The combination of a slow-healing injury, the cold weather and a short bench added up to a trip to the 15-day disabled list Wednesday for Pirates second baseman Pokey Reese.
Reese, bothered by a strained right hamstring, was replaced on the roster by infielder Mendy Lopez, who had been rehabilatating a fractured right thumb at extended spring training. Lopez also was added to the team's 40-man roster.
Reese hasn't played since Friday night when he aggravated his hamstring injury while stumbling out of the batter's box. He will be eligible to return May 5 when the Pirates are in San Diego.
"If we asked him to play, he probably could go out and play," Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said. "That's not the right thing to do. We've got to get this behind him."
With Reese out of the lineup, McClendon plans to use Abraham Nunez, Mike Benjamin, Rob Mackowiak and Lopez at second base.
Reese has been bothered by hamstring soreness since spring training. Given the chilly weather conditions and the fact that the Pirates are one player short because of Aramis Ramirez's suspension, it was decided that another healthy body was needed on the roster.
"It's the right decision," said Reese, who estimated that his hamstring is 80 percent healthy. "The weather is bad, and the weather (next week) in Colorado could be bad. When it warms up in San Diego, hopefully, I'll warm up, too."
Lopez, 28, technically was called up from Class AAA Nashville. But he spent the first three weeks of the season in Bradenton, Fla., recovering from a broken right thumb. He fractured it March 14 in a spring training game against the Kansas City Royals.
Until the injury, Lopez had a good chance of winning a utility spot on the Pirates, batting .316 in 12 games.
Lopez, who continues to wear a bandage over his thumb, was preparing to drive to Nashville on Tuesday when Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield called and told him to sit tight.
"I waited a month to come back," Lopez said. "I figured what was one more day."
Lopez, 28, batted .233 in 22 games with the Pirates last season, was removed from the 40-man roster and then re-signed as a minor-leaguefree agent after an impressive winter league season.
"There are guys with lesser ability playing in the big leagues," Littlefield said.
ANOTHER TIMETABLE FOR BENSON
The newest plan for Kris Benson's injury-rehabilitation assignment includes a start with Class AA Altoona at Reading on May 7.
Benson, who was summoned from his rehab assignment Saturday due to discomfort in his right forearm, will start for Nashville this Saturday and again May 2 at Oklahoma. With Nashville then heading to the west coast, Benson will report to Altoona.
"We think he needs to make at least three more starts," Littlefield said.
If Benson returns to the Pirates after his start with Altoona, he could make his 2002 debut either May 12 against the Houston Astros or May 13 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Littlefield said he wants to schedule a face-to-face meeting with infielder Pat Meares and his agent, Steve Comte, so a decision can be reached about Meares' future.
The Pirates want Meares to have a second surgery on his injured left hand. Meares recently was advised against having another operation by a hand specialist from the University of Massachusetts Medical Center.
"It's too early to speculate on where it will all go and what the timetable is," Littlefield said. "As I've stated many times, we want to get Pat Meares back on the field healthy. That is the root of the whole situation."
The two sides appear to be at a stalemate, with Meares thinking a second surgery could leave his hand weaker than it already is.
"We're not trying to force Pat Meares into a surgery if he doesn't want to have surgery," Littlefield said. "We have a doctor whose opinion is he could be a better hitter if he has surgery. It's reasonable to think we should look into that."
EXTRA BASES
Nashville will be without center fielder Tike Redman for 6-8 weeks. Redman fractured a hamate bone in his right hand. … The time of the May 6 game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Bank One Ballpark has been changed from 9:35 p.m. to 10:05 p.m. to accomodate ESPN. … Catcher Jason Kendall caught his 787th game last night, tying him with Tony Pena for third place on the franchise's all-time list. He trails Manny Sanguillen (1,037 games) and George Gibson (1,113). … Pitchers Adrian Burnside, Neal McDade and Chris Spurling combined to throw the first no-hitter in Altoona history on Monday night. Burnside pitched five innings and walked six batters before being removed because of a high pitch count. McDade pitched three innings and Spurling worked the ninth.
