SAN DIEGO -- Josh VanMeter had not taken any ground balls at first base this season before Friday's pregame workouts at PETCO Park.
He had a little bit of experience at the position, totaling 96 career major-league innings there, but he had only made just two starts at the position over the previous two seasons.
“I don’t feel terrible over there,” VanMeter was telling me. “Obviously last night, I made a mistake.”
That mistake most likely cost the Pirates the game Friday night. Catcher Tyler Heineman fielded a dribbler up the third base line and tossed it on to first, but while the throw beat the runner to the bag, VanMeter’s foot was not on the base at the time.