-P- The Pirates have activated Freddy Sanchez from the DL and have sent Ryan Doumit to Indianapolis, where he'll start at catcher.
It's great to have Sanchez back, but I really don't understand the Doumit decision. First, how is it that he has options? Obviously he does, but wasn't he supposed to have been of options after the 2005 season?
Second, how does this help the major league team? My answer is that it doesn't. Why do the Pirates need to have both Jose Castillo and Don Kelly on the team as backup infielders? Kelly can't hit at all and Castillo arguably can't either, so why not just send Kelly down and use Doumit as a pinch-hitter and spot-starter?
Third, what exactly do the Pirates want Doumit to be? Remember, he's not particularly young, so it's hard to understand why he needs time in the minors to play a position where the Pirates have no spot for him. And if he's a catcher, why in the world didn't the Pirates do this last year instead of having Doumit learn first base on the fly at the major-league level?
The Pirates seem to have no plan for Doumit, and now it's too late to make one. Just keep him on the team and let him do what he does. At the very least, it would mean we won't have to watch Don Kelly try to hit anymore.