Today kicks off Day one of the Winter Meetings held in the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas. For a preview of what the Pirates shopping list includes you can read here. Also, the Rule 5 draft is at 10 am on Thursday. For a complete list of all the eligible players you can read here.
Be sure to check back to this page daily, as I’ll continue to post on rumors on the Pirates front.
- John Perrotto reports that the Pirates have interest in veteran infielder Mark DeRosa for a minor league deal with an invite to spring training to compete for a spot at third base. DeRosa, however, wants a major league contract.
Pedro Alvarez has spent the off-season on a strict workout plan and is looking to bounce back from his 2011 season. The former first-round pick in 2008 is coming off a disappointing season where he batted just .191 over 74 games with four home runs and 19 RBI. The Pirates are looking at building a contingency plan incase he does not do what the expect of him both on and off the field.
- John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus reports that the Pirates like the idea of signing outfielder Nate McLouth because prospect Gorkys Hernandez would likely be the fourth outfielder now and they don’t feel he’s ready yet.
Hernandez, 24, finished his first full season at the Triple-A level in 2011, where he batted .283 with 48 runs, 25 doubles, nine triples, a home run, 40 RBI and 21 stolen bases. Hernandez is on the 40-man roster but did not receive a September callup. He did, however, get called to Pittsburgh to observe with the club with several other Pirates prospects.
- Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune Review reports the team will keep options open with Derrek Lee, even if he turns down arbitration according to General Manager Neal Huntington. Biertempfel tweeted, Huntington: “For us to take steps forward every year, it’s going to be our young guys who need to get better.” Meaning that the Pirates will not be making big splashes in the free agent market.
- Michael Sanserino reports that the Pirates are looking to “upgrade and deepen the outfield” and that signing a first basemen is “not a big need” according to General Manager Neal Huntington.
Earlier today, the Pirates were rumored to be interested in former bucco outfielder Nate McLouth. Despite the great rookie season by Alex Presley, the club could be looking for a left fielder that brings some more power.
Huntington told Sanserino, “We’ve got some versatility with some guys who can move around, do some different things.” If Derrek Lee declines arbitration, the bucs have several options at first base including Garrett Jones, Matt Hague, Nick Evans and Jake Fox.
- Jon Morosi reported that the Pirates are among the clubs with interest in free agent left-hander Jeff Francis.
Francis, 30, is one of the three pitchers I posted that the Pirates could be interested in on my winter meetings post. Francis went 6-16 with a 4.82 ERA over 31 starts with the Kansas City Royals in 2011. He walked 39 batters while striking out 91 over 183 innings. Over parts of seven seasons in the Majors, Francis has posted a 4.78 ERA.
*** Michael Sanserino of the Post-Gazette reports that an industry source claims the Pirates interest in Francis is “inaccurate.”
- Michael Sanserino of the Post-Gazette reports that the Pirates hope that first baseman Derrek Lee will either accept arbitration with the club or accept a negation deal.
Lee has until midnight on Wednesday whether to accept or decline arbitration. Lee appeared in 28 games with Pittsburgh where he posted a .337 avg, seven home runs and 18 RBI.
- Jon Morosi reported last night that the Pirates have interest in bringing back outfielder Nate McLouth.
The Pirates have locks in the outfield at right and center with Jose Tabata and Andrew McCutchen. It is still unclear whether the Bucs are comfortable with Alex Presley as their everyday left fielder. He finished the 2011 season with a .298 avg, 27 runs, 12 doubles, six triples, four home runs, 20 RBI and nine stolen bases in 52 games. The club could be looking for an option as a backup outfielder if they do not tender a contract to Garrett Jones.
McLouth, 30, was drafted by Pittsburgh in the 25th round of the 2000 draft. He made his Major League debut with the Pirates in 2005 and played in Pittsburgh until the summer of 2009 when he was traded to the Atlanta Braves for pitchers Charlie Morton, Jeff Locke and outfielder Gorkys Hernandez.
McLouth played in 85 games with Atlanta in 2010, 81 last season, where he batted .249 with 35 runs, 12 doubles, three triples, four home runs, four stolen bases and 16 RBI. McLouth was named to the All-Star team in 2008 when he had his best year professionally. He finished with a .276 clip, 113 runs, 46 doubles, 26 homers, 94 RBI and 23 stolen bases.
Photo credit: Yahoo! Sports
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