PiratesReport.com

Pirates Sign Left Hander to Minor League Deal

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed left-handed pitcher Doug Slaten to a minor league contract, which includes an invitation to spring training. Slaten, who will be 32 years old on Feb. 4, posted a 2.19 ERA (12.1ip/3er) in 22 games with Washington last year through June 3. He then missed nearly three months of the season with left elbow ulnar neuritis before returning to the active roster in September. In 31 total games with the Nationals in 2011, Slaten went 0-2 with a 4.41 ERA (16.1ip/8er). The 6'5" lefthander was originally selected by Arizona in the 17th round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft and made his big league debut with the Diamondbacks in 2006. He spent 10 years in the Arizona organization before being claimed off waivers by Washington on November 4, 2009. In 206 Major League appearances, Slaten has posted a 3.60 ERA (137.2ip/55er) and has held left-handed batters to a .241 batting average. He made a career-high 61 appearances with Arizona in 2007 during his first full season in the big leagues and posted a 2.72 ERA for the N.L. West Division Champions that season. The Pirates have now invited a total of 18 players to Major League spring training camp, which begins at noon on Feb. 19, with the first workout for pitchers and catchers at Pirate City in Bradenton, Florida.

Two Minor League Players Signed

Thu, 5 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced the signing of left-handed pitcher Jo-Jo Reyes and right-handed pitcher Logan Kensing to minor league contracts, which include invitations to spring training. The 27-year-old Reyes split the season 2011 season between Toronto and Baltimore and went 7-11 with a 5.57 ERA in 29 games (25 starts) with the two clubs. He posted a 3.35 ERA with the Blue Jays during the month of May and capped off the month by tossing his first Major League complete game on May 30 vs. Cleveland. Reyes was originally selected by Atlanta in the second round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft and made his big league debut with the Braves in 2007. He led the Atlanta organization with 12 wins and 142 strikeouts while also being named to the South Atlantic League All-Star team in 2006. Kensing, 29, spent the 2011 campaign with Scranton-Wilkes-Barre (Yankees' AAA) after missing the 2010 season recovering from elbow surgery. Originally a second-round selection by Florida in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Kensing has appeared in a total of 134 Major League games with the Marlins (108 games between 2005-09) and Nationals (26 games in 2009). He made a career-high 48 appearances and tossed a career-high 55.1 innings with Florida in 2008.

Pirates Acquire Brewers' Third Baseman

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired infielder Casey McGehee (pronounced "McGee") from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for right-handed pitcher Jose Veras. The announcement was made by Pittsburgh's Senior Vice President, General Manager Neal Huntington. The 29-year-old McGehee made 147 appearances at third base and five at first base in 2011, hitting 13 home runs and knocking in 67 runs. He homered three times vs. St. Louis on August 3, becoming the 11th player in franchise history to hit three home runs in one game. McGehee was named Milwaukee's Most Valuable Player in 2010 (voted by Milwaukee BBWAA) after he batted .285 with 23 home runs, 104 RBI and a .337 OBP in 157 games. His 102 RBI as a third baseman in 2010 set a franchise record for that position. He led N.L. third basemen in hits (172) and doubles (38) during the 2010 campaign in addition to leading all Major League players with 28 RBI during the month of August. "Casey McGehee adds a quality option for us at both corner infield positions and adds depth to our position player group," said Huntington. Originally selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 10th round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft, McGehee was claimed off waivers by Milwaukee on October 29, 2008. He made his big league debut with the Cubs on September 2, 2008. In his first full season in the Majors with Milwaukee in 2009, McGehee hit .301 with 20 doubles, 16 homers, 66 RBI and a .360 OBP in 116 games. He led all Major League rookies in RBI and ranked second in batting while finishing fifth in the voting for N.L. Rookie-of-the-Year.

Pirates Agree to Contract with Grilli

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced they have agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Jason Grilli on a one-year contract for the 2012 season. The announcement was made by Pirates Senior Vice President, General Manager Neal Huntington. The 35-year-old Grilli went 2-1 with one save and a 2.48 ERA in 28 relief appearances with the Pirates in 2011, striking out 37 batters in 32.2 innings of work after being signed as a free agent on July 21. He was charged with just two earned runs in his last 19 games (20.2ip), dating back to August 11.

Pirates Select Short Stop in Rule 5 Draft

Thu, 8 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates today selected infielder Gustavo Nunez off the Detroit Tigers' Triple-A Toledo roster with the eighth pick in the annual Rule 5 Draft. The announcement was made by Pirates Senior Vice President, General Manager Neal Huntington. The 23-year-old Nunez hit .276 (105-for-381) with 13 doubles, seven triples, five home runs, 26 RBI and 18 stolen bases in 96 minor league games in 2011 between High-A Lakeland and Double-A Erie. Before being promoted to Double-A last season, the switch-hitting Nunez was named to the Florida State League mid-season All-Star team. In 62 games with Lakeland last season, he hit .304. Nunez made his professional debut as a 19-year-old with Detroit's Dominican Summer League entry in 2007. He swiped a career-high 48 bases and tallied a career-high 150 hits in 2009 while batting a combined .309 in 118 games with Class-A West Michigan (112 games) and the GCL Tigers (six games). In his five minor league seasons, Nunez has produced a .266 batting average, a .320 OBP, 110 stolen bases, 59 doubles, 26 triples and 13 home runs in 464 games. In that time, he has made 434 appearances at shortstop and 22 at second base.