Evan Meek: All Star

Making your way through the ups and downs-mostly downs of this year’s Pirates team, you might look at Andrew McCutchen and his young cavalry for the bright spot of 2010. But with a closer look, Evan Meek and the bullpen bullies are really the surprise component of the ever-growing Buccos. And that, right there, is why Mr. Meek, is in All Star.

His name might serve only as a caveaut to Evan’s journey to success, because there is nothing resembling meek, tame, or spiritless about it. Instead, Mr. Meek’s ability to consistently battle back from adversity has made him a prime candidate for all star recognition. He might even serve as a symbol of Neil Huntington’s program of young development.

After being drafted by the Twins in the 12^th round of the 2002 draft, Meek consistently struggled with control problems in the Minnesota farm system, due to lack of confidence and largely to bad advice from minor league coaches.

And while that would be the end of the road for most pitchers, Huntington seemed to realize that the west coast big man was different. The Pirates acquired him with a rule 5 draft pick, and despite some early hurdles of injury and control, Meek battled back yet again, and continued to develop into the Pirates prime weapon in the bullpen.

Meek now has the confidence, the control, and the “stuff” that teams thirst for in the 7^th inning. And when he steps up to the mound, there’s no question that the Pirates’ chances of winning rise as well. Don’t look at the definition of his last name, but rather his game which is, by definition, all-star.