TORONTO -- At first glance, the numbers indicate that Matt Stairs didn't get much accomplished during his seven-game injury-rehabilitation assignment at Class AAA Nashville.
Stairs had just three hits in 18 at-bats, two of which were home runs. But Stairs, who was activated from the disabled list before the Pirates' game Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays, said his time spent in the minors was worth it.
"My main object was to see a lot of pitches, and I thought I did that," Stairs said. "In one game, I was 0 for 2 with two walks and saw 22 pitches. That was important."
Stairs, who missed three weeks with an injured right ring finger, displayed a patient approach. He drew seven walks, was hit by two pitches and had a .444 on-base percentage.
"Usually, you don't see guys go down for eight days on rehab," Stairs said. "But I think I got the most out of it."
Manager Lloyd McClendon didn't waste any time putting Stairs to work. Stairs batted seventh and was the designated hitter last night for the Pirates' interleague series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays.
"We need to get him back hitting like we know he can," McClendon said.
That wasn't happening prior to Stairs' injury. He was batting .185 with one homer and five RBI in 37 games.
Stairs, however, was hoping a return to his native country would get him untracked. Stairs was born in New Brunswick and played for the Canadian Olympic team. With 38 games, he will become the 11th Canadian to play 1,000 games in the major leagues. His 157 career homers are third behind Larry Walker (340) and Jeff Heath (194) among all Canadian players.
"I've had some success hitting here," Stairs said. "I know the pitchers in this league better. They have a good batters' eye here. I hope I can swing the bat well and get things going again."
Stairs nearly signed with the Blue Jays in the off-season before signing a one-year, $900,000 contract with the Pirates. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who are the next opponent on this interleague road swing, were the other team interested in signing Stairs.
BACK TO NASHVILLE
McClendon would like to see Rob Mackowiak continue to serve a superutility role at Nashville. Mackowiak, who was batting .183, was optioned to the minors Sunday to make room for Stairs' return to the roster. Mackowiak can play all three outfield positions as well as third and second base.
"He needs to go and get some at-bats," McClendon said. "We still feel he's a major-league player, but we couldn't get enough at-bats for him here."
McClendon doesn't think the Pirates have seen the last of Mackowiak, who hit 16 homers in limited playing time last year but had only one this season.
"He's a tough kid; he'll bounce back," he said. "The guy never found his groove. When (Kenny) Lofton got it going, it was really hard to get him out there. This is the best for him."
Mackowiak had been the Pirates' emergency catcher even though he never got into a game. Adam Hyzdu and Abraham Nunez will share the emergency designation with Mackowiak gone. Hyzdu worked out with the catchers in spring training two years ago. Nunez has warmed up pitchers in the bullpen during the spring.
With Mackowiak joining Nashville, right-hander Justin Reid has been transferred to the Class A Williamsport roster.
BLISTERING PACE
Right-hander Kip Wells threw his scheduled sideline session yesterday, the first time he tested the recurring blister on his right middle finger since his start Saturday in Atlanta.
The blister limited the number of sliders Wells threw against the Braves, and he didn't throw any in his bullpen session yesterday.
"I didn't really need to," Wells said. "That can wait."
Wells expects to make his start Friday night at Tampa Bay. If the problem returns, he could be pushed back until later in the weekend series.
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
The visit to Toronto was the first for the Pirates since the 1992 spring training when they played a two-game series at SkyDome. But anyone who played on that team can't help but think that the Pirates should have returned that October.
The Pirates were in line to face the Blue Jays in the World Series, but Francisco Cabrera's hit ruined that matchup. Someone asked McClendon, a member of the '92 Pirates, if he thinks about the World Series that never was.
"All the time," he said.
Bob Walk said Sunday on the TV broadcast that he has gotten over the pain of that Game 7 NLCS loss to the Braves. Has McClendon?
"No," he said. "It doesn't hurt as much anymore. It still hurts, just not as much."
CASTILLO HURT
Second baseman Jose Castillo, the top hitting prospect in the Pirates farm system, suffered a badly sprained right ankle Monday while sliding into second base. Castillo did not play Tuesday and could miss up to a week because of the injury.
Castillo was 2 for 4 Monday and is batting .277 with two homers and 26 RBI in 58 games.
FIRST LOSS
It took 28 professional games, but pitching prospect Alex Hart finally lost his first decision. Hart, a right-hander from the University of Florida, was taken by the Pirates in the fifth round of the 2002 draft. He was 7-0 in 15 games last year and 7-0 this season at Class A Hickory before dropping a 3-1 decision Monday to Charleston, S.C.
IN THE FOLD
The Pirates have signed 22nd-round draft pick Brett Holmes, the grandson of former Pirates player, coach and manager Bill Virdon. Holmes, 22, is a center fielder from Auburn-Montgomery. He is the eighth Pirates draft pick out of 50 to come to terms.
