Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Derek Shelton's debut was memorable in the most important ways

When Derek Shelton was introduced first, the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie skipper took in the moment that was a half-century in the making and nothing like he had envisioned for his MLB managerial debut.

Shelton wore a protective mask covering his face from the coronavirus, and beautiful Busch Stadium was otherwise empty for Opening Day at the St. Louis Cardinals and the start of a 60-game season.

I’ve waited a long time for this day and I loved every moment.

It was good to get the first one under my belt and I’m proud of the battle in this group.

Let’s get that first win tomorrow! #LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/wwKWYdLFcH

— Derek Shelton (@derekshelton) July 25, 2020

“I don’t know if you can describe it into words until you get to do it. Been waiting a long time to do it,” Shelton said. “I took a step back, I think, when we were out on the field for introductions. Then during the first inning, I really kind of soaked it in.

“It’s a unique fraternity. There’s only 30 of us in the world. As someone pointed out earlier, it’s a small list of guys who have managed in the big leagues. I took it in. I’m very humbled and honored to have this position. Yeah, I didn’t let the moment go away. I made sure that I took it in. Because if not, my dad would have been really (ticked) at me.”

The result wasn’t what he wanted, either, as the Pirates lost to the Cardinals, 5-4, on Friday night. The Pirates gave up three home runs. Joe Musgrove and Jacob Stallings combined for a magnificent play at the plate. The Pirates rallied for two runs in the ninth.

If this season is a sprint, they started slow but showed some kick.

“It was definitely a different atmosphere,” Shelton said. “I was happy with the way our guys played. We came up short, but we did a lot of good things. I think that’s the thing. That’s the most important thing: We did a lot of good things.”

1. Got your back: The first good thing came as 14-year-old Kennedy Holmes of St. Louis sang a stirring rendition of the national anthem while players from both teams held black fabric in a show of unity and support for racial and social justice.

When Jarrod Dyson dropped to a knee and bowed his head, Shelton walked over and stood behind his center fielder, a 35-year-old Black man from Mississippi who isn’t afraid to speak with candor.

As Pirates and Cardinals players hold black fabric as a symbol of unity during national anthem, Pirates center fielder Jarrod Dyson takes a knee and manager Derek Shelton moves to stand behind him before season opener at Busch Stadium. pic.twitter.com/Wdy3jkAkKb

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) July 24, 2020

“I was aware he was going to take it,” Shelton said. “When we had talked about it, he said he was going to do it. I wanted to show support for him, so I went over and stood next to him.”

That meant the world to Dyson.

“Your manager behind you 100%, that’s a lot,” Dyson said. “I give everything I’ve got when I’m out there taking the field for him, and for him to back me up like that, that’s a special moment for me.”

United.#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/Lw83E0m4Az

— Pirates (@Pirates) July 25, 2020

2. Facing Flaherty: Shelton was impressed with Cardinals right-hander Jack Flaherty, who didn’t allow a baseruner until the fourth inning, gave up six hits with six strikeouts and no walks and threw 62 of his 89 pitches for strikes in seven innings.

Flaherty had five 1-2-3 innings, stranding two runners in the fourth and allowing two runs in the fifth before getting Dyson to ground out with runners on first and third.

“He was really good,” Shelton said. “I don’t think it was one thing. When he had to execute pitches, he went back and got 96, 97 (mph). I watched three or four of his starts coming into it, and I think I told John Ryan Murphy during the game that, ‘This is a guy, when you watch him live, you realize how good he is. You watch him on video and think he’s good, then when you watch him live, you realize why he’s pitching Opening Day for them.’

“I thought the ability to execute not only his fastball but the changeup and slider today were really good. He was on point. He did not waste pitches. He was very efficient, and you usually don’t see that from a guy on Opening Day. He was really good.”

#Pirates pitcher Joe Musgrove gives up a triple to Kolten Wong then makes a great play to back up third with a sliding stop-and-throw to get him out at the plate to end the fifth. pic.twitter.com/gdzKiX92Sw

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) July 25, 2020

3. Blind Throw Joe: Musgrove served up leadoff home runs to Tyler O’Neill in the third and Dexter Fowler in the fifth, but the Pirates right-hander made the most spectacular play of the game.

“That was a sick play,” Dyson said of Musgrove. “It just shows you he’s very athletic.”

When Kolten Wong crushed one to right-center for a triple, the ball caromed off his foot on the throw to third baseman Colin Moran. Musgrove appeared out of nowhere, sliding to make the stop and turning for a blind throw from his knees to Stallings to peg Wong at the plate to end the inning.

“Being in the right spot at the right time, I guess, backing up,” Musgrove said. “I saw the throw coming in. That’s something as you’re backing up bases, any good throw is going to be right on line, and the guy is going to catch it. But you’re always looking for that deflection, something like that.”

Musgrove said he was blinded by the ball and didn’t see where the plate was. But he knew the angle and aimed for home. The throw was a little off, but Stallings did a nice job of receiving it and turning to tag Wong before he could reach the plate.

“That was a hell of a play,” Shelton said. “Really athletic. He was in the right spot. We got a carom off. Wong made an aggressive move. Joe made a nice play, and Jacob made a really nice play at the plate. That’s not an easy play for a catcher.”

We've already got a Stop Running on Stallings post!

man, we've missed this.#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/2wBUZT4peK

— Pirates (@Pirates) July 25, 2020

4. Night and day: Following a night opener with back-to-back afternoon starts on the road could be taxing on the traveling team, especially the man squatting behind the plate.

Stallings has a different routine for day games, waking up earlier so he is not groggy and sometimes skipping the outside stretching and running that he does for night games.

“Day games are harder to get your body ready beacuse we play more night games,” said Stallings, who hit a two-run single in the seventh against the Cardinals. “It’s just kind of what you become accustomed to. For me, it’s just changing up that routine a little bit.”

Our catcher's clutch.#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/9rHXQYWnHS

— Pirates (@Pirates) July 25, 2020

Shelton and his staff took that into consideration with the 2:15 p.m. start times in St. Louis, and backup John Ryan Murphy caught Trevor Williams 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’ll catch (today).”

A season unlike any other, for a fan base like no other.

???? ????!#STLCards | #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/JJrEZ2W5PJ

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 24, 2020

5. Meet me in St. Louis: As far as the buzz for baseball goes, Busch Stadium is a favorite for Williams. So he will be disappointed to pitch without a crowd of Cardinals fans in the seats.

“They show up because it’s a cathedral,” Williams said. “Just like PNC is a cathedral, people come to the ballpark to show up because they want to see the ballpark. They want to see the product. Same with Busch Stadium. They want to see the ballpark, and they want to see the product.

“We’re lucky, being in the NL Central, that there are a lot of cathedrals that people like to see, and it’s going to be weird, because you’re used to looking up at Busch Stadium, and with any stadium, you’re used to seeing fans in the stands.”

Williams is 3-1 in six career starts at St. Louis, including 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA in his past two starts at Busch Stadium. He outdueled Adam Wainwright in a 2-1 win in May 2019 and faces Wainwright again on Saturday afternoon.

“That’s why he’s in that No. 2 spot,” Shelton said. “That’s why we’re excited that he’s going Day 2.”