Tracy gets his hands on Pirates

Spring training gets under way today in Bradenton.
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) -- Jim Tracy's task of turning the Pittsburgh Pirates into winners formally begins today with the team's first workouts of spring training. It's the day he has been anticipating since he was hired as manager in November.
"I've been looking forward to this for a while," Tracy said Thursday at the Pirates training complex. "But I'm not so revved up that I'm looking at it as though tomorrow is my most important day as the manager of the Pirates."
"I'm looking at the big picture," Tracy said. "That's what's important to me, to get this club to a level where it hasn't been for a while."
Pittsburgh had a 67-95 record last year and has not had a winning season since 1992 -- the longest active stretch of futility in the four major professional sports.
Budget boosted
But the Pirates, buoyed by increased revenue sharing and season-ticket sales, boosted their payroll from $35 million to a projected opening-day figure of $47 million. Much of that money was spent on acquiring Sean Casey, Jeromy Burnitz and Joe Randa for an overhauled heart of the order to support All-Star Jason Bay.
The team also moved to improve its defense and bullpen, but the starting rotation remains a question mark. Oliver Perez and Kip Wells are coming off poor years, and Zach Duke and Paul Maholm are entering their first full seasons in the majors. The fifth starter will be chosen this spring from a nondescript group that includes Ryan Vogelsong, Victor Santos and Ian Snell.
Tracy managed the Los Angeles Dodgers for five seasons before taking the Pittsburgh job, and four of those produced winning records. Despite what would appear to be a dramatic change of scenery and expectations, he has been consistently upbeat in his talks with players, fans and media.
"I'm telling you: I'm very excited about this team," he said. "You look at the pieces we've picked up over the winter, and the quality young players we already had, and this looks to me like a team that can be very competitive. And I am going to work very hard with this coaching staff to help make that happen."
On deck
The Pirates pitchers and catchers, who were to report Thursday, will get the first taste of Tracy and his all-new coaching staff. Position players are scheduled to report Tuesday, with their first workout the following day.
Unlike some managers, Tracy will not address the pitchers and catchers as a group. He will wait until Wednesday.
"I don't like to do that twice," he said. "I want everyone to hear the same message."
Tracy said he plans to advise players, especially pitchers, that he wants them to build gradually toward the Grapefruit League schedule rather than try too hard now to impress the staff.
"As we get deeper into the spring, that will be the opportunity to show me what you're all about. But I also make sure they understand that the time we have leading up to games, you've got to use that to prepare yourself to play and to use this wonderful coaching staff we have to learn."
Notes
Thirty-two pitchers and six catchers were required to report Thursday. Outfielder Craig Wilson, an emergency catcher, also reported. ... Pitching coach Jim Colborn said as many as 15 pitchers could throw off bullpen mounds Friday. ... Tracy and all members of the Pirates baseball operations staff completed two days of meetings to plan spring training and discuss individual players. ... The Pirates announced a two-year extension of their agreement with their Class A affiliate in Lynchburg, Va., through 2008.
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