Pirates sign Maholm, Hinske

The Pirates officially signed pitcher Paul Maholm and outfielder Eric Hinske on Friday.

Maholm got a three-year deal with a club option for the 2012 season while Hinske singled a one-year deal.

Maholm reportedly will get $3.5 million in 2009, $4.5 million in 2010, $5.75 million in 2011 and a $9.75 million club option in 2012 with a $750,000 buyout. The option could be as much as $11.05 million based on performance.

Hinske's deal is for $1.5 million though he can earn another $1 million in performance bonuses.

Though the Pirates are behind the times in terms of signing young players to long-term deals, the fact that this administration is doing so is a good sign. The club has been very careful in picking and choosing who gets the long-term deals but so far, it seems like the money is going to the proper places.

When your top two starters (Maholm and Ian Snell), closer (Matt Capps), All-Star second baseman (Freddy Sanchez) and catcher (Ryan Doumit) have all received deals buying out most, if not all of their arbitration and some of their free-agent years, it is a step in the right direction.

The Hinske signing puzzles me a little bit because Huntington had said he was looking for a right-handed bat in the outfield but Hinske is left-handed. Still, a 31-year-old who hit 20 home runs last season and who could use the short porch in right field at PNC Park could spark the Pirates' offense.

Maholm agrees to long-term deal

The Pirates and pitcher Paul Maholm have reportedly agreed to a three-year contract with a club option for a fourth year.

The deal would buy out Maholm's three arbitration years and the club option would allow the Pirates to control his first year going into free agency.

Maholm, 26, was 9-9 with a 3.71 ERA last season. He struck out 139 batters and walked 63 in a team-high 206 1/3 innings.

Vasquez claimed off waivers

The Pirates claimed right-handed pitcher Virgil Vasquez off waivers from the San Diego Padres and added him to the 40-man roster.

Vasquez, 26, spent all of last season with Toledo, Detroit's Class AAA affiliate. He went 12-12 with a 4.81 ERA and 115 strikeouts and 37 walks in 159 innings. He has a 54-48 career minor-league record with 610 strikeouts and 185 walks in 840 innings.

Vasquez's only major-league work came with the Tigers in 2007. He went 0-1 with an 8.64 ERA in five games, three of those starts.

Since the end of last season, Vasquez has been claimed off waivers by Boston (Oct. 28) and San Diego (Jan. 9) before being claimed by the Pirates.

"The Mayor" hangs it up

Sean Casey, an Upper St. Clair graduate who spent 12 seasons in the major leagues, is retiring.

WEEI.com in Boston reported that Casey, 34, has signed on with the MLB Network, thereby making his retirement official.

Known as "The Mayor" for his outgoing personality and for being one of, if not the, nicest players ever to put on a uniform, he always seemed to have a smile on his face.

He was drafted by Cleveland in the second round of the 1994 draft and made his debut at the end of the 1997 season. he was traded that offseason to Cincinnati for pitcher Dave Burba and spent the next eight seasons as the starting first baseman for the Reds. His best season was 1999 when he batted .332 with 25 home runs and 99 RBI and made the first of his three All-Star games.

In 2001, he hit the first home run during the first game at PNC Park. Ironically, a collision at first base Sept. 16, 2005 at PNC Park ended that season as Casey had to be taken off the field on a stretcher.

Casey was traded to the Pirates during the winter meetings on Dec. 8, 2005 and was looked upon to revive the moribund franchise. But a back injury hobbled Casey and he only played in 59 games before being traded to Detroit for pitcher Brian Rogers at the trade deadline. He helped Detroit make it to the World Series that year and was 9-for-17 at the plate in the series but the Tigers lost to St. Louis, four games to one.

He played one more season in Detroit before playing last season in Boston.

Casey finished his career with a .302 average, 130 home runs and 735 RBI.

Good luck to one of the truly good guys the game has ever known.

Hot Stove odds and ends

Here are some things I took away from this afternoon's Hot Stove Luncheon besides what will be in Saturday's Observer-Reporter.

* While GM Neal Huntington isn't going to drop any big money on one guy (i.e. a Ben Sheets or Oliver Perez), don't be shocked if the Pirates sign another player or two of at least name value before spring training or during the early parts. While I don't believe the Pedro Martinez thing is going to work out, I do believe they will sign at least another outfielder (Emil Brown?). The outfield is too unsettled not to give somebody else, particularly another veteran on top of Craig Monroe, a look.

Image courtesy of pirates.com

* Paul Maholm seemed more sure than Nate McLouth that he won't be going to an arbitration hearing. Neither player is against the hearing, though neither wants to go because of the animosity involved. Maholm seemed secure that at least a one-year deal, if not a multi-year one, will be in place by the start of the season though he didn't come out and say it.

* Tom Gorzelanny and Zach Duke both appeared to be much leaner and in much better shape than the last couple of years, as did Maholm. Maholm said he wanted his personal trainer to "kill him" as did Duke. Gorzelanny didn't say that, but he said he hasn't stopped working out since the end of last season and has put in a lot of time with trainer Frank Velasquez.

* All indications are from management that outfielder Brandon Moss (knee) will be ready for spring training and the start of the season.

*Huntington and new pitching coach Joe Kerrigan said up to 10 pitchers could be in the mix for the starting rotation, though Maholm is a lock and Ian Snell and Duke have the inside track for spots.

* As for the new uniforms, the all-whites at home are OK, the all-grays on the road are better and the new alternate black is much better than that putrid red one from the last couple of years. The "P" emblem is a bit too large for my taste though, could be a little smaller. Personally, I like the pinstripes that are worn on Sunday home games.

What do you think about the uniforms or anything else related to the Pirates or Major League Baseball? Let me know, would love to hear from you.

From six to two

Now that four of the six arbitration-eligible players on the Pirates - pitchers Zach Duke, John Grabow, Tyler Yates and first baseman Adam LaRoche - have settled before going to arbitration, the usual red flags are being raised for the other two who haven't signed yet.

Take the flags down and put them away.

The two remaining players on the Pirates' list - outfielder Nate McLouth and pitcher Paul Maholm - will both almost assuredly sign even though both are over $1 million apart between the numbers they filed and the ones the club filed.

For starters, Maholm could very well be signed to a long-term deal by the time his hearing comes around. There are grumblings that talks are smoldering but there is still some heat in the discussion.

As for McLouth, while there is no talk of a long-term deal, I don't think he will go to a hearing either. The thought here is that the two sides will reach a settlement on a one-year deal this year for slightly over the midpoint of the two numbers. My guess is around $3.4-3.5 million range. The Pirates probably want to see if McLouth can repeat his0play from last year and, if he can, will then sign him to a long-term deal next offseason.

Six Pirates file for salary arbitration

Six Pirates - starting pitchers Zach Duke and Paul Maholm, first baseman Adam LaRoche, outfielder Nate McLouth and relief pitchers Tyler Yates and John Grabow - have filed for salary arbitration.

The teams and players will formally exchange salary numbers Tuesday.

None of the five Pirates eligible for arbitration made it to a hearing last as all were signed to contracts prior to their scheduled hearings.

Hearings this year will be held between Feb. 1-21 if the team and players can't come to an agreement.

LaRoche made $5 million last season and Grabow made $1.135 million. Both are in their final years of arbitration.

Yates ($800,000 last season) is in his second year of arbitration while McLouth ($425,500), Maholm ($424,500) and Duke ($400,000) are each in their first year.