On Course
With Plan In Hand, Pirates End Season With Positive Vibe
By John E. Sacco

No one could have imagined the disaster the bullpen was from start to finish. All manager Lloyd McClendon and GM Dave Littlefield could do was watch in pain. The seemingly endless number of late-game collapses cost the Pirates a real chance at their first winning season since 1992.

Whether they'll admit it or not, Littlefield and McClendon took a shot this season at competing in the mediocre National League Central Division. That's the reason so many veteran players were brought in at bargain prices via free agency. The majority of those players made positive contributions, and some Reggie Sanders specifically performed way beyond expectations.

The team wasted good starting pitching early. The culprit was the bullpen. The failures of Mike Williams, Scott Sauerbeck and Brian Boehringer shattered any chance the Pirates had to contend or even make a run at .500.

By mid-season, Littlefield extended McClendon's contract. And then he decided to tear the team apart, needing to reduce payroll immediately and for next season likely by more than 36 percent to $35 million. He released Kevin Young. He traded Williams to Philadelphia; Aramis Ramirez, Kenny Lofton and Randall Simon to the Chicago Cubs; Scott Sauerbeck and Jeff Suppan to Boston; and Brian Giles, the team's best player, to San Diego.

He tried to tie Jason Kendall to Giles but the Padres thought better of it, likely to reprise talks in the off-season. Littlefield focused on garnering major-league ready position players and young power pitchers who fit his profile.

The Pirates will enter 2004 on an 11-year losing streak. With payroll dropping and the team stripped of most of its recognizable players, the prospects don't seem good.

But each of the club's minor-league teams qualified for post-season play and it finally appears that players from the system can help the major league team.

The situation might not be as dire as many think.

A position-by-position analysis:

Catcher

Kendall returned to his previous offensive form, hitting for one of the top averages in the National League and getting on base at a much better pace than in the past. He still isn't worth $10 million per year and that will lead him out the door this winter. Grade: B

First Base

A yearly trouble spot. The season began with Simon and Young and ended with a combination of Matt Stairs, Craig Wilson and Carlos Rivera. Simon's most notable moment was the infamous Milwaukee sausage race. Young was woeful and released. Rivera is above average defensively but highly questionable offensively. Stairs and Wilson provided pop. Grade: C-

Second Base

All anyone needs to know is that Littlefield traded for a pair of minor-league second baseman during the season and he expects both Ð Freddy Sanchez and Bobby Hill - to be on the major league roster next year. He also switched Jose Castillo, the organization's top position prospect, from shortstop to second base for most of class AA Altoona Curve's season. Pokey Reese opened the year uncharacteristically bad defensively, then got hurt and missed most of the season. His replacements, Abraham Nunez and Jeff Reboulet, are serviceable but nothing more. Nunez showed a little more offensively than in the past but not enough to warrant his return. Grade: F

Shortstop

With Castillo, who moved back to shortstop after Sanchez and Hill were acquired, looming; and Sanchez capable of playing some shortstop, Jack Wilson needs to be more consistent and better offensively. You love his hustle and will to win. But you tire of his mental lapses. Wilson is a solid defender and makes tough plays look easy. But defense alone will not assure him of a position beyond early to mid-2004. Grade: C+

Third Base

The Pirates gave up on Ramirez in July. Ramirez worked himself into shape over the off-season and seemed poised for a big year. But he struggled early. He bounced back to provide run production before being dealt. His defense was poor. Jose Hernandez, who came over from the Cubs in the Ramirez deal, was nothing more than a stopgap. Littlefield is on record as saying third base and the closer's job are the club's two biggest holes. They'll likely be filled from outside. Grade: C-

Left Field

Brian Giles won't be easily replaced. But Jason Bay, one of three Padres acquired for Giles, has great athletic ability and some steam in his bat. Grade: B

Center Field

The Pirates made great strides here. Lofton was signed as a free agent during spring training and solidified a long-time problem area. He performed well offensively and defensively before being traded. His replacement, Tike Redman, was a surprise. Redman was removed from the 40-man roster last off-season, but played well at class AAA Nashville and warranted one final shot. He finally displayed patience offensively and his defense, once a trouble spot, was solid. He established himself as the top contender in 2004. Grade: A-

Right Field

A lot of guys played here but none better than Reggie Sanders. The baseball nomad enjoyed a wonderful season in Pittsburgh, hitting more than 30 homers and providing badly needed leadership. Craig Wilson, Stairs, J.J. Davis and others played here as well. But Sanders was the best by far. Grade: A

Bench

Rob Mackowiak re-established himself in the final weeks and could be a solid reserve. Pirates' pinch-hitters were not good. Nunez was called on too many times to pinch hit. Only Stairs and Craig Wilson posed any type of threat off the bench. Grade: F

Starting Pitching

It started strong with Kris Benson, Kip Wells, Josh Fogg, Jeff Suppan and Jeff D'Amico. Benson, expected to flourish, was erratic before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. Wells came on strong at the end of the season and saw a number of wins squandered by the ineffective bullpen. Fogg was up and down. Suppan pitched well. D'Amico gave a solid effort as the No. 5 starter before injuries and departures moved him up the list. He also stayed injury free, a first for him. Oliver Perez, acquired from San Diego, has the ability to be an ace. Other starters like Salomon Torres, Brian Meadows, Ryan Vogelsong and Nelson Figueroa helped fill voids. Grade: B-

Bullpen

Let me find the right words: horrible, disgusting, horrid, awful, wretched, putrid they all fit. From Williams and Sauerbeck to Joe Beimel, Boehringer and others, the bullpen was pathetic. The Pirates will try to rebuild with their own prospects: lefty Mike Gonzalez, righty Duaner Sanchez and perhaps even lefty John Grabow. Righty Julian Tavarez, signed as a free agent in the winter, performed well, as did Mike Lincoln until he had to close some games. Grade: F

Manager

McClendon earned a contract extension but again finds himself in lame-duck status as the team holds an option for 2005. Contract status never seems to bother him he's not allowed it to impact the way he handles the club and manages players. He makes too many two-for-one switches, but he did a solid job with his starting pitchers and his players are motivated and play hard. McClendon has control of the team and held things together when they could have easily unraveled. Grade: B+

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