How Did Chris Stewart Start Hitting For Average After Joining the Pirates?

Chris Stewart has been hitting for average since joining the Pirates, and it could be due to a change in his approach. Photo Credit: David HagueThe Pirates added Chris Stewart to be their backup catcher prior to the 2014 season, getting what appeared to be a defense-only option. The former Yankees catcher had a .575 OPS in his career at the time, including a .584 OPS in his previous three years, while never topping .611 in a single season. He didn't hit for average, with his .241 mark in 2012 representing a high mark, outside of his limited time in 2007 when he had a .243 average.

None of this seemed to matter to the Pirates, as they were focused on defense first with their catchers, and…