With the Pirates off to a historically poor offensive start, this public complaint might be more common than any:

What are they teaching these guys?

Well, before attempting to answer that, know this: Of the eight regulars in the major-league lineup of late, only Ryan Doumit, Jose Bautista, Chris Duffy and Ronny Paulino came up through the Pirates' system. The rest were taught somewhere else.

Second, know that this is the stance of Brian Graham, the Pirates' director of player development, on the offense lacking through the organization: "We have good hitters. We have them in the majors, and we have them in the minors. What you're seeing right now is not the result of the approach we're teaching. There's a great work ethic going on all through the system."

So, what is that approach?

Graham described it as "what about 90 percent of organizations use," and minor-league hitting coordinator Gregg Ritchie -- in his second year with the Pirates after 10 years at a similar post with the Chicago White Sox -- detailed it this way:

1. The first emphasis, meaning at the rookie level in Bradenton, Fla., is on the raw art of hitting the fastball to all fields.

"You have to handle that before anything else," Ritchie said.

2. As the player matures, he is taught to adjust to specific counts. There are universal teachings, but they can be individualized, too.

"If I've got a kid with five doubles all year and he swings at a 3-1 pitch, he's going to hear about it. He needs to be looking to get on base any way he can," Ritchie said, referring to a walk. "On the other hand, we want Steve Pearce cutting loose."

Pearce, now with Altoona, has 13 home runs.

3. At the upper levels of the minors, hitters are taught to focus on opposing pitchers.

"There's an awful lot that goes into it," Ritchie said. "But, by this time, they have their stance and approaches, and now it's time to get into very specific situations."

As is true throughout the Pirates' system, each player has what is called a Plan, a book that lists every slice of advice, criticism and praise along his way. It follows him from level to level so that each new staff builds from it.

For example, when Jamie Romak, the power-hitting prospect acquired in the Adam LaRoche trade, was promoted from Hickory to Lynchburg two weeks ago, the Hillcats' staff had specific instructions on how to address a frequent lapse in his stance.

"Jamie's got a little move with the loading rhythm of his foot where he moves too quickly, and his head moves forward," Ritchie said. "As soon as someone sees that, they yell out, 'Get set!' That reminds him to slow down. That first pitch, he'll wave at a fastball way outside. Next pitch, he's in a tremendous hitting position."

And what of patience?

The always-outside-the-box Oakland Athletics have a rule that no hitter can be promoted within their system unless he averages at least one walk every 10 plate appearances. They emphasize walks because of the role those play in high on-base percentages.

The Pirates have few hitters at any level who draw walks and have no such rule. But they are adamant that walks are a secondary, not a primary, effect of a quality approach.

"It's simple," Ritchie said. "If you have great hitters, guys who are aggressive, and you pitch against them and see that they can handle anything that's over the middle 75 percent part of the plate ... guess what? Pitchers aren't going to throw there. And that's where the walks come from. I'm a firm believer that you end up getting walks because you first develop as a solid hitter."

The Pirates' only standout hitting prospects are Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker, but most outside observers blame that on a lack of talent rather than instruction: All of the team's first-round draft picks this decade, other than McCutchen and Walker, have been pitchers. No impact position players have been signed out of Latin America. And almost every prospect general manager Dave Littlefield has acquired through trades has been a pitcher, Romak a rare exception.

About that extra cash ...

Littlefield has spent about $4 million less than he was allotted by ownership entering this season, which might make one wonder if the Pirates could have fortified this offense with another move in the offseason.

And the early returns:

Geoff Jenkins was made available through trade by Milwaukee, with the Brewers eager enough to move his $7.5 million salary that they offered to pay some of it. He stayed put, and Jenkins is tearing it up with a .323 average, eight home runs and 19 RBIs.

Trot Nixon, a free agent who signed with Cleveland, is batting .286 with two home runs and 15 RBIs. His price was a modest one-year contract worth $3 million. Littlefield was in touch with Nixon but told him he would make an offer only if the LaRoche trade fell through.

Aubrey Huff, another free agent Littlefield contacted but who wound up with Baltimore, is batting .268 with four home runs and 17 RBIs. His price was a three-year contract worth $20 million, something the Pirates might have afforded if they did not spend $3.8 million to make Shawn Chacon a long reliever.

On the other hand, had the Pirates committed such dollars to any of those outfielders, Ryan Doumit might never have seen the field.

A hit (or two) for Mom

Perhaps the Pirates will get a little offensive luck with the pink bats some players will use today for Mother's Day, as part of Major League Baseball's promotion of breast cancer awareness.

Shortstop Jack Wilson was issued two, one with the name of his mother, Roberta Wilson, the other that of his wife, Julie.

His Mother's Day wish?

"Just happiness," Wilson said. "Just keep being mom. My parents gave me the opportunity to have a great life, and that's what I'd wish back."

Closer Salomon Torres' wish for mother Victoria, who lives in the Dominican Republic?

"Every day is Mother's Day for me," he said. "She's always in my thoughts."