JHay really came into his own last season. Typically the last man on the roster in season's past, Harrison couldn't even crack the starting lineup in the first month of the season. But when he did get penciled in, he made sure his name was never out of the lineup again. JHay started out filling the right field spot that Travis Snider and Jose Tabata were holding for Gregory Polanco. Then he flipped over to left field, filling in for the injured Starling Marte.
Josh also got his starts in the infield, spelling for Neil Walker, Jordy Mercer and Pedro Alvarez. When Walker went down with appendicitis, there was JHay at second base. It was a testament to his versatility and his ability as a sparkplug at the top of the batting order that got Josh into the lineup to stay. This also led to his spot on the NL All-Star team, his first time on the squad.
When the Pirates needed Josh to man the hot corner regularly, JHay was there everyday. Whether it was making spectacular plays with his glove, avoiding rundowns on the basepaths or challenging for the NL batting title, Josh became a fan favorite of the PNC faithful with his all-out, hard-charging style. He so impressed the rest of MLB that his name was also mentioned as an MVP candidate.
The former 6th round pick of the Cubs finished the season with a .315 batting average, 13 homers, 52 RBI and 18 steals. He also had a .347 OBP, .490 SLB, and .837 OPS. Now comes the hard part, showing that Josh is no mere flash-in-the-pan. JHay will need to quite his critics once again and show that he can not only go "all day" but an entire season.
The Pirates are counting on Josh to man 3rd base for them for this year and years to come as he's not eligible for free agency until 2018. Another big season from Harrison will most definitely help the Pirates get over the wildcard hump and to the top of the NL Central division and the World Series. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!
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