Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Weird as it was for Pirates to play in silence, it felt like baseball

As weird as it was to see baseball back last week with Pittsburgh Pirates in training camp at PNC Park, it’s even weirder to watch them play games without fans in the stands.

Even if it’s only an intrasquad game.

And we have baseball at PNC Park.
Intrasquad baseball.
But baseball nonetheless. pic.twitter.com/2Y5QkU5Phz

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) July 10, 2020

On Friday night, the Pirates played a Black-Gold game where both teams wore black jerseys with gray pants. From the press box, we could hear the sounds of the North Shore – the thunder of trains, the zooms of cars on the overpass, the horn of the Gateway Clipper – and the cheers of Steven Brault and Mitch Keller from the right-field seats.

They even did the wave.

Never thought I would be doing the wave, but here I am. @SquidBrault https://t.co/9IonHSu2fE

— Mitch Keller (@mkeller11) July 11, 2020

1. Who’s on first?: In the second inning on Friday, JT Riddle followed a Jacob Stallings single by ripping a one-hop double off the right-field wall. The Gold had runners on second and third, and the Black went into a defensive shift.

So, there were five Pirates players on two teams, all wearing black jerseys, between second and third base. First baseman Josh Bell stood between first and second.

As if it’s not confusing enough that both the Black and Gold are wearing the same uniforms, the Black is in a shift with runners on second and third. Didn’t fool catcher Luke Maile, who got the ol’ K/2-5 to get Jacob Stallings out to end the top 2nd. pic.twitter.com/NFCVIM943b

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) July 10, 2020

Trevor Williams struck out John Ryan Murphy, and catcher Luke Maile threw out Stallings at third for the ol’ K/2-5.

2. Feels like baseball: It didn’t feel like Major League Baseball. No fans. No cheers. No walk-up songs. No in-game entertainment on the scoreboard. No high-fives at home plate when Luke Maile homered to the visiting bullpen near the North Side Notch. It was definitely different.

But it was still baseball, which was good for the players.

“It was cool. It actually felt like baseball,” Reynolds said. “We’ve been doing some pitcher-hitter stuff, but not in full jersey and a defense out there. So it was cool to get back into that and feel like we’re playing baseball again.”

Nice view from Section 115 at PNC Park of Pirates’ Black-Gold intrasquad game. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday evening. pic.twitter.com/VUZgCi9SrX

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) July 11, 2020

Personally, I found watching baseball from seats atop the main concourse without all of the fanfare quite enjoyable.

After giving up a leadoff single to Kevin Newman, LHP Miguel Del Pozo gets Bryan Reynolds to hit into a 6-4-3 DP (Tucker to Frazier to Osuna). pic.twitter.com/M8eYczv82c

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) July 11, 2020

3. Good gloves: One constant in training camp, whether it’s in the spring or summer, is that pitchers are ahead of the hitters. It takes some swings for the hitters to get their timing down.

Trevor Williams cruised through five innings Friday, allowing one run on four hits with four strikeouts and a walk. Miguel Del Pozo gave up two hits in two innings on Saturday but had two strikeouts and the Pirates turned two double plays behind him.

That’s what has been interesting to see, how quickly players have adapted in the field. Cole Tucker leaped high to steal a line drive off Reynolds on Friday and made a beautiful backhand stop and off-balance throw that Josh Bell scooped out of the dirt.

The defense caught the attention of manager Derek Shelton.

“I think we turned four double plays in four innings, which is a testament to the defense and we really executed some pitches we had to execute, so all around been very happy with it,” Shelton said. “I think we’ve looked sharp. They’ve done a nice job. Our pitchers have done a really good job implementing pickoffs into it, just to make sure we’re working on that. Because there are things in normal spring training where you don’t start doing that until there are 10 days left because you’re letting guys get their legs underneath them, but because we’re doing it so quick we’re having to work on a bunch things, but been very pleased with it so far.”

4. Put me in, Coach: With three catchers in camp, the Pirates have gotten creative with their defense. One of the catchers has served as designated hitter, with a coach playing the field.

Special assistant David Eckstein played left field early, then moved to second base and shortstop when it became a simulated game. His brother, hitting coach Rick Eckstein, also played the infield. Jamey Carroll played third, as did Shelton, who joked about having to make a throw to first.

Jeremy Bleich, who works in the front office, was the umpire. The Pirates found him pink catcher’s equipment from a Mother’s Day game to wear behind the plate.

Even bench coach Don Kelly, who is running the day-to-day operations of training camp, got involved. A super-utility player who Jim Leyland used at six positions for the Detroit Tigers in 2013, Kelly volunteered to play first base.

“I’m not creative like Leyland was. I just had him stand at first,” Shelton said. “I pretty much just do what Donny says. And Donny does what he wants, and he wants to be an all-time first baseman. They didn’t let him play first at Detroit because of Miggy (Cabrera), so he is getting his time in over there.”

OF Socrates Brito, one of two Pirates players who consented to make their Covid-19 positive test public, has returned to training camp and is practicing for 1st time at PNC Park. pic.twitter.com/r7DF8FU8uV

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) July 11, 2020

Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review

coronavirus survivor Pirates outfielder Socrates Brito during practice Saturday, July 11, 2020 at PNC Park.

5. Brito is back: On a more serious note, outfielder Socrates Brito returned to practice for the Pirates.

Brito is one of two Pirates players — reliever Blake Cederlind is the other — who consented for the club to share that they tested positive for covid-19. He missed the first eight days of camp, but returned to participate in position drills and batting practice.

“We’ll work him back in gradually,” Shelton said. “You probably won’t see him in a game — or what we’re doing as a game — for a few days, just to get him back. We’ll let our medical guys assess him, see how he feels, see how he feels tomorrow after moving around because he’s been sitting in a hotel room. Just slowly. Nothing that we would risk some sort of other injury with him coming back, just see where his body is at.”