Pirates’ management needs to shape up

Five days from now, Steve Pearce will be back on the Pirates roster when September call-ups… Five days from now, Steve Pearce will be back on the Pirates roster when September call-ups begin. The problem is that he never should have left it. But he did when Doug Mientkiewicz was activated from the bereavement list on Friday. Pearce was optioned back to AAA Indianapolis and promised a return trip when the rosters expand. For a franchise in which wins actually mean less than losses in August and September, this is flat-out wrong. Pearce, a right fielder who came through the minors as a first baseman, didn’t exactly knock baseballs into the Allegheny River on a consistent basis in his Pittsburgh cameo thus far in 2008. In 58 at-bats Pearce sports a .224 average, with no home runs and seven RBIs. It doesn’t exactly evoke memories of Willie Stargell, Barry Bonds or heck, even the recently departed Jason Bay. So why all the hubbub? Last year, Pearce emerged as a top prospect with one of the most ridiculous seasons in modern Pirates minor league history. He started 2007 in single-A but rocketed through AA and AAA en route to a September call-up to Pittsburgh. The overall minor league statistics: a .333 average, 31 home runs, 113 RBIs and only 70 strikeouts in 487 combined at-bats in three minor league levels. These numbers were so impressive that Pearce was named the Minor League Baseball Offensive Player of the Year. Not too shabby. Last September, Pearce batted .294 in 68 Pirate at-bats but also failed to notch a home run. In fact, the biggest criticism of his major league play to date has been his lack of power, a calling card throughout his career. Pearce requires playing time in Pittsburgh to see if he’s the real deal or the next failed prospect. Even though his demotion would only last about a week, it sends a message to him that the Pirates aren’t pleased with his production so far. But this isn’t consistent with the new franchise philosophy of the past month, which has shown signs of progress for a team headed for its record-tying 16th straight losing campaign. General manager Neal Huntingdon began his rebuilding crusade at the trading deadline July 31, dealing stars Bay, Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte for eight young players. This was absolutely necessary to jumpstart the barren minor league system, while also infusing the major league club with talents such as outfielder Brandon Moss and third baseman Andy LaRoche. Then, Huntingdon passed his second test: the draft-signing period, which ended Aug. 15. He inked top-pick Pedro Alvarez (a Scott Boras client) and signed high-upside selections by spending more money than Pittsburgh usually does on the draft. Both Moss and LaRoche entered the starting lineup and have stayed there except for slight injuries. Adding to that, manager John Russell said that Pearce would be the regular right fielder after Nady was traded to the New York Yankees. This didn’t happen. Pearce started only 15 of Pittsburgh’s first 23 games after the Nady deal, despite being totally healthy. His at-bats were given to veteran Jason Michaels, a fine backup outfielder, but no starter, particularly on a club that is looking to the future. Not only that, but Michaels likely won’t be a Pirate next season. He would make nearly $3 million to be a fourth outfielder, and there is no way he would start. The Pirates have Nate McLouth, Moss, Pearce, Nyjer Morgan and top prospects Andrew McCutchen and Jose Tabata as outfield options. McLouth was sick last week, so management chose to keep Morgan in Pittsburgh to play centerfield over Pearce. But Michaels has experience in center, and he could’ve played there. Moss and LaRoche have remained everyday mainstays in the Pirates lineup and played there while Pearce received at-bats in right field, despite initial struggles that appear worse than Pearce’s. Through Monday night, Moss was batting .237 as a Bucco, but with four home runs. LaRoche has been nothing short of ugly since joining his brother Adam in Pittsburgh. He was 0 for his last 23 through Monday night, with a .129 batting average and two home runs. Pearce hasn’t shown the power, but he did record three game-winning RBI’s in his starting stint. He has nothing left to prove in the minors. I’m not sure who is to blame for the current mishandling of Pearce because management has strictly stuck to its rebuilding plan in almost every other fashion since taking over before the season. It’s only a blip on its record, but one that needs to be corrected immediately. Even if Pearce eventually fails, he’s earned the shot to start and to start now. I sure hope he gets that shot for good in September and 2009.