The news spread that Konnor Griffin was being called up to Pittsburgh on Thursday morning, and it was also reported later in the day that he was signing a 9-year, $140 million dollar extension.

Griffin is expected to make his debut in the majors in today’s home opener at PNC Park against the Baltimore Orioles.

“He’s obviously a talented kid and an even better human being,” Curve manager Andy Fox said Tuesday at Curve media day. “He’s going to figure it out. It doesn’t matter what you throw at him. He works. He has patience. He understands what he needs to do every day, and those are the things that excites you about him on top of the ability that he has.”

Dan McGrath, an usher at PNG Field and a resident of Lakemont, is among those excited.

Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski Curve's Mitch Jebb steals as Harrisburg second baseman Kevin Made can't handle and errant throw from catcher Caleb Lomavita. Jebb would advanceto third.

“What he did last year in the minors and what he did in the first few games in Indy, he proved himself,” McGrath said. “He was here last year, and not only is he a generational athlete, but he was a real gentleman.”

It wasn’t a universal cry of happiness for the Curve faithful, however. Kerry Hershberger of Everett said it’s too soon to call up the top prospect in baseball. He also noted the struggles of Jack Suwinski after he hit 26 home runs in his rookie year in Pittsburgh.

“They didn’t let the kid get enough practice down here, and they see stuff in the majors they don’t see down here,” Hershberger said.

“I think he should have stayed here half the season, went to AAA in the second half, and however he did in spring training decides where he starts next season.”

Tucker’s return

A former fan favorite in Cole Tucker made an appearance at PNG Field on opening night. Tucker signed autographs for over seven innings of the game, and greeted fans.

Tucker spent part of 2017 and all of 2018 in Altoona when he was coming up through the system as a top prospect of the Pirates.

“Opening day is what it’s all about,” Tucker said. “You work all winter for baseball season, and this is the culmination of all that work. You just want to get off on a good foot and start the season correctly.”

Tucker hit .257 in 42 games, and followed it up with a .259 average over the full season in 2018. However, his bat never got going enough in the majors before retiring last season.

Still, Tucker looks back on his time in Altoona fondly.

“I had such a connection with the season ticket holders here,” Tucker said. “It’s cool to see the people that were kids when I was here, and they’re grown up now.”

Out of bullpen

Anthony Solometo, a second round pick of the Pirates in 2021, is in his fourth year in Altoona. For only the fourth time in his 35 games with the Curve, Solometo came out of the bullpen and it didn’t go his way.

The left-hander came on in the top of the sixth with the Curve holding a 2-1 lead, but he gave up a bases-clearing triple to Harrisburg’s Branden Boissiere that turned out to be the start of the snowball effect.

Honoring legends

Before the game, public address announcer Rich DeLeo honored former Mirror sports editor Jim Lane and former Curve official scorer Ted Beam with a moment of silence. Lane passed away in January at 85, while Beam died in September at 73.

The press box at PNG Field is named in Lane’s honor.