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Monday, April 02, 2001

By Paul Meyer, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Jack Wilson finished spring training with a .262 batting average.

If he finishes the regular season with the same batting average, his teammates will be elated.

And perhaps mildly surprised.

"Jack's here to play solid defense," Brian Giles said of Wilson, the Pirates' rookie shortstop. "He needs to make the routine plays and turn double plays. Whatever he does offensively is a bonus. That's all we can ask of him right now."

Wilson's teammates seem bent on deflecting pressure from him, especially early this season. They feel rookie center fielder Chad Hermansen might have been under such pressure to contribute offensively last season that he couldn't.

"Offense will be a learning experience for him, but we're willing to accept that," Giles said. "Defense wins games, too."

Wilson, 23, acquired from St. Louis for reliever Jason Christiansen last July 30, hasn't played above Class AA. Before the trade, he batted .294 in 88 games with Arkansas, the Cardinals' Class AA affiliate. After the deal, he hit .252 in 33 games for Class AA Altoona.

Primarily a singles hitter, Wilson did have 27 doubles in those 121 Class AA games.

"He's a contact hitter," hitting instructor Dave Clark said. "He'll spray the ball around. He's a guy who will do a lot of situational hitting."

That means Wilson will be called on to bunt a lot and execute the hit-and-run. He did that perfectly in the ninth inning of the Pirates' 4-3 loss on Saturday.

After Enrique Wilson singled, Jack Wilson sent a ground ball into right-center field that put the potential tying run on third base. That run didn't score, but Jack Wilson had done his job.

"The biggest thing for him is to keep the ball out of the air," Clark said. "I do not want him to hit the ball in the air. I want him to hit hard ground balls and line drives, get on top of the ball. That's all I want him to do."

Manager Lloyd McClendon managed Jack Wilson in developmental leagues after the 1999 and 2000 seasons. He loved Wilson's defense and, during this off-season, he asked shortstop Pat Meares if he'd be willing to move to second base to make room for Wilson's glove.

When Meares agreed, it was almost a certainty Wilson would get -- at worst -- a great chance to make the Pirates' opening day roster out of spring training.

"I'm going to help him as much as I can," Meares said. "He doesn't know any of the pitchers. He doesn't know any of the hitters. I'll help him with shading [hitters] defensively.

"I believe he has very good instincts out there, and he's very eager to learn and listen."

"He's got a chance to be a shortstop here for a long time -- and a pretty special shortstop," said first base coach Tommy Sandt, who tutors Pirate infielders. "We hope he can anchor the infield."

Someday. But not now.

"He's going to have some butterflies and all those nerves that go with being a rookie," Giles said.

But if his teammates have their way, Jack Wilson won't have all the pressure that goes with being a rookie.

Rest for Brown

Except for a pinch-running assignment in the eighth inning, center fielder Adrian Brown had yesterday off so he could continue to rest his right (throwing) shoulder, which is inflamed.

"It was cold [Saturday], and he threw a lot," McClendon said.

With the Pirates off today before opening the season in Cincinnati at 7:05 tomorrow night, Brown's shoulder will have had about 21/2 days to rest.

"I think that's the best thing," McClendon said.

Tragedy for Mets

The Mets, who begin the season in Atlanta tomorrow, were still reeling yesterday from the shock death of Brian Cole, a promising 22-year-old outfielder.

Cole died Saturday night following a car accident near Sneads, Fla., a small town in the Florida panhandle. Cole was en route to his home in Meridian, Miss., to drop off his truck before starting the season with Class AA Binghamton.

Cole was popular with the Mets' players in spring training this year, his first in the major-league camp.

"He would come into the clubhouse happy, having a good time coming to the park and playing every day," said pitcher Jerrod Riggan, who played with Cole last summer. "Just a great all-around person."

Jason Phillips, a minor-league catcher with the Mets and a friend of Brian Giles' from San Diego, also was a teammate of Cole's last summer.

Phillips and his wife and Cole were snowed in New York in January after appearing at a Mets' minor-league function. The three spent the day shopping and touring.

"We bought suits," Phillips said. "We were going to wear them in the big leagues. We said we were going to walk into the big leagues together."

Cole was considered a top prospect by the Mets.

"He was going to be a better-than-average major-league outfielder for 15 years," third base coach John Stearns said. "This is the worst thing I've ever experienced in my career."

Johnny on the spot

John Wehner, who made the Pirates' roster partially because of his defensive ability at a number of positions, demonstrated that in the ninth inning of the Pirates' 3-2 loss to New York yesterday.

With Mets on first and second and two outs, Rey Ordonez hit a sharp one-bouncer that seemed headed down the left-field line. Wehner speared the ball backhanded and tossed to second for the third out.

"I've played enough at a lot of positions that [McClendon's] not afraid to put me out there," Wehner said. "And I've always had confidence in myself as far as making the plays out there.

"The thing about that play was, I don't know why I didn't [just] tag third [for the force play]."