After making seven trades in the span of seven weeks last season, general manager Neal Huntington has done most of the heavy lifting in the Pirates' rebuilding effort. He also filled a hole at second base last month by acquiring Akinori Iwamura from Tampa Bay in a trade.
Huntington says he is more inclined to give opportunities to players already in the organization in 2009, though the Pirates have looked into adding a power-hitting free agent who might come at a bargain rate. Among those they have interest in are corner infielder Hank Blalock and outfielders Rick Ankiel and Xavier Nady.
However, Huntington would be perfectly happy to have Garrett Jones anchor the middle of the lineup as either the first baseman, left fielder or right fielder while having first basemen Jeff Clement and Steve Pearce and outfielders Lastings Milledge, Brandon Moss and Jose Tabata compete for two open jobs in spring training.
"We're always looking to improve our club and find value, whether it's on the free agent market or by trade," Huntington said. "However, we don't feel forced to make any moves. We don't any holes that absolutely have to be filled. If there is something that makes us better and makes sense, we'll do it. If not, we'll go to spring training with what we have."
Huntington said reports are not true that catcher Ryan Doumit has been actively shopped since the season ended. However, the Pirates would consider trading left-handed starter Zach Duke or closer Matt Capps if tempted by the right deal.
The Pirates are also interested in a number of second-tier and third-tier pitchers on the free agent market, including left-handed starter Noah Lowry, right-handed starters Justin Duchscherer and Kameron Loe, left-handed relievers Ron Villone and Jamey Wright and right-handed reliever J.J. Putz. They have also inquired about shortstop Bobby Crosby, who would provide insurance in the event Ronny Cedeno cannot handle playing every day.
NOTES, QUOTES
--LHP Justin Thomas and RHP Jeff Karstens were re-signed to minor league contracts and invited to major league spring training after being designated for assignment and clearing waivers. The Pirates claimed Thomas off waivers from Seattle on Oct. 30 after he went 2-4 with six saves and a 4.48 ERA in 53 relief appearances with Class AAA Tacoma last season. Karstens spent the entire 2009 season with the Pirates and was 4-6 with a 5.42 ERA in 39 games, 13 starts.
--LHP Wilfredo Ledezma was signed as a minor league free agent and invited to major league spring training. Ledezma, 28, began last season with Washington, had a 9.53 ERA in five relief appearances, then was sent to Class AAA Syracuse, where he was 0-2 with one save and a 4.19 ERA in 18 games before being released. He signed with Toronto and went a combined 1-1 with a 2.79 ERA in 11 games with high Class A Dunedin and Class AA New Hampshire. Ledezma has also pitched in the major leagues with Detroit (2003-07), Atlanta (2007), San Diego (2007-08) and Arizona (2008), compiling a 15-22 record and 5.17 ERA in 160 games, 40 starts.
--OF Jonathan Van Every, who was signed as a minor league free agent in August after being designated for assignment by Boston, was given a non-roster invitation to major league spring training. Van Every did not play in the Pirates organization last season because he underwent right knee surgery in June. Van Every, 30, went 4-for-11 (.364) with one home run and three RBIs in seven games for the Red Sox last season and hit .215 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 20 games with Class AAA Pawtucket. He also played in 11 games for Boston in 2008, and he has a .286 career batting average in the major leagues with one homer and eight RBIs.
--C Robinzon Diaz was released after being designated for assignment and clearing waivers. He hit .279 with one home run and 19 RBIs in 41 games for the Pirates last season and .262 with three homers and 15 RBIs in 44 games with Class AAA Indianapolis.
--RHP Tyler Yates has talked to the Pirates about returning on a minor league contract as he recovers from Tommy John surgery performed at All-Star break. Yates was dropped from the 40-man roster last month. He was 0-2 with a 7.50 ERA in 15 relief appearances last season after serving as the Pirates' primary setup man in 2008.
--Tyrone Brooks was hired as the director of baseball operations. He spent the past three seasons as a pro scout for Cleveland after eight years in the Atlanta organization, where he rose from area scout to baseball operations director. Kevan Graves was promoted to assistant director of baseball operations after serving as an assistant in the department since October 2008.
--Mike Basso, who spent last season managing Toronto's Class AAA Las Vegas farm club, was hired as a major league scout. Basso was San Diego's advance scout in 2000 and 2001.
BY THE NUMBERS: $35 million -- The amount of revenue-sharing money the Pirates received in 2009, according to reports by both the New York Daily News and ESPN.com.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "The effort by some to shift the debate from the real competitive balance issues in the game to the assertions low-revenue clubs are not properly utilizing revenue-sharing receipts is a canard. I can only speak for the Pirates, but we utilize all of our revenues in an effort to build a winning baseball club by investing in all aspects of the acquisition and development of players." -- Pirates president Frank Coonelly, responding to criticism by agent Scott Boras and others that small-market clubs are not using all of their revenue-sharing money to better their teams.