Pirates GM Ben Cherington encourages frustrated baseball fans to 'hold us accountable'

Ben Cherington said he remains optimistic MLB and the Players Association will find a way to play this summer, but the Pittsburgh Pirates general manager doesn’t blame baseball fans for feeling frustrated over how their negotiations have dragged on.

Cherington encouraged fans to “express that frustration and continue to hold us accountable toward finding solutions” in their impasse over the economic concerns and length of a season during an appearance Tuesday afternoon on 93.7 FM.

“I remember something a mentor of mine shared with me more than once during negotiations, and that is: ‘Sometimes, it’s darkest just before the dawn,’ so I’ll hold onto that,” Cherington said. “The second thing would be is that I really do remain optimistic. My optimism is based on the knowledge that I believe teams and players both want to play, that there is a motivation to play. When two groups are motivated about something, there tends to be a chance to work something out.

“It’s frustrating, certainly for our fans. It’s frustrating for people who care about the game — for players, for you in the media, for us — but I remain optimistic and bet on a season happening.”

Asked what message he would share with baseball fans, Cherington expressed he can relate to their angst because he “was a fan long before I had this job; I know what it feels like to be frustrated with something you care about.”

“I wouldn’t try to convince them away from how they’re feeling,” Cherington said. “So, I would encourage our fans to express that frustration and continue to hold us accountable toward finding solutions. I remain optimistic that we will, but I do feel for everyone who cares about the game and has an interest in the game and that certainly includes our fans.”

Cherington also touched on some other Pirates-related topics:

• On the delayed debut of Pirates rookie manager Derek Shelton, who missed Opening Day at Tampa Bay and the home opener at PNC Park: “I feel for Shelty, who’s worked so hard and waited so long for this opportunity. I remember the day we hired him, talking to him that night and his realization that he was going to manage his first game in Tampa, where he had worked for so long and close to where he lives and then, as part of that first road trip, was going to manage in Chicago, where he grew up before coming back to Pittsburgh for Opening Day.

“It was just a special feeling hearing that and how he was excited to finally get this opportunity and be able to start it in that way. It has been frustrating. I badly want to see him manage his first game. I want him to be able to do that. I’m confident he will, sooner rather than later, and it will be the first of many games.”

• On what Shelton has done during the downtime: “He’s such a versatile guy that it’s really very easy for him to jump into other parts of other activity and baseball operations. Even though he’s been in uniform for most of his life — he’s been a coach and now a manager — he’s a really thoughtful, curious, smart guy who cares a lot about all of baseball operations. So he’s come into conversations in every area of baseball operations — player development, international scouting, amateur scouting, pro scouting — so he’s been able to come into those conversations and activities, help us and give input and learn, hopefully.”

AP

New Mexico State’s Nick Gonzales waits for a pitch during an at-bat in an NCAA college baseball game against Seattle University, Friday, May 10, 2019, in Bellevue, Wash.

• On New Mexico State shortstop Nick Gonzales being available when the Pirates picked No. 7 overall in the first round of the MLB Draft: “Frankly, we did not think Gonzales would be there at seven. We thought there was a chance. We were holding out hope but weren’t really betting on it. Exciting that he was.

“I think you can look at Nick Gonzales from a distance and see the performance, see the middle infield. Those things sort of are obvious from a distance. What really got my attention, and listening to our scouts who had gotten to know Nick really well and having a chance to talk to Nick directly before the draft on a Zoom call, just getting a sense for his real passion for the game, his love of work and practice and finding ways to get better.

“Great players that I’ve been around, sure they’re talented, but the common thread is that they just keep getting better, literally till the day they retire. I heard some of that kind of mindset in Nick, so that’s exciting.”