Mood for mediocrity wears thin

Jim Tracy wants more of the same from his players that the Bucs gave during the second half of 2006.
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) -- Stressing the need to continue the winning ways of last season's second half, Pittsburgh Pirates manager Jim Tracy delivered a simple message to his players Wednesday: Keep it going.
"That's all there is to it," Tracy said later. "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's message has been unwavering since the end of last season, in which Pittsburgh went 30-60 before the All-Star break and 37-35 afterward. That marked the Pirates' first winning second half since 1992, which also was their most recent winning season.
"What needs to be understood is that, if you're not interested in raising your level, we're going to move on," he said. "If we go by you, that's the chance that you take."
The speech
All 68 players in camp, as well as coaches and other team officials, were in the Pirate City cafeteria for Tracy's speech.
"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," outfielder Jason Bay said. "This year, there aren't many spots open. And I think that's where our good feeling comes from. We're not hoping any more from certain spots. We know what we're going to get."
The Pirates enter spring with all but one of their everyday positions filled, as well as four of the five starting pitchers.
"I look back at the team we had in the first half and what happened in the second half, and I look at myself to keep getting better the way we all did," catcher Ronny Paulino said. "I want more of that. And I want all of us to keep getting better together."
First baseman Adam LaRoche made his first official appearance in a Pittsburgh uniform after the trade last month that brought him from the Atlanta Braves.
"I'm not feeling any pressure," LaRoche said. "I'm just looking at this as a fun experience with a good group of guys who want to win. I'm looking forward to it."
Notes
Jose Castillo, a second baseman in his first three major league seasons, took grounders only at third base. Tracy was asked if anything should be read into that and replied, "Nothing." Castillo and Jose Bautista are vying for the lone vacancy among starting position players. The Pirates had said leading up to spring training that, if Castillo kept his job, he would stay at second and Freddy Sanchez would stay at third. If Bautista won, he would take third with Sanchez going to second. On Wednesday, Sanchez took grounders at second. Fourteen pitchers threw bullpen sessions, including five who threw to stand-in hitters.
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