Notes: Carrara revving for action

02/20/2006
BRADENTON -- Giovanni Carrara arrived at McKechnie Field on Monday looking to make up for lost time.
The veteran reliever had been held up in his native Venezuela after submitting his visa application late and was unable to report with the pitchers and catchers last Thursday. He was further delayed over the weekend by a family problem.
"I was supposed to be here on Saturday, but my kid had a little trouble, so I had to go back home," said Carrara. "Finally, I'm here."
Carrara, who will celebrate his 38th birthday on March 4, has good reason to want to get back on the mound as soon as possible. After signing a Minor League deal in December, the right-hander understands that he's no lock to make the big-league team.
"You want to get here early and try to impress," he said. "I want to be in the big leagues, believe that.
"When you don't have that much time, it's tough. Hopefully, I am ready to go. I'm here. We'll see."
Despite spending four seasons together with new Pirates manager Jim Tracy and pitching coach Jim Colborn in Los Angeles, Carrara discounted the notion that he might have an advantage over the other pitchers he is competing against.
"I don't think it's going to help me," he said. "If I don't do my job, I don't think I'm going to make the team just because I worked with them for four years. I have to come here and do whatever they want. I have to bust my [tail] out there. If I don't do good, I don't deserve to be here."
Carrara is expected to pitch his first bullpen session on Tuesday.
Castillo flashes leather: Pirates second baseman Jose Castillo took another step in his recovery from the left knee injury that ended his 2005 season by taking infield practice for the first time Monday.
Upon finishing a round of batting practice, Castillo grabbed his glove and headed out to the infield dirt to field approximately 30 grounders off the bat of special instructor Bill Virdon. After initially bobbling a few routine balls and appearing reluctant to bend his left leg, Castillo loosened up as the session continued. He ended the drill by ranging far to his right to field a grounder in front of second base.
Castillo, who told reporters Sunday that the knee was feeling good, couldn't pass up the opportunity to playfully drop an "I told you so" as he walked by the scribes who were watching the drill.
In the 'pen: Thirteen of the 15 pitchers who threw bullpen sessions on Saturday were back on the mound again Monday. The lone exceptions were southpaws Paul Maholm and Damaso Marte.
Maholm has been bothered by slight hamstring tightness and was held out as a precaution. He'll likely throw again on Tuesday or Wednesday. Marte was given an extra day off after having thrown on consecutive days over the weekend.
Right-hander Kip Wells' 30-minute bullpen session on Monday was by far the longest of the spring thus far for any pitcher. He stopped several times during the session to discuss suggestions made by Colborn.
"I saw a lot of significant improvement [with Wells] today," said Tracy. "[He made] an adjustment to his delivery. When you make an adjustment to someone's delivery, there are pitches that have to be thrown. And in between the pitches, there is some discussion that takes place.
"There was a distinctive difference between what I saw today versus when I saw him pitch last September out in Los Angeles.
Ready Freddy: Unlike previous years, when infielder Freddy Sanchez entered the McKechnie Field clubhouse for the first time Monday, he didn't feel the need to make a beeline to the training room.
"This is going to be the first Spring Training in two or three years where I didn't have to be the first one at the field every morning and the last one here," said Sanchez. "It feels good. I can just go out and play."
Playing is what Sanchez hopes to do a lot of this season despite the fact that he does not have a starting position to call his own. After hitting .291 in 132 games with the Bucs in 2005, Sanchez will be relegated to bench duty as the team's primary backup at third base, second base and shortstop.
"The bench is a big part of the team and [Tracy] uses his bench a lot. That is a good sign," said Sanchez. "To win a championship, you need everybody. It's good to hear that he's going to try to get everybody in there."
Sanchez just has to do is figure out how many gloves he's going to need.
"I think I've boiled it down," said Sanchez. "I may just use one this year, two at the most. Not three.
"But at least I know if I need some gloves, I'm going to be getting in there."
Sanchez is one of a handful of Pirates regulars who arrived early to camp. The rest are expected to report on Tuesday in advance of the first full-squad workout on Wednesday.
Bucs Bits: Right-hander John Van Benschoten, who was not yet pitched in camp due to minor irritation in his surgically repaired right shoulder, will likely throw a long toss session from 90 feet on Wednesday or Thursday. ... Infielder Jose Bautista has been limited in his workouts due to a bout with the flu. Coach Rusty Kuntz has also been bothered by the flu bug since early last weekend.

Source: http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/