Mesa
wins Pirates' closer job
Associated Press
BRADENTON, Fla. - The Pirates made
official Thursday what has been known almost since spring training
started: Jose Mesa is their closer.
Mesa has followed up a mostly bad season with the Phillies with
a nearly perfect spring, pitching a scoreless inning Thursday
against the Reds to lower his spring ERA to 0.90. He has allowed
only one run in 10 innings.
"It's been so long since he gave up that run, I can't remember
it," manager Lloyd McClendon said.
The only question when camp began was whether the Pirates could
talk former Marlins closer Ugueth Urbina into signing a below-market-value
contract. They couldn't, and he wound up signing with the Tigers
for $3.5 million - about twice what the Pirates were offering.
Mesa, who will make $800,000, pitched so effectively that competition
for the job never developed.
"I told him he'd have a great opportunity to be the closer;
if he came here in shape and did the things he needed to do,
the job would be his," McClendon said. "He held up
his end of the bargain."
The question now is whether a power pitcher like Mesa, at age
38, can maintain his velocity over a long season, even though
he's made a conscientious effort to be in better shape than
he was last season.
Mesa had 87 saves for the Phillies in 2001 and 2002, but was
5-7 with a 6.52 ERA last season and lost his closer's job in
September. Now a bullpen that had an NL-worst 4.84 ERA last
season is hoping that a pitcher who had an even worse ERA can
solve their ninth-inning problems.
Last season, the Pirates lost six games they led after eight
innings and seven more that were tied after eight.
"Losing games in the ninth are the ones that hurt the most,"
McClendon said. "Last year, we had quite a few of those."
No experience necessary:Except for Mesa, Brian Meadows and Salomon
Torres are the most experienced relievers in a mostly young
Pirates bullpen, but they will likely be used more in long and
middle relief.
"Brian is a strike thrower who can go around a lineup once
as well as anybody," McClendon said. "He can give
you three innings ... pitch the sixth and seventh and take you
into the eighth, and then be ready to come back the next day.
That's invaluable."
Running late:McClendon still isn't used to being in Florida
in April. Last year, the Pirates opened the season on March
31.
"My body clock's off," McClendon said. "It's
telling me it's time for the season to start."
Procedural moves: In a couple of long-anticipated moves, the
Pirates officially placed OF Jason Bay and INF Freddy Sanchez
on the 15-day disabled list, with Bay retroactive to March 25.
Bay (shoulder), who has yet to play defensively, is eligible
to come off the disabled list April 10. Sanchez (ankle surgery)
has been out all spring and isn't expected back until May.
Although Bay has worked out all spring, his only game-related
activity has been as a designated hitter in some selected exhibition
games and minor league games.
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Wild Things
bring back McDonnell
Mesa wins Pirates' closer job
Bucs still have a few tough calls
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