Home >  Sports >  Notebooks

Sunday, March 16, 2003

By Robert Dvorchak, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

BRADENTON, Fla. -- In the past, Lloyd McClendon would fill up his trash can with lineup cards that didn't work. So he chuckled when asked what it felt like to have a set leadoff hitter in Kenny Lofton.

"It's going to be nice not having to spend a lot of time writing out the lineup," he said. "You pretty much know guys are going play. We're getting there. The poker hand's a little stronger."

Most days, McClendon will write in Lofton, Jason Kendall, Brian Giles, Aramis Ramirez, Randall Simon, Reggie Sanders, Jack Wilson and Pokey Reese in that order, with Matt Stairs, Kevin Young, Rob Mackowiak, Craig Wilson and Abraham Nunez coming off the bench.

"The good thing about that is we have speed at the bottom of the lineup as well," McClendon said. "I like our speed. I like the makeup of our club. We'll concentrate on our pitching now and make sure we shore that up and get it going in the right direction."

The lineup will be juggled at times because Lofton, Sanders and Stairs are in their mid-30s. Giles has already consented to moving to center on occasion to get Stairs at-bats, and Stairs has told McClendon he'll fill whatever role is needed if it helps the team win.

"The good thing about this entire thing is I have a group of players that want to win. They understand what it takes to win. It's going to require some give and take and sacrifices on everybody's part to get it done," McClendon said.

Big bat

Craig Wilson, getting another start at catcher, drilled a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Pirates to a 5-4 win against the Phillies yesterday. He also threw out a runner trying to steal, blocked the plate on a swipe tag and blocked a couple of balls in the dirt.

"He's shown he can handle the ball. He's certainly not a liability behind the plate by any means," McClendon said.

After a slow start, Wilson shares the team lead with four home runs and is hitting .279. And he doesn't mind being a backup.

"Whatever it takes. If it means me backing up somewhere for us to win, I'll do it. I really don't care as long as we win," Wilson said.

Suppan improvement

No. 4 starter Jeff Suppan felt good about his five-inning stint, in which he gave up two runs on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts.

"I have some things to iron out. There's still room for improvement. You just have to get out there and pitch," Suppan said.

At Pirate City, Salomon Torres and Rolando Arrojo, two of the four remaining candidates for the fifth's starter's spot, pitched in minor-league games. Torres allowed one hit in five innings with one walk and four strikeouts. He couldn't help but notice that some Japanese scouts were watching.

"If it doesn't work out here, maybe I can be an ambassador to Japan," Torres said.

Who needs Barry?

Lofton and Sanders were starting outfielders in the World Series last year. When it was pointing out to Lofton that the only thing missing is Barry Bonds, Lofton laughed: "We don't need Barry. We have Brian Giles."