LAKELAND, Fla. — Lloyd McClendon spent a long stretch with the Pittsburgh Pirates, including the past five years as manager, so he found it somewhat striking to see them on the other side of the field.

McClendon is the Detroit Tigers' bullpen coach, and on Sunday his new team faced in exhibition the one that fired him last September.

"I was with the club for 15 years," McClendon said of the Pirates. "Obviously, there are some good memories. Some bad. But most are very good. It's good to reminisce about that some."

He was not seen interacting with anyone involved with the Pirates, although there was plenty of that going on. Detroit's manager is Jim Leyland, the man who guided Pittsburgh to its last winning season in 1992, and its staff includes another former Pirates manager in Gene Lamont and former Pirates players in Andy Van Slyke, Don Slaught and Rafael Belliard.

Leyland and new Pittsburgh manager Jim Tracy spent a few minutes talking behind the cage during batting practice, and others exchanged greetings.

McClendon and Leyland have been friends for years, Leyland having been a fixture at Pittsburgh's PNC Park as a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals before taking the Detroit job in October. He said their relationship has not changed.

"One thing Jim always says is that we're not working for him; we're working with him," McClendon said. "He's run a great camp."

As has been the case since his firing, McClendon said nothing negative about the Pirates.

"I went into the Pirates job with my eyes wide open. I understand how things work," he said. "It's unfortunate in this business, but time ran out. I wasn't the first. I won't be the last. That's just how the game works."

McClendon's work as a bullpen coach will be the first such job of his career, but he shrugged off the change.

"It's not really that big a transition," he said. "I came up as a catcher. I've been around pitchers all my life. It's been pretty smooth. I enjoy it."

McClendon was 336-446 as the Pirates' manager, 55-81 last season at the time of his firing.

Notes: Brandon Duckworth, who entered Pittsburgh's spring training battling for one of two bullpen vacancies, has been shifted to battling for one of two spots in the rotation. He started the game Sunday. ... Shortstop Jack Wilson has not played in any of the Pirates' first four exhibitions because he had a wisdom tooth pulled. He is expected to return Monday or Tuesday. ... Victor Santos, one of six candidates vying for a spot in the rotation, will make his first spring start for the Pirates on Monday. He previously pitched in relief.