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PrintKANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Jim Tracy insists it will be just another opponent, just another enemy field when he returns to Dodger Stadium today.
As he put it, "It's a three-game series where I'm trying to win baseball games."
No kidding.
The Jim Tracy who will work out of the visiting clubhouse will bear little resemblance to the one who spent half a decade across the hall, at least in terms of achievement.
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In five seasons at the Los Angeles Dodgers' helm, during which the player payroll averaged $94.4 million, he produced four winning records, a 427-383 overall mark and a West Division title in 2004.
In three months with the Pirates, he has overseen a team that raised its payroll to $47 million and, according to upper management, improved its talent, but has the National League's worst record.
Small wonder Tracy speaks adamantly of avoiding as much sap as possible the next three days.
"The focus won't change," he said. "The focus going in there will be to not get caught up in any of that kind of fanfare stuff. It will be much more about winning some games there as the manager of the Pirates. I want, as I go along here, to experience a lot of the same fond memories that I had while I was there. That's really what it comes down to."
Tracy made clear that his memories from Los Angeles tilt heavily toward the positive, even though, as he frequently mentions, his final season and exit were not among them.
He disagreed with former general manager Paul DePodesta's move to remove some of the Dodgers' top-paid players last summer, and he exercised an option in his contract to negotiate with the Pirates shortly after the season ended.
"You move on. I had five wonderful years there and experienced some unbelievable things. In four of my five years there, we had some very good seasons, one of which was a championship season. I don't move away from that with any kind of malice or that kind of stuff. It's going to be neat to go back."
Why not Freddy?
Although Jose Bautista has added some pop to the top of the order, the Pirates still bat .214 out of the leadoff spot, worst in the majors.
Might Tracy consider moving up Freddy Sanchez -- who has been hitting fifth or sixth -- to address it?
"Freddy is in a terrific spot where we have him," Tracy said. "He has the opportunity to drive in runs and extend innings where he is. And he's such a good hitter."
How good?
"If I were him, I'd be thinking along the lines of a National League batting championship. It's not out of the realm of possibility if he keeps up his consistency."
The spend-nots
Major League Baseball's economic structure is such that teams are free to spend as much -- or as little -- as they please. As a result, the New York Yankees' payroll is $194 million, while the Pirates and Kansas City Royals have payrolls of $47 million.
Tracy invariably shuns such discussions.
"I don't have any opinion on it," he said of the disparity. "It is what it is. You work within it. I said at the start of spring training that I'll never use payroll as an excuse, and I never will. The money doesn't play. The player plays."
Buried treasure
Reliever Matt Capps, who leads all league rookies with 36 appearances, continues to draw glowing praise. "He's making strides, and you have to be pleased with the progress he's made," Tracy said. "He's a strike-throwing machine." Capps, 22, has walked only five batters, two intentional.
Fernando Valenzuela will throw out the first pitch at Dodger Stadium tonight, and a bobblehead bearing his likeness will be given out to fans. By rich coincidence, fellow Mexican Oliver Perez -- who idolized Valenzuela -- will be the Pirates' starting pitcher.
The Pirates are 1-8 in interleague play this season, 50-80 all-time.
The Pirates are 4-16 when catcher Humberto Cota starts. The most recent victory was April 18.
During their eight-game losing streak the Pirates have been outscored, 25-6, from the seventh inning on.
