Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates checked off the final item of their Hot Stove wish list Wednesday by inking free agent outfielder Jeromy Burnitz to a one-year, $6 million deal with a mutual option for the 2007 season. Burnitz, who will turn 37 a few weeks after Opening Day, fills the Bucs' need for a left-handed power hitter in the middle of their batting order. In 13 big league seasons, Burnitz has a .255 career batting average with 299 home runs and 932 RBIs. He has topped the 30 home run plateau six times and the 100 RBI mark on four different occasions. In 2005, Burnitz batted .258 with 31 doubles, 24 home runs and 87 RBIs and a .757 OPS in 160 games with the Chicago Cubs. "To try to improve on what we did last year, we need to get on base more and we need to hit some more home runs. Burnitz is a part of hitting those home runs," said Pirates GM Dave Littlefield, who also pursued Burnitz as a free agent prior to last season. "Although he's a little older, he's certainly continued to be productive and I think that will help us score more runs in '06." Burnitz joins third baseman Joe Randa and first baseman Sean Casey to become the third veteran hitter added to the Pittsburgh lineup in the last month. "They've made some moves to try and improve the squad," said Burnitz. "Those moves are definite positives to look at going into this season. Hopefully they'll pan out and all of the new guys, including myself, play the game in the way that we are capable and do some damage." Pirates manager Jim Tracy, who managed Burnitz when both were with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2003, likes the way his lineup is shaping up heading into next season. "This is a key signing to get a guy of [Burnitz's] caliber to bunch in the middle with Casey, [Jason] Bay and Randa," said Tracy. "I like the balance that you can create with those guys. You've got a nice mix of right-handed and left-handed hitters to make things a little more difficult to be managed against from the other side of the field." Burnitz will give the Pirates their first proven left-handed slugger since Brian Giles was traded to the San Diego Padres in 2003. And although Burnitz's stroke would seem tailor-made for the short right-field porch at PNC Park, he was quick to note that he hadn't taken advantage of the Clemente Wall (three home runs in 92 at-bats) in his previous visits to PNC Park. But he does plan to make good use of the North Side Notch. "It's a little shorter to right, that's for sure. But I haven't noticed that I've hit too many balls over there," said Burnitz. "To a guy like me, it doesn't mean much if you haven't hit them over there. Honestly, the park is huge to left-center, and that is the spot where I'd like to drive some balls with guys on base. It's all about getting some knocks with some guys on base. That's what matters." Burnitz's agreement with Pittsburgh comes less than a week after several Baltimore media outlets had reported he was close to inking a deal with the Orioles. "With the opportunities that were presented, [Pittsburgh] is definitely the one that made the most sense to me. I'm glad that this is the one that worked out," said Burnitz. The addition of Burnitz will push Craig Wilson to the bench. This has led to speculation that Wilson's days with the Pirates could be numbered because he will receive a raise from the $3 million he earned last season. Littlefield, however, asserted that the Pirates' increase in payroll to nearly $50 million next season allows the team to spend more money on experienced reserve players such as Wilson. "I think there is a misnomer with how people are evaluating this," said Littlefield. "Craig, when healthy, is a guy that gets in base and a guy that hits home runs. Those are two things we need. "[The payroll increase] allows you to create a stronger bench because you are going to be able to pay more to some of those guys that are on the bench. With Craig Wilson, although he probably doesn't project to be a starter in our lineup as things sit right now, there will be injuries and we need depth. He brings that versatility. He'll get his at-bats." To create an opening on the 40-man roster for Burnitz, the Pirates designated infielder J.J. Furmaniak for assignment. Furmaniak, who was acquired from the Padres last July in exchange for catcher David Ross, batted .192 (5-for-26) in 13 games with the Bucs after a September promotion from Triple-A Indianapolis.

For the majority of players who are participating this week in the Pittsburgh Pirates' sixth annual minicamp, the opening of the voluntary camp on Wednesday was little more than an opportunity to meet the new coaching staff, work off some of the winter rust and show the training staff that they have been adhering to their offseason conditioning programs. For pitchers Sean Burnett and John Van Benschoten, however, it was much more than that. In fact, the former No. 1 draft picks, both of whom spent all of last season on the disabled list, probably had Jan. 11, 2006 circled on their calendars a long, long time ago. After months of rehabilitation, Burnett and Van Benschoten were given the green light to return to the mound on Wednesday. Each threw approximately two dozen pitches in their bullpen sessions. "It felt great," said Burnett, who has undergone elbow and shoulder surgeries since last pitching in the big leagues on Aug. 21, 2004. "Through all of the rehab, I've spent a lot of time in the training room. It was finally good to see all of the work pay off and get on the mound. "I felt pretty good, the ball was coming out well and I was throwing strikes. That was the key." Van Benschoten, who has had surgeries performed on both of his shoulders since he last pitched on Sept. 18, 2004, also felt fine, albeit a little rusty, during his session. "I felt a little tight, but it will loosen itself up," said Van Benschoten. "The first day out, you're not going to feel 100 percent great. But I'll work through all of that." If nothing else, after spending all of last season watching from the dugout, the bullpen session and fielding practice enabled Van Benschoten to feel as though he was finally a member of the team again. "I'm actually sweating and hanging around with other guys," said Van Benschoten. "It's just good to be able to participate in drills with the other guys instead of watching everybody doing everything. You feel part of something again instead of being outside the loop." Interestingly, the Pirates coaching staff and front office personnel made it a point not to hover nearby during their bullpen sessions. Jeff Andrews, the Bucs' current Triple-A pitching coach who held the same position at Double-A Altoona when Van Benschoten and Burnett were there in 2003, was the only staff member to stand within 20 feet of Burnett during his bullpen outing until new pitching coach Jim Colborn visited with the lefty midway through the session. According to general manager Dave Littlefield and manager Jim Tracy, the team did not want to put undo pressure on either pitcher with more than a month to go before the start of Spring Training. "For this type of event, it's more important to continue to build up," said Littlefield. "I don't think to put too much emphasis on this is the right way to go for everybody. "It's too early to put any kind of evaluative opinion on where they are other than it is good to have them throwing and they are making progress." Burnett, assuming he suffers no further physical setbacks, is expected to begin the season at Triple-A Indianapolis with the hope that he is ready to compete for a spot in the big league starting rotation in June. Tracy, though, did not rule out the possibility that Burnett could be in the mix for a spot with the Pirates earlier than that if all goes well. "If he's further along and arrives quicker, it creates more options for us, and it makes us deeper," said Tracy. "He could be a candidate if he's healthy enough and he can progress with us in the spring." Van Benschoten will likely be headed to Triple-A Indianapolis to begin the season.

Outfielder-first baseman Craig Wilson chose not to go to salary arbitration and agreed to a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates worth about $3.5 million. The deal leaves the Pirates with two arbitration-eligible players, right-hander Kip Wells and left-hander Oliver Perez. The 29-year-old Wilson made $3 million last season, when he missed 103 games because of two left hand injuries. He hit .264 with five homers and 22 RBIs. He had a team-leading 29 homers in 2004. Wilson's role for this coming season has not been defined. Since the end of last season, the Pirates have traded for first baseman Sean Casey and outfielder Jeromy Burnitz, who is expected to start in right field.