BRADENTON, Fla. - For a team looking to improve what was the National League's worst bullpen last season, the Pittsburgh Pirates went shopping in the most curious of places: the Philadelphia Phillies' scrap heap.

Rather than spend money to sign or trade for a top-level closer, as the Phillies did by dealing for Billy Wagner, the low-budget Pirates watched the waiver wire, sifted through the discard pile and came up with Jose Mesa.

Yes, the same Mesa routinely blamed for all that went wrong with the Phillies a year ago, when the wild-card berth that seemed to be theirs was snatched away in September by the Florida Marlins, who went on to win the World Series.

The same Mesa whose 6.52 ERA was about four runs per game higher than most managers prefer in a closer. The same Mesa who was relegated to a setup role in September, after manager Larry Bowa determined he could no longer trust him to hold late-inning leads The same Mesa accused of showing his frustration by physically confronting a reporter following a game.

With not much money to spend after downsizing their payroll by nearly $20 million, the Pirates were forced to take chances, and Mesa would seem to be one of the biggest.

"We still think he's got something left in the tank," manager Lloyd McClendon said.

Mesa does, too, even if his 2003 statistics - 5-7, 71 hits and 31 walks allowed in 58 innings, an average of nearly 16 base runners per nine innings - would seem to suggest otherwise.

"All you want in baseball is to get your opportunity to pitch and get an opportunity to play, and I don't think we've got a bad team over here," Mesa said. "I think we can sneak up on somebody because, you know, this game's a crazy game.

"A good example is what the Marlins did last year. Nobody expected them to win and they won the whole thing. You never know what's going to happen."

Mesa isn't about to predict the Pirates, who finished 75-87 during their 11th consecutive losing season, will be this year's version of the Marlins or the 2002 Anaheim Angels.

But Mesa sees a young, solid and improving pitching staff anchored by Kip Wells and Kris Benson that could be much better than predicted, and some solid setup men in Mark Guthrie, Brian Boehringer and Juan Acevedo. And he sees an opportunity to revive his career at an age - he will be 38 in May - when many closers have retired or settled into less-stressful roles.

"So far, so good," said Mesa, unscored upon in his first seven spring appearances. "It's working out pretty good and I'm throwing my stuff the way I want it."

The Pirates didn't promise him the closer's job when they signed him two months ago, only the opportunity to compete. They were without a closer after dealing Mike Williams to the Phillies last season - Williams later succeeded Mesa as their closer - and failing to re-sign Julian Tavarez, who had 11 late-season saves a year ago.