NEW YORK -- After Gregory Polanco's 2014 rookie splash quickly turned into a belly-flop, the Pirates sent him off for the winter with a pretty simple checklist: Rest up, and beef up.
The 2013 Dominican League Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year did not play winter ball. He also adhered to a dietary and workout regimen which manager Clint Hurdle said would "increase his stamina and make him stronger, without any loss of speed."
How is that working out?
Well, Polanco is challenging to be the Pirates' second consecutive player of the month (Andrew McCutchen copped that honor for July) by entering Saturday's action with both the National League's top average (.