SPRING REPORT
It’s a good thing opening day will be Derek Shelton’s first real game as Pirates manager, as this one was kind of a dud. The Pirates managed just four hits and struck out 11 times.
The good: Ke’Bryan Hayes doubled, while Mitch Keller, Clay Holmes and Blake Cederlind all shined on the mound.
News of the day
Shelton received a special visit from Twins legends Tony Oliva and Rod Carew, who made the drive from Fort Myers to see the Pirates’ new manager.
“Any time you get two guys of that stature that do that, then to be able to get a picture with those two guys and Manny [Sanguillen] and [Bill Mazeroski], that’s definitely be something that will go up on my wall at home,” Shelton said.
On the mound
Keller’s start was encouraging. He gave up two hits in two scoreless innings. He threw 16 of 28 pitches for strikes and got outs despite bouncing a couple of breaking balls.
Keller said he wanted to impress Shelton and new pitching coach Oscar Marin.
Holmes worked the fifth and mowed through the Twins on seven pitches. The big righthander mixed his sinker and curveball well.
Cederlind hit 99 mph while working a scoreless ninth and should’ve enjoyed a 1-2-3 inning; a missed call with two strikes extended the inning.
At the plate
Hayes doubled off the rightfield wall, an encouraging sign from someone the Pirates want more from offensively. Cole Tucker had the Pirates’ first hit — a single in the fifth.
They meet again
This was a matchup of good friends, Shelton and Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, who brought the sign from last Sunday’s Grapefruit League Media Day — inscribed with a few hand-written jabs.
Shelton said he was prepared for a little ribbing and actually played some Phish [Baldelli’s favorite band] during batting practice as a gesture of goodwill.
“I’m a little concerned when we go to Fort Myers what he’ll actually do,” Shelton said. “I definitely wasn’t going to mess with him.”
On deck
Sunday: Pirates (ss) at Philadelphia Phillies, Spectrum Field, Clearwater, Fla. When: 1:05 p.m. Radio: KDKA-FM (93.7).
Also: Pirates (ss) vs. Detroit Tigers, LECOM Park, Bradenton, Fla. When: 1:05 p.m. TV: AT&T SportsNet.