Write It In Blood
Pirates Defense Will Be Better
Wilson, Meares Immediate Upgrade For Infield
By John E. Sacco

When a new leader moves to effect a change, often some blood is shed.

Ask Warren Morris if he understands bleeding. Talk to Pat Meares or John Vander Wal for that matter. They would more than likely understand.

Morris, Meares and Vander Wal are three members of the Pirates organization who were impacted most by Manager Lloyd McClendon's commitment to making the team better defensively in 2001.

Morris, the team's starting second baseman in 1999 and 2000 and one of the National League's top rookie performers two years ago, was demoted to the minor leagues out of spring training. Meares, a long-time big-league shortstop for Minnesota and the Pirates, was moved to second base. And Vander Wal, one of the Pirates top offensive performers in 2000 but subpar as a defensive player, was knocked from a potential spot in the everyday lineup with the off-season signing of outfielder Derek Bell.

From the day he was hired in October, McClendon vowed to do something to make the Pirates a better defensive team.

Through the early part of the season, it appears some of the moves, highlighted by the promotion of 23-year-old shortstop Jack Wilson - who prior to this season never played professionally above Class AA - are paying off.

The Pirates, though, remain a sub-standard defensive team. They have lost games this season in part due to throwing to the wrong base. A couple sure fly ball outs fell safely to the ground as well. It seems progress is being made but there remains plenty more room for improvement.

Poor defense has plagued the Pirates the past few years. In 2000, they committed more errors than all but three National League teams.

"It's not just the errors," McClendon said. "When your defense doesn't make the plays it should make, the pitchers try to make up for it. That leads to extra pitches, which eventually takes a toll on your bullpen. It affects everything. If you don't play good defense, you're not going to win games."

Wilson proved early on he is a skilled shortstop. He endeared himself to McClendon a few years ago when he played for the Pirates manager in the Arizona Fall League. At McClendon's urging last season, the Pirates acquired Wilson for underachieving and unhappy reliever Jason Christiansen.

"Jack's playing well," McClendon said. "Defensively, he's doing everything we've asked him to do and want him to do. He's not Superman. That's why I'm asking people not to get too high on him. He's young and learning."

Wilson and Meares seem to have good chemistry, a key to any successful infield defense. They helped the team stand at or near the top of the NL in double plays through the early season, sparking a Pirates defense which put together a string of 26 innings without an error at one point.

The natural surface at PNC Park has helped. Balls don't skip through the infield with the swiftness they did on the artificial turf at Three Rivers Stadium.

"It's hard to get the ball through the infield (At PNC Park)," McClendon said. "That gives a pitcher a great advantage."

Wilson understood early in spring training that McClendon was bent on making the Pirates better defensively. He knew then he had a chance to make the team.

"Defense wins games," Wilson said. "Obviously, you have to score runs to win, but you have to save runs and play good defense, too. I think we're pretty good; solid up the middle."

Wilson said the Pirates took McClendon's approach to changing the look of the defense to heart beginning with the initial drills of spring training.

"There was a lot of attention paid to it," Wilson said. "We took a lot of ground balls. There was a lot of fielding practice for our pitchers. "

Pitcher Todd Ritchie said there is nothing magical to playing good defense that hustle, focus and catching the ball and throwing it properly can't provide.

"Lloyd stressed doing the little things right," Ritchie said. "If I go throw ground balls, and our defense catches them, that's all we are looking for."

The improvement of the Pirates defense - as well as the development of the pitching staff - has been hindered by injuries.

The loss of veteran pitcher Terry Mulholland to a knee injury also impeded progress. As unheralded as it seems, Mulholland has an outstanding move to first base that allows him to completely shuts down an opponent's running game.

In addition to three starters going on the disabled list before the season started, the Pirates lost some sure hands on the mound and their finest defensive infielder when veteran Mike Benjamin went on the 60-day disabled list with a right elbow sprain.

The defense also took a hit when center fielder Adrian Brown, a key element especially with the large and varying gaps at PNC Park, went on the DL with an injured right shoulder.

"When Adrian is healthy, he moves well," McClendon said. "He can go gap-to-gap. I feel real comfortable with him in center. He's an important part of our defense."

The Pirates are encouraged with the play of Abraham Nunez, who through maturation, confidence and strong play early on became a factor in the team's defensive posture.

Nunez, who was brought here before the 1999 season and was considered the Pirates shortstop of the future, looks much more relaxed and confident. He hit better early and brings speed and quickness to the defense that no other infielder on the team can match.

Aramis Ramirez still must improve at third base. His bat will keep him in the regular lineup. McClendon didn't give his defensive play a ringing endorsement through the early season, but didn't chide him, either.

In all, the defense is better, but in McClenson's mind, not yet good enough.

"I'm very pleased with the progress," McClendon said. "The guys really turned it up, catching the ball and fielding their positions.

"If you want perfection in this game, you're in the wrong business. This game is a state of constant adjustments. We have to adjust."

Even if it means spilling some blood.