BPS3akaWirels3
02-15-2011, 05:49 PM
Offseason In Review: Pittsburgh Pirates (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/02/offseason-in-review-pittsburgh-pirates.html)
Kevin Correia (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/correke01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), SP: two years, $8MM (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/pirates-to-sign-kevin-correia.html). Club cannot offer arbitration after 2012 season.
Lyle Overbay (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/overbly01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), 1B: one year, $5MM (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/pirates-sign-lyle-overbay.html).
Matt Diaz (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/diazma02.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), OF: two years, $4.25MM (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/pirates-to-sign-matt-diaz.html).
Scott Olsen (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/olsensc01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), SP: one year, $500K (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/pirates-reach-agreement-with-scott-olsen-1.html).
Total spend: $17.75MM.
Notable Minor League Signings
Joe Beimel (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/beimejo01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Jose Veras (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/verasjo01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Andy Marte (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martean01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Josh Fields (http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?search=Josh+Fields&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Garrett Atkins (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/atkinga01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Justin Thomas (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/thomaju01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Dusty Brown (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/browndu01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Fernando Nieve (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/nievefe01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Donald Veal (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vealdo01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Tyler Yates (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/yatesty01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Brian Burres (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/burrebr01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Jorge Julio (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/juliojo01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Wyatt Toregas (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/toregwy01.shtml)
Trades and Claims
Acquired (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/pirates-acquire-valdez-from-dbacks-to-complete-duke-trade.html) SP Cesar Valdez (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/valdece01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker) from Diamondbacks for SP Zach Duke (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dukeza01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker)
Claimed (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/2010-rule-5-draft-results.html) SS Josh Rodriguez (http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker&id=rodrig033jos) from Indians in Rule 5 draft
Acquired (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/pirates-as-swap-minor-leaguers.html) IF/OF Corey Wimberly (http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker&id=wimber001cor) from Athletics for RP Ryan Kelly (http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker&id=kelly-012wil)
Claimed (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/pirates-claim-aaron-thompson-dfa-ledezma.html) P Aaron Thompson (http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?search=Aaron+Thompson&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker) off waivers from Nationals
Acquired (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/01/indians-acquire-joe-martinez.html) a player to be named later or cash considerations for P Joe Martinez (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martijo07.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker)
Notable Losses
Zach Duke (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dukeza01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Lastings Milledge (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/millela02.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Andy LaRoche (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/larocan01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Delwyn Young (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/youngde04.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Chan Ho Park (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/parkch01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Wil Ledezma (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/ledezwi01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Joe Martinez (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martijo07.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker)
The Pirates ramped up their free agent spending this offseason, adding three significant big league contracts and plenty of interesting players on minor league deals for new manager Clint Hurdle. GM Neal Huntington also cut ties with a trio of disappointing arbitration eligible players in Duke, Milledge, and LaRoche.
Though the signing did not generate national headlines, the Correia deal was significant for the Pirates franchise. It had been 12 years since the Bucs signed a domestic free agent pitcher to a multiyear deal. Why take this leap for 2011? Correia is a sleeper, a relatively young righty who can get groundballs and hopefully supply 200 innings. If he can regain his '09 form, he'll step in as the staff leader as Paul Maholm (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/maholpa01.shtml)'s Pirates tenure winds down.
The Pirates' 2011 rotation could feature Correia, Olsen, and James McDonald (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcdonja03.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), all recent additions. Duke is gone, and while Maholm is penciled in he's probably trade bait. Huntington took over as Pirates GM in September of 2007, and for all his machinations over the last three-plus years he hasn't brought in any decent Major League starting pitching aside from Ross Ohlendorf (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ohlenro01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker). Plus, the Pirates overestimated what they had by giving multiyear deals to Maholm and Ian Snell (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/snellia01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker). The next two waves of starting pitching must transform the Pirates, with McDonald, Bryan Morris (http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker&id=morris001ave), Rudy Owens (http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker&id=owens-001rud), and Jeff Locke (http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker&id=locke-001jef) in the near-term and Jameson Taillon (http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=taillo001jam), Stetson Allie (http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=allie-001ste), and Luis Heredia further down the road.
The Pirates had to overpay a bit to secure Overbay and Diaz, though both veterans have limited upside. In the best case Overbay hits like he did over the season's final four months (.261/.351/.458) and a Diaz/Garrett Jones (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jonesga02.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker) right field platoon plays to each player's strength. I can't envision either Overbay or Diaz being flipped for anything significant, so these might be respectability signings. Those types of acquisitions haven't worked out well for the Pirates, with Akinori Iwamura (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/i/iwamuak01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker) and Ramon Vazquez (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vazqura01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker) coming to mind.
I'm more intrigued by the Pirates' minor deals. Beimel and Veras should augment the bullpen at minimal commitments, while Marte, Fields, and Atkins were all highly-regarded third basemen in years past. The Pirates didn't have success trying to upgrade over Ronny Cedeno (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cedenro02.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker) at shortstop, though they reportedly checked in on J.J. Hardy (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hardyjj01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Jason Bartlett (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bartlja01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), and Brendan Ryan (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ryanbr01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker). Rule 5 pick Rodriguez should have a big league future, whether at shortstop or second base. Anything Valdez provides is a plus, since the Bucs were set to non-tender Duke anyway.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/pittsburgh_pirates/index.html
Kevin Correia (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/correke01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), SP: two years, $8MM (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/pirates-to-sign-kevin-correia.html). Club cannot offer arbitration after 2012 season.
Lyle Overbay (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/overbly01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), 1B: one year, $5MM (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/pirates-sign-lyle-overbay.html).
Matt Diaz (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/diazma02.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), OF: two years, $4.25MM (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/pirates-to-sign-matt-diaz.html).
Scott Olsen (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/olsensc01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), SP: one year, $500K (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/pirates-reach-agreement-with-scott-olsen-1.html).
Total spend: $17.75MM.
Notable Minor League Signings
Joe Beimel (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/beimejo01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Jose Veras (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/verasjo01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Andy Marte (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martean01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Josh Fields (http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?search=Josh+Fields&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Garrett Atkins (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/atkinga01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Justin Thomas (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/thomaju01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Dusty Brown (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/browndu01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Fernando Nieve (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/nievefe01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Donald Veal (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vealdo01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Tyler Yates (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/yatesty01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Brian Burres (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/burrebr01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Jorge Julio (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/juliojo01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Wyatt Toregas (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/toregwy01.shtml)
Trades and Claims
Acquired (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/pirates-acquire-valdez-from-dbacks-to-complete-duke-trade.html) SP Cesar Valdez (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/valdece01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker) from Diamondbacks for SP Zach Duke (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dukeza01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker)
Claimed (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/2010-rule-5-draft-results.html) SS Josh Rodriguez (http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker&id=rodrig033jos) from Indians in Rule 5 draft
Acquired (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/pirates-as-swap-minor-leaguers.html) IF/OF Corey Wimberly (http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker&id=wimber001cor) from Athletics for RP Ryan Kelly (http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker&id=kelly-012wil)
Claimed (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/pirates-claim-aaron-thompson-dfa-ledezma.html) P Aaron Thompson (http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?search=Aaron+Thompson&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker) off waivers from Nationals
Acquired (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/01/indians-acquire-joe-martinez.html) a player to be named later or cash considerations for P Joe Martinez (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martijo07.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker)
Notable Losses
Zach Duke (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dukeza01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Lastings Milledge (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/millela02.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Andy LaRoche (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/larocan01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Delwyn Young (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/youngde04.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Chan Ho Park (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/parkch01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Wil Ledezma (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/ledezwi01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Joe Martinez (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martijo07.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker)
The Pirates ramped up their free agent spending this offseason, adding three significant big league contracts and plenty of interesting players on minor league deals for new manager Clint Hurdle. GM Neal Huntington also cut ties with a trio of disappointing arbitration eligible players in Duke, Milledge, and LaRoche.
Though the signing did not generate national headlines, the Correia deal was significant for the Pirates franchise. It had been 12 years since the Bucs signed a domestic free agent pitcher to a multiyear deal. Why take this leap for 2011? Correia is a sleeper, a relatively young righty who can get groundballs and hopefully supply 200 innings. If he can regain his '09 form, he'll step in as the staff leader as Paul Maholm (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/maholpa01.shtml)'s Pirates tenure winds down.
The Pirates' 2011 rotation could feature Correia, Olsen, and James McDonald (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcdonja03.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), all recent additions. Duke is gone, and while Maholm is penciled in he's probably trade bait. Huntington took over as Pirates GM in September of 2007, and for all his machinations over the last three-plus years he hasn't brought in any decent Major League starting pitching aside from Ross Ohlendorf (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ohlenro01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker). Plus, the Pirates overestimated what they had by giving multiyear deals to Maholm and Ian Snell (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/snellia01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker). The next two waves of starting pitching must transform the Pirates, with McDonald, Bryan Morris (http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker&id=morris001ave), Rudy Owens (http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker&id=owens-001rud), and Jeff Locke (http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker&id=locke-001jef) in the near-term and Jameson Taillon (http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=taillo001jam), Stetson Allie (http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=allie-001ste), and Luis Heredia further down the road.
The Pirates had to overpay a bit to secure Overbay and Diaz, though both veterans have limited upside. In the best case Overbay hits like he did over the season's final four months (.261/.351/.458) and a Diaz/Garrett Jones (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jonesga02.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker) right field platoon plays to each player's strength. I can't envision either Overbay or Diaz being flipped for anything significant, so these might be respectability signings. Those types of acquisitions haven't worked out well for the Pirates, with Akinori Iwamura (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/i/iwamuak01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker) and Ramon Vazquez (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vazqura01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker) coming to mind.
I'm more intrigued by the Pirates' minor deals. Beimel and Veras should augment the bullpen at minimal commitments, while Marte, Fields, and Atkins were all highly-regarded third basemen in years past. The Pirates didn't have success trying to upgrade over Ronny Cedeno (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cedenro02.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker) at shortstop, though they reportedly checked in on J.J. Hardy (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hardyjj01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), Jason Bartlett (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bartlja01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker), and Brendan Ryan (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ryanbr01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker). Rule 5 pick Rodriguez should have a big league future, whether at shortstop or second base. Anything Valdez provides is a plus, since the Bucs were set to non-tender Duke anyway.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/pittsburgh_pirates/index.html