Time with Leyland and McClendon

I took in the Braves/Tigers game this evening and had a chance to spend a few seconds talking with Jim Leyland and Lloyd McClendon.

They were nothing but positive about the Pirates in 2007.

No, they wouldn't answer hard questions with point-blank answers. Nor did I expect them to, I guess. Both raved about Ian Snell, Leyland likes Bay's chances this year, and both said the LaRoche trade was a "good trade" for the Pirates. When I asked if they would rather have the closer or the middle of the order bat, they both surprisingly said the bat.

Leyland is all business and his players are all business - even in spring training. Roles in the dugout were carried out with precision, everybody's attitude was focused, and the game played like there was no tomorrow.

The team is obviously on a mission.

I sat back with some of the scouts and watched Jeremy Bonderman on the mound who looked very crisp, getting Brave after Brave to beat the ball on the ground. He was flashing a new change up one scout said and made Scott Thorman look silly in the box with it. Smoltz was flat and everything he was throwing was hittable. He took a beating.

I did manage to find out that Pirates scout Jax Roberton had scouted a couple of games earlier in the year (I'm assuming the two Astros games) but nobody has been there the rest of the year, at least not credentialed or seen.

In fact, one scout said he hasn't seen very many Pirate scouts in the circuit all spring which he said was unusual. But he was quick to add they might be focusing on trade possibilities, specific teams, or the draft, although it is a bit early.

Or maybe that is because the Pirates started using college interns to chart pitches from video this year? As one scout said, look at the Brewers last year - that doesn't work.

Interesting stuff.