There was a familiar face in an unfamiliar place on Tuesday. Ben Roethlisberger was at Pirates practice taking some hitting practice and shagging fly balls. He must have brought the Pirates a little luck because they shutout the Cubs 4-0 that night — although the Pirates do not necessarily need luck to beat the Cubs.
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As a senior shortstop at Findlay High School in 1999, Roethlisberger hit .300 and was named an all-league player. It looks like he made some sold contact and got balls into the outfield, but he was probably missing the aluminum bat he probably used in high school.
It’s a good thing Roethlisberger took his spot a Miami of Ohio as a quarterback. That’s turned out pretty well for him. He’s got those two championships. Roethlisberger isn’t one of those athletic talents that can transcend from one sport to another.
Today @steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger visited PNC for a little BP. pic.twitter.com/5PAIe0CpbM
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 13, 2014
The last time a Pittsburgh non-baseball pro athlete had some real success at Pirates practice was Signey Crosby. He put the ball in the seats at PNC Park back in 2010. And he was the only one of his eight Penguins teammates to do so.