Pirates find welcome distraction in communicating through social media videos

During the downtime of quarantine amid the coronavirus crisis, Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton has taken a deep dive into the rabbit hole of watching videos on social media.

Granted, many of them are of major league baseball players showing ingenuity in practicing their craft, from one hitter taking batting practice on what appeared to be the deck of a boat to another who used a leaf blower as a pitching machine.

“We haven’t had any weird ones like that,” Shelton said of the Pirates. “Major league players are like little kids. They’re going to get creative and find ways to do something. The weirder ways we find right now, the more it keeps us engaged because we’re doing something. As we’ve talked about a lot is, games should be fun. It is fun, and they’re finding fun ways to work out.”

The Pirates have turned to social media and video applications like FaceTime, Skype and Zoom to stay in touch with players and monitor their progress during the sportsworld shutdown.

Shelton said he and his coaching staff, along with the strength and conditioning coaches and medical group, are touching base with players multiple times a week and seeing that players are finding ways to stay ready for the return of baseball.

“The one great thing in the world today is that everyone carries a camera and video camera with them at all times with the phone,” Shelton said. “So it’s easy to say, ‘Send me 10 swings that you’re taking,’ or if you’re throwing off the mound or playing catch or anything like that. Especially with our group, guys are so excited to be doing things that they’re eager to send a video of them taking 10 swings.

“I think the funny part of it is, you get to see a wide variety of where guys are playing catch and where guys are taking swings and what they’re hitting into with the net. With modern technology, it’s easier to stay than it has been in the past to stay attached and engaged with guys.”

Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said it has been both “fun and frustrating” to be away from players in what he called “just a unique time for all.”

The first phase of monitoring players from afar involved health and wellness check-ups to see if players were showing signs or symptoms of the coronavirus that causes covid-19. Next was inquiring what types of training devices they had available, from weights to resistance bands, so they could come up with a workout plan.

“Personally, in conversations with players, our performance staff, our coaching staff, what we’re learning is how resourceful, one, human beings are, but two, how resourceful and creative our players and coaching staff and performance staff is during this time,” Tomczyk said. “From whatever means and resources the players can get their hands on during this time to train, it’s been fascinating to learn. These players are motivated to play. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t be doing what they’re doing during this time of sequestration. One, it’s good for the mind. Two, it’s just keeping the body ready for what lies ahead.”

What the Pirates have discovered, however, is the social media video interaction is not merely a welcome distraction for everyone but perhaps the discovery of a better way of communicating from afar.

“What we’ve learned is that the one-on-one — the FaceTime, the Zoom, the Skype, whatever we have — that’s way more powerful and impactful than a phone call, way more powerful and impactful than a text message,” Tomczyk said. “Just that personal interaction is going a long way, and I know the players are appreciating that, and I know our staff appreciates the connectivity that we are having with our players during this time.”