Pirates, MLB hope for season close to normal
CHICAGO — The Pirates’ season-opener Thursday in Chicago will be cold — gametime temperature should be in the mid-30s — though manager Derek Shelton has seen much worse.
The year was 2007, when Shelton was the hitting coach in Cleveland. Paul Byrd nearly threw a five-inning no-hitter in the middle of a snowstorm, but the game was called one strike before becoming official. Leaf blowers cleared the outfield. Mariners players wrote things in snow. Someone — not Shelton — even built a snowman.
This will not approach that, although it’s certainly a departure from the 80-degree Florida weather the Pirates vacated, which by itself presents some challenges in terms of keeping muscles loose, blood flowing and pitchers avoiding arm injuries.
“You have to be very aware of bodies,” Shelton said before an informal workout at Wrigley Field on Wednesday. “Obviously, we were coming in to do some work as a staff, and we made it available if you wanted to show up. It looks to me like just about everybody is here to get out in the cold weather. But it’s something you have to be extremely mindful of.”
The weather obviously wasn’t a factor last season because the Pirates opened their 60-game slate in late July. It was also in an empty Busch Stadium, which also marks a significant departure from what they will experience Thursday.
Fans will attend the game at Wrigley, although that number will be less than 9,000. Still, having people in one of baseball’s best ballparks can’t help but add to the appeal of opening day, something Shelton believes should be a national holiday.
“It’s a special day,” Shelton said.
And, again, drastically different than what the Pirates experienced last season. It will be the first, actually, for Ke’Bryan Hayes, who did not make his MLB debut until September 2020. For a couple of others, too.
But more for the big-picture place baseball finds itself.
Despite an outbreak with the Nationals Wednesday, the sport has a greater handle on COVID-19, the certainty of finishing the season much greater than it was at last year’s start date.
“We started at 60 games, and everybody was hoping we would get through it because we were in such an unknown,” Shelton said. “I think now with the preparation that Major League Baseball and the [MLB Players Association] has done in going through a 60-game season with protocols, we have a better idea of what we’re doing, and we’re looking forward to 162 games.”
They won’t all be as cold as the first one, although Shelton doesn’t care. He’s simply happy to have baseball back, withopening day resembling its former self.
“It does feel closer to normal,” Shelton said. “The fact that there are going to be people back in the stands, even in a limited capacity, it feels closer.”
Mum on decisions
Shelton did not have much to say on some of his team’s looming decisions.
They’re mostly pitchingrelated, and likely confined to the bullpen, depending on how you want to term Trevor Cahill. The veteran righthander has not built up to a starter’s workload but is expected to make the team.
Assuming the Pirates keep Rule 5 pick Luis Oviedo, it would essentially come down to Wil Crowe or Clay Holmes.
Crowe would give the Pirates another possible starter or someone who could at least work more innings. Holmes was terrific this spring and did not give up a run in 10 appearances (9⅔ innings).
The complicating factor is that Holmes is not on the 40man roster, which would require a corresponding move. But the Pirates have not yet reassigned Holmes, either.
The other piece of outstanding business for the Pirates involves center field. Shelton would not disclose whether it will be Anthony Alford or Dustin Fowler starting there Thursday.
One of the two was expected to find out before the Pirates’ on-field workout, although Shelton would not tip his hand to the media.
The bet here is Alford, who had a .797 OPS during spring training compared to a .516 for Fowler. It’s likely a situation where each will play quite a bit.
Rotation set
Shelton outlined his rotation for the rest of the Cubs series. Tyler Anderson, signed as a free agent this offseason, will start Game 2 on Saturday. Mitch Keller will go Sunday.
All three are afternoon games starting at 2:20 p.m. Anderson will oppose Jake Arrieta, while Keller will go up against Zach Davies.
It will be the second start at Wrigley Field for both. Anderson went seven innings and allowed two earned runs while striking out nine during a victory with the Rockies on May 2, 2018. Keller pitched here last year and recorded only eight outs before being injured.
Restoring order
Although Shelton said that Chad Kuhl will bat ninth on Thursday, he expects to experiment this season with the pitcher in the No. 8 spot. The Pirates did that for the first time under Shelton during their spring training finale Tuesday, hitting JT Brubaker there.
“I think at some point that will happen,” Shelton said. “I don’t know when.”