PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Why is Oneil Cruz struggling with strikeouts? Thoughts on issues for Henry Davis and why Aroldis Chapman learned you can’t assume umps don’t speak Spanish. Notes from the Derek Shelton Show on 93.7 The Fan on Tuesday afternoon.
A quick injury note-the Pirates manager told 93.7 The Fan’s Joe Starkey that veteran catcher Yasmani Grandal ‘should be going out on a rehab really soon’. Shelton cautioned his return is not imminent, noting he missed a whole Spring Training and needs to get his timing and just get out in games and run.
Cruz on K/BB
Second in Major League Baseball in strikeouts, Shelton talked about shortstop Oneil Cruz. The 25-year-old is coming off ankle surgery having played only nine games in 2023. He is hitting .232 with three home runs and a .274 on-base percentage with 29 strikeouts.
“We are seeing the effects, and we thought we might see it at some point, of a young player who missed a year,” Shelton said on 93.7 The Fan. “To me, it looks like he’s gotten too passive. There’s too many before two strikes balls in the zone he’s not offering at (and) we need him to offer at. Just because of the fact of him putting the ball in play there are so many good things that are going happen.”
“Honestly, I think we are seeing the effects of struggles because of not having played a year. We are just going to have to continue to grind through that and grind through his at bats.”
Davis working
It’s not as much strikeouts with catcher Henry Davis, although he has 17 times with a .281 OBP and .171 batting average. The 2021 first-round pick has eight games this season without a hit and only two with multiple hits.
“It’s going to be a work in progress,” Shelton told Joe Starkey on 93.7 The Fan. “It’s a young player who really wants to do well. We have to probably take as much pressure off him as possible. He’s in the ‘go full accelerator mindset’ all the time. Henry is learning that he has to make adjustments at this level, on both sides of the ball, because it’s the big leagues and it’s hard.”
There was no talk of resting Davis or giving back-up catcher Joey Bart more opportunities.
Leadership
Shelton said while a lot of players will go to Andrew McCutchen for advice because he’s the elder stateman in the room, there are a few others who are helping to lead. The Bucs manager said on 93.7 The Fan 13-year veteran Martin Perez is doing a nice job talking to the young pitchers.
He adds infielder Rowdy Tellez, who we saw publicly come defend closer David Bednar at the end of the last homestand, is helping in a leadership role. Also, soft spoken Bryan Reynolds and Ke’Bryan Hayes are starting to feel more comfortable in that role.
I speak Spanish
Shelton said he didn’t see the Chapman ejection Monday night as it happened as his back was turned communicating with the bullpen. While he didn’t see I,t the explanation from the umpire proves you just never know.
“When I went out to talk to the umpire, he told me (Chapman) said some things in Spanish and he understood Spanish,” Shelton said on his weekly show on 93.7 The Fan. “He didn’t like it and it led to his ejection.”