Pirates Are Older, Wiser--and Better

Maturity is taking on some incredibly contorted dimensions in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ clubhouse. On one wall is a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle collage, in deference to Mike LaValliere, the resident ninja-like catcher. Seated at his locker, wearing a demonic grin, is Wally Backman, whose remarkable dexterity with one of baseball’s most revered pranks -- the hotfoot -- is evoking awe from the most seasoned pranksters.

Analgesic hot balm is being applied to underwear for the purpose of searing unsuspecting flesh. Raw eggs are being broken over the heads of grown men. Young players are being forced to walk through airports wearing platform shoes.

It’s all part of a maturation process, the Pirates say. Rest assured it’s a level of dementia understood only by baseball players.

“We’ve become a very mature team,” outfielder R.J. Reynolds said. “We’re mature in a baseball sense. We’re loose, even when we lose. Guys are on each other constantly, which is good. Nobody on the team is immune.”

Recent developments have made it imperative for the Pirates to retain a sense of humor. A startlingly torrid start has been followed by a stretch that is threatening to become equally horrid.

They started 22-9, and their selfless, hero-du-jour style began drawing comparisons with the 1960 Pirates, a team that stunned baseball by excelling at such unappreciated endeavors as moving runners along and throwing strikes.

The result was a 31-day stay in first place in the National League East. They fell to second after Friday’s 9-8 loss to the Giants but regained first Saturday.

“To me, it’s just late May, and that’s it,” manager Jim Leyland said. “We aren’t even concerned with where we are in the standings.”

But if the clutch hits continue their sabbatical -- and if Walt Terrell (1-4, 5.18 earned run average) keeps getting pummeled -- some concern may be inevitable. Maybe the “Ninja Shrine” might have its rabbit’s-foot license revoked.

“No way. That’s brought us a lot of good luck,” Reynolds said. “We bring the posters on the road with us. They go everywhere we go. They’re always there for us.”

-- Center fielder Andy Van Slyke started the craze, which has escalated to the point that the Pittsburgh Press published an editorial cartoon depicting a turtle wearing a Pirates cap with the caption: “They’re young, they’re strong and they can’t be stopped. They’re Teenage Mutant Ninja Pirates.”

LaValliere is a 5-foot-10, 205-pound catcher whose build -- graciously called “sturdy” by Van Slyke -- earned him a comparison with the gluttonous crime fighters.

It is somewhat appropriate for the Pirates to ally themselves with pizza-eating, sewer-dwelling superheroes. The Bucs (almost universally called “Buccos” in these parts) are a curious mix of castoffs, retreads and young stars who have come together under unusual circumstances to perform beyond expectations.

Of several off-season deals, the free-agent signing of Backman has proved to be the most significant. After spending last year with the Minnesota Twins, the former New York Met has moved in at third base against right-handed pitchers. The move has allowed Bobby Bonilla to take his dangerous bat (.306, 12 homers, 38 RBI) and shaky glove (35 errors in 1989) to right field.

Backman, who platoons with Jeff King, is leading off and hitting .340. His tenacious nature, complete with flying helmets and expletives, has added a dash of plutonium to the team chemistry.

General manager Larry Doughty, criticized in Pittsburgh last year after taking over for Syd Thrift, used the skills he gained from a career in scouting to bring depth to the Pirates. He traded with the Yankees for catcher Don Slaught, who has hit .362 while playing against left-handers. He signed free-agent Ted Power, who has three saves in a set-up role for stopper Bill Landrum.

In March 1989, Doughty traded pitcher Brett Gideon to Montreal for Neal Heaton, who had a 61-83 record coming into this season. During the lockout, Heaton added something called a screw-knuckle-change to his fastball-fastball-fastball. He is now 7-1 with a 2.84 ERA.

Backman has garnered the most attention, mostly for his, uh, fiery approach to the game.

Reynolds’ eyes widen and his head shakes as he describes Backman’s pyromaniacal talents. If Reynolds were on the Nobel Committee, you get the feeling Backman would get at least one vote.

“He makes the best hotfoots I’ve ever seen,” Reynolds said. “He’s amazing. He takes a whole book of matches, ties them together and lights them with a cigarette. That gives it a slow burn that just sits there for a few seconds before BOOM!. It’s almost like an M-80. That’s how good they are.”

Presiding over the antics is Leyland, who doesn’t come across as the type of guy who looks upon the game of baseball as one big belly laugh.

He has been known to pore over a lineup card for up to three hours before a game. He chain smokes in the dugout, fretting over strategy decisions. More than once he has rearranged his office furniture after a loss. “He’s an emotional, intense guy,” Van Slyke said. “That’s OK, because this is an emotional game. He’s a great guy to play for, because you always know where you stand.”

Leyland’s demeanor is stern and humorless, in much the same manner as A’s manager Tony La Russa. The comparison is not random; Leyland coached under La Russa with the Chicago White Sox for four years.

“Tony without question made me a big-league manager,” Leyland said. “He didn’t make me a manager, but he made me a big-league manager.

“I don’t want to be compared with Tony La Russa, though. That’s an injustice to Tony. He’s won a world championship. I’ve won in Evansville and Lakeland.”

Pirates pitching coach Ray Miller is not conservative with his comparisons. The Baltimore Orioles’ pitching coach from 1978-85, Miller says Leyland is on a par with Earl Weaver.

“Jimmy will rip your rear end, then be the first one to say hello the next day,” Miller said. “He’s one of the fairest men in the game, just like Earl. I think he handles a team as well as Earl. He prepares as well as Earl, and I didn’t think anybody could do that.”

Preparation has been made easier this year. The Pirates were a traveling infirmary last year, when they finished 74-88. This year the only injury of note was suffered by pitcher John Smiley, who broke his pitching hand 10 days ago by slamming it in a car door.

“It was like we had three wheels last year,” Reynolds said. “We used to run out of plays, run out of moves. Now that doesn’t happen. Now we’re the guys with the versatility, and Jim knows how to use it. That’s what you need for the long haul, and we ARE in this for the long haul.”