Notes: 'Maz' sings Castillo's praises

02/23/2006
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Bill Mazeroski was one of the few players in baseball history who was able to punch a ticket to Cooperstown based primarily on what he was able to do with his glove.
So when the great "Maz" tells you that Bucs second baseman Jose Castillo is the best in the business right now, you tend to listen closely to what he has to say.
"He can do it all," said Mazeroski, an eight-time Gold Glove winner at second base who is serving as a special Spring Training instructor with the Pirates. "He does everything well. He's got a better arm than everybody. He's got a quicker release. You just look at his fundamentals, and they're all good."
Castillo's double-play partner, Jack Wilson, who is among the top defensive shortstops in the game, echoed Mazeroski's sentiments.
"I agree with Maz," Wilson said. "A lot of guys are quick, but no one has the arm that Castillo has. He has best the arm on our team. It's pretty impressive what he can do over there."
What makes Castillo's prowess at second base all the more remarkable is the fact that he spent most of his Minor League career at shortstop before switching positions when he made the jump from Double-A to the big leagues in 2004.
"I didn't play second base in the Minor Leagues," Castillo said with the help of translator Oliver Perez. "I had to practice hard to feel comfortable. It feels good to be playing well now."
By all accounts, Castillo hasn't come close to reaching his potential. He'll continue to improve as he continues to learn the intricacies of the position.
"When you learn at the Major League level, it's tough," said Pirates director of player development Brian Graham, who was singing Castillo's praises long before the infielder made his big-league debut. "But this guy is such a competitor; he is very intelligent, and he has great baseball instincts. He's proven to be a pretty darned good second baseman, and he's going to get better."
With Castillo apparently healthy again after missing the final month of the 2005 season because of a ligament tear in his left knee, Pirates manager Jim Tracy believes his second baseman is a legitimate contender for the Gold Glove Award. He told Castillo as much earlier this spring.
"I'm not the least bit shy about suggesting things to my players that make a lot of sense," said Tracy. "I don't think it's overstepping my bounds to talk to guys about thinking about that big gold trophy that they give out at the end of the year. It's OK to win some of those. They look really nice on a mantelpiece."
For his part, Castillo has even bigger aspirations.
"I want to be in the same class as a Maz," he said.
JVB throws: Former first-round pick John Van Benschoten threw Thursday for the first time since pitchers and catchers reported on Feb. 16.
The right-hander, who spent all of last season on the disabled list while recovering from surgeries on both shoulders, felt tightness and weakness in his throwing shoulder during the annual team physical and was shut down as a precaution. He threw from a distance of 60 feet on Thursday and reported no setbacks.
"I felt really good," said Van Benschoten. "I guess whatever was there was flushed out. It's a relief.
"You get anxious, but this kind of stuff happens with surgery. It's not going to be smooth sailing all the way. You're going to have bumps in the road. It's good to get over that bump."
Van Benschoten will extend his next long-toss session to 90 feet before returning to the mound to pitch a bullpen session.
"I think it's going to be a pretty accelerated program from here on out," he said.
No Picassos: Many of the Pirates players have been forced to access the right side of their brains in recent days.
For the second straight year, the Bucs are painting canvases for the team's in-game entertainment crew. The finished products will be photographed and displayed on the PNC Park scoreboard when a player comes to the plate.
"The players seem to like it, and the fans like it," said Pirates in-game entertainment assistant Jay Sedlak. "It shows their personality."
According to Sedlak, the Pirates raised more than $20,000 for charities last season by making the canvases available for auction. Sedlak also said that Major League Baseball is considering doing similar paintings during the All-Star Game at PNC Park this summer.
The players didn't seem to mind temporarily trading in their baseball uniforms for overalls.
"It was fun," said Bucs lefty Zach Duke. "You get to be a little artsy for a day."
Bucs bits: Thirteen pitchers threw in the bullpen Thursday, including left-hander Damaso Marte. Marte had not pitched during the previous four days because of a bout with the flu. ... The Pirates' position players will be given the opportunity to take live batting practice for the first time Friday. However, Tracy is already preaching the need for his hitters to be selective at the plate. "If you want to swing off of live pitching, go right ahead," said Tracy. "But recognize the fact of what a strike is and what a ball is. Let's get a good swing at a good pitch."

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