitching staff? It has been well documented that the Pirates felt McGuire was performing at a major league level defensively already, as he has received the respect of pitchers and coaches up and down the system.

For the current Altoona staff, the loss of McGuire may take some adjustment. Last week, I asked Pitching Coach Justin Meccage and Curve Manager Joey Cora about the importance of McGuire.

“He’s taken this pitching staff and has tried to figure them out, meaning establishing a relationship with them,” Meccage said during the Curve’s last home stand before the trade deadline. “What makes them tick? What pitches on what side of the plate do they want to throw to? He’s getting with every guy and establishing that relationship so they can trust them. That’s his biggest improvement that we’ve seen as the years went on. He’s taken a lot of time in establishing that relationship with these guys.”

Cora was much more brief but just as complimentary on McGuire, saying that “good catchers in the big leagues are very scarce, and he could easily be one of them.”

McGuire said last week that this season has been his best professional one so far from a defensive standpoint.

“I’m back-picking guys, being aggressive,” McGuire said. “I feel like the guys can trust me with being able to throw a ball in the dirt and knowing that it won’t go past me. I’m keeping it front, so they aren’t afraid to spike something to try to get a swing. I always feel confident in myself.”

He acknowledged the importance of getting to know each and every pitcher, saying that three years of working together has really helped develop those relationships.

“Learning the guy off the field is just as important as on the field,” he said. “You need to learn to approach each pitcher that goes up on the bump appropriately and differently. What makes each guy tick and what gets them going.”

“Everyone loves Johnny. Everybody has always loved Johnny. It’s his team now.”

Justin Meccage said that they feel extremely good about giving Jin-De Jhang (“Johnny”) the everyday opportunity to play and catch this pitching staff. Jhang has spent a short amount of time in Triple-A this season; however, he has been working with the majority of this pitching staff for several seasons throughout the Pirates’ system.

“I had him two years ago in the Florida State League, and he’s come an extremely long way, especially with his English,” Meccage said about Jhang. “He can read English now, so he can read a pitching report, which is huge. He can understand English if you talk slow enough, and he speaks enough that he can clearly communicate his message. I’m really excited for him because he’s got a real shot. He can hit well, and he’s becoming a very good receiver. He’s improved in his game calling, too.”

Curve manager Joey Cora stated the importance of moving forward with the players you currently have and not dwelling on who you used to have.

“Obviously they are losing a friend [in McGuire],” Cora said. “As far as playing, somebody else is going to step up. It’s a great opportunity for Jhang to be the regular catcher for this team.”

Jhang’s time has been limited so far this season, as he only had only started 27 games for the Curve leading up to the trade deadline. He is hitting .283 with a .691 OPS so far at Double-A. Although the OPS seems low, he has shown good gap power and the ability to spray the ball around the field. His defense was definitely spotty to begin the season, but he has steadily improved on his blocking and throwing as the year has progressed.

“He’s made huge strides from the beginning of this year,” Meccage said about Jhang. “The first month, he was just getting used to this level and the speed of the game. The last three months, I’d put him up against anybody. I’m excited for this opportunity for Jhang and our pitchers, because he can handle them as well as anybody.”

Jhang told me that he feels he has improved greatly at blocking and receiving behind the plate, noting that he has been able to get quality early work in at the ballpark. His throws to the bases have improved, as well, saying that he has worked exclusively with former catcher and current Pirates Field Coordinator Tom Prince on his footwork.

“I’m just trying to use my legs for better footwork,” Jhang said. “I talk to [Tom] Prince, and he teaches me the little things.”

Those little things include a more fluid transition from his catcher’s squat to a throwing position, as Jhang said he used to jump to his feet to try throwing out batters.

“Early in this season I would jump,” he said. “Now, I know how to use my legs.”

From an offensive standpoint, Jhang says that he has worked on having better pitch selection, not being afraid to swing aggressively at strikes when he sees them early in the count.

Overall, the transition from McGuire to Jhang may seem difficult at first, but the Altoona coaching staff feels that Jhang will be able to take the baton and run with it now.

“We’re going to miss Reese obviously, but we feel very good about Johnny,” Meccage said.

Meccage went on to say that the move did surprise him and wished McGuire the best of luck moving forward.

“Hopefully it makes the organization better and puts them in a position to be in a better spot,” he said. “I wish Reese nothing but the best, because he’s going to have a very good career.”

Cora says that it’s all business moving forward.

“I think in a day or two, they are going to forget about that relationship [with McGuire] and love Jhang,” Cora said about the pitching staff. “That’s baseball. That’s how it goes. Obviously, it’s a shock because nobody expected it. The first day is a little surprising, but once you start playing the game, nobody is thinking about Ramirez and Reese during the game. That’s the way it goes in baseball. It’s a business, and that’s the way it goes.”

Even with moves that seem confusing or irrational, everyone has to move forward. The Altoona staff, and the Pirates’ minor league system as a whole, will now move forward without Reese McGuire and with Jin-De Jhang as one of their better catching prospects.

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