Oneil Cruz Works to Refine Hitting Against Southpaws

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz is aggressively addressing his struggles against left-handed pitching and breaking balls. After batting just .102 against southpaws last season, Cruz hired a left-handed batting practice pitcher this offseason to improve his contact. Former GM Jim Bowden noted that Cruz is also working on tracking breaking pitches. If the young star can improve his defensive consistency and offensive efficiency, he is expected to provide a major boost to the Pirates' lineup.