Home >  Sports >  Notebooks

Sunday, August 26, 2001

Lloyd McClendon figures the Pirates are three or four players away, which is why he considers this off-season so important to building the type of club he wants.

General Manager Dave Littlefield, brought in to make some fixes, knows he has some work ahead of him. "I wouldn't have this job if there weren't problems," he said.

And Kevin McClatchy, who hasn't put his finger on a number for next year's payroll, acknowledged this off-season will be a busy one.

"We'll do whatever we have to do to improve this team in the off-season," McClatchy said. "We'll spend every waking moment to get that done."

He'll have to spend some cash, too. McClatchy can't put a number on next year's payroll because he says "that's a moving target." The current payroll is $51 million, which is about $4 million more than what the Pirates had budgeted and five times more than the figure five years ago. The payroll can grow because of the resources provided by the new ballpark.

"But it won't be $80 million. Don't expect that," said McClatchy.

According to the thinking at the top, no one signing -- no matter how big -- is the panacea for what has been a disappointing season in the standings. There might be a couple of players added and more trades made. But McClatchy is convinced that getting some players healthy -- Kris Benson, Adrian Brown, Armando Rios, Mike Benjamin -- plus the growth of some young players this year will make the Pirates better next season, assuming there is one.

"I'm not out to get a third baseman, or a shortstop, or a left fielder or a catcher. I think we're going to have a pretty good, young pitching staff," McClatchy said. "Yes, we'll look for some players at certain positions. We'll work hard to make this core better."

As tough as the season has been, McClatchy thinks the learning experience for many young Pirates has been invaluable. And PNC Park has provided the franchise with a needed boost -- the all-time season attendance mark will fall in the first week of September.

"I know I get painted as the eternal optimist," McClatchy said. "But the one thing that has stood out on the positive side is the fans. We're going to shatter the attendance mark with a team that right now hasn't played that well. We understand we have to put a winner on the field."

Character building

Kevin Young was a September call-up in 1992, the last time the Pirates won a division title. Since then, he has endured eight losing seasons with the Pirates and one with the Royals. So he takes being patient with a grain of salt as the Pirates slog through the dog days.

"I keep telling myself this builds character," Young said. "I must be building the Empire State Building of character."

Home boys

The Pirates don't have a winning record at their new ballpark, but there have been some stirring moments -- a three-game sweep of the Indians, becoming the first team to beat Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson in the same series this year, rallying from a seven-run deficit to beat Milwaukee.

The bright spots have been scarcer on the road, however. The Pirates, who begin a six-game trip in Milwaukee and Cincinnati tomorrow, have won only 18 of 66 road games. And even Tampa Bay has a better record away from home.

"Our team plays well at home. Our team feeds off the enthusiasm the fans bring," Brian Giles said. "A lot of our numbers are better at home than they are on the road. It's been a struggle for us on the road."

The conventional thinking is that a team with so many inexperienced players hasn't learned to win on the road, but they feel more confident and comfortable at PNC Park.

Young has his own theory.

"We have this beautiful ballpark. We have the fans in the stands," Young said. "We have to defend our home turf. I think it's real important for us to play well at home to keep the fans coming back."

No quit

Tony McKnight won't soon forget his first victory with the Pirates, not when he beat "Big Unit" Randy Johnson, who mowed down 16 batters and set more strikeout standards.

"I think he probably thought he could pitch against anybody in this league," McClendon said. "Certainly, this will boost his confidence even more."

McKnight, acquired from Houston for Mike Williams, didn't get much run support in his first four starts and battled Johnson through six scoreless innings before the Pirates broke through with six runs Thursday night. He said the win was a boost for the whole team.

"We're not going to roll over," McKnight said. "We're going to fight to the end."