Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Pirates’ initial exhibition activity at PNC Park was strange, excellent

Possibly the ideal way to describe the very first baseball activity of 2020 at PNC Park is to say it was an exhibition game that seemed like a Significant League Baseball common-period game, was played like a spring schooling video game and pretended to play to a packed property in its place of an empty stadium.

Bizarre and superb, all rolled into one particular.

Pirates rookie manager Derek Shelton was there for the excellent against the Cleveland Indians on Saturday night, savoring his very first likelihood to see the city skyline from the home dugout although taking care of versus a further major-league staff at PNC Park.

That counts for some thing, even if it the consequence doesn’t.

Baseball!#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/h4utX4uQ0G

— Pirates (@Pirates) July 18, 2020

“I consider all through the working day it was variety of developing up with just the exhilaration of becoming out on the subject in this article in a genuine video game, placing the uniform on,” Shelton claimed. “We’ve been in shorts and T-shirts, primarily the employees, for the past 3 weeks. So to be out there and just watch the match, complete umpires, night time sport, browsing group, it was seriously pleasurable. …

“I think there was definitely a unique hop in our step currently. As we have talked about, our men have been actually very good. The depth and the power has been incredibly excellent. It was a minimal bit various. It was a tiny palpable.”

The ballpark was vacant, other than staff members and media, so the noise you read on Tv was mostly created. The Pirates performed an unlimited loop of automated group sound blended with interruptions of the recorded organ tunes of Vince Lascheid and player introductions with walk-up songs. Some of it added ambiance, some designed you scratch your head – like taking part in the sing-along “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” with no lovers.

“It’s not true, reliable fan sound that you hear,” Pirates pitcher Joe Musgrove reported. “It’s operate by way of speakers, so which is a tiny bit peculiar.”

A unusual start to an odd period in an even-numbered year.

Big Baseball Energy™ pic.twitter.com/75PXFBsi0D

— Pirates (@Pirates) July 18, 2020

1. Grooving: Musgrove pitched 3 scoreless innings, enabling just one strike (a one by Francisco Lindor in the initial), a person walk (to designated hitter Franmil Reyes in the second) and five strikeouts (3 in the initially and two in the 3rd).

The suitable-hander seemed great, only a day after staying declared as the starter for Opening Working day on Friday at St. Louis.

“Yeah, actually very good,” Shelton claimed. “Really sharp. That past start right before the Opening Working day start off is a pare-down start with the three innings, but truly sharp. I considered the ball came out of his hand great. Executed his approach. Incredibly satisfied with that.”

Musgrove mixed his sinker and slider to preserve Cleveland’s bats primarily silent. He was efficient, throwing 30 of his 40 pitches for strikes. And he showed poise, hanging out Carlos Santana immediately after allowing Lindor’s hit in the very first and doubling off Reyes at initially after a line generate by Tyler Naquin.

“Yeah, I indicate, I went out there and taken care of this like the first video game of the 12 months,” Musgrove said. “Intensity-clever, my only purpose was to go out and dominate. Not striving to do the job on just about anything any longer, not attempting to increase pitches. I’m not seeking to always tune everything up. It is just go out there and compete and get a truly feel for that ambiance with no supporters and owning a real competitiveness in the box and not facing your very own guys. I obtained to pitch a tiny little bit in another way than I been pitching our men the past few weeks. I felt really good.”

Building it appear effortless. pic.twitter.com/9n5XuJHGvY

— Pirates (@Pirates) July 19, 2020

2. Highlights: Colin Moran began at third, batted fifth and went 2 for 3, with a double in the next and a single in the fourth. … Erik Gonzalez began at shortstop in put of Kevin Newman – who Shelton mentioned was “a small dinged up” but could have played, if needed – and went 2 for 3, scoring the game’s to start with run in the fifth and driving in a further in the sixth. … Initial baseman Josh Bell grounded out twice right before crushing one off the still left-heart wall in the sixth and scoring on a Gonzalez single. … With Gregory Polanco screening constructive for covid-19, Guillermo Heredia started off in correct field and strike a two-operate one. … Steven Brault and Chad Kuhl pitched in piggyback, each and every throwing two scoreless innings. … Lindor designed a great halt behind 2nd foundation and glove flip to Cesar Hernandez to drive Jarrod Dyson out on a fielder’s choice in the fifth.

We have skipped @Lindor12BC performs. pic.twitter.com/RgSHkfyu6b

— MLB (@MLB) July 19, 2020

3. Lowlights: In his initial audition for the closer role, Kyle Crick struggled mightily. He entered in the eighth versus Cleveland’s substitutes and walked the initially two batters he confronted, compelled a pop fly and then gave up a solitary to load the bases. Christian Arroyo cleared them with a double to tie the recreation. The Indians additional a different run when Yu Chang doubled off Dovydas Neverauskas, so Crick allowed four runs (all acquired) on two hits and two walks with no strikeouts.

In his 1st audition for a typical job, Jose Osuna began as specified hittter but went for 4. … Moran was picked off at first in the fourth inning. … Reliever Nick Burdi pitched the ninth, enabling a double to Daniel Johnson, hitting Beau Taylor with a pitch and giving up a operate on Greg Allen’s solitary.

4. So extended, Luke: The Pirates lost catcher Luke Maile for the season when he was strike by a pitch on his proper index finger Thursday in an intrasquad game and experienced surgical treatment on Friday.

Signed as a no cost agent this offseason, Maile was a defensive expert who was anticipated to back again up Jacob Stallings. It is the next consecutive year the Pirates misplaced a totally free agent to a hand personal injury in that vogue, as Lonnie Chisenhall was strike by a pitch in an exhibition match against Houston and hardly ever played previous calendar year.

That can make John Ryan Murphy the backup and presents Andrew Susac, who was included from Altoona, a likelihood to either make the group as the third catcher or be added to the taxi squad.

“It’s definitely regrettable for Luke,” Shelton reported. “I feel, as he had told you men, he was in one of the greater places he’d been in his profession swinging the bat, which was incredibly obvious, in conditions of how he seemed through our intrasquad game titles. Whenever you get rid of catching depth, it dings you a small little bit but I’m genuinely content that we have Murph in this article to be in a position to catch.”

Temper 🧀 pic.twitter.com/IsrYzj6tGa

— Cole Tucker (@cotuck) July 19, 2020

5. Cole exposure: Pirates shortstop Cole Tucker changed Adam Frazier and played second base versus Cleveland – making it possible for Oneil Cruz, named up from Altoona, to enjoy shortstop in the late innings – and could soon be looking at some time at a further place.

With a lack of outfielders, Tucker did outfield drills with Tarrik Brock in anticipation of taking part in all 3 places. With Polanco out, the Pirates have only 4 outfielders in camp.

“I feel there’s a possibility that we could see him bounce all over,” Shelton said. “He’s extremely athletic, which helps make him flexible. And if there is a probability we could get him on the discipline in diverse places, I imagine we’ll in all probability try to do that. He’s a truly very good athlete and he’s taken to it. He’s enthusiastic about remaining out there. … I assume he has the capability to engage in all three with not a lot challenge.”

Kevin Gorman is a Tribune-Critique workers writer. You can get hold of Kevin by electronic mail at [email protected] or by means of Twitter .