Shelton sees need to 'find ways to have fun'

PITTSBURGH -- When Derek Shelton was the hitting coach for Tampa Bay, he saw manager Joe Maddon invite unusual visitors into the Rays’ clubhouse to get them out of a slump. Maddon would try to take his players’ minds -- and the media’s attention -- off what was going wrong by bringing in a DJ, a merengue band, a magician, a cockatoo, a 20-foot python or a pair of penguins.

Shelton hasn’t reached that point yet with the Pirates, despite their 4-16 start to the season. He wasn’t a big fan of the snake, and the only Penguins he’s thought about lately play in the NHL.

But it’s clear the Pirates’ individual and collective struggles are starting to weigh on players, specifically the team’s hitters. Catcher Jacob Stallings admitted as much after their 6-1 loss to Cleveland on Wednesday night, noting that they have “guys who are being hard on themselves.”

“I think we have some guys that have gotten off to rough starts and [are] just trying to work through it,” Stallings added. “We just need to be a little nicer to ourselves and try to have a little more fun and not put as much pressure on ourselves.”

It's easier to have fun, of course, when you’re winning -- or at least having individual success. Losses are multiplied and mistakes feel magnified in this shortened season. So what can Shelton do as manager to create a more fun atmosphere and take some pressure off his players?

“When you scuffle and your record’s like this, you do struggle at times to have fun. I think that’s my job and the staff’s job to continue to find the positives,” Shelton said Thursday afternoon. “We have to continue to get better, and we have to continue to focus on our work and do those things and have fun. But when you lose close games and you lose some games in a row, it can be a challenging time.

“Honestly, for me, it’s making sure I stay who I am. We knew we were in a situation this year where we were going to have to evaluate, and I’m not going to change my personality. Regardless of what we’re doing or how we’re doing, we’re going to stay the same. We’re going to continue to work. It’s really important to me that our effort level stays up, and I think it has done that. It’s my job to continue to make sure that we find ways to have fun.”

Around the horn
• After working five innings in his last start, Chad Kuhl should be clear to pitch up to six innings when he takes the mound for Friday’s series opener against the Brewers. The Pirates have been cautious with Kuhl and left-hander Steven Brault, monitoring their workloads since having them begin the season as piggyback pitchers.

“Every time that I’ve pitched, they’ve been super clear and transparent about how far they want me to go,” Kuhl said Thursday. “There haven’t been any talks about this next start tomorrow, so I’m going under the assumption that I’m going to go as long as I can until Shelty takes the ball from me. … I think they’re doing a great job and a safe buildup. Obviously, you’d love to be out there for seven innings every five days, but just with the nature of [coming back from Tommy John surgery], that’s just not realistic.”

• Adam Frazier, Bryan Reynolds and Gregory Polanco -- three of Pittsburgh’s struggling regulars -- weren’t in the lineup against Cleveland right-hander Shane Bieber on Thursday night at PNC Park. Shelton said their absences were scheduled in advance, not a reaction to the way they’ve been hitting.

“With some of our guys, we’re talking 50 at-bats. We’re not going to make knee-jerk reactions [in a situation] where they need to have more at-bats and more timing,” Shelton said. “The fact that we’ve played two games in 10 days, that’s not the best for timing. I think we weigh both sides of it.”

• Colin Moran was the Pirates’ designated hitter on Thursday, his team-leading ninth start at the position. Moran has also made six starts at first base, and he has only started at third base three times since his Opening Day assignment there. The Pirates have used a different third baseman in each of their last three games: Erik González, José Osuna and JT Riddle. Shelton said Moran is still working at third base, however.

“It’s just a matter of where we’re going to play guys,” Shelton said. “But yeah, third base is still definitely in there.”