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Wednesday, March 12, 2003

By Robert Dvorchak, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- As highlights go, it wasn't much. But at least Kris Benson was healthy when he left Hammond Stadium.

Benson gave up five runs on four hits, and the Pirates committed three errors in the third inning of a 9-1 loss yesterday to the Minnesota Twins. Benson needed no reminders that, almost two years to the day, this was the place where his right elbow was damaged enough to require reconstructive surgery

"I'm just glad to out of here without hurting my arm again," he said after his second losing start in a row. "Anybody would have been thinking about it since this was the place it blew out. It definitely didn't have anything to do with my pitching performance, though."

On March 10, 2001, Benson was roughed up for eight runs (six earned) on nine hits in four innings. He was struck by a line drive that went back through the box for a single. But it was during pregame warmups that his elbow started aching, and he missed the 2001 season and part of the next.

In fact, Benson had this game circled on the schedule before spring training started, and he took the precaution of warming up differently on the bullpen mound that gave him problems two years ago. Manager Lloyd McClendon even thought about leaving him behind on this road trip.

"It was like a repeat of two years ago. The same thing happened. I didn't get a break. The balls found a hole here and there. The only thing that didn't happen was I didn't blow out my arm. I'll take that any day," Benson said.

Benson was up to 59 pitches after three innings and did not come out for a fourth. McClendon shrugged off Benson's outing.

"You'd like to see him have a little better command now, but he didn't have it. I'm not overly concerned. He also made some quality pitches in the first two innings," he said.

Dry spell

The Pirates had as many errors as hits through seven innings and got their lone run in the eighth when Abraham Nunez grounded into a forceout. In the past 18 innings, that has been their lone run.

"I'm really not concerned. We're going to hit," McClendon said. "We're going to peak, and then we're going to hit a dead spot where everybody's just going to be dull. Then we'll wake up again. That's just the way spring training is.

"It's a grind," he said. "Guys are trying to get their bodies back in shape, both physically and mentally, with the cleats on. Everybody works out in the wintertime, but there's nothing like being on the field with their baseball cleats on to get yourself in baseball shape. It's just going to take a little time."

Perfect relief

Hard-throwing reliever Duaner Sanchez had a perfect inning with two strikeouts. He has yet to allow a run in four appearances.

"He's been impressive the entire spring. He's really made some impressive adjustments. With his stuff and the way he's pounding the strike zone, he looks real good," McClendon said.

No hurry

Ryan Vogelsong has had a decent spring, but he's not in the running for a rotation spot. That's because he had elbow surgery 18 months ago, and the Pirates want to see him pitch a year at Nashville to sharpen his pitches.

"We have to make sure he's healed. He's got too high a ceiling to rush him to the big leagues. It's in the best interests of Ryan Vogelsong," McClendon said. "This young man's going to pitch in the big leagues. It would be awfully foolish of us to try to rush him back."

Today's game

Jeff D'Amico starts today's game against the Devil Rays. In a split squad game at Tampa, Brian Meadows gets the start.