Blogs

Before flying back to his home near Seattle, Lyle Overbay had lunch this afternoon in Pittsburgh with new manager Clint Hurdle. Overbay came away from the meeting convinced he’d made the right decision by signing a one-year, $5 million contract with the Pirates.

Pitcher Arquimedes Lorenzo, who was playing for the Pirates’ Dominican Summer League team, has been suspended 50 games for an undisclosed violation of MLB’s minor league drug treatment and prevention program. The suspension is effective at the start of next season.

Reds outfielder Jay Bruce’s six-year, $51 million contract extension helps bring Andrew McCutchen’s market value into focus. McCutchen was the 11th overall pick in 2005. Bruce was drafted 12th. McCutchen, who debuted in the majors on June 4, 2009, has 1.123 years of service time (262 games). Bruce, who debuted May 27, 2008, has 2.125 [...]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Winter Meetings ended this morning with the Pirates still engaged in talks with the Atlanta Braves about a trade for pitcher Kenshin Kawakami. The Baltimore Orioles no longer seem interested in the right-hander, which could give the Pirates the inside track.  After the Rule 5 draft, GM Neal Huntington [...]

After failing to swing trades for either J.J. Hardy or Jason Bartlett, the Pirates this morning claimed 25-year-old shortstop prospect Josh Rodriguez with the first overall pick of the Rule 5 Draft.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — When it became clear the Braves would non-tender Matt Diaz, it wasn’t hard to figure he would be a good fit with the Pirates. Corner outfielder. Reasonably priced ($2.55 million this past season). A bit of pop in the bat. Solid against lefties. Used to a platoon role. And, by [...]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The Pirates early today added some right-handed pop to their lineup by signing outfielder Matt Diaz to a two-year contract. Financial terms were not immediately available. Diaz, 32, became a free agent after being non-tendered by the Atlanta Braves. He has one year of arbitration eligibility left. This year, he [...]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Here are some quick-and -irty snippets from GM Neal Huntington’s afternoon confab with the media on Day 2 of the Winter Meetings: »»» Huntington didn’t confirm the deals with pitchers Kevin Correia and Scott Olsen — that will happen over the next few days, once their physicals are completed — [...]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Signing free agent pitchers Kevin Correia and Scott Olsen may have lessened the Pirates’ interest in trading for Braves righty Kenshin Kawakami. Atlanta is shopping Kawakami, 35, who will make $6.667 million next season in the final year of his contract. There are indications the Braves would be willing to [...]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Pitching continues to be the Pirates’ focus at the Winter Meetings, as the club is close to wrapping up a two-year deal with right-hander Kevin Correia. The contract reportedly will be worth $8 million. In 28 games (26 starts) last season with the Padres, Correia went 10-10 with a 5.40 [...]