Day 6: Pirate City's main tenant worked about two hours under a partly cloudy sky and in strong winds, which later brought a brief rainstorm after sessions by the Netherlands' World Baseball Classic team and the Seoul Heroes.

Up next: A more extensive, four-hour workout is scheduled for today, with pitchers throwing batting practice to their teammates.

Camp roster: All 57 Pirates are accounted for and in camp -- 28 pitchers, 6 catchers and 23 position players.

Injury update: Incumbent third baseman Andy LaRoche tried but couldn't practice yesterday because of a creaky back. Manager John Russell said: "Just had a little back spasm. We held him out. We'll see how he's doing." LaRoche will be re-evaluated daily, Russell said.

Camp competition: Because of LaRoche's injury, the top-line infield appeared sparse in morning work with infield coach Perry Hill. Pine-Richland's Neil Walker, who had been scheduled to rotate with utility man Ramon Vazquez and No. 2 overall selection Pedro Alvarez at third, replaced LaRoche and worked along with Vazquez at the position yesterday. Jack Wilson and Brian Bixler toiled at shortstop, while minor-leaguer Shelby Ford replaced Luis Cruz in the rotation at second base with Freddy Sanchez. Where Steve Pearce previously had worked with this group, non-roster invitee Andy Phillips joined Adam LaRoche at first base. Eric Hinske, who plays both corner positions, has yet to work with the infield.

Fun in the sun: Nate McLouth referred to it as something of a bombs-away breeze. No wonder he launched four batting-practice home runs into the River Run Golf Club beyond Field 2's right field, with golfers in a cart apparently stopping for one of them. Ryan Doumit jacked one about 380 feet off a shed beyond left field, Adam LaRoche another over the deep right-center field fence and Craig Monroe later one to each left and right field.

Overheard: Pirates president Frank Coonelly pinch-hit when owner Bob Nutting called in sick and summoned the big right-hander to deliver the state-of-the-organization speech to the players. Coonelly, among other things in his 20-minute talk, mentioned to the team about "external" expectations being rather bleak for them in 2009, and reiterated how the lowly Tampa Bay Rays exceeded such prognostications in reaching the World Series last fall. "I told them they need to believe in themselves, they need to believe in the teachers they have here ... believe in their teammates. Let's set our won expectation levels, and that level is: We're going to win this year."

Meet me in St. Louis: 46 days until the opener.