Bucs visit Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

For the most part, the Pirates’ health and safety protocols and guidelines have limited their sightseeing on the road this season to the ballpark and their hotel rooms. They made an important exception on their first full day in Kansas City.

The Pirates sent two groups, about 20 people in total, to take socially distanced tours of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum on Friday morning. This is a particularly special year for the NLBM and its president, Bob Kendrick, as they celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Negro Leagues.

Earlier this year, the Pirates took part in tipping their caps to the great players and proud history of Negro Leagues baseball, including a proud tradition with two teams in Pittsburgh. On Friday, they got to learn even more about all of it at the only museum dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Negro Leagues.

“We say this all the time, that we’re Major League players but we don't know everything about baseball. We don't know all the rules. We don't know all the history,” said outfielder Cole Tucker, who made his first visit to the NLBM. “Days like this really kind of smack you in the face and remind you of that. It was really awesome.”

Tucker said his favorite part of the visit was seeing the timeline of the Negro Leagues, from the founding of the Negro National League in 1920 to the end of the Negro American League in ’62, and how it overlapped with significant moments in American history and the civil rights movement.

“It was cool to see how American history kind of intertwined with the sport,” Tucker said. “I think that was the coolest part. And just being on the [Field of Legends], with all the immortalized statues that have been inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame, was really cool.”

Manager Derek Shelton said this was his second time visiting the NLBM, as the Rays’ coaching staff accompanied David Price when he accepted an award there in April 2013. Shelton took this tour with a new perspective, though, focusing a little extra on the Pittsburgh-specific history involving the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords.

“The fact that we had two teams and arguably the greatest catcher of all time in Josh Gibson played there, it was neat to hear Mr. Kendrick talk about Pittsburgh,” Shelton said. “And now being invested in Pittsburgh, it was very impactful. I think if you've never gone, it's something that you should definitely see. It makes you have a newfound respect for Negro League players and what they went through and the struggles and how they've come into the league. … If you haven't been, you should go. It's unbelievable. It'll touch you."

Roster move
Before Friday’s series opener at Kauffman Stadium, the Pirates put reliever Tyler Bashlor on the 10-day injured list due to lower back inflammation and recalled left-hander Austin Davis.

Bashlor gave up a run on two hits and a walk in the sixth inning of the Pirates’ 8-1 loss to the White Sox on Wednesday. The right-hander has an 8.64 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 8 1/3 innings over eight appearances for Pittsburgh.

Davis was placed on the injured list on Aug. 27 as part of the COVID-19 protocol after being acquired from the Phillies on Aug. 26. Shelton said Davis had thrown “a few times” at the club’s alternate training site in Altoona, Pa., and he was initially assigned to the Pirates’ five-man taxi squad for this road trip.

“I think the fact that he’s left-handed, fastball jumps out of his hand, that’s what we really like about him. Curveball to go on top of it,” Shelton said. “The fact that Bash is dealing with the back thing, just a good opportunity to take a look at him.”

The Pirates’ taxi squad now consists of relief prospect Blake Cederlind, starter/swingman Cody Ponce, infielder/outfielder José Osuna and catcher Andrew Susac. With work at the alternate training site winding down soon, those players could remain with the club for the rest of the season, including the final homestand.

Shelton said “there’s a chance we could see” Cederlind over the final 2 1/2 weeks of the season. The right-hander was impressive in Spring Training, despite having only made 34 appearances above Class A, but his progress was slowed after he tested positive for COVID-19 at the start of Summer Camp.

International signing
Earlier this week, the Pirates signed 17-year-old right-hander Eduardo Zapata as an international amateur free agent.

Pittsburgh’s scouts had some history with Zapata, a 6-foot-2, 160-pound pitcher born in Maturin, Venezuela. The Pirates believe Zapata comes with a big, projectable frame and an easy, athletic delivery. Their scouts project he’ll offer a plus fastball in the future, and his arsenal also includes a breaking ball and changeup.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the additional international cap space the Pirates acquired from the White Sox in the Jarrod Dyson trade will allow them to remain aggressive on the international market before the extended 2019-20 signing period ends on Oct. 15.