Pirates 'excited to return to play baseball,' expect every player to report to training camp

The Pittsburgh Pirates expect every player projected to be on their 30-man roster for MLB’s 60-game season to report by July 1 to training camp — which new manager Derek Shelton has nicknamed “The Deuce” — and plan to use “every square inch” of PNC Park.

That was the biggest news Wednesday afternoon from Shelton and Pirates pitcher/player representative Jameson Taillon, who both expressed their excitement for baseball’s return on Zoom conference calls after MLB and the Players Association came to an agreement to play after weeks of negotiations.

“You can tell by the social media reactions: Guys are excited to return to play baseball,” Taillon said. “That’s real. Guys aren’t faking that. Guys really want to get back on the field.”

Shelton said during his weekly appearance on 93.7 FM that seven Pirates players already are working out at PNC Park and more are on the way. Taillon confirmed every player is expected to play, including left fielder Bryan Reynolds and reliever Nick Burdi, whose wives are pregnant and considered “high-risk.”

“I’m planning on everybody being in camp and definitely respect the wishes of anybody that is high risk or has a spouse that’s high risk and definitely support people in the decisions that they make because it’s life decisions,” Shelton said. “We have had no indication from anybody as of now. We think everybody is going to be attending.”

Shelton said bench coach Don Kelly and pitching coach Oscar Marin have a “pretty good plan laid out” for training camp at PNC Park, emphasizing the need to use the stadium “very wisely and efficiently.” The Pirates plan to use both home and visiting dugouts and clubhouses during the three-week training camp before the opener July 23 or 24.

Oddsmaker BetOnline.ag set the over/under for the Pirates to win 25½ games and finish in last place in the NL Central, but Shelton believes the shortened season has every team “coming into it on equal footing.” After spending the past two seasons as Minnesota Twins bench coach, Shelton is comfortable with using a universal designated hitter, though he plans to rotate a number of players in that role.

“I like where we’re at,” Shelton said. “I like our good young core of players, and I’ve said that from the beginning and I never really had any concern about what external people have said about our group. You play really good for a month, you’re going to put yourself in a situation. The team (the Washington Nationals) that is going to get their World Series ring on July 23 or 24 wouldn’t be playing in a playoff this year and they ended up winning the World Series. So I think it’s going to be a fun sprint. I think everybody is going to enjoy it, and I think you’re going to see a lot of good, competitive baseball.”

That it comes amid the coronavirus pandemic necessitated new health and safety protocols for players and coaches, including social distancing and rotating schedules for training camp. Players aren’t allowed to celebrate with high-fives, to spit in the dugout or onto the field or to lick their fingers before throwing a pitch.

They also aren’t permitted to report to the stadium until five hours before the first pitch. Taillon, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, said he likely will have to do his rehabilitation work before players arrive at the ballpark.

“We’ve got checkpoints all around the ballpark. We’ve got signs everywhere. We’ve got rules everywhere. It’s definitely going to be extremely, extremely different,” said Taillon, who threw off the mound Tuesday for the first time. “I still hope guys get whatever they need, in the training room or before going on the field. It’s going to be really hard to follow it to a perfect T. We’re going to have to have the rules in front of our faces at all times because the handbook is like 108 pages.

“But, I mean, there’s also the common sense side to it: Keep your distance. Wash off the training tables and weights after you use them. Wear your mask in the clubhouse. That kind of stuff should be pretty easy for guys to follow. I’ve caught myself a few times trying to lick my fingers before I throw the ball. That’s going to be really hard for guys. Not spitting on the field, all of that, sunflower seeds and stuff, that’s going to have to be a big change for a lot of guys.

“It’s definitely a lot to ask, but for three months, guys have made it clear we want to get back on the field so, for three months, we suck it up, do whatever we need to do to get on the field and get it done.”