Pirates Notebook: Weekend series looms as potential crossroads
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CINCINNATI -- The Pirates arrived here early Thursday night none too fresh from having lost a fifth consecutive game in St. Louis.
They had slipped a season-low eight games under .500. They are a lot closer to last place than first in the National League Central Division.
With the Memorial Day milestone rapidly approaching, it would seem the Pirates have reached a crossroads in their season.
"I hadn't thought about it that way," left fielder Jason Bay said. "Our saving grace [previously] was that we were always close record-wise. It wasn't life and death [at the Memorial Day milestone]. There were still a ton of games to be played. But we're getting to the point now where we need to still be in striking distance and these four games are a part of that.
"It's tough to put that much pressure on one four-game series out of 162 games, but the offense was coming around and we were playing good and now we've kind of [slipped]."
Shortstop Jack Wilson took another tack.
"I'm the optimist around here," he said. "There's a lot of baseball left. We just finished the quarter mark [at 19-22]. If you have three good quarters out of four, you're going to be in good shape.
"Obviously, we don't want to put ourselves in too deep a hole like we did last year, but, at any time, this could turn around for the better. We're not close to where we believe we should be, but, at the same time, there is a lot of baseball left, so there's plenty of time to get back into it."
Gorzelanny says he is OK
Left-hander Tom Gorzelanny, struck on his left thumb by a line drive Thursday, believes he will be able to take his next turn Tuesday night against San Diego.
"I don't see any reason why I won't," he said yesterday.
"[The medical staff] did a very good job of keeping the swelling down," said manager Jim Tracy, who feared initially the ball hit by Aaron Miles had broken Gorzelanny's thumb. "We were very lucky."
Gorzelanny played catch yesterday and probably will throw his usual between-starts bullpen session tomorrow.
Chacon on pitch count
Shawn Chacon makes his first start of the season tonight as he replaces Tony Armas as the Pirates' fifth starter.
"I think he'll go out there and be very competitive," Tracy said.
Chacon's pitch limit will "probably be in the neighborhood of about 90 -- somewhere around in there," according to Tracy.
Pearce makes a hit
First baseman Steve Pearce, promoted from Class A Lynchburg to Class AA Altoona almost a month ago, seems to be fitting in nicely with the Curve.
"He's probably one of the goofiest guys I've ever met," third baseman Neil Walker said. "He's fun to play with. He keeps it light."
"He's funny, quirky," Altoona manager Tim Leiper said.
Also pretty good. Through Thursday night, Pearce had a .280 batting average with six doubles, two home runs and 10 RBIs in 75 at-bats.
"He's awesome," Leiper said.
"He has no fear. He attacks the ball. He's absolutely ready to pounce on every pitch. He's a gamer. He wants to win. He wants to be great out there every single day."
Delaney makes improvement
It would seem Lynchburg's Jason Delaney has put himself in the position of perhaps earning a promotion to Altoona.
"He's definitely in a position to be considered a prospect," said Brian Graham, the Pirates' senior player development director.
Delaney, 24, was drafted as an outfielder out of Boston College in the 12th round of the 2005 draft. He's added first base to his resume after Pearce's promotion Altoona.
Delaney had a rough time transitioning to a wood bat with Williamsport in 2005, batting just .213 in 55 games.
But he hit .300 with Class A Hickory last season. This season, helped by a recent 13-for-25 surge, he leads the Carolina League with a .358 batting average. In 42 games, Delaney has 10 doubles, five home runs and 28 RBIs.
INDIANAPOLIS (27-19) lost at Scranton/Wilkes/Barre, 4-3, in 10 innings. LHP Sean Burnett (4-3, 3.81) allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings. He struck out three and walked three. RHP Jesse Chavez (3.76) pitched two perfect innings of relief with three strikeouts. DH Jose Hernandez (.233) hit his second and third home runs and went 2 for 3 with a walk.
ALTOONA (19-25) lost at Bowie, 8-7. RHP Luis Munoz (5-2, 3.97) allowed seven runs in two-thirds of an inning. CF Andrew McCutchen (.199) went 2 for 4 with a double, a walk and two RBIs. 3B Neil Walker (.280) went 1 for 4.
LYNCHBURG (21-22) lost to Potomac, 4-3. RHP Todd Redmond (3-4, 4.88) allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings. 1B Jason Delaney (.368) went 3 for 4 with two doubles.
HICKORY (19-26) beat Asheville, 10-2. RHP Jared Hughes (3-3, 3.78) pitched six scoreless innings and allowed two hits. 1B Kent Sakomoto (.264) went 3 for 4.
First Published May 25, 2007 11:28 pm
