Pirates pitcher Maholm made debut at Eastwood

New manager J.R. Russell and players Steve Pearce and Nate McLouth also appeared at the Butler.

VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — Paul Maholm, a projected starter in Pittsburgh’s rotation, made his minor league debut at Eastwood Field when he played for the Williamsport Crosscutters.

“I pitched about three innings,” Maholm said of the game in June, 2003 against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. “I was just getting back into it after a month-and-a-half off after college,” the left-hander said of a his return to baseball after a lull after being drafted out of Mississippi State.

Williamsport went on to win the New York-Penn League championship that year, but Maholm never got to pitch in the best-of-three championship series because the Crosscutters swept before his third-game appearance.

Maholm made his comments during the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Winter Caravan at the Butler Institute Friday, when teammates and new manager J.R. Russell came to town.

The 6-2, 230-pound Maholm will report for spring training Feb. 15.

“I’m slotted in, but you’ve got to go down and win your job,” said the pitcher who was 10-15 last season.

He said leadership under Russell won’t be much different except for different terminology.

“Part of spring training will be spent getting used to each other and learning how he expects things done. It’s going to be done in a way that’s going to benefit the players and put us in a winning direction.”

Paul was with Pittsburgh when Russell was the third base coach from 2003-05. Since, the Pirates went through managers Lloyd McClendon and Jim Tracy.

Any chance the Pirates will improve on a 68-94 season?

“We need to have higher expectations and give J.R. a chance to put us in a situation to win at the end of games,” Maholm said.

Russell said the key is changing the culture of what the team has done to bring back the franchise’s pride and passion.

“When I played with the Phillies and we came to town, you knew you were playing Pittsburgh,” he said. “That’s what we want back. We have to change a few things. I’m big about attention to detail. I’m going to be the person held accountable for what’s going on, but my staff and the players need to be very accountable for what they’re doing. The preparation and the work and the consistency of what they’re doing has to be there on a daily basis. That’s our ultimate goal — to get that going.

“Like I told the players in mini-camp, all I ask is give us a chance to win, give us a chance to win every night and good things will happen. If you don’t, then you’re making too many mistakes and not prepared. Then there’s an issue.”

Right field/first baseman Steve Pearce had a whirlwind 2007, being elevated from Single A Lynchburg, to AA Altoona to AAA Indianapolis before ascending to Pittsburgh.

“I got a chance to get up there and show everybody who I was,” said Pearce. “I got a lot of playing time, so I think last year was just a stepping-stone for what’s to come. Hopefully, we start off on the right foot and keep it up the whole season. I’d like to build on last year, which was good. I don’t want to live off that. I’m not content.”