Struggling For Respectability
By John E. Sacco

If there remains a need to fully understand just how far away the Pirates are from being a World Series caliber team, consider the following.

The New York Yankees, American League Champions, needed a third baseman and went out and traded for Alex Rodriguez, the reigning AL Most Valuable Player. The Pirates settled for Colorado castoff Chris Stynes.

The National League Central champion Chicago Cubs needed a first baseman and traded for 2003 post-season hero Derek Lee from Florida. The Pirates brought back Randall Simon, discarded by the Cubs after the playoffs.

Boston needed a closer and traded for Keith Foulke from Oakland. The Pirates signed floundering free agents Juan Acevedo and Jose Mesa to minor-league contracts and crossed their fingers that one will be able to finish games.

Get the picture?

The Pirates have improved each of the past two seasons, one of just four teams to do so, but they still aren't anywhere near running with the big dogs.

Never has their plight been more crystal clear than now. They've endured 11 straight losing seasons, they are slashing payroll from the mid-$50 million range to the mid- to high-$30 million range.

They purged the roster last season, ridding themselves of nearly all of their most productive offensive players, their left-handed set-up man and their closer.

The Pirates are one of 13 teams with losing records in the decade, ranking as the fifth-worst with a 278-369 record (.430) ahead of only Detroit, Tampa Bay, Milwaukee and Baltimore.

One can easily understand why the negativity surrounding the franchise is at an all-time high and spirits are sagging.

Yet, manager Lloyd McClendon dismisses talk about the Pirates losing 100 games or having no chance in 2004.

It's not all gloom and doom, said McClendon, entering his fourth season as the team's manager. There's no reason we can't be a competitive club.

General manager Dave Littlefield takes a realistic approach to it all. He understands the team is nowhere near championship caliber. At the same time, he thinks the organization is moving in the right direction, but understands the frustrations of Pirates' fans.

He anxiously and enthusiastically waits for the organization's young pitching to begin to fortify the major league staff. That should begin in some part during the 2004 season and in earnest in 2005.

For now, though, Littlefield continues to seek out free agents looking for an opportunity to bounce back and gain a bigger payday if they are successful in doing so.

He signed a slew of those types of players for the 2003 season and patched-work together another band for this year.

The fact is, the Pirates thought at the beginning of last season they had a good chance of playing better than .500 baseball. In the minds of McClendon and Littlefield, there was some chance of even contending in the NL Central.

But the bullpen was a shambles and after an early-season spurt, the team just never put it together in 2003.

That and a bleeding bottom line forced Littlefield's hand in dumping third baseman Aramis Ramirez and then unloading a number of veterans.

The team actually played better from the beginning of June to the end of the season, going 50-48.

Even Littlefield was surprised at that performance.

One of the key members of the Pirates' second-half push was outfielder Jason Bay, who is expected to join outfielders Tike Redman and Raul Mondesi in the starting outfield this season.

Bay, acquired from San Diego in the Brian Giles trade, said the Pirate's formula for success is good pitching, getting timely hits and finding ways to win close games.

We had a lot of young guys at the end of last season playing for jobs this year. We played with desire. We're not going to blow anybody out. There are going to be a lot of close games. We realize it's a young team. A lot of guys are trying to establish themselves, Bay says. But look at the four starting pitchers we have right now. They're unreal. We're going to have a good staff. With that, I think we have a really good foundation.

The Pirates' rotation is expected to feature righties Kip Wells, (who ranked 11th in the NL with a 3.28 ERA last season), Josh Fogg and Kris Benson, who missed the second half of 2003 with a shoulder injury. Lefty Oliver Perez will be the fourth member of the rotation.

The fifth spot figures to be decided by a spring training competition between veteran Rick Reed, signed as a free agent, Ryan Vogelsong, Dave Williams and 22-year old Sean Burnett, one of the organization's most talented young arms. Reed, who broke into the majors with the Bucs in 1988, won 16 games for the Mets in 1998 and 15 with the Twins in 2002. He fought injuries last year, however, and is coming off a 6-12, 5.07 ERA season in Minnesota. Williams, who turns 25 this month, returned from shoulder surgery last June to post a 7-4 record and a 4.19 ERA in Nashville. Burnett spent the entire '03 season in Altoona, leading the Eastern League in wins and ranking fifth in ERA and innings pitched. The club won't want to rush him, however, and may feel he needs time in AAA. Finally, don't count out hard-throwing lefty Cory Stewart, who also came along with Bay in the Giles trade.

The bullpen will consist of righties Solomon Torres, Brian Meadows and Brian Boehringer, along with two or three lefties from a group that includes Joe Biemel, 15-year vet Mark Guthrie, John Grabow and Mike Gonzalez. Guthrie appeared in 65 games with the Cubs last season, posting a 2.74 ERA. Grabow and Gonzalez have a combined 21 major league games. One other righty, likely either Jason Boyd or Mark Corey, could also make the team, depending on the amount of pitchers kept on the roster. Boyd pitched with the Indians last season, while Corey appeared in 22 games for the Pirates.

Littlefield said it's important for Torres and Meadows to remain strictly as relievers this season. Last year, the Pirates forced them into the rotation because of injuries. This time, Littlefield and McClendon can pull from other resources for a spot starter or emergency starter.

If pitching is the strength, particularly starting pitching, then offense is the weakness.

A corps of young hitters will determine how productive the team's offense can be. Outfielders Jason Bay and Tike Redman were impressive in the final months of the season, although Bay only had 87 at-bats. Redman hit .330 in 230 ABs. Craig Wilson, who likely will get playing time as an outfielder, first baseman and Sunday afternoon catcher, can enhance his career with a strong performance. Wilson has 47 homers and 258 whiffs in 835 career at-bats.

The Pirates will count on veteran Chris Stynes, signed as a free agent third baseman, to either play there or at second base, where health concerns make rookies Bobby Hill and Freddy Sanchez question marks. Hill and Sanchez were each highly thought-of prospects just two years ago, but injuries have held both back. Stynes hit .255 with Colorado last season. Catcher Jason Kendall, who finished sixth in the NL in batting with a .325 average, returns despite numerous attempts to trade him.

Shortstop Jack Wilson is likely in his final season with the club. Wilson won $1.8 million in arbitration this winter, which nearly ensures his exit at some point this season or before the next.

First baseman Randall Simon and outfielder Raul Mondesi were both signed last month as a free agents. Simon, who hit .276 with 16 HRs and 72 RBI between Pittsburgh and Chicago in '03, was brought back because the team needed a left-handed bat. Mondesi, signed to play right field, has some baggage (he's changed teams six times since '99) but he's a productive offensive player capable of providing between 22-25 home runs, 70 and 80 RBI and more than 20 stolen bases.

Pittsburgh's bench begins with veterans such as Abraham Nunez, Rob Mackowiak, who could end up playing a lot at third, and some combination of free agent outfielders Orlando Merced, Chris Singleton, Daryle Ward and Ruben Mateo, all of whom can contribute as pinch-hitters. J.J. Davis is a long-shot to make the team and will likely be exposed to waivers.

John E. Sacco has covered the Pirates and major league baseball for PSR since October 1998. He previously covered the Pirates from 1986 to 1992 and is a former member of the Baseball Writers of America Association, Pittsburgh Chapter.