Hot Stove Pirates-Antonio Bastardo acquired!

Baseball's winter meetings are just about over and with the Giants not making any moves (although they tried) and the Indians already making their deal to acquire Brandon Moss,that leaves the Pirates,so I thought I would catch up with the hot stove in Pittsburgh.

The Pirates had made a few small moves before the winter meetings,but nothing worth mentioning in a full post,so I'll catch up with them after the biggest trade that was made today and a signing during the meetings.

The biggest news was the team re-signing lefty Francisco Liriano to a three year contract worth 13 million a year.
Most had expected the Pirates to lose both Liriano and Edinson Volquez,so this was a mild surprise.
Liriano notched almost identical numbers in 2014 to his return in 2013 in every category except wins,so I'm comfortable with the deal and it certainly isn't an overpay,but considering Liriano's years before Pittsburgh,I might have preferred a two year deal.


The Pirates made a move to upgrade the lefthanded side of their bullpen with a trade with the Phillies for Antonio Bastardo for Joely Rodriguez.
Rodriguez spent last season at AA Altoona and pitched well in the Arizona Fall League,so he is somewhat a prospect despite a nearly five ERA in the Eastern League.

The real catch is Antonio Bastardo,who at 29,might rank near the top of the list of pitchers most likely to terrify lefthanded hitters.
Bastardo ranks at the top of the league in strikeout to nine inning ratio and brings the heat with the best of the gas throwers in the game.
With the trading of Justin Wilson to the Yankees,there was a gap in the bullpen on the southpaw side and Bastardo not just fills the spot of Wilson,he improves it dramatically.
I've been a fan of Bastardo,since I saw him pitch at the Muni,so I really do like this deal for the Pirates...

The Pirates have been collecting utility infielders this off season as they claimed two off waivers in Jake Elmore from the Reds and Pedro Florimon (former Frederick Key) from the Nationals,picked up Justin Sellers from the Indians for cash and most recently traded for Sean Rodriguez from Tampa for a player to be named later,which will be announced after today's rule v draft.
Rodriguez might be the one that sticks after hitting 12 homers in a little over 200 at bats,despite hitting just .211 and with a career average of .226,I could see him as a power bat in a pinch hitting capacity.
Rodriguez wouldn't be a huge loss if he didn't turn out.

The Pirates claimed an interesting arm off waivers in Josh Lindblom from Oakland.
Lindblom,a one time excellent prospect in the Los Angeles system,pitched in just one game for the A's last season and is coming off an injury,so he is far from a sure thing,but for the waiver cost-I'm intrigued...

Pittsburgh will have Pedro Alvarez shifting to first base this season,but what to do with the platoon from last year?
Well,Neal Huntington was apparently not pleased with either as the Pirates designated both Gaby Sanchez and Ike Davis for assignment.
Davis was shipped to Oakland with the Pirates third international signing bonus slot for the A's first slot,so they got a little something for Davis,who was a disappointment in his one Pittsburgh season hitting .235 with 10 homers after costing the Pirates pitcher Blake Taylor,who was the second round pick by the Pirates in the 2013 draft.
No word on interest in Sanchez as his ten days to be DFAed has not expired as of this writing.

That takes the Pirates off the burner for now and I am at the road office,so I may still hammer out that Q and A that I promised....