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Spring Training: Morgan/McLouth competition may not be either/or situation

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Spring Training: Morgan/McLouth competition may not be either/or situation

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Pirates management and staff often have cited this statistic this spring: 11-59.

That was the Pirates' record last season when they scored three or fewer runs in a game.

Pirates management and staff also often have mentioned this need this spring: The team has to figure out a way to score one more run per game.

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Last season, one more run meant a great deal. The Pirates were 57-35 when they scored four runs or more in a game.

Perhaps Sunday evening, as general manager Neal Huntington, manager John Russell and assorted coaches and minor-league staff met to decide on Monday's roster cuts, the group hit on an idea that could produce that much-needed extra run.

Nate McLouth and Nyjer Morgan, who all spring have competed for the starting center field job, could make the team's 25-man opening day roster and, on occasions, play in the same game.

As Huntington pointed out the other day: "They bring a different dynamic to the lineup."

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Like speed, a commodity the Pirates sorely lack.

McLouth stole 22 bases in 23 attempts last season. Morgan stole 26 bases in 33 attempts last season with Class AAA Indianapolis, then was 7 for 10 in a September cameo with the Pirates.

"Plus, Nate has some pop," Morgan said.

"I bring a little more excitement."

"There are a lot of things you can do with us two at the top of the order, which would be kind of a neat thing to see," McLouth said.

Actually, Pirates fans have seen it.

In September, the two were paired at the top of the order in nine games. Morgan always batted first and played center field, while McLouth batted second and played left or right field.

The Pirates were 4-5 in those games, but they did score 47 runs -- an average of 5.2 per game. In their other 153 games, they averaged 4.4 runs per game.

"If they can find a way to do this, shoot, let's get it," Morgan said.

Well, first things first.

Jason Bay is going to play a lot of games in left field. Xavier Nady is going to play a lot of games in right field.

Still, Bay missed some time last season because of a creaky right knee. Nady missed more time because of a troublesome left hamstring.

"Jason feels great this spring," Huntington said, "but there may not be the ability to run him out there every single day for the first month or two of the season. Xavier feels great, but he also missed significant time with his hamstring, so there may be a situation -- especially early on -- where [Russell's] able to rest Xavier.

"There are enough at-bats for Nyjer to continue his development and to continue to impact the club in a positive way."

Couple this with contact expert Freddy Sanchez batting third behind the two left-handed batting speedsters, and you have the potential to produce a run out of almost nothing.

"Absolutely," McLouth said. "Like Juan Pierre and Rafael Furcal with the Dodgers. If you have speed, a lot of holes open up when guys are running around the bases.

"It's a lot harder on defenses when they know guys are running hard and are fast. It puts a ton of pressure on them."

The idea of having McLouth and Morgan on the 25-man roster definitely is growing legs.

"If Nate wins the [starting center field] job and Nyjer's going to stay on the club, he's going to have to get enough playing time," Huntington said.

The idea, though, of the two whippets at the top of the lineup is tantalizing.

"It's a dynamic top of the lineup," Huntington said. "It's fun to watch. They're both outstanding baserunners. They both can take the extra base. They both can steal a base. They both can create runs with their legs."

Morgan, who -- the thinking was -- would play full time at Indianapolis if he didn't win the center field job with the Pirates, welcomes the opportunity to possibly contribute at the major-league level.

"I'm a positive person," Morgan said. "I bring positive energy. That's what I want to bring to this team and to this organization. I want to bring that positiveness. And hopefully we can jell and be something really special.

"As long as we come together as a team, I think everything's going to blossom real nice."Head to head



First Published: March 20, 2008, 8:00 a.m.

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