When Derek Shelton was first introduced, the rookie captain of the Pittsburgh Pirates took advantage of the moment it took half a century to prepare for and nothing he had envisioned for his debut as an MLB manager.
Shelton wore a protective mask covering his face from the coronavirus and the beautiful Busch Stadium was empty for opening day at the St. Louis Cardinals and the start of a 60-game season.
I have waited a long time for this day and I loved every moment.
It was good to have the first under my belt and I am proud of the battle in this group.
Let’s get that first victory tomorrow! #LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/wwKWYdLFcH
– Derek Shelton (@derekshelton) July 25, 2020
“I don’t know if you can describe it in words until you can. I’ve been waiting a long time to do it, “Shelton said. “I took a step back, I think, when we were on the field for the presentations. Then during the first inning, I really soaked it up.
“It is a unique fraternity. There are only 30 of us in the world. As someone previously pointed out, it’s a small list of guys who have managed in the big leagues. I assimilated it. I am very humble and honored to have this position. Yes, I did not let the moment pass. I made sure to assimilate it. Because if not, my father would have really been (marked) with me. ”
The result was also not what he wanted, as the Pirates lost to the Cardinals, 5-4, on Friday night. The Pirates hit three home runs. Joe Musgrove and Jacob Stallings combined for a magnificent play at the plate. The Pirates teamed up for two runs in the ninth.
If this season is a sprint, they started slowly but showed some kick.
“It was definitely a different atmosphere,” Shelton said. “I was happy with the way our boys played. We fell short, but we did many good things. I think that’s the thing. That’s the most important thing: we did a lot of good things. ”
1. I supported you: The first was good when Kennedy Holmes of St. Louis, 14, sang a poignant performance of the national anthem, while players from both teams held black cloth in a show of unity and support for racial and social justice.
When Jarrod Dyson knelt and bowed his head, Shelton reached out and stood behind his center fielder, a 35-year-old black man from Mississippi who is not afraid to speak frankly.
As Pirates and Cardinals players hold the black cloth as a symbol of unity during the national anthem, Pirates center fielder Jarrod Dyson kneels and manager Derek Shelton moves to stand behind him before the first game. of the season at Busch Stadium. pic.twitter.com/Wdy3jkAkKb
– Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) July 24, 2020
“I knew I was going to take it,” Shelton said. “When we talked about it, he said he was going to. I wanted to show her support, so I went and stood next to her. “
That meant the world to Dyson.
“His manager supports him 100%, that’s a lot,” Dyson said. “I give everything I have when I’m out there taking the field for him, and for him to back me up like that, that’s a special time for me.”
United. # BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/Lw83E0m4Az
– Pirates (@Pirates) July 25, 2020
2. In front of Flaherty: Shelton was impressed with Cardinals right-hander Jack Flaherty, who did not allow a home run until the fourth inning, gave up six hits with six strikeouts and no walks, and threw 62 of his 89 strikeouts in seven innings of work.
Flaherty had five 1-2-3 innings, leaving two runners in the fourth and allowing two runs in the fifth before Dyson got underway with the runners in the first and third.
“It was really good,” Shelton said. “I don’t think it was a thing. When he had to execute pitches, he came back and got 96.97 (mph). I looked at three or four of its beginnings, and I think I said to John Ryan Murphy during the game that ‘This is a guy, when you see him live, you realize how good he is. You watch it on video and you think it’s good, then when you watch it live, you realize why it’s launching Opening Day for them. ”
“I thought the ability to execute not only his fastball but today’s shift and slider was really good.” I was on point. He wasted no pitches. He was very efficient, and you don’t usually see that from a guy on opening day. It was really good. “
#Pirates pitcher Joe Musgrove gives a triple to Kolten Wong and then makes a great play to back out third with a stop and sliding shot to get him off the plate and finish fifth. pic.twitter.com/gdzKiX92Sw
– Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) July 25, 2020
3. Blind shot Joe: Musgrove served Tyler O’Neill home runs in the third and Dexter Fowler in the fifth, but the Pirates right-hander made the game’s most spectacular play.
“That was a sick move,” Dyson said of Musgrove. “It just shows you that he’s very athletic.”
When Kolten Wong crushed one to center-right with a triple, the ball fell off his foot on the throw to third baseman Colin Moran. Musgrove appeared out of nowhere, sliding to a stop and turning to fire a blind shot from his knees at Stallings to nail Wong at the plate and finish the inning.
“Being in the right place at the right time, I suppose, going backwards,” said Musgrove. “I saw the shot coming. That’s something when you’re going backwards, any good shot is going to be right in line, and the guy is going to catch it.” But you’re always looking for that deviation, something like that. ”
Musgrove said he was blinded by the ball and did not see where the plate was. But he knew the angle and was pointing home. The shot was a bit off target, but Stallings did a good job of receiving it and turning around to score Wong before he could reach the plate.
“It was a great play,” Shelton said. “Really athletic. I was in the right place. We have a caravan. Wong made an aggressive move. Joe made a good play, and Jacob made a very good play at the plate. That’s not an easy play for a catcher. “
We already have a Stop Running on Stallings post!
man, we missed this. # LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/2wBUZT4peK
– Pirates (@Pirates) July 25, 2020
4. Night and day: After a first night game with consecutive afternoon starts on the road, it could be burdensome for the traveling team, especially the man squatting behind the plate.
Stallings has a different routine for daytime games, waking up earlier to avoid being stunned, and sometimes skipping stretching and running outdoors for nighttime games.
“The day games are harder to prepare your body because we play more night games,” said Stallings, who hit a two-run single in the seventh against the Cardinals. “It’s just something you get used to. For me, it’s just changing that routine a little bit. ”
The clutch of our receiver. # LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/9rHXQYWnHS
– Pirates (@Pirates) July 25, 2020
Shelton and his staff took that into consideration at 2:15 pm St. Louis start time, and backup John Ryan Murphy will catch Trevor Williams against the Cardinals on Saturday afternoon.
“Night and day, that’s not fair to Jacob,” Shelton said. “We had planned this a week ago. Murph had caught Trevor’s last two outings for that reason, so he’s going to catch (today). “
A season like no other, for a fan base like no other.
! #STLCards | #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/JJrEZ2W5PJ
– St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 24, 2020
5. Find me in St. Louis: When it comes to baseball enthusiasm, Busch Stadium is Williams’ favorite. Then you’ll be disappointed to pitch without a crowd of Cardinals fans in the seats.
“They appear because it is a cathedral,” Williams said. “Just like PNC is a cathedral, people come to the stadium to perform because they want to see the stadium. They want to see the product. The same with Busch Stadium. They want to see the ballpark and they want to see the product.
“We are lucky, being at the National League Central, that there are many cathedrals that people like to see, and it will be strange, because you are used to looking at Busch Stadium, and with any stadium, you are used to seeing fans in the stands. “
Williams is 3-1 in six career starts in St. Louis, including 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA in his last two starts at Busch Stadium. He outpointed Adam Wainwright in a 2-1 victory in May 2019, and faces Wainwright again on Saturday afternoon.
“That’s why it is at number 2,” Shelton said. “That is why we are excited for Day 2 to come.”
Kevin Gorman is a writer for the Tribune-Review. You can contact Kevin by email at [email protected] or by Twitter.
Categories:
Pirates / MLB | sports
