Notebook
Pirates lacking production at the top from Redman PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Pirates’ offense never has gotten going this season, partly because leadoff hitter Tike Redman hasn’t.
Redman had only one walk and a .238 on-base percentage through the Pirates’ first 18 games, a key reason why the team went into Wednesday night’s game against Houston leading the NL with a .294 average but tied for 12th in scoring.
It’s a turnaround from the final two months of last season. With Redman getting a league-leading 76 hits from Aug. 1 on, the Pirates’ offense picked up even after they traded Brian Giles, Aramis Ramirez and Randall Simon.
The Pirates didn’t expect Redman to hit .330, as he did last season, but his limited production has meant that shortstop Jack Wilson is often batting with no one on base.
“It’s one of the reasons we haven’t scored a lot of runs,” manager Lloyd McClendon said. “We’ve had guys hitting, but we haven’t had guys hitting with runners in scoring position. If you don’t get the leadoff guy on and you’re hitting with one or two outs, it’s tougher to score those runs. Tike needs to jump-start things for us.”
PETTITTE VS. PIRATES: Left-hander Andy Pettitte (strained left elbow) comes off the disabled list Thursday to make his first start since April 6 and only his second for Houston. It will also be his first career start against Pittsburgh.
Raul Mondesi and Chris Stynes are the only Pirates hitters to face Pettitte in games that count, though many have opposed him during spring training.
Pettitte, 31, was 21-8 for the Yankees last season and is 149-79 during his career.
“All you can do is watch film, listen to the scouting report, be aggressive and get strikes to hit,” McClendon said. “Obviously, the deeper you go into the count against this guy, the better he is.”
McClendon said Pettitte’s changeup probably is the best for a left-handed starter in the majors.
“Most of the outstanding left-handers we’ve faced, like Randy Johnson, are power-type guys. They don’t have the quality changeup this guy has,” McClendon said. “His command is just outstanding, and he cuts it in and sinks it away. He’s got a good curveball, he’s got everything. He’s a big-time winner.”
Pettitte pitched in an extended spring training game Friday, then threw bullpen sessions Sunday in Denver and Tuesday in Pittsburgh.
Pettitte noted that the Astros have averaged more than 12 runs in the games he would have started, with Jared Fernandez (one start) and Brandon Duckworth (two starts) starting in his place.
Pirates right-hander Kip Wells, who opposes Pettitte, is 2-3 with a 5.24 ERA in six career starts against Houston. He was 1-0 with a 4.38 ERA in two starts last season.
ASTROS-PIRATES NOTES: Pirates C Humberto Cota’s homer Sunday against the Reds was estimated at 458 feet, making it one of the longest since PNC Park opened in 2001. Manager Lloyd McClendon said, “I don’t know if he has upper-deck power, but he has into-the-seats power.” … Triple-A Nashville C J.R. House hit his second grand slam in six days Tuesday in a 5-3 victory against Oklahoma. … The Astros had nearly three days off, a mini-All-Star break, before playing the Pirates on Wednesday night. They played an afternoon game Sunday against Colorado, had Monday off, then got an unscheduled day off when Tuesday’s game was called because of cold weather. … Astros 2B Jeff Kent returned to the lineup Wednesday after sitting out two games with a sore right quadriceps, though he pinch-hit Sunday. … RHP Ricky Stone (1-0, 10.80 ERA) could be sent to Triple-A when Pettitte is activated. … Astros RHP Tim Redding will start Sunday against the Reds after missing his scheduled turn Tuesday. … Astros RHP Roger Clemens (4-0, 2.05 ERA) didn’t accompany the Astros to Pittsburgh, just as he missed an earlier trip to Milwaukee. He is allowed to skip trips on which he is not scheduled to pitch. Clemens starts Friday against the Reds in Houston.