ST. LOUIS — Jordy Mercer opened the door to the manager’s office and saw Clint Hurdle as well as general manager Neal Huntington waiting for him. Right away, Mercer knew it was not going to be a particularly pleasant conversation.
“I was pretty heated, as anybody would be,” Mercer admitted.
A couple of days earlier, Mercer had been activated off the disabled list after missing two weeks with a calf injury. The Pirates could have cleared a roster spot by sending rookie Kevin Newman back to Triple-A Indianapolis for a few days. Instead, they cut veteran Sean Rodriguez.
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The significance wasn’t difficult to decipher. Before a game against the Atlanta Braves at SunTrust Park, Mercer was called into Hurdle’s office. Out in the clubhouse, Newman greeted a handful of players who’d arrived from Indy as September call-ups.
Hurdle’s message was the same one he delivered to second baseman Josh Harrison: the new guys are going to play. Mercer, who’ll be a free agent this winter, will start just once or twice a week the rest of this season.
“I don’t know if it’s to be expected, but I figured something like this would come into play if we were out of it in September,” Mercer said before Monday’s 8-7 loss against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. “I was mad for a while because you want to play every day. I’ve been playing every day for the last five years. But, I get it, too. (Management) has to do what’s best for the future because they don’t know what’s going to happen. I have no idea what’s going to happen with me, either. They have to figure out what they have and you can’t fault them for that.”
Six years ago, Mercer had two stints with the Pirates and played in a total of 36 games as the understudy to veteran Clint Barmes. After being called up for good in 2012, Mercer has started about 82 percent of the Pirates’ games. He’s been in the past five opening day lineups:
Mercer, 32, does not possess Ozzie Smith’s flash, Alex Rodriguez’s glitz or Manny Machado’s pop. Yet, Mercer has given the Pirates consistent, reliable defense and occasionally yanks a ball into the gap. Batting most often out of the No. 8 spot, he has a .255 average with six homers a career-high 28 doubles.
“I think the toughest thing for me was (the demotion happened) just after I came off the DL,” Mercer said. “I spent 14 days on the DL, then came back and went into this role. That was tough to deal with.”
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Mercer left Hurdle’s office and walked quietly back to his locker and found his cell phone. He first called his wife, then his dad.
“I vented a little bit. Once I got it out, I was fine,” Mercer said. “There is nothing you really can do, so there’s no reason to get so worked up about it that you boil over. What good would that do?”
As Hurdle talked with Mercer, he likely thought back to a similar conversation he had five years ago with Barmes.
“It can be tough if you haven’t developed a relationship with these men over time,” Hurdle said. “I’ve had so many conversations with these guys, personal and professional. I’ve watched them grow up, get married, have kids. I’ve watched their games elevate and their leadership in the clubhouse develop. I’ve watched adversity, slumps and injuries. We’ve experienced it all together.”
That bond with Hurdle will help Mercer find it easier to accept his lesser role — eventually, he said. On Monday, however, even though he was in the lineup for the series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals, Mercer still felt some sting.
“I want to play every day,” Mercer said. “That’s what’s most important. I wanted to finish out this whole month, now that I’m at the point where I’m almost a free agent.”
Mercer paused.
“Having having been there before on the other side of it (with Barmes), it makes me realize that everything’s going to be all right,” he said. “It’s a business move they have to make.”
Newman, Kevin Kramer and Adam Frazier will get the bulk of the playing time at the two middle infield spots. If the Pirates do not pick up Harrison’s $10.5 million option for 2019, Frazier would be first in line to start at second base.
On Monday, Mercer and Harrison were both in the lineup — possibly their final appearance as the Pirates’ double play tandem — against veteran right-hander Adam Wainwright. Newman and Kramer began the game on the bench.
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“One of the reasons I wanted Mercer and Harrison (in the lineup) is they each have 30-something at-bats against (Wainwright),” Hurdle explained. “He can carve up some young guys when he’s on top of his game.”
Gregory Polanco (knee, shoulder injuries) is done for the rest of the season, so Frazier started in right field. That won’t happen much the rest of the way though. Hurdle stressed that he doesn’t want to interrupt the progress Frazier has made defensively at second base.
That means Mercer and Harrison will mostly sit, watch, and wait for the offseason.
“By no means does this mean we believe their careers are over,” Hurdle said. “Jordy may have an opportunity to play shortstop for somebody else. He may have an opportunity to be a mentor for somebody, the way it was when we brought Barmes in and then Barmes transitioned to a part-time role when Jordy took over. It could be here or somewhere else. With Josh, we’ll see what the market could bring for him … if we choose not to pick up the option.”
Free agency was not kind last winter to veteran “middle class” players who are similar to Mercer. One example hit close to home: former Pirates infielder Neil Walker wasn’t signed until March 12 and is batting .221 as a utility player with the New York Yankees. The market could play out differently this year, with several star players available and more teams with money to spend.
“What happened last year is in the back of your mind, sure, but I think it’s going to be different this year,” Mercer said. “I think some teams might want me as an everyday guy, others might want me to bounce around. We’ll have to see where teams are at. The right fit is what I’m looking for, really.”
Mercer said he’s had no contact yet with the Pirates about the possibility of returning next year, even if just to be a part-time starter as Newman’s mentor. He’s making $6.75 million this year, but almost certainly would have to accept a pay cut to stay in Pittsburgh.
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“I won’t rule anybody out,” Mercer said. “You don’t know what’s going to happen. And I don’t know what they (Pirates) are thinking, either. I’m sure we’ll get to that point where we’ll have conversations with them and other teams and we’ll see where we’re at.”
(Top photo credit: Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports)