MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Making the transition from being an amateur to a professional in anything isn't easy, but it's best to do it with a smile.
Pirates first-round pick and current West Virginia Black Bear Will Craig understands that process already, just weeks after starting his pro career with the short-season Class A club.
Heading into Tuesday's New York-Penn League game at Batavia, Craig isn't exactly posting the numbers he'd like. His batting average sits at .148, as he has just four hits in 27 trips to the plate with only four RBIs and one extra-base hit. But he's still smiling.
"I'm pretty much just grinding away," Craig told me after he went 0 for 3 with a walk in a game last week. "I squared the ball up nice my first two at-bats, and they just didn't fall through. It's nothing that I'm really too worried about. I know I've just got to go out there and keep swinging it. Obviously my average isn't where I want it to be, but if I keep squaring the ball up, eventually they're going to fall down."
To continue reading, log into your account:
