Feb 17, 2005 4 min read

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Scan the list of the 67 players who will report to the Pittsburgh Pirates’ spring training camp starting today, and there’s one glaring omission. No one is assigned No. 18, the number Jason Kendall wore while catching more games than any player in the franchise’s 119-season history. No doubt the Pirates wanted to spare a younger player the comparisons that would occur if he were given the number Kendall now wears for the Athletics.

Not having a No. 18 creates a break from the past for a franchise that spent each of Kendall’s nine seasons unsuccessfully chasing after its first winning season since 1992. The 12-season run of futility matches Milwaukee’s for the longest currently in the majors and is four seasons shy of the major league record set by the Phillies from 1933-48.

No matter how well Kendall played before being dealt to Oakland – and he hit .300 or better six times – it never was enough to make a winner out of a team that last had an above-.500 record when Barry Bonds was its left fielder.

“But I feel good about this club,” said Lloyd McClendon, who is in his fifth season as manager but was a Bonds teammate when the Pirates last were winners. “I’ve told people it’s the first time I don’t feel like we’ve got an Abbott and Costello skit going – you know, who’s on first and what’s on second?”

After presiding over several spring training camps that seemed more like open tryouts, McClendon welcomes back each of last season’s everyday regulars – except Kendall – and four of five starting pitchers.

The upside is the Pirates may develop some continuity after several years of relying on rent-a-players such as Reggie Sanders, Matt Stairs, Jeff Suppan and Kenny Lofton. They’ve even brought back 38-year-old closer Jose Mesa, who was supposed to be another one-and-done player a season ago.

The downside, of course, is this is nearly the same team that finished 72-89 last season, so far behind NL Central-winning St. Louis – 321/2 games – that Pittsburgh was virtually out of the division race by May.

“But this certainly is a good feeling,” McClendon said. “This is my fifth year, but it’s the first time I won’t feel like a politician, having to sell this club.”

To replace Kendall, the Pirates picked up four-time All-Star Benito Santiago, who will be 40 next month and was limited to 49 games with Kansas City last season because of a fractured hand. He’ll split time with Humberto Cota, who is expected to start about 60 games.

Jack Wilson, coming off a 201-hit season, anchors the infield at shortstop, with the promising Jose Castillo back for a second season at second base and former Mets infielder Ty Wigginton at third. Craig Wilson and Daryle Ward likely will split time at first, with Wilson also starting some games in right field.

General manager Dave Littlefield has attempted to add another outfielder even after trading for Matt Lawton, who hit 20 homers, stole 23 bases and drove in 70 runs for Cleveland. For now, Lawton is expected to start in right field and be the leadoff hitter, with NL Rookie of the Year Jason Bay in left field and either holdover Tike Redman or Rob Mackowiak in center. Former AL rookie of the year Ben Grieve is also in camp looking for a major league job.

Oliver Perez (12-10, 2.98 ERA, 239 strikeouts) is effectively the No. 1 starter only one spring after barely making the five-man rotation coming out of camp.

Also returning are right-handers Josh Fogg and Kip Wells, who will be joined by left-hander Mark Redman, the key pickup in the trade that sent Kendall to Oakland. The Pirates essentially got Lawton in that trade, since they dealt reliever Arthur Rhodes to the Indians for Lawton days after getting Rhodes from Oakland.

Redman (11-12, 4.71 ERA for Oakland) could get a boost from pitching in PNC Park, with its overly spacious left field that swallows up long fly balls by right-handed hitters.

Wells is the big question mark after being limited to 24 starts last season by a sore elbow and a circulation problem in his right hand, but is expected to be ready by opening day April 4. Among those competing for the No. 5 starter’s job are holdover Ryan Vogelsong, left-hander Dave Williams and non-roster right-hander Todd Ritchie.

If Mesa comes close to duplicating his 43-save season of a year ago, a bullpen that also includes second-year left-handers Mike Gonzalez and John Grabow and right-handers Salomon Torres and Brian Meadows could be a strength.