Pirates Notebook: Pirates' big hitters batter Yankees
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
By Paul Meyer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
BRADENTON, Fla. -- The Pirates had their version of "Murderer's Row" perform pretty well against the New York Yankees yesterday.
Sean Casey, Jason Bay, Jeromy Burnitz and Joe Randa -- the Nos. 3 through 6 batters in their lineup yesterday -- combined to go 7 for 10 with two home runs and seven RBIs in the Pirates' 9-8 split-squad victory.
"That shows the potential of what they can be all about," Pirates manager Jim Tracy said. "There are definitely a lot of major-league bats in there."
It seems probable that when the season begins April 3 in Milwaukee Tracy will write those four names in that same order on his lineup card for his Pirates managerial debut.
"It has a chance to look like that," Tracy said.
Secondary win
The other Pirates team also won, beating Detroit, 9-2, in Lakeland.
Reliever Roberto Hernandez made his spring debut and worked a perfect eighth inning, striking out one, getting another batter on a ground ball and a third on a fly ball.
Rajai Davis had four hits, two RBIs and two runs scored. Freddy Sanchez had three hits and three RBIs.
Paul Maholm started and pitched four innings. He allowed seven hits and two runs. Tom Gorzelanny followed and zipped through three scoreless innings.
While Maholm figures to be in the Pirates' rotation along with Zach Duke and Oliver Perez, Gorzelanny is among six candidates for the final spots.
Sean Burnett, coming back from shoulder and elbow surgery, and Ian Snell, both of whom pitched well against the Yankees yesterday, are in that group. Ryan Vogelsong, Victor Santos and Brandon Duckworth are the other three. The latter two are scheduled to pitch tomorrow against Minnesota.
Perez work minimal
Tracy and general manager Dave Littlefield probably would love the opportunity to see more of Perez this spring.
Perez, pitching for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, worked just one inning in Mexico's first four games. That 35-pitch inning produced 19 balls, three strikeouts, three walks and no runs.
It seems there's at least the possibility that Perez won't be built up enough inning-wise to be effective when the season begins.
Littlefield did point out that Perez pitched in an exhibition game for Mexico before the WBC started, so that gives him a little bigger body of spring work.
"I don't see it as being a significant problem," Littlefield said of Perez's low inning total. "Obviously, you'd like to have him get more [work] here sooner than later, but we'll have to see how [Mexico] plays."
Roster moves
The Pirates made seven roster cuts yesterday, sending pitchers Mike Johnston, Matt Peterson, Jonah Bayliss and Josh Sharpless, shortstop Javier Guzman, second baseman Craig Stansberry and center fielder Andrew McCutchen to minor-league camp.
Johnston's relatively early dismissal raised a few eyebrows.
"I told the players before spring training began that I'm not looking for 25 players. I'm looking for 36 or 37 players," Tracy said. "Does Mike Johnston fall into that category? Absolutely he does. Does he have the type of stuff to get major-league hitters out? Absolutely he does.
"The thing he has to realize is that he needs to throw strikes and throw major-league strikes. Being consistent with his fastball is very, very important."
Tracy indicated Sharpless, a right-hander from Freedom, will be used as a starter in the minor leagues now. He has not started a professional game.
"Since minicamp [in January] he's stair-stepped his way upward," Tracy said. "It's only a matter of time before we talk strongly about him coming here to start."
McCutchen, the Pirates' No. 1 pick in the amateur draft in June, was impressive in major-league camp.
"He showed poise," Tracy said. "He was not fazed at all by being in major-league camp. He's going to be a major-league player."
Tracy paused.
"A good major-league player," he added.
Another pause.
"A very good major-league player."