By Dejan Kovacevic | 11:31 a.m. Monday
LAS VEGAS -- Everyone is just beginning to set up, mostly media. The lobby has a couple scouts, not much more.
One thing to bear in mind for those of you intent on tracking this closely: There is a three-hour time difference between here and Pittsburgh, so the time here is 8:31 a.m., and the only meeting anyone has going right now is between their mouths and some coffee. Much of the developments coming out of here, one would expect, will be at night on the East Coast.
Will post updates here, as they come up ...
UPDATE 12:21 p.m.: OK, here is one little thing to start the day: The Marlins are looking for a catcher, and they still like Ronny Paulino. They like him all the more because he will make close to the minimum next season. Paulino, by the way, has been praised big-time by Rene Gayo in the past couple of weeks for tearing it up in the Dominican. ... Thing is, the teams that have approached the Pirates about Paulino just want them to give him up for nothing, because he spent half of 2008 in the minors. The Pirates, obviously, would like to get something and are not ruling out he could be Ryan Doumit's backup.
12:43 p.m.: Another little thing: The Pirates have signed pitcher Brian Slocum to a minor league contract. In 30 appearances for Class AAA Buffalo, including 11 starts. he went 3-7 with a 4.85 ERA.
1:45 p.m.: The Pirates remain a player for free agent Mark Loretta, a source just said, despite an upgraded offer this morning from Arizona. More on this later.
2:35 p.m.: Check elsewhere on the blog for Jack Wilson updates. That's where I will keep all the stuff about him, hopefully preventing this file from cluttering up.
2:38 p.m.: Missed this while in the lobby -- which is only a two-mile walk away from the work room -- but Al Oliver failed to get into the Hall on the Veterans Committee ballot.
2:40 p.m.: While I type this, Greg Maddux is formally announcing his retirement about 75 feet in front of me. He mostly is talking about old teammates, the glory days in Atlanta. What was most striking: "I expect to perform at a very high level, and I don't feel I can do that anymore." Maddux's lowest level was better than most guys' best.
2:45 p.m.: Almost forgot: Salomon Torres was in the lobby, too. He came over to shake hands while I was talking to the shortstop. Looked happy, healthy in his old age.
3:26 p.m.: The Pirates are not interested in Kevin Millar, the example I gave this morning as a right-handed power bat available in free agency.
3:32 p.m.: A source who deals with Japanese baseball said the Pirates are not pursuing any of the three veteran pitchers from that country who are free agents. No Kuwata for you.
5:52 p.m.: One name I have heard not at all today, which kind of surprises me: Freddy Sanchez.
6:13 p.m.: Just an advisory: The media session with Neal Huntington is at 7 p.m. your time. After that, I will make a separate post of it, then take a break. Any further updates will stay on this thread to avoid confusion.
8 p.m.: I call your attention to the new Huntington thread above for excerpts from his media session. Not much news in there, other than this: Brandon Moss is doing fine after a checkup in Pittsburgh and should get through spring training in a protective mode. ... Phil Dumatrait remains "a little behind" and will need to start throwing soon, or the Pirates will consider him only for bullpen duty. ... A corner utility infielder is a need for the Pirates. ... Other stuff is up there in the quotes.
Posted
Dec 08 2008, 11:31 AM
by
Dejan Kovacevic