Pirates’ new manager likes first drill

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — New Pittsburgh manager John Russell acknowledges that nothing the Pirates did on Friday’s first day of spring training will change their fortunes — not by itself, anyway.

He expressed hope that it could mark the first step toward improving the team.

“I’m not saying I’m going to be this huge difference-maker, that this is going to be something where people go, ‘Wow!’,” Russell said. “I’ve always felt it makes a difference to create accountability and do things right. That’s when you see real change.”

To that end, Russell declared the three-hour workout “outstanding.”

“It was exciting from the time everybody walked in until the finish,” he said. “Guys were ready. They were attentive to what was going on and did their jobs the right way. It was crisp, and we got a lot done.”

The bullpen sessions, fielding and batting practice and bunting drills featured considerable hands-on instruction for the 37 pitchers, six catchers and eight position players who reported early.

Position players aren’t scheduled to work out for another week, but among those on hand were second baseman Freddy Sanchez infielder Brian Bixler, outfielders Chris Duffy, Nate McLouth and Nyjer Morgan and rookie third baseman Neil Walker.

No doubt McLouth and Morgan each didn’t want the other to get an early jump. They are competing for what appears to be the lone unsettled starting job, in center field.

Duffy, last season’s opening-day center fielder, is expected to begin the season in the minors after having a variety of injury problems last season that limited him to 70 games.

Russell confessed some emotion before taking the field in his first major-league managerial job after 13 years in professional baseball. He was let go by the Pirates as a coach following the 2005 season, only to be hired as manager by the Pirates’ new front office leadership in October.

“Like I told the players this morning, every time I put on a uniform, it’s a nice feeling,” he said. “But this is probably the best feeling I’ve ever had putting a uniform on. Getting on the field with the coaches, the beautiful weather — it’s an exciting time.”

Pitchers who threw off the mound were Jonah Bayliss, Ronald Belisario, Sean Burnett, Elmer Dessens, Marino Salas, Ian Snell, and Mike Thompson. Burnett, a former first-round draft pick, was recently removed from the 40-man roster but is attending camp as a non-roster player.