Pirates to ring in Bell era at first base
PITTSBURGH — The Pirates signed John Jaso as a free agent last December with the idea he would be a bridge to the future.
That bridge was officially crossed Monday when manager Clint Hurdle said that switch-hitting rookie Josh Bell will likely get the majority of the starts at first base for the foreseeable future.
Though Jaso had played just five innings at first base in his seven-year career, the Pirates gave him a two-year, $8-millon deal to be the starter at the position. Jaso has played much better than expected defensively by making just four errors in 91 games.
However, the former catcher/outfielder has struggled offensively after a hot start and went into Tuesday night’s game against the Houston Astros at PNC Park hitting .255 with four home runs. In his last 59 games, Jaso has batted just .195 with one homer.
The 24-year-old Bell, meanwhile, is considered one of baseball’s best prospects and was hitting .295 with 14 homers in 114 games for Class AAA Indianapolis when called up Saturday while third baseman Jung Ho Kang was placed on the 15-day disabled list.
“When we decided to call up Josh, our thought was to get him engaged in the game,” Hurdle said. “I think it’s important for us as an organization to, at the end of the season, be able to say ‘OK, this is what we feel, this is what we think Josh can bring.’ Not going into the winter, saying ‘Well, he didn’t play.’
“I spoke with John about it as well, because we are going to need some help. Josh is going to need a guy to lean upon. Who better than John, who picked the glove up and went to work with it.”
Bell needs plenty of work with the glove as the transition to first baseman from right fielder that began in instructional league following the 2014 season has not gone smoothly. He made 16 errors in 116 minor league games last season and 14 in 96 games with Indianapolis this season.
Bell made his first major league error Monday night when he misplayed a ground ball by A.J. Reed to lead off the seventh inning.
One American League scout who has watched Bell extensively this season offered a sobering review of Bell’s glove work.
“If the Pirates don’t move him off first base, he’s going to get killed,” the scout said. “He can’t catch the ball. I saw him nearly get skulled when he missed a pickoff throw. He might be as bad as the guy they just had at first base. They need to get the kid back to the outfield.”
That would be Pedro Alvarez, who was charged with a whopping 23 errors in 124 games last season. The Pirates allowed the slugger to leave as a free agent in the offseason by not tendering him a contract.
The Pirates could have an opening in the outfield next season if they trade center fielder Andrew McCutchen in the offseason, something many people around baseball expect, as he will be entering the final guaranteed year of his contract in 2017.
The Pirates could play Bell in right field to take advantage of his strong arm, shift Gregory Polanco from right field to left field and move Gold Glover Starling Marte from left field to center field.
“I love the bat,” the scout said of Bell. “He’s a switch-hitter who is going to hit .300 with power. You don’t find those guys very often.”