Adam LaRoche signs autographs during the Pirates' first full-squad workout in Bradenton, Fla.
A step-by-step walk through the first full-squad workout
Thursday, February 22, 2007
By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Jeff Cox, the Pirates' animated, affable third base coach, woke at the crack of dawn, tugged open the curtains and smiled.
Upon arrival at Pirate City yesterday morning, the smile grew wider.
Freddy Sanchez fields ground balls during the Pirates' workout.
"Christmas, New Year's, Thanksgiving, Easter, birthdays ... and the first full-squad workout!" he shouted to no one in particular. "Best days of the year!"
Few at any level of baseball would dispute it.
It is the one day when all is pristine, when everyone has a chance, when all hope for the season ahead is endless as the bright, blue sky that yesterday overwhelmed this immaculately manicured four-field complex framed by an orange grove.
A walking tour ...
***
The day began at McKechnie Field, about a 10-minute drive across town, for all 67 players. That is where they dress, commiserate and, for the position players who just reported Tuesday, check in with equipment manager Roger Wilson.
That also is where, as per the latest clubhouse fad, they eat peanut-butter bagels.
"Not bad," pitcher Zach Duke mumbled through a full mouth.
***
They tend to drive in groups to get to Pirate City, and they started arriving at about 11 a.m., an hour before manager Jim Tracy's annual spring speech.
Among the pitchers who came earlier for bullpen sessions was Shane Youman, and he was visibly frustrated on the mound. His first dozen pitches were too high, his next dozen too low. He turned to bullpen coach Bobby Cuellar and asked how to address a timing issue.
Next came 10 strikes.
"I was leaning in," Youman said. "I'm fine now. It's early."
***
Masumi Kuwata, another early bird pitcher, was not the media star for once. Rather, one of the Japanese media was.
Yuko Aoyama, a TV anchor for Japan's national NHK network, might be as well known there as Kuwata. And, on this day, perhaps as a show of respect from the rest of the media, she stood next to Kuwata during his 15-camera interview session and was allowed to ask nearly every question.
Shortstop Jack Wilson greets Hall of Fame second baseman Bill Mazeroski before the Pirates' first full squad spring training workout at Bradenton, Fla.
Minutes afterward, she explained why she would travel such a distance to cover the story of a 38-year-old pitcher whose last good season came in 2002.
"He was a star in Japan, and he dropped everything to come here," Aoyama said through a translator. "Everybody in our country has the same question: Why?"
And what, she was asked, might the answer be?
"For the Japanese, a challenge is very important. What Mr. Kuwata is doing, even though he had an established career, is working to extend his dream."
***
Noon was time for Tracy's speech, and some coaches who had been working other drills sprinted toward the cafeteria, fearing they might be late.
Tracy's message, predictably, stressed his oft-stated goal of carrying over the good feeling from the second half of last season, when the Pirates were 37-35 after the All-Star break.
"That's all there was to it," Tracy said of the speech. "Beyond that, there's not really a whole lot to say. I just think it's really important for these guys to realize two things: One is that they're pretty good. Two is to realize that what they did over the course of the last three months of last season and take that into April 2007."
Tracy also pushed the notion that players will be bypassed if they do not perform, now that, in his eyes, the Pirates are improving.
"If you're not interested in raising your level, we're going to move on."
***
Nearly 100 uniformed personnel took the field at 1:05 p.m. with no cloud in sight and temperatures in the 80s.
But that was not the most powerful sign that the Pirates' spring training is under way. That always comes when the man with uniform No. 9 shows up, bat and golden glove in hand, and it did this year during the opening stretches.
"Amazing," Bill Mazeroski said. "It's always nice weather on this day each year."
He and another member of that fabled 1960 team, Bill Virdon, who still looks as if he could challenge Chris Duffy for work in center field, hit fungoes and infield grounders.
***
Not everyone was thrilled about all those people in the grass. Andy Berrones, one of the Pirates' groundskeepers from nearby Palmetto, cringed in watching hundreds of spikes trample his year-round project.
"It's a little frustrating," he said. "There's a lot of work that goes into this. We water it, we mow it every second day, we patch it up and ... aw, it's OK, man. It's a privilege to work around major-leaguers. And they're nice, too. They always shake your hand when you walk by."
***
The 200 or so fans, milling through the chained-off center of the complex, have a clear view of all four fields from behind all four batting cages.
Adam LaRoche waits his turn at the batting cage yeterday.
But, at 2:19 p.m., all eyes turned toward the most anticipated event of the day -- at least for the non-Japanese -- as new first baseman Adam LaRoche stepped to the plate for his first batting practice.
The first six of his trademark sweet swings graduated from grounders to lazy flies to looping liners. Bench coach Jim Lett, standing in the outfield, predicted that the next round would have LaRoche hitting one "into the swamp" beyond right field.
Sure enough, the last swing of that round brought a high, deep, fly ball to right-center ... that clanged off the tin 370-foot sign atop the mesh fence.
Afterward, hitting coach Jeff Manto spent a few minutes outside the cage with LaRoche.
Giving pointers?
"No, he's giving them to me," Manto said.
***
The newsiest event of the day came with Jose Castillo taking grounders at third base, making at one point for the highly unusual sight of Castillo standing idle while looking to his left as minor-league middle infielders Brian Bixler and Don Kelly turned a double play.
Castillo, the Pirates' second baseman for three years, was moved to third base for the day -- and maybe more -- in what caused the most buzz among those in attendance.
The beleaguered Castillo, having been criticized and losing his starting job this offseason, mostly kept to himself.
***
Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson, close friends, were inseparable all afternoon. From turning double plays on the field next to Castillo, to running other drills, to signing autographs, they moved everywhere in lock step.
One autograph seeker apologized to Sanchez for wearing a Red Sox T-shirt until he remembered that Sanchez was developed in the Boston system.
When that same guy handed his pen to Wilson, Wilson playfully shot back, "What do you want mine for? I never played in Pawtucket."
***
The instruction happens all over. Some of it is structured and personalized, as with prospect Neil Walker's continuing lessons on becoming a third baseman. Some of it is spontaneous, such as when Tracy lifts the bat out of a bunter's hand to teach proper technique.
And some of it cannot be found in any manual.
David Parrish, a journeyman catcher, let out a loud grunt after Kevin Gryboski's final pitch of a bullpen session skipped off his big mitt.
He rose to fetch the ball at the backstop when pitching coach Jim Colborn, standing near the mound, yelled out, "David!"
Parrish turned to see a ball coming his way, lobbed by Colborn.
"Always finish with a catch," Colborn said.
***
The day ended at 2:45 for the catchers, dripping wet even after peeling off their equipment. The rest followed shortly before 3.
Players are met by the media as they leave the field, and most of those interviewed expressed unbridled optimism for the coming season. Such a sentiment, of course, is the only thing more common on this day than the sparkling weather.
Manager Jim Tracy and general manager Dave Littlefield watch the Pirates' first full squad spring training workout in Bradenton, Fla.
General manager Dave Littlefield spoke to reporters of detecting a "more positive" vibe this spring, partly as the result of the LaRoche trade.
Few would dispute it, including the straight-shooting Jason Bay.
"LaRoche makes a difference, no question," Bay said. "But I think the biggest thing is that we've had so many uncertainties since I've been here, whether it was staff, coaching, players, all that stuff. This year, there aren't many spots open. And I think that's where our good feeling comes from. We're not hoping anymore from certain spots. We know what we're going to get."
He paused.
"And there are good players. That's when you know you're starting to improve."
***
One of those good players, at least according to mammoth expectations that followed him from Atlanta, will be LaRoche.
His day?
"It's always a good day, the first big workout, and this one felt really good," he said, heading to the car with his bag slung over his shoulder. "Anytime you go to a new team, there's a lot of getting used to things and different expectations. And I'll tell you what: I like what I heard and saw out there."
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(Dejan Kovacevic can be reached at dkovacevic@post-gazette.com. )
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