Kevin Newman knew he had to make a change. It was his only chance of playing baseball in 2020. It wasn't just for him, but for his teammates.
He had to stop licking his fingers.
"I don’t know when it started, but [I did it] just to give a little bit of extra grip in between every pitch when I’m on defense," Newman said during a Zoom call after his workout Friday. "That’s what I used to do. I had to break that."
There apparently wasn't any finger licking -- or spitting or high fives -- going on at PNC Park Friday during the first team workout of summer camp, an event unlike any at the stadium's 20-season history, arguably in the franchise's 134-year history.
Players were divided into both clubhouses: Hitters stayed in the home clubhouse on the third base side, pitchers to the visiting clubhouse behind first base. Instead of everyone being on the field at once, smaller groups were staggered throughout the day. And maybe most striking, players and coaches wore masks. The club provided two options: One that goes around the ears or neck gaiters. They were worn almost the entire day, with reprieves being given for when they were hitting, pitching or taking fielding drills. Even when they weren't being worn, most hung from the player's neck:
Sights and ⚾️ sounds ⚾️ from the opening of the Pirates’ summer camp today at PNC Park: pic.twitter.com/FC1F5OXtqP
— DK Pittsburgh Sports (@DKPghSports) July 3, 2020
