Guy Junker
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, March 6, 2006
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Idle thoughts from a week spent between McKechnie Field, and Pirate City when the boss was watching and between gulf beaches and golf courses when he wasn't:
"If you have enthusiasm, thank God for it. If you don't have it, get down on your knees and ask God for it." Pirates manager Jim Tracy says he got that philosophy from his dad and he thinks about it every mornng before he starts his day.
Tracy is a breath of fresh air, blowing through a spring training site that has been the winter home to a team that has had a losing record for 13 straight seasons. How many wins that will be worth remains to be seen. But Tracy will not let an organizational lack of cash, a roster lacking experience, or the sun in his eyes be excuses for a 14th straight losing season.
In spirit, Tracy reminds me of Chuck Tanner. Even as a young reporter, I didn't buy into all the silver-lining junk Tanner dished out. I kept waiting to see or hear the real Chuck.
It's 28 years later and I'm still waiting. Hopefully Tracy will hold up the same way. If he fails, it won't be for lack of enthusiasm. That would go not only against his baseball beliefs, but against family.
* One guy who should be smiling from ear to ear is shortstop Jack Wilson.
You might be thinking I'm talking about the three-year contract extension he signed worth $20 million. That is reason to smile, but I'm talking baseball reasons.
Look for Wilson to thrive under a guy like Tracy. With the previous administration, Wilson was ridiculed by his own teammates at times because he had the audacity to be proud and excited to play major league baseball. How dare he! It will be different now. If a guy isn't excited to play for Jim Tracy, he probably won't.
* The good news about Wilson's new contract was offset by the bad news about Kip Wells needing surgery. But before that changes anyone's mind about this team's chances, it has to be considered that he lost 18 games last year with an ERA of more than 5.
* Everyone says the rotation is too young -- and it may be -- but all Wells has proven is that he's not consistent. Some of those young arms haven't had that chance.
Wells' circulation problems may be offset by Sean Burnett's quick start. Expected by most to not be ready until June, Burnett is throwing without pain and throwing well. This guy was a first round draft pick that was the Pirates' Minor League Pitcher-of-The-Year twice before getting hurt. He's still just 23. Keep your fingers crossed.
* It seemed curious to me when the Pirates invited Andrew McCutchen to major league camp. After all, last year's first-round draft pick is just 19 years old. But he is an impressive kid to talk to and to watch play ball. He showed a lot of patience at the plate in early intersquad and Grapefruit League games, waiting out the count from pitchers nearly twice his age. He has a long way to go but he looks like a guy that will be fun to watch develop.
* Oliver Perez is not throwing as hard as he did two years ago. At least not yet.
* Without a doubt, the Spanish-speaking players were the most excited about the inaugural World Baseball Classic. They were wearing the gear and chirping the most in the clubhouse.
* His hair is white, but there still is a twinkle in Bill Mazeroski's eyes when he talks about Spring Training, which he says is one of the parts of baseball he missed most when he retired.
* If I were betting, I think I'd still take Bill Virdon over half the players on the roster if there was ever a brawl.
* Duffy's Tavern on Anna Maria Island has the best hamburgers in the world.
* After covering Spring Training for 26 years in Manatee County and staying at a hotel on the Manatee River, I finally saw a manatee. It was in the channel across the street from Duffy's Tavern. And after what I ate there, it looked slimmer than me.
Guy Junker is the co-host of the Junker and Crow Show, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. weekdays on ESPN Radio1250. You can e-mail Guy at guy@gopgh.com.
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