Pirates Q&A with Paul Meyer

Wednesday, May 12, 2004

Q: So Raul Mondesi doesn't want to play baseball for the remainder of this season. Fine. I can respect that. It's his decision to make. What I cannot accept, however, is that the Pirates would be required to pay the remainder of his contract and the buyout clause at the end of the season. In the 5/11 Post-Gazette, Robert Dvorchak's Pirates article implied "Mondesi is on paid leave" during his time away and then briefly described the process for placing Mondesi on a reserved list and not having to pay. Can you clarify this more specifically for us? If he sits all year, do we retain his rights for next season at this year's salary (this seems to me as the fairest possibility)? In this era of the guaranteed contract, I only wish a team like the Pirates could decide on a whim not to honor a contract. It seems highly hypocritical if a player can just up and leave and force the team to pay him.

Zach Zarnoch of Weirton, W.Va.

MEYER: One caveat here before we start. All this Mondesi stuff could be irrelevant within a few days. Or even now. That said, one wonders if the Pirates haven't had about enough of Mondesi. Yes, it's too bad about the situation that civil suit has put him and his family in, but the guy did sign a contract to play for the Pirates this season. It's one thing to leave the club for two or three days to try to resolve "personal problems" or "family issues" -- and still get paid. It's another to leave the club and then decide not to come back. One also wonders if the Pirates, although they did not say this, gave Mondesi a limit of two or three days -- with pay -- and demanded he return by, oh, May 11 in time for the games in Colorado. And if he didn't, they'd suspend him. That way, I assume, they wouldn't have to pay him beginning at that point.

I have no idea what happens contractually if Mondesi does indeed stay in the Dominican Republic all summer. Perhaps that voids his contract, making him a free agent whenever he decides to play ball again. Seems to me the Pirates should get this Mondesi matter resolved as quickly as possible and move on.

Q: I understand that J. J. Davis is out of options and would have to clear waivers to go to Nashville. What I don't understand is your answer last week that another team could claim him and send him to the minors. This suggests that when a player changes organizations he gains options or there is some kind of exemption involved. This situation is further muddled by (a recent story in the P-G) that said if Davis is put on waivers "it is almost certain another team will put him on its 25-man roster." Can you better explain this before my head explodes?

Paul Henderson of O'Hara

MEYER: The reason my answer last week was difficult to understand was because I was wrong about this waiver rule. Should the Pirates place Davis on waivers to try to get him to Nashville and he's claimed by another team, that team must keep him in the major leagues for the remainder of this season. Davis is out of minor league options -- forever and with whoever. If the team that claimed him wanted to try to send him to its Class AAA team, that team would have to place him on waivers and have him clear. Hope this answer clears up the wrong answer of last week.

Q: What are your thoughts on the Pirates drafting Pine-Richland star catcher Neil Walker in the first round of the upcoming draft?

Mark Yocco of Jefferson Hills

MEYER: I'd say it's quite possible the Pirates would take Walker if he's still available when they pick with the 11th selection of the first round June 7. The Pirates, like a lot of teams, have scouted Walker heavily this spring. A scout from another organization told me Walker is regarded as a "lower half of the first round-upper half of the second round" pick. The Pirates, at No. 11, certainly are near the middle of the first round. A switch-hitting catcher with a power bat would be hard to ignore. Plus, if Walker's for real and made steady progress through the Pirates' minor league system, he'd be ready to play in the major leagues just about the time Jason Kendall's contract runs out after the 2007 season. Neat, eh?

Q: It seems that the pitchers the Pirates have drafted lately are developing well. Based on that, do you think the Pirates will draft a player or players in the early rounds of this upcoming draft who are good hitters and play well defensively? Of course, it all depends on who is available. I am not saying they should not draft any pitchers, but it seems to me they will need better hitters in the next few years to complement what seems to be a good young pitching staff within the next few years.

John of Monessen

MEYER: I have almost no doubt that this year the Pirates will draft a position player with their first pick, and it likely will be a high school player. The Pirates have drafted a pitcher with their first pick the past six years -- Clint Johnston (1998), Bobby Bradley (1999), Sean Burnett (2000), John Van Benschoten (2001), Bryan Bullington (2002) and Paul Maholm (2003). The last position player the Pirates drafted with their first pick was outfielder J. J. Davis (1997).

Q: Paul, how familiar are you with J. J. Davis? He was asked in an interview what he thought would happen when Jason Bay returned to the majors after completing his rehab assignment. "I want to be a Pirate," Davis said. "I want to be part of this team. Whatever, I'm still going to be a superstar whether I'm here or not." Does he realize that he is 26 years old and can only hit a fast ball? I realize that he has received limited playing time, but shouldn't that be a statement about his ability? It's not like he is trying to scrap his way onto the lineup card for the Yankees or even the Cubs. I guess it is good to be ambitious and set goals for yourself, but what do you think about his statement?

Jesse Wisnouse of Hagerstown, Md.

MEYER: I'm not all that familiar with J. J. Davis, Jesse, but I am familiar with dumb things baseball players say -- and that was a real dumb thing said by a baseball player. Young players -- especially rookies who haven't accomplished a thing -- should be quiet and try to carry a big stick. Seems to me that Davis has attracted a lot of attention by the media and the fans -- way too much in comparison to his batting average and defensive ability. I thought general manager Dave Littlefield said a good thing on his radio show last Sunday. Commenting on all the Davis hoo-haw, Littlefield suggested that the Pirates have a lot more to focus on than J. J. Davis and that constantly bringing up Davis is "like putting B before A."

Q: Add a pin to the map. You now have a regular reader from eastern Iowa. Simple question to ponder: How many All-Star votes would Craig Wilson receive if everyone asking questions about him voted for him? I'd like to see everyone who reads the Pirates Q&A do just that --vote Wilson for All-Star in '04. Each voter can cast 25 votes for an outfield position and 25 more for a write-in at first base. If this actually happens, will Craig have the longest hair in All-Star history?

Dave Harrison of North Liberty, Iowa

MEYER: Could be, Dave, and welcome to the Q&A. I guess this makes you a first-time writer-inner 'n at, eh? I never did get around to getting a map and putting pins in it from each city in which somebody submits a question or comment here. Probably too busy reading Craig Wilson questions -- and answering them. No question that if everybody who's written in about Craig Wilson -- and will write in about Craig Wilson -- actually voted for Craig Wilson, he'd be an All-Star. Maybe this can start the get-Craig-Wilson-to-Houston campaign. And, yes, I'd think he'd have the longest hair in All-Star history -- perhaps winning that distinction over Johnny Damon. By a hair, of course.

Q: With a batting average in the .230s, one of the worst on-base percentages in the league and consistently swinging at the first pitch, it appears we are seeing the Tike Redman of 2001 instead of 2003. As offense-starved as the Bucs are, are there any alternatives -- such as Jason Bay playing some center field?

Dan Williams of Belleville, Ill.

MEYER: That's a definite possibility, Dan, assuming Redman continues to struggle. Bay actually might be a better center fielder than he is a left fielder. He has good speed. He has a decent arm. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Bay play some center field against a left-handed starting pitcher in the near future. Certainly Redman needs to pick it up offensively, get on base more and steal more bases. In short, he needs to make a lot more happen than he has. With Raul Mondesi gone, however, it seems Redman will play center field and Bay will play left. Now, if Mondesi returns, that will change. Anyway, yes, Bay can play center field and probably will.

Q: A recent Sporting News article lumped Lloyd McClendon with Larry Bowa and Lou Piniella as the game's "most temperamental" managers. While I believe McClendon is certainly intense, I have never thought to equate him with those who consistently demonstrate their "temperamental" side. You are certainly close enough to the team to know whether The Sporting News accurately described McClendon's personality. Your thoughts?

Sid Louick of Vienna, Va.

MEYER: I've never thought of McClendon as "temperamental" -- especially if one considers a temperamental person as being erratic behaviorally. That's not to say Bowa and Piniella are, but McClendon certainly isn't. Yes, McClendon argues with umpires -- sometimes heatedly. But that doesn't make him temperamental. It just makes him like all other managers in that regard. But you'll see highlights of Bowa and Piniella arguing heatedly with umpires far more often than you'll see a clip of McClendon arguing heatedly. McClendon actually is pretty laid-back and calm -- most of the time. He's intense, no question, but I'd never rank him in the top, say, five most temperamental managers in the major leagues.

Q: With all the questions and rants about the Rule 5 draft, I have a question. Has there ever been a Rule 5 draft pick that has become an above-average major leaguer? Not a superstar, just above-average? I certainly can't think of any, but I was hoping you could enlighten me.

Michael Kotowski of St. Louis, Mo.

MEYER: The player most people consider the best Rule 5 pickup was George Bell, who played 12 years in the major leagues with Toronto and the Chicago Cubs and White Sox, ending his career after the 1993 season. Toronto drafted Bell from Philadelphia in the Rule 5 draft after the 1980 season. In 1981 -- remember that season was interrupted by a lengthy player strike -- Bell batted .233 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in 163 at-bats for the Blue Jays. He spent the next season in the minor leagues, but returned to Toronto in 1983. He was voted the American League Most Valuable Player in 1987 when he batted .308 with 47 home runs, 134 RBIs and 111 runs scored. Bell played in 1,587 major league games, batted .278, hit 265 home runs and drove in 1,002 runs. Those aren't Hall of Fame numbers by any means, but they're above average.

Q: Paul, here's a potentially useless, non-Pirates question. There is a lot of buzz about Barry Bonds' chances of hitting .400 this season. With The Sultan of Self being walked so often this season, what are the chances of Bonds not getting enough official at-bats to qualify for the batting title?

Mike Boswell of Charleston, S.C.

MEYER: Qualifying for the batting championship has nothing to do with at-bats, Mike. Qualification is based on plate appearances, which include walks. A player must have 502 plate appearances to qualify. That means Bonds could draw 500 walks this season, go 1 for 2 officially and thus bat .500. That would probably be good enough for him to win another batting title.

Q: Paul, one prospect you didn't mention when referring to pitchers on the horizon is Zach Duke. Lloyd McClendon said at the mini-camp (in January) that Duke was on the fast track and he certainly is pitching like it. He is absolutely dominating at Lynchburg. How long do you think before he gets the call up to Altoona and where would you rate him among their pitching prospects now?

Mike Germani of West Middlesex, Pa.

MEYER: Maybe I was distracted by the Craig Wilson questions, Mike, but I did overlook Zach Duke. The left-hander, who just turned 21 years old, was the Pirates' 20th-round pick out of Midway High School in Texas in the 2001 draft. In 2002, he was 8-1 with a 1.95 earned run average in 11 starts for Bradenton of the Gulf Coast Rookie League. Last season, he was 8-7 with a 3.11 earned run average in 26 starts for Class A Hickory. Duke certainly ranks in the top 10 among Pirate pitching prospects. If he continues to dominate the Carolina League with Lynchburg, he'll probably move up to Altoona by, oh, the end of May or early June -- probably well before the Kris Benson trade starts the "domino effect" in the Pirate minor league system.

And now for the weekly comments and observations and rants 'n at. . .

COMMENT: I may be a bit too romantic, but I have long felt that Syd Thrift, whatever his faults and overbearing demeanor, was responsible for the Pirates' resurrection after they were sold in 1985, and it was because of him that the Bucs contended from 1990 to 1992 and nearly were (in the) World Series in '92. And now, with the Pirates struggling to stay afloat in PNC Park, you tend to wish that the current management under owner Kevin McClatchy and general manager Dave Littlefield had Syd Thrift's nerve, shrewdness and vision and were able to build up the Pirates' teams that he did. Or is that asking too much these days?

James Patrick Thompson of South Daytona, Fla.

COMMENT: Our lineup is going to be very weak without Raul Mondesi in it. We go from having a veteran in the cleanup spot to a young guy. We lose his defense, his base running and the positive clubhouse presence. I am very disheartened for our chances to be competitive this season. Although I have no ill feelings toward Mondesi, I am still a little depressed. Sure, I think our success rides on the arms of our pitching staff, but I fear our offense is going to be woeful for the remainder of this season -- unless we can trade Kris Benson for an offensive player who can contribute this season.

Sean Griffith of Myrtle Beach, S.C.

COMMENT: First off, Bloomington is located about 2,308 miles due east of San Jose, Calif.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Thank you for that info.)

Second, I too was bitter about Barry Bonds' departure from Pittsburgh in 1992, but we need to realize something: Bonds/Van Slyke was not an either/or situation. Bonds grew up a Giants fan. His dad (Bobby) was a Giant and his godfather (Willie Mays) was a Giant. Sure, he chased the money, but I think foremost he wanted to go home and any Pittsburgher can understand that. If you were working at the San Francisco Chronicle and the Post-Gazette, clearly a better newspaper, offered you three times as much money to win Pulitzers in the same newsroom your father and idol had worked in, you would do it and nobody would begrudge you. I agree with you. The people of Pittsburgh should show some class and applaud Bonds for his accomplishments when he comes to town this year.

Kevin of Bloomington, Ind.

COMMENT: I will be attending the series we have with San Francisco when they come into town, but I totally disagree with you about cheering Barry Bonds. Barry Bonds plays on the San Francisco Giants, not the Pirates. He is doing everything in his power to beat the team I root for, and there is no way I will cheer for him. Seems that all of baseball is falling into that. I hear as many cheers, if not more, for certain visiting players at PNC. Hello, people! These people you are cheering for don't play for us -- they are trying to beat us. And then these people will clap for every at-bat, applaud their base hits and anything else, and then complain when the Pirates lose. You may like and admire these players outside the park, but when you are at PNC, you should be rooting for your hometown team, not the players of other teams.

Christopher of Glenshaw

COMMENT: Just a comment on some comments by William of Nashville and Brandon of Connecticut. William is so right in telling Pittsburgh to wise up and support the Pirates. He has been a fan since the 1960s. I go back to the 1940s -- to the days of Rip Sewell and Ralph Kiner. When it comes to the Pirates, Pittsburgh is a very bad sports town. They will not support the Pirates even when they have great teams. They proved that in the years starting in 1969 thru 1980 when they finished first six times, second three times and third three times and won two World Series. The average attendance for those 12 years was under 1,300,000 a year for those great teams. Put those teams in other cities and they would have drawn two to three million a year -- especially in St. Louis and Chicago. How good do you have to be before people will come and support? And if anyone out there is about to tell me that in the first year of PNC Park that they averaged 30,000 fans a game, it was not to support the team -- it was to see the new park. They did and they never came back.

Brandon says he can talk for all "real" Pirates fans. Well, I'm a real Pirates fan and he can't talk for me. When the Pirates continue to draw 30,000 a game year in and year out for good teams or bad and then they don't continue to keep their good players and keep putting the money back into the team that's when we can say we've been fed shovels upon shovels of garbage by this organization. Until that time we have no complaint! And for Kendall, his contract is a joke. But he is a great team player.

Don Cornell of Fairview Heights, Ill.

First published on May 12, 2004 at 12:00 am