Steelreign : Cervelli Looking To Immerse Himself In Pittsburgh Culture

At this year's PirateFest, Kipper and I were able to sit down and chat with new Pittsburgh Pirates catcher, Francisco Cervelli, thanks to Pirates Social Media Director, Terry Rodgers. I asked Francisco how long it took him to look at video of our pitching staff once he became a Pittsburgh Pirate, and while he thought it was important to do that, he said he hadn't yet done it because he was on vacation. Kipper asked him what he knew about the Pirates before coming here and Cervelli responded by naming off a list of players, including, A.J., Marte, Hughes and a few others he has played against in the minor leagues. All Cervelli seemed interested in was learning where to go to eat and do things around the city.
When talk switched to places to live in Pittsburgh, Kipper suggested living in the suburbs, but Cervelli expressed the desire to live where it is noisy, with ambulance sirens and the ****ter clatter of trains, anything short of gun shots. I guess when you're used to living in Yonkers, sleeping with silence just won't do. Cervelli grew up in Venezuela being an Indians fan because of Omar Vizquel, a Venezuelan citizen himself. Francisco hated the Yankees and didn't really talk much about his time playing for them. He thought it was cool how Pittsburgh fans "love to wave their towels".
It was a pleasant change of pace to learn that Francisco Cervelli was interested in the Arts and the culture of Pittsburgh, where museums and types of restaurants were. Sure he was impressed with the electric atmosphere that was created by the fans at PNC Park and how the Pirates fans are creating a presence on the road, but he genuinely seemed impressed with the people of Pittsburgh themselves and how nice and respectful they are. That was what he wanted the focus of the conversation to be on and what the Pittsburgh lifestyle was like. This says a lot about Cervelli, the man, truly becoming a part of the city he will be playing in, especially since he had thoughts of coming to Pittsburgh when last season ended.
Francisco is passionate about baseball and he has a Canon for an arm. He is adept at framing pitches. He understands that he has to deal with and talk to each pitcher differently. He is excited to work with this Pirates pitching staff, especially Gerrit Cole. But maybe the most important thing of all is that he is not only looking to become a part of the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the city of Pittsburgh as well. If you met him on the street and didn't know he was a professional athlete, you would think he was another polite, resident of the best city in the world.
I know we loved Russell Martin and his passion for the Pirates, but for many fans, they are going to be pleasantly surprised with Francisco Cervelli. His qualities as a person match up well with the city and his passion, being somewhat crazy and a team player match up perfectly with those in the Pirates Clubhouse. He was described in an MLB Network segment as being the best offseason deal regarding talent, potential and cost with the only negative attached being the ability to stay healthy. Regardless, Francisco Cervelli is sure to become a fan favorite at PNC Park and is truly excited about playing here. Welcome to Pittsburgh Francisco Cervelli.