Pirates Manager Derek Shelton has yet to manage his first regular season game as the manager of the Pirates but that didn't stop him from talking strategy with the Cook and Joe show when he joined them Wednesday at Noon for his weekly segment.
He talked about how he believes in the closer role and how he manages his pitching staff.
"I do believe the closer is someone you define the role," Shelton said. "I think you build the rest of the bullpen from that role because guys are going backwards from the 9th inning on know what their role is"
He says they will have a closer but that other guys in that bullpen need to be defined for being available to pitch in high level situations.
He will be going with Keone Kela as his closer.
Shelton also talked to the guys about how as an organization they will use all tools necessary to be smart with how to use the players as far as when they play or when they rest and when to bunt and when to pull a starter.Major League Baseball is participating in a unique study on the viability of coronavirus antibody testing. The study, which will not affect any timeline for a potential start of the 2020 MLB regular season, will include participants from 27 of the league's 30 teams and help determine whether test subjects have been infected with COVID-19 even if they never presented symptoms. Shelton told the guys he believes MLB was selected because of how geographically spread out they were and MLB jumped at the opportunity to help with the research.Shelton agreed to be a part of the research saying that he will do anything to provide the info needed to get back to playing baseball as soon as they can.
"Yes I did take the test," Shelton said. "I took it this morning and I don't have the antibodies."Today is also Jackie Robinson Day and Shelton calls it one of his favorite days and he is happy to see him being honored still despite no games being played."It makes me smile," Shelton added. "I don't wear my jersey a ton during the season. I usually wear a some sort or sweatshirt or a pullover. This was one day that I wore my jersey. I think anytime we can honor a historical significance to the game and I think what Jackie brought to the game not only as a player but as a person…I think it's unbelievable that we honor him and we should."
Shelton says despite no games today he is happy to see the world celebrating on twitter and remembering him on such an important day.
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