Musgrove relishes leadership role
Emerges under difficult circumstances
Pirates pitcher Joe Musgrove said he broke up some of the monotony of COVID-19 quarantine time by playing catch in unique and often picturesque places. On the beach. In a park with a pretty view. Even a big, open field. All served a purpose. And when Musgrove returned to Pittsburgh, he even hit up Point State Park.
“It made our day a lot more productive,” Musgrove said. “The mentality was better, the energy was better, and you had something cool to look at.”
The Pirates probably didn’t need a pick-me-up as they resumed spring training Friday at PNC Park, but the views and gorgeous weather were certainly there and they track with what Musgrove has been doing this entire time.
So, too, does the underlying amount of weirdness to this whole thing, although we’ll get there shortly.
“Any time you get back on the field and see the scenery here, it’s good,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “And the weather’s been so nice. I said I was fired up the other day, but there were a lot of people fired up [Friday].”
Most fired up might have been Musgrove, who was essentially the day’s starting pitcher. Musgrove threw a five-inning, 75-pitch simulated game and faced Gregory Polanco, Josh Bell, Colin Moran, Philip Evans and Luke Maile.
Jacob Stallings caught. Musgrove picked the music. He also might’ve picked up a pitch — a slightly altered two-seamer that Musgrove believes might help against left-handed hitters. Bottom line, it sounded like an excellent first step.
“I feel good,” Musgrove said. “I feel ready to go.”
In the field, Kevin Newman said the Pirates were able to accomplish what they needed to, even if that wasn’t everything they might’ve wanted. Whether it was with ground balls, baserunning or hitting, Newman felt like the Pirates got better, and he’s very likely right.
The day also was drastically different, as pitchers occupied the visiting clubhouse, position players had locker stalls spaced out more than usual, and Shelton and his staff remain unable to hold full team meetings because of socialdistancing restrictions.
But as much of a challenge as Friday might have been, the biggest one is ongoing.
It’s the ability of everyone involved to stay smart and follow the health and safety guidelines, whether that’s during summer camp or once the season starts, when teams take the road.
Musgrove said it falls on the leaders of the team, guys such as him, to police how frequently guys are wearing a mask. It’s a role the right-hander has taken seriously, too.
“Whatever the guidelines are that we have to meet we’re going to meet ’em,” Musgrove said. “Our focus is to get better at baseball every day. Not bitch and complain about all the rules that we have to follow. That’s been our main priority — just focusing on getting our job done.”
How seriously is Musgrove policing the situation?
“We’re trying to get everyone to wear masks as much as we can,” he said. “I feel like the more often I wear mine, people are going to see it and want to wear it … or they’re not going to want me to yell at them or say something to them, so they’ll throw it on. I don’t want to wear it any more than the next guy, but we’re trying to keep guys safe.”
Friday, that entailed wearing masks pretty much the entire time when Pirates players were off the field, then getting something of a reprieve while hitting, fielding or pitching. Musgrove and Newman — the two players who spoke on Zoom calls — stepped to the podium wearing theirs, then set them down on the table. Shelton kept his around his neck.
The numbers Major League Baseball released Friday were encouraging — only 1.2% or 38 of the 3,185 tested were positive — but it also must stay that way across 30 cities for this entire thing to continue.
“We’re going to continue to adapt and adjust every day,” Shelton said. “The one thing that I’ve been really happy with our guys is they’ve taken to the things we’ve asked.”
There are no shortage of adjustments facing the Pirates, from figuring out a way to field better to improving fundamentals, hitting with more power and fixing a bullpen that was one of the
league’s worst last year.
But an area where the Pirates can and should focus is one tied to Musgrove — starting pitching. Musgrove sloughed off any talk of him potentially starting opening day, although it’s difficult to see how he’s not that guy. How Musgrove addressed mask-wearing, leadership, getting through all this together and team-building amid a pandemic was pitch-perfect, the stuff you want out of an opening-day starter.
It also doesn’t hurt that Musgrove was the Pirates’ most consistent starting pitcher in 2019.
“He embraces a leadership role,”
Shelton said. “He’s taken that not only on the field, but off the field. He’s the first guy when we’re having conversations about making sure we take care of ourselves at the ballpark and away from the ballpark … he’s the first guy who is wearing his mask when he walks in and is making sure.
“I definitely think he is going to step into that role on the mound and also in the clubhouse. That’s important. He has the traits and abilities to lead; players look to him to do that. I’m excited he’s taking that next step in his development.”