Notes: Tracy sees improvement

07/20/2006
MIAMI -- Six games is nothing to get too excited about, but few can deny that the Pirates have looked like a different team since the start of the second half.
The Pirates' improvement has not been lost on manager Jim Tracy, who credits the club's play over the past two series against the Nationals and Rockies, both of which the Bucs won, to the team's growth.
"I think the first thing is maturity," Tracy said. "One of the first things I saw was some things that looked very anxious in game-on-the-line situations. And we ended up playing right into the hands of the opposition in those cases, because we were not stepping back and saying, 'What's the situation?'"
The Pirates made plenty of those mistakes in the first half of the season, but so far they've shown signs of being able to overcome those growing pains. A perfect example is Wednesday's win against the Rockies.
All six of their runs in the victory came in two-out situations. Trailing 4-3 and with two outs in the sixth inning, the Pirates tallied three straight singles to tie the game up. Ronny Paulino then came to bat and hit a two-run double to give the Pirates the lead.
"The way you grow and continue to get better is you walk to that plate and make mistakes and say, 'Hey, you should think about this,'" Tracy said. "But that takes time. And over time I've seen us get much better at it. And it's because we're peforming much better in those situational at-bats."
Wilson on a tear: One of the key players in the Pirates' strong second-half start that Tracy cited as vital to the ballclub is the same one who is manning the infield every game.
"I don't think it's ironic that the way we've performed through our first six ballgames in the second half, Jack Wilson has been in the middle of it," Tracy said. "He has played extremely well since we started the second half, in all phases of the game."
Since the All-Star break, Wilson has gone 11-for-26 (.423), with three doubles, a triple, three RBIs and seven runs scored. The stretch has also raised his average from a season-low .257 to .270.
"He's taken very good at-bats," Tracy said. "Whether they are the at-bats where we need him on base, he's played terrific, absolutely terrific."
One area where Wilson rarely drops off is in the field, where he mans the Pirates' infield from shortstop and leads the club in assists (260).
"Let's face it, he's a centerpiece on the club, and he's a centerpiece in the middle of the field defensively," Tracy said. "And he's doing everything. He's making great plays, and he's making all the routine plays."
Bautista adjusting: Learning a new position is often a difficult undertaking and, at times, one a player isn't too keen on making. Just ask Alfonso Soriano. But Jose Bautista has made a solid transition from the infield to the outfield.
Though he had spent much of his career as a third baseman, the Pirates already have an All-Star at third in Freddy Sanchez, and, therefore, Bautista has spent much of this season as the Pirates' regular center fielder.
Tracy said that considering the small amount of playing time Bautista has had at center field, let alone in the Majors overall, he's performed well.
"With as limited an amount of time as he's played out there, you don't expect perfection," Tracy said. "Overall, are you satisfied with what you're seeing from this guy? Yeah."
Despite having little experience as an outfielder, Bautista has shown himself to be capable out there and able to hold is own.
"He's made some terrific plays in center field, looks very solid in the outfield," Tracy said.
Bautista's addition to the outfield has also given Tracy a chance to utilize another strong bat in the Pirates' lineup. In his first season as an everyday player, Bautista is batting .272 with 11 home runs and 29 RBIs.
"It's given us an opportunity to send him to the plate how many more times?" Tracy said. "He's another very bright spot, in my opinion."

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