5 QUESTIONS FOR SPRING TRAINING 2.0
Shaking out infield and DH situations are among the significant issues
About a month ago, things seemed pretty grim for baseball. The same could be said for two months ago and three months ago too.
As Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association squabbled over how, when and where the season would begin amid the coronavirus pandemic, the conversations didn’t have much of an endpoint. And, unfortunately, there was no talk of actual baseball, no wondering who would win the MVP or Cy Young awards or what offseason moves pushed certain teams over the top.
But the baseball world is about to begin turning again. Teams report to summer camp this week, with about a three-week runup to actual, real games. The Pirates’ camp officially begins Friday at PNC Park.
With that, now is as good a time as any to offer a refresher on what the Pirates might look like when the season begins on July 23 or 24: Are the young guys contenders for playing time?
Ke’Bryan Hayes and Cole Tucker made the roster of players who will be in Pittsburgh at the beginning of summer camp. Both of them were optioned to Class AAA Indianapolis just before COVID-19 shut down spring training in March, but they’re both back now.
That, at least, implies that the Pirates see them potentially playing a part on the bigleague club this season.
Tucker got some experience last season before suffering an injury at the end of the year, so he may end up being a more likely candidate for consistent playing time off the bat. Both he and Hayes were having fairly strong spring trainings before being optioned, so would strong showings in summer camp give Tucker and Hayes an opportunity to stick around for a while on the major league roster? Or are they there to continue to get as much major-league development before heading out to Altoona for the rest of the season, only filling in if an injury occurs and biding their time for seasons to come?
How will the left side of the infield shake out?
The last point leads into this one. In the coming seasons, the Pirates will have to figure out exactly who should play where on their infield. Josh Bell has first base locked up. Kevin Newman pretty much earned the right to stick at shortstop for the time being with his performance last year, and Adam Frazier, a Gold Glove finalist last season, has earned the nod at second base.
Everything around seems a little more blurry. Third baseman Colin Moran has a valuable bat, but his fielding is lacking. Pirates manager Derek Shelton said Wednesday that Moran will likely play third base “a lot.”
Still, Moran’s skillset makes him an obvious designated hitter candidate (more on that in a bit). If that’s the case, who fills in at third? Is it Hayes’ position by virtue of his status as the Pirates’ top third-base prospect? Does Tucker fit in there as another top prospect, albeit playing away from his natural position at shortstop?
Then there’s the rest of the host of infielders on the Pirates roster: Philip Evans, Jose Osuna, JT Riddle and Erik Gonzalez. The 27-yearold Evans hasn’t found much staying power in the big leagues yet, but Osuna, Riddle and Gonzalez have all cut their teeth in the majors before. Where exactly they play on the infield, and how much, will likely help spell out the fates of Hayes and Tucker, at least for the immediate future.
Who will replace Chris Archer?
Chris Archer has had a rough go of it in Pittsburgh, and his most recent injury — he underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in early June and will be out the rest of the year — is on par with that.
That leaves the Pirates with a sizable hole to fill in their starting rotation. It would be fair to assume that, barring another injury or unforeseen issue, Joe Musgrove, Mitch Keller, Derek Holland and Trevor Williams will be in the starting rotation come the start of the season. Manager Derek Shelton has indicated those four are likely in the lead.
The fifth spot is the question mark. Steven Brault is likely the most logical answer, especially now that he’s healthy again. Chad Kuhl is certainly an option as well.
Plus, there is the option of creativity, which Shelton has also alluded to in the past, of using an opener or something in that vein. The answer may be hard to suss out exactly because in a sprint of a season like this, all hands will be on deck. The rotation could be funky, with guys filling in to give extra rest days when needed. But we should still get a good idea of who is best fit to step into the traditional, five-man rotation at some point.
Who will be the Pirates’ DH?
Lest you’ve forgotten, there will be a designated hitter all across baseball this year.
Shelton has repeatedly said over the past few weeks and months that the Pirates will rotate who fills that role from game to game. That makes sense, given that few, if any, of the current Pirates have a pedigree of success at that position in any capacity.
Shelton named Moran, Bell, right fielder Gregory Polanco, along with Riddle, Osuna and Evans as possible DHs, though the first three seem more likely to be everyday players than the other three.
This also may not be a question that works itself out fully during camp. After all, any of the players who fill in at DH will still be working in defensive position groups. In a normal season, we might be given a better idea of how the lineup shakes out in spring training games. Perhaps some exhibitions, which Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said the Pirates hope to play in, would shed more light on how Shelton plans to set his lineup.
Still, it’s worth wondering if the DH is used to help keep Moran’s bat in the lineup while giving more reps to the likes of Tucker or Hayes at third base or shortstop.
How does the bullpen shake out?
Pretty much the only thing that’s certain in the Pirates bullpen right now is that Keone Kela will be the closer. Shelton has said as much before. Kyle Crick seems likely to be the setup man, more or less.
The rest is a mish-mash of guys who could potentially fill multiple roles. Edgar Santana is suspended for the season (plus some) after testing positive Boldenone, a performance-enhancing drug.
Richard Rodriguez had a sub-4.00 ERA last year but didn’t strike out as many batters as he did during a stellar 2018. Michael Feliz struck out 73 batters in 56⅓ innings last year but gave up a hefty amount of home runs. Clay Holmes struggled altogether last year, but his sinker makes him a unique option. Nick Burdi is a real fireballer, but his injury history has made his career a little touch-and-go.
Then there are pitchers such as Geoff Hartlieb and Blake Cederlind, who are young and inexperienced but throw real gas. Both could figure to help fill in, though it’s not guaranteed they will be on the opening day roster. Linking this back to an early question, there also figures to be somebody such as Kuhl or Brault in the bullpen as the long reliever type, if/when the Pirates need them.