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Sunday, June 10, 2001

Rookie left-hander Dave Williams has inherited the bullpen role of Joe Beimel, which means he’ll be used in long relief when games are usually not on the line as a way of easing him into major-league situations.

The Pirates did it with Beimel the first third of the season, even though they were tempted to keep him in the starting rotation. It was a way to let him get a feel for the big leagues and for the Pirates to get a feel for what he could do. In past years, the Pirates have used the same strategy with pitchers such as Denny Neagle, John Smiley, Francisco Cordova and Jimmy Anderson.

“This philosophy’s been around baseball a long, long time. The old Baltimore Orioles used to do this all the time,” pitching coach Spin Williams said. “You bring young guys up, put them in the bullpen, and put them in the starting rotation the next year. The philosophy has let them learn how the big leagues are, what the travel is like, what the hitters are like, the whole total program.”

But it has been tougher to do in contemporary times because the pitching ranks are thinned by expansion, and more minor-league pitchers are going right into major-league rotations.

“It’s a little different now because you’re moving guys a lot quicker than you did before. Back in those days, there were less major-league teams and more talent,” Williams said. “There’s still that ladder they have to climb [in the minors.] But the quicker you can get them here and let them get the experience under their belt, the quicker they’re going to develop, I would think.”

Patience is a virtue

Speaking of Beimel, Manager Lloyd McClendon and Williams targeted mid-June as the time frame for allowing him to start. The seasoning he received in the bullpen, it is hoped, will pay dividends later in the season.

“We needed to buy some time with this kid. Let him get his feet wet. Let him have some success,” McClendon said. “It’s a much more controlled environment coming out of the bullpen.”

Starting for the first time since April 8, Beimel kept the Marlins scoreless on two hits in a no-decision on Thursday. He was impressive with his fastball and sinker. He also executed two sacrifice bunts and was flawless in the field. McClendon said he reminded him of a young Tom Glavine.

“He’ll get knocked around some. That’s part of the learning curve,” McClendon said. “But I think he’s a piece to our puzzle. It’s time to put it in place.”

Beimel said the bullpen experience was beneficial.

“I learned a lot about situations. When you come into a game from the bullpen, the hitters are going to be sitting on the fastball, so you have to be able to throw off-speed pitches for strikes,” Beimel said.

Being in the big leagues is like going to school, what with players watching the game and talking to coaches, teammates and opposing players.

“You’re going to learn something even if you’re not trying. Most of these guys are trying to learn and make themselves better, things like what it takes to get people out and what it takes to succeed,” Williams said.

Quick promotion

Dave Williams had only seen two starts at Nashville after starting the season in Altoona. But he got his opportunity when Jose Silva was lost for the year with a broken leg sustained in last Sunday’s second game with Atlanta.

Silva’s role was that of a set-up man for closer Mike Williams, and his absence was felt in several games.

“I feel bad for Jose. It’s a big blow. He was starting to throw the ball real well. Jose made a few adjustments. He was one of the guys really turning it up down there,” Spin Williams said. “It was a freak thing that happened. That’s part of the game. We’ve had our share of injuries, but there’s nothing I can do about it. Other teams aren’t going to feel sorry for us. We have to go with what we got.”

Lights, camera ...

The interleague trip to Minneapolis was not the first time rookie Andy Barkett was in the Metrodome.

After the 1997 season, when he was in the Class AA minor leagues, Barkett landed a role in the movie “Major League II, Back To The Minors.” He wore a Twins uniform and played first base, getting scene time as a first baseman. In the movie, he gets a single.

“During the filming, I actually hit a ball off the actor pitcher over the ‘Baggie’ for a home run. The film crew was all applauding, but the director came in yelling ‘Cut!’ He just wanted me to hit a ground ball the other way, like it said in the script,” Barkett said.

His wife bought a copy of the movie on videotape as a Christmas present.

The thing he remembers most? The movie producers bought all kinds of baseball equipment for the filming -- spikes, sneakers, gloves, bats -- that they were going to donate to charity.

“We told them that we were minor-leaguers. We are charity,” Barkett said, laughing. “I still have a left-handed catcher’s mitt.”