Blogs

LAS VEGAS — Odds and ends, as the first day of the Winter Meetings draws to an agonizingly slow close … · GM Neal Huntington said outfielder Brandon Moss (knee) recently had a check-up in Pittsburgh and the doctors liked what they saw. Moss should be ready for the start of spring training, although he [...]

Contrary to some reports that a deal is done, the Pirates have not yet signed minor-league free agent Chi-Hung Cheng. However, a Pirates official confirmed that negotiations are under way with the left-hander. It shouldn’t take long to wrap up the details. Cheng, 22, spent the past five seasons in the Toronto Blue Jays’ system. [...]

LAS VEGAS — According to ESPN.com, the Detroit Tigers have signed free agent shortstop Adam Everett. That’s no surprise, as earlier today they’d stopped talking trade with the Pirates about Jack Wilson Wilson said it would have been nice to play for manager Jim Leyland, whose staff includes several former Pirates coaches. “He’s a Hall [...]

LAS VEGAS — The Detroit Tigers are more likely to sign free agent Adam Everett instead of trading for Jack Wilson. That seems to have made Everett’s former employer, the Minnesota Twins, the frontrunner for Wilson. The Los Angeles Dodgers have not upped their offer for Wilson, while the Tigers’ interest has turned frigid. With [...]

Scratch free-agent Matt Clement off the list. Clement’s agent, Barry Axelrod, told me he has not spoken with the Pirates “in a long time” and has moved on to other suitors. “We’ve made significant progress with other clubs,” Axelrod said. The Pirates sniffed around Clement last year, too, but were unwilling to offer a major [...]

LAS VEGAS — I just ran into Jack Wilson and Salomon Torres in the Bellagio lobby. Usually, players stay away from the Winter Meetings, but the lure of Las Vegas has brought several — big-money free agents and lesser-known guys — to this gathering. Wilson is in town with two buddies, one of them his [...]

LAS VEGAS — The results of the Veterans Committee ballot were just announced, and none of the 10 post-1942 candidates were elected to the Hall of Fame. Former Pirates outfielder Al Oliver received nine votes (14.1 percent). The top vote-getter was Ron Santo (39 votes, 60.9 percent). A candidate needed support from 75 percent of [...]

LAS VEGAS — The last time I was here was in November 1994 to cover the Michael Moorer-George Foreman heavyweight title fight. It’s a much different town than it was then — the Bellagio, which is hosting MLB’s Winter Meetings today through Thursday, didn’t even exist the night grandpa George KO’ed Moorer. Pirates GM Neal [...]

The Pirates this afternoon dropped right-hander Jason Davis and catcher Raul Chavez from the 40-man roster. Both players were sent outright to Triple-A Indianapolis. The empty roster spots could be filled next week, when the Rule 5 draft is held on the final day of the winter meetings.

The Pirates today signed left-hander Daniel Haigwood to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Haigwood went 2-3 with one save and a 3.36 ERA in 38 games (three starts) last season for Portland, the Boston Red Sox’s Double-A affiliate. Haigwood is the fifth minor league free agent the Pirates have signed [...]