PITTSBURGH -- Ryan Church signed with the Pirates to help build a better clubhouse, not tear it down. As far as I can remember, he has always been an Us and We guy, anyway. He's not the kind to whine his way to the head of the line or lobby behind the scenes to get there.

So if Church won't say it, then I'll say it for him. The Pirates need him in the line-up against right-handers on a regular basis, and they need it to happen before the start of a crucial 10-game road trip later this week.

Here's why: At a time when the team has a chance to take a large step forward in a crummy division, a line-up that has Church in right field and Garrett Jones at first base provides the best chance to be successful against righties especially.

For one, the switch improves the infield team defense, which is no small consideration for a staff that throws a lot of groundballs. Church is an upgrade Jones in right field, his natural position, and Jones is an upgrade over Clement at first base, his natural position.

More important, Church provides a better option in the sixth spot in the batting order, where Clement has been unproductive this season. Church also can move up to the fifth position if necessary.

“I feel great, yeah,” he told me earlier this week. “I'm always ready. You never want one of your guys to fail, but when I get a chance, I have to show what I can do, get quality AB's and help this team win games.”

Church found his groove in the final week of spring training. Despite only 16 at-bats in the first 13 games of the season, he still hasn't lost it. Church took a .438 batting average into the game on Wednesday night, and he totaled one more RBI (four) than Clement in less than half as many at-bats.

“You have to give looks to other people. That's just how it is,” Church said. “It's a business. I've said it from Day One that I expect to be in the line-up, and if I'm not, my mindset is that I will be later in the game.”

True, a veteran such as Church makes for a great option on the in the late innings. Given the lack of run-producers up and down the roster, though, isn't it better to have him bat four or five times every game than once or twice?

In no way does this mean the Clement experiment at first base has been a failure. Far from it. I don't doubt that Clement can play at this level. It's just that he has yet to prove that he can do it every day and do it against left-handers and do them right now.

Clement has done everything that has been asked of him in the field, where he has been adequate to his credit. But in order to be a plus player, he has to hit consistently. For any number of reasons, he hasn't done much of that this spring.

Worse yet, Clement has started to press the last few days. At his best, he's a disciplined hitter that doesn't give up at-bats, but his strike zone has expanded lately. He has been eaten up by inside stuff at times. He also has hit into some tough outs the last two weeks. But at some point, this will have to be more a positive result and less about a good approach at the plate.

Who knows? Maybe Clement could take a deep breath, deliver a few hits off the bench and return to the line-up before we know it.

“Jeff has hit the ball hard at times but right at people,” Church said. “The main thing is for him not to push, not to force it. He can't get down on himself. He's too good to hit .100 the whole time. It's gonna happen. If I see something, I'll try to help him out any way that I can.”

Here's one vote for leadership by example.