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Wilson's return can't come soon enough for Bucs
Yes, Wilson's return sometime within the next couple of days will bolster the Pirates' defense. Pittsburgh has been woeful defensively this season, and the biggest problem has been at shortstop.
Ever since Wilson's injury April 3, Pirates' manager John Russell has used the trio of Brian Bixler, Luis Rivas and Chris Gomez at short. And the results have not been pretty. Those three have combined for 13 errors at the most important position defensively in the infield and none has stood out enough to earn the bulk of the playing time.
Rivas was supposed to be the one to fill in sufficiently if anything happened to Wilson. A non-roster invitee to spring training this season, Rivas earned his way onto the 25-man roster with exceptional defense and enough offense to get by.
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Offensively he hasn't done much either, batting .212 with no home runs and four RBI.
Bixler is viewed by the organization as the shortstop of the future and, at 24, seems to have a productive major-league career ahead of him. When Wilson went down, Bixler was called up and has done better of late after a very shaky start.
It was clear early on Bixler was nervous, tentative and a bit in over his head. He has settled down recently, but has six errors and his .955 fielding percentage is last among regular National League shortstops.
Bixler, like Rivas, hasn't shown much pop at the plate. He entered Saturday's game with a .175 average, no home runs and two RBI.
Gomez was seen as a last resort at shortstop, but with the inadequacy of Bixler and Rivas, he has seen more time at shortstop in recent weeks.
A 15-year veteran who turns 37 next month, Gomez clearly doesn't have enough range or arm strength to be an everyday shortstop. He has made three errors in 12 games and has a .943 fielding percentage. But, he is a smart player who puts himself in good position to make the routine plays.
Gomez has been the most productive hitter of the three, with a .316 average, no home runs and 12 RBI.
Wilson when he returns, will give the Pirates better defense and offense at shortstop.
He has a career .977 fielding percentage. Wilson also has excellent range and has earned the nickname "Jumpin' Jack Flash" due to some of his defensive heroics.
Though he is a .268 career hitter, Wilson has hit better in recent years. His best season was 2004 when he had 201 hits and batted .308 and won the National League's Silver Slugger award for shortstops. Last season, he batted a very respectable .296 with a career-high 12 home runs and 56 RBI.
It will take Wilson a little while to get his offensive stroke back, so he may not jump-start the Pirates' offense, which entered Saturday's game with a .251 average, good for 13th best in the league.
What the Pirates are hoping is that he can stabilize the defense, which has made a major-league worst 45 errors.
There is no doubt that horrific defensive play has cost the Pirates a number of games this season. There is no guarantee Wilson's return will turn the Pirates into a winner, but it will give them a much better chance.
Doug Street can be reached at dstreet@observer-reporter.com.
