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PrintNEW YORK -- There are not many questions about pitching that stump Jim Colborn, a walking encyclopedia of the art.
Raise the subject of Oliver Perez, though, and he can sound as perplexed as anyone.
Asked yesterday what he anticipates for Perez's start tonight in Washington, Colborn replied, "Well, Oliver's in a phase of adjustment. I don't know what to expect right now, to be honest."
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Asked what constitutes a phase of adjustment: "Well, rightly or wrongly, our approach with all our guys has been to get them to be the best they can be and make proactive decisions. But, in Oliver's case, I don't think he's quite comfortable with his delivery. Right now, I'm not sure how that's going to play out."
Colborn has plenty of cause to feel uncertain.
For one, Perez is coming off two disastrous outings in which he gave up 11 runs in 8 2/3 innings to raise his ERA to 7.53, highest in the National League.
For another, Perez's regularly scheduled bullpen session Tuesday at Shea Stadium produced few encouraging signs, Colborn said.
The primary issue is Perez's delivery.
All through spring training, Colborn's emphasis was on consistent timing of the various body parts in the delivery. On the occasions Perez has shown command, Colborn said, that timing was there. Of late, as Perez has acknowledged, it was not.
"You're seeing his upper body move ahead of his lower body," Colborn said. "I'm not sure right now if that's about the delivery or a not-perfect mental frame of mind."
The Pirates have not determined what the next step might be if Perez fares poorly again tonight. Their discussion, Colborn said, has centered on determining if Perez might be better off reverting to the delivery he used in his outstanding 2004 season, unconventional as it was.
"Even that one shows some limitations, but that's part of what we have to decide," Colborn said. "Should we try to get him back to 2004? Is he capable of throwing like he did in 2004? These are some of the questions, and I'm not sure we know all the answers right now."
Doumit at first base
The Pirates might have found a solution to their three-catcher glut: Ryan Doumit at first base.
Before the game last night, Doumit took 20 minutes worth of fielding practice at first base, a first for him. Third base coach Jeff Cox hit grounders in his direction, and manager Jim Tracy stood behind him the entire time offering instruction.
Doumit never has played the position professionally, but management was confident enough in his athletic ability to have used him three times in right field last season.
Randa's foot fractured
Third baseman Joe Randa's right foot injury, described by the Pirates as a bone bruise, stems from a stress fracture on the upper part of the foot, Randa said. Because of that fracture, he added, inflammation occurred in another part of the foot.
He has worn a boot cast the past two days mostly to allow the inflammation to subside.
"I knew in my mind I was going out there and giving it everything I had," Randa said. "But it was time to step back and make it better."
Today or tomorrow, the team will take further tests to determine whether Randa will need to go on the 15-day disabled list.
Buried treasure
Shortly after the game, the Pirates were to bus from Shea Stadium into Manhattan, where they would board an Amtrak train at Penn Station for a 2 1/2-hour ride to Washington. Anticipated time of arrival was 2:20 a.m. today.
Ian Snell, on matching Pedro Martinez's nine strikeouts Tuesday: "He's my idol, man, and I just wanted so badly to beat him."
Indianapolis, home of the Pirates' Class AAA affiliate, was selected yesterday as host city for Major League Baseball's 2009 Winter Meetings.
