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Preparing to play more at catcher this season

Monday, February 17, 2003

By Robert Dvorchak, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Craig Wilson is expected to platoon with Matt Stairs in right field, and he may also get some playing time at first base. But he will also get time behind the plate as a backup catcher.

"I'll certainly make a conscious effort to get him back there a little more," Manager Lloyd McClendon said yesterday.

Wilson is a contingency if Humberto Cota's hand injury fails to respond before the season opens. The Pirates also want to get Wilson's bat in the lineup as much as they can, so that means he will put his catcher's gear in his equipment bag along with an outfielder's glove and first baseman's mitt.

"I can relate to what spring is like for him," said McClendon, a utility player and catcher in his playing days. "It's hard work. At times, he's working three times as hard as the other guys. But the fact is, he has to get it in. He actually has pretty good hands back there. His setup needs a little work, but he's more than capable of receiving the ball very smoothly."

Wilson came to mini-camp to catch some bullpen sessions, something he has done the first two days of camp. He has gotten some tips from catching instructor John Russell on presenting a better target for pitchers.

"I feel a lot better receiving the ball," said Wilson, who was the last player off the field following a workout yesterday. "I need a little bit of work, a couple of repetitions. I've always had to carry a heavy equipment bag. You do what you have to do."

No. 2 guy

Shortstop Jack Wilson has given up his No. 12 as a courtesy to Matt Stairs, and he'll wear No. 2 instead.

"The guy's been in the majors for eight years and had the same number every year," Jack Wilson said. "I only have one and three-quarters in. It'll mean a lot more to him."

No. 12 didn't have much sentimental value to Jack Wilson. The number he wore most often as a kid was No. 9. That number was worn by Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski and has been retired by the Pirates.

Stairs, a free-agent right fielder, didn't request a switch. Wilson did it voluntarily.

Injury report

Pitcher Rolando Arrojo did not have his scheduled bullpen session yesterday because of a strained right hamstring. His status is listed as day to day.

Pitcher Matt Guerrier was also held out because of tightness in his right shoulder.

"It's nothing serious. They just want to be cautious," McClendon said.

Reliever Duaner Sanchez is due in camp today or tomorrow after attending to some family matters in the Dominican Republic. While Sanchez has missed some work on fundamentals, the Pirates aren't concerned about his conditioning because he pitched in winter ball and the Carribean World Series.

Fast times

Reliever Scott Sauerbeck had the fast time in the annual mile run yesterday. A veteran of some 10K races, Sauerbeck was clocked in 5 minutes, 48 seconds. Bullpen mate Joe Beimel was second at 6:01. The runners yesterday included half of the 32 pitchers in camp. The second group will run today.