Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Position decisions looming for Pirates manager Derek Shelton

By putting the pitcher in the batting order for the first time in spring training, Derek Shelton gave his first glimpse of what an Opening Day lineup could like for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

A week before the opener against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, the Pirates manager still has some important decisions to finalize with his starting lineup so Grapefruit League games will start to resemble something closer to National League games the rest of the way.

“I think we are getting closer,” Shelton said. “You’ll see guys play nine innings. You’re going to see guys play back-to-back. Today was the first time that we threw the pitcher in there. We have to do that.”

The five most pressing questions of spring training still remain, though it’s safe to say some already have been answered:

Let's keep it rolling, @mkeller11. pic.twitter.com/SWQvjnX7AX

— Pirates (@Pirates) March 9, 2021

1. On the bump: The Pirates have had Mitch Keller lined up to start against the Cubs, despite a rocky spring.

They don’t have much choice.

After trading their past two Opening Day starters, Joe Musgrove and Jameson Taillon, in the offseason, they were counting on Keller to anchor the starting rotation.

Now that Steven Brault is out for at least the first two months of the season, there isn’t much competition for the first start. The rest of the rotation could see Keller followed by lefty Tyler Anderson and right-handers Chad Kuhl, JT Brubaker and possibly Chase De Jong, at least until Trevor Cahill builds up his arm.

Keller is 0-1 with a 16.20 ERA in 8 1/3 innings over four starts, allowing a .522 batting average against. His fastball command has been inconsistent, and Keller didn’t make it out of the first inning in one start, forcing the Pirates to roll the inning.

Keller threw 71 pitches in 3 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and three earned runs in his last start, which was celebrated for not being terrible. Shelton, encouraged by Keller throwing his fastball in the strike zone, called it a “step in the right direction.”

If Keller has earned an Opening Day start, it was with how he finished last season with 11 no-hit innings over his final two starts not how he has fared this spring.

Update: Kevin Newman is now hitting .714 (15-for-21) this spring. pic.twitter.com/E21qNbFd4R

— Pirates (@Pirates) March 24, 2021

2. Short change: Shelton hasn’t named a starter at shortstop but he did eliminate Cole Tucker from the competition when the Pirates optioned the 2014 first-round pick on Wednesday.

Kevin Newman might have made the decision for the Pirates by hitting a ridiculous .727 (16 for 22) this spring. After committing eight errors last season, his defense has improved. But the consistency of his at-bats is what has most impressed Shelton, with his ability to lengthen at-bats and work favorable counts.

“If anybody wants to hit .700, I’m all in on that,” Shelton said. “I mean, sign me up for that. I think the big point is the fact that we’re starting to see the work that we’ve done and the adjustments that we’ve made pay off in game situations. And that is important, and it is transferable. Obviously, we don’t expect it to stay when some of these guys are hitting, but consistency of at-bats against Major League pitching is important. So I do think it’s going to be transferable.”

Erik Gonzalez is signed to a one-year, $1.225 million contract and hitting .400 this spring, so his roster spot is secure. A solid defender at shortstop, second base and third base who can play left field in a pinch, he appears to be best suited for a super utility role.

Adam Frazier is pretty good at this baseball thing. pic.twitter.com/YLn2sBC9CP

— Pirates (@Pirates) March 24, 2021

3. First up: The real competition might not be so much in the middle infield as it is in the batting order.

For as hot as Newman has been at the plate, Adam Frazier is batting .563 (18 for 32) with four doubles, two triples, two home runs and seven RBIs. Frazier has homered the past two games.

“I think the one thing we see is the shortness of the stroke,” Shelton said. “At times last year there was length to the swing. This looks very similar to swings that he took prior to last year. That’s the thing that really stands out.”

Both Newman and Frazier have batted leadoff. They split the duties almost evenly in 2019 (Frazier had a 78-74 edge) but Frazier handled leadoff duties in 27 games last season to Newman’s three. If Wednesday’s game against Atlanta is any indication, Frazier batted first and Newman sixth.

“Yeah, I think you definitely have to assess and look at what guys are doing and how they’re going about their at-bats to make those decisions, and we haven’t gotten any closer to what we’re going to do with our lineup,” Shelton said. “The one really positive thing about this is they continue to have really consistent at-bats and good at-bats and hit the ball hard, so doing that it makes it a little more challenging. But I like those kind of challenges.”

ANTHONY ? ALFORD ? pic.twitter.com/Z99fy6K07s

— Pirates (@Pirates) March 11, 2021

4. Center of attention: If there’s one position the Pirates have attempted to address, it’s in center field.

Since trading Starling Marte, they have used eight players in center and have tried a variety this spring. Their experiments with shortstops Tucker and Oneil Cruz in center were short-lived, and the Pirates would prefer not to have a revolving door at the spot.

Although Bryan Reynolds remains a candidate in center, the Pirates prefer him in left field and Gregory Polanco is entrenched in right field.

After Troy Stokes Jr. was reassigned on Wednesday, that leaves Anthony Alford, Dustin Fowler and Brian Goodwin fighting for the starting job in center and the fourth outfield spot.

Alford appears to be the leader, given his combination of athleticism and power. He’s hitting .250 with two home runs and four RBIs, and made one of the more spectacular defensive plays of spring training with a diving catch to his right.

Goodwin entered the spring as the odds-on favorite but has been a disappointment, hitting .192 with a team-high 12 strikeouts and an error-filled game in left field.

Fowler is hitting .208 with three RBIs in nine games, but was a late addition and served as designated hitter early.

A potential difference-maker: Both Alford and Fowler are on the 40-man roster, while Goodwin was a non-roster invitee to camp.

David Bednar has been stellar this spring. pic.twitter.com/MyIBnex1l6

— Pirates (@Pirates) March 14, 2021

5. Closing credits: It’s hard to blame Shelton for shunning any questions regarding a potential closer. He doesn’t have a set starting rotation or defined roles in the bullpen yet, so deciding on a closer has been the least of his worries.

Once again, that’s a decision that might have been made for him.

One of the potential candidates, Blake Cederlind, underwent Tommy John surgery Tuesday and is out for the next 16-18 months. That took a young pitcher who could touch triple digits out of the equation.

The dominance of David Bednar, the Mars native acquired from San Diego in the Musgrove trade, has made him a no-brainer. Bednar has experience as a closer in the minors and has been almost unhittable this spring, giving up two hits in eight appearances while striking out 14 and walking one.

Shelton put it best: “Ball comes out of his hand hot.”

The Pirates might be leaning toward a closer-by-committee situation, using several relievers in high-leverage roles but Bednar might be their best bet.