ST. LOUIS -- Jarrod Dyson stood alone in not standing.
The Pirates' center fielder, among Major League Baseball's many Black players outspoken in recent weeks against racial injustice was the only player to knee during the national anthem on either side of the 5-4 loss to the Cardinals on this Friday night at Busch Stadium.
On top of that, he became the only major-league Pittsburgh athlete in any sport to do so, at least to my knowledge.
"It meant a lot to me," Dyson spoke after the game. "We're searching for change in this world and equal opportunities and justice. It just meant a lot. I'm behind my community 110 percent, and we're just searching for change in this world. It was good getting everybody behind me and encouraging me to do what I did. I feel great about it."
In a setting that saw 'BLM' emblazoned on the back of the pitching mound, the bases and elsewhere, Kennedy Holmes, a 15-year-old Black singer, St. Louis native and recent contestant on the TV show 'The Voice,' was chosen to sing the anthem. When she began, Dyson immediately went down on his right knee. Seconds later, Derek Shelton left his place in the Pirates' line, which had been at the far right end near home plate, to stand to Dyson's right.
When the anthem was done and Dyson rose, he and Shelton embraced.
"It just means a lot," Dyson said of Shelton's support after the game. "Your manager behind you 100 percent, that's a lot. I give everything I've got when I'm out there taking the field for him, and for him to back me up like that, that's a special moment for me."
Shelton said he knew in advance Dyson would kneel and reacted accordingly.
"When we had talked about it, he said he was going to do it," Shelton said. "I wanted to show support for him, so I went over and stood next to him."
How much did Dyson discuss the kneeling with teammates?
"It's all personal. It's all about how you feel and what you want to do. At the same time, we're a family in here, and we're going to have each other's back. So no matter what decisions you make, if you wanted to stand, if you wanted to kneel, we're all for everything. We're going to have each other's back. Nobody's going to be looking at each other side-eyed because of it."
Will he keep kneeling through the season?
"Well, I don't know what I'm going to do. I might not show up next time. But yeah, I like to keep it consistent."
Could he elaborate on the conversations he's having within the Pirates?
"The conversation is to go out there and win ballgames. Everything that's happening in the world, we don't have too much control over it. We can voice our opinion and use our platforms as well, but other than that, man, when I come to the ballpark, I'm thinking about winning. That's it. That's the main goal. It ain't about the national anthem and all that, because we've got a ballgame to play."
After one more question on the subject, Dyson balked.
"Man, I thought we were going to talk about the ballgame for three hours. Not kneeling, man. I don't know why y'all are bringing so much attention ... kneeling ... because everybody knows what's going on in this world. Everybody knows how we feel about everything that's going on in this world. So to be sitting there talking about the knee, it's like searching, you know what I'm saying? So I'd rather talk about baseball, because that's what I play. It ain't for the kneel down or nothing like that. I don't want to make that the main priority here, because that main priority is to win ballgames when we suit up."
Dyson went 0 for 3 at the plate, stranding two.
All I'll add here of my own is this: It's an extraordinary time in our country, in our culture. I'll respect Dyson's right to express himself as he sees fit, every bit the same as I'll respect Josh Bell's right to stand. And honestly, I'll respect that much more that, once the anthem was done, and Shelton was done with Dyson, I watched from above as the rest of the Pirates took turns going to both players with pats on the shoulder or back to show support.
• Before any of that, the Pirates took the field for warmups wearing black T-shirts commemorating the Negro Leagues' 100th anniversary -- 'They played for us, so we can' -- same as they'd worn Thursday for the final workout at PNC Park. The Cardinals wore black T-shirts with 'Black Lives Matter' emblazoned across the front.
They then played catch together in the outfield, a scene I captured from the upper deck:
I asked Trevor Williams about it afterward.
"It was just a sign of unity," he replied. "What guys have been doing for the anthem has been a sign of unity between the Players Association. That’s a statement that we're making. I'm glad that MLB and sports have kind of taken the reins off of the stick-to-sports narrative. People are using their platforms to speak out. I think it's awesome to see guys take control of their platform and take control of what they want to change."
• The Cardinals had planned their own unified protest, but it didn't quite work out. As Mike Shildt, their manager, would confirm, players were going to take a knee during a moment of silence that preceded the anthem. I witnessed three of them begin to do so, including Shildt, and then they bounced right back up when the anthem started.
“There is clarity in what we’re going to do," Shildt had told St. Louis reporters before the game. "We do understand the anthem is a sacred thing. The flag is a very sacred thing. We respect that, of course. We will respect it moving forward. If we do something in a moment of silence and kneel prior to that, that’s totally different and separate from the anthem, which we’ll respect and stand for.”
Well, there went that.
• Meanwhile, back home at PNC Park, the Pirates unveiled banners on the left field rotunda that spell out "Black Lives Matter:"
Use your platform.
Make a difference.#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/QZvYS2vztC
— Pirates (@Pirates) July 24, 2020
• I'm hardly about to rip the new general manager after a single loss, but let's at least get it on the record that, if the Pirates' bullpen continues to terrify everyone but the opponent, there's nothing stopping Ben Cherington from finding cheap help. Or from recalling someone from the satellite camp in Altoona.
Nothing unsteadies a baseball process like a shaky pen.
• It'd be difficult to describe this setting anywhere, but to do it in St. Louis, where the passion for a baseball franchise isn't matched in our country, that's something else entirely.
When I went for a walk through town on a Starbucks mission, although the people were sparse, those I saw were still wearing their customary red Cardinals gear. As if revving up for an away football game, to put that in Pittsburgh terms.
And even here at Busch Stadium, the few workers allowed into the place were glowing about being back, about having real ball.
As for the participants ... they've now experienced some of this, in the respective summer camps and exhibitions, such as the three games the Pirates just played with the Indians. They'd had chances to get acclimated, to find some other form of motivation.
"I was really happy with how they came out, their intensity and focus. I thought we did a good job," Shelton said of his players. "It’s an adjustment for everyone. And we kind of have to play it by ear. I thought the crowd noise, here in St. Louis, they did a nice job with that. It was a good atmosphere. It was a good game. If you like baseball, it was a good game to watch."
• That artificial crowd noise, an MLB creation that's been distributed to all 30 teams to use as they see fit, was hit and miss.
In opening introductions, for example, the non-crowd cheered only for Yadier Molina, who, while immensely popular, wouldn't be the only one hearing it from the faithful. (Although it did appear to make a few of the other Cardinals laugh.) During the game, a routine foul ball that landed a dozen rows out of play was met with a loud roar. And when St. Louis hit its three home runs, the fireworks preceded any cheering.
Work in progress.
• I can't stand watching this team in batting practice.
Is it OK to say that?
I had a chance to really absorb this one, and there's just so little driving of the ball, other than by a couple obvious players. There's no way that won't be influencing Shelton, an old hitting coach himself, in addition to Rick Eckstein.
[caption id="attachment_1007421" align="aligncenter" width="640"]
Four Pirates crossing the street Friday yesterday. - PIRATES[/caption]
• The latest coronavirus testing results were released Friday by MLB and the Players Association, and they were outstanding: Of 10,939 total samples, only six were positives, and only four of those were players.
You know, it’s almost as if being smart and working in controlled settings can be safe.
The Pirates’ routine for the first real road game wasn’t altered much, unless one counts the playful Abbey Road imagery they concocted above. They stayed in their usual hotel, less than a block from Busch, and entered through a different doorway for protocol. All else — flight, bus, staying put once in the hotel — were managed accordingly.
“The only real difference is that we eat inside the hotel,” Williams, Saturday’s starter, said. “There’s a little coffeeshop here we usually liked to go to, but that was closed. Which was heartbreaking.”
He was joking.
"No one’s complaining. Everybody on our end has been doing a great job.”
• History nerds: The Pirates are now 71-63 in season openers, 55-48 on the road ... 0-1 under Shelton.
• It’s 1 of 60. That’s it. And of the 30 participants, more than half will now make the playoffs thanks to the expanded 16-team playoff field.
The math on how to feel after any given outcome will be confounding for a while, I’d think, but can all likely agree on this Shelton observation Friday: “Anytime there are more opportunities for playoff baseball, I’m all for it. It’s going to make it exciting. We have 60 games. Now there are 16 teams going. Every game is meaningful, which should make it fun. It should make it fun to watch. Baseball is must-see TV for summer now. Because there are a lot of things going on.”
In a big rush, too. Next game's Saturday, 2:15 p.m. Eastern. Williams vs. Adam Wainwright.
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