A.J. Burnett is entering the last year of a 5-year, $82.5 million contract. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Pirates pitcher A.J. Burnett says the 2013 season could be his last, but if he does not decide to retire, he’ll only consider returning to Pittsburgh, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Burnett, a 15-year veteran, is entering the final year of a five-year, $82.5 million contract originally signed as a member of the New York Yankees. The 36-year-old was 16-10 with a 3.51 ERA last season after the Pirates traded for him during last year’s spring training.

He told the Post-Gazette he’s happy in Pittsburgh and taking his career one season at a time:

“I enjoy it here and I enjoy these guys,” Burnett, said Thursday after pitching three innings in his final spring training tuneup. “If I was to keep playing, I wouldn’t want it to be anywhere else but Pittsburgh. My wife and I talk about it now and then. But it’s something I’ve got to put on the back burner. I’m just going to concentrate on this season, one start at a time.”

“I know it’s going to come up,” Burnett said. “These guys (teammates) keep getting on me about it. They keep saying, ‘Two more (years)! Two more!’ I don’t know. We’ll see.”

[SI's Complete Team-By-Team MLB Season Preview]

The Pirates will reportedly extend manager Clint Hurdle through 2014, with the option to retain him for 2015. The Pirates finished 79-83 in 2012, their best record since 1997. Since Hurdle joined the team in 2011, the Pirates have gone 151-173.

The Pirates have not had a winning season since 1992, although the team came close at the end of last season. Prior to joining Pittsburgh, Hurdle managed the Rockies for eight seasons. His career managerial record is 534-625.

#Pirates will extend Hurdle thru 2014 with option for 2015—
Rob Biertempfel (@BiertempfelTrib) February 18, 2013

The Pittsburgh Pirates will get a logo change for 2014, but the gold “P” will remain. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

The Pittsburgh pirates will undergo a cosmetic change of sorts next year, and the team is letting the fans decide the new look.

According to a report from Bob Cohn of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the team is currently in the proess of designing a new logo to unveil in time for the 2014 season. The discussions about what it should look like are happening this week and Pirates officials are using focus groups comprised of fans, from season ticket holders to people who randomly attend games, to decide on the new aesthetics for the logo.

According to Pirates executive vice president and chief marketing director Lou Depaoli, the time is now to start having these talks; the current rendition of the logo, a snarling pirate in a black and red bandana, has been in existence since 1997. He said the fact that they’re using focus groups should let people know that the team does not have any “preconceived notions” about what the new logo should look like. Though rest assured, the gold “P” featured on the game hat and in marketing materials for the team is not going anywhere:

“It’s time to update it a little bit. [W]e don’t have any preconceived notions. We figured we’d go at it a little bit differently. When people see the gold ‘P,’ they know it stands for Pirates. It’s something you don’t mess with.”

The people in the focus groups are currently being shown previous logos and are being asked to say what they like or don’t like that about them. A sketch artist then applies the changes on the spot for each person to help them visualize the possibilities. The Pirates said the new logo will be used for the 2014 season.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Francisco Lirano agree to a 2-year, $12.75 million deal. (Hannah Foslien.Getty Images)

The Pittsburgh Pirates and left-handed pitcher Francisco Liriano adjusted and finalized a deal for two years, worth $12.75 million on Monday, reports FoxSports.com.

Lirano broke his right arm last month and agreed to the deal just in case he has to miss time during the season because of the injury. If he does not spend any time on the disabled list, he will receive the full $12.75 million.

Liriano went 6-12 had a 5.34 ERA, 1.47 WHIP with 167 strikeouts in 156 2/3 innings this past season for the Chicago White Sox.

Sources: #Pirates, Liriano have adjusted and finalized 2-year agreement. Liriano will assume risk due to injury to right (non-throwing) arm.—
Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 21, 2013

The Boston Red Sox are “moving toward” acquiring Pittsburgh Pirates closer Joel Hanrahan, ESPN.com’s Gordon Edes is reporting.

Hanrahan, a 31-year-old right-hander, saved 36 games for the Pirates last season and 40 in 2011, the first year in which he served as a full-time closer. With a fastball that reaches the upper-90s, he struck out more than a batter per inning in 2012.

The Red Sox could tab Hanrahan as their closer in 2013 and shift Andrew Bailey into a set-up role in hopes of solidifying their bullpen, but it is unclear what the Pirates need in exchange to complete the deal, according to Edes.

Hanrahan saved a total of 76 games over the last two seasons for the Pirates and is a year away from free agency. With incumbent closer Andrew Bailey still a question mark after a season in which he was injured for most of the year, then pitched ineffectively, it makes sense that the Sox would explore bullpen upgrades.

It is unclear what the Pirates would be getting back in return. Pittsburgh has been looking for pitching, primarily starters, but just came to terms with Francisco Liriano.

One major league source said Pittsburgh is seeking a “significant return” for Hanrahan, an All-Star in each of the last two seasons. He earned $4.1 million in 2012 and can expect a significant bump in salary arbitration, to close to $7 million.

CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman reports that the deal is likely for multiple players.

#redsox still talking to #pirates about hanrahan. likely be for multiple players. jose iglesias not in current offerings—
Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 22, 2012

Francisco Liriano has signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. (Ed Zurga, Getty Images)

Pitcher Francisco Liriano has signed a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates worth $14 million, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The contract means 2013 will be the first season in Liriano’s seven-year pro career that he won’t begin with the Minnesota Twins.

Liriano, 29, played most of the 2012 season in Minnesota before being traded to the Chicago White Sox. He went 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA in 2006 before tearing a ligament in his elbow. His record and ERA have steadily declined since then – he finished 2012 6-12 with a 5.34 ERA.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and free-agent catcher Russell Martin have agreed to a deal, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported Thursday night via Twitter.

Source: #Pirates reach agreement with Russell Martin, pending physical.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 30, 2012

The New York Times’ David Waldstein reported that the deal is for two years and $17 million.

Russell Martin has agreed to a 2-year, $17 million contract with the Pirates, according to a person with direct knowledge of the deal.

— David Waldstein (@DavidWaldstein) November 30, 2012

Martin spent the last two years with the New York Yankees. He hit .211 last season with a career-high 21 homers and 53 RBI. He had a .713 OPS.

The Yankees had wanted to bring Martin back, ESPN.com’s Andrew Marchand reported Wednesday. But they were reportedly competing with the Pirates and at least three other teams for his services.

The Yankees could now turn to A.J. Pierzynski as their next choice.

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina left his team’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates after the second inning after he was involved in a collision with third baseman Josh Harrison at home plate.

MLB.com has the video:

Harrison was trying to score from second on a single to right by Jose Tabata. Molina took a shoulder to the head from Harrison but held onto the ball for the final out of the inning. An athletic trainer, coaches and teammates converged at home plate to tend to Molina, who was helped off the field. He was replaced by Tony Cruz when St. Louis took the field in the third.

ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted that it did not seem like a dirty play by Harrison:

Views of Harrison/Molina collision? Looked pretty clean on replay.—
Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 28, 2012

Here’s the official word on Molina’s condition, from Will Graves of the Associated Press:

Yadier Molina diagnosed with upper back, left shoulder and neck strain after collision with Harrison. Day to Day.—
Will Graves (@WillGravesAP) August 29, 2012

The Pirates have released veteran pitcher Erik Bedard. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

The Pittsburgh Pirates have released starting pitcher Erik Bedard, reports CBSSports.com’s Dayn Perry.

The 33-year-old Bedard was 7-14 with a 5.01 ERA in 24 starts this season. It has been the worst season of his career.

He was once a promising pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles. In 2006 and 2007, Bedard went a combined 28-16.

But he ran into arm problems after a trade to the Mariners and missed all of the 2010 season following shoulder surgery.

The Pirates have struggled recently. Pittsburgh has fallen into third in the NL Central, behind Cincinnati and St. Louis. The Pirates are 3-7 in their last 10 games.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have made another move to strengthen their team in their push for the playoffs. The team acquired Miami Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez today, just one hour before the close of MLB’s trade deadline, according to a tweet from FOX Sports‘ Ken Rosenthal.

Source: #Marlins close to sending Gaby Sanchez to #Pirates for OF Gorkys Hernandez and a competitive-balance pick.—
Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 31, 2012

Official: Sanchez deal to #Pirates is done.—
Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 31, 2012

An All-Star in 2011, Sanchez has spent this season bouncing between the Marlins and the minor leagues. He carried a .197 batting average into May before being demoted, though his play has improved slightly since then – his batting average is now up to .202.

The Reds want to trade for a leadoff hitter like Shane Victorino, but the Phillies’ asking price might be too high. (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

The Cincinnati Reds have made Philadelphia Phillies leadoff hitter Shane Victorino their top trade target ahead of Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline, CBS Sports’ Danny Knobler reported Monday. But the price may be too high for the Reds to pull the trigger.

The Phillies have also drawn interest in Victorino from the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates, Knobler reported.

All three teams have inquired about Victorino for good reason: Their leadoff situations have been anemic all season. But the Reds are perhaps most in need of a leadoff hitter. Cincinnati ranks dead last in the majors in average (.203) and on-base percentage (.248) from the No. 1 spot.

The Reds are in the midst of a 10-game winning streak, their longest since 1999. They are currently three games ahead of the Pirates in the National League Central.

Victorino is currently batting .261 with nine homers, 40 RBI and a .324 OBP this season.

Knobler reported that the Reds also have some interest in the Phillies’ Juan Pierre.

The San Diego Padres are making little progress with any trade offers they have gotten for third baseman Chase Headley, and they may wait until winter to make a more serious effort, ESPN’s Buster Olney reported Sunday on Twitter.

To this moment,Padres aren’t far down the road in their Headley trade talks. Might table it to the winter,when more teams would be involved.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 29, 2012

The Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates have all expressed interest in acquiring Headley, the 28-year-old third baseman who is hitting .265 with 12 homers and 51 RBI this season. Headley’s 122 OPS+ puts him sixth among qualified third baseman, and he’s having a career year with the Padres.

Most recently, the Yankees emerged as a potential trade partner with the Padres because of third baseman Alex Rodriguez’s injury. The thinking is that Headley could replace Rodriguez in the short-term. In the long-term, the Yankees could plug Headley into right field next season and let current right fielder Nick Swisher walk as a free agent.

Headley is earning $3.475 million this season, his second in arbitration. He will be eligible for free agency after the 2014 season.

By leading off his team’s game against the Houston Astros with a home run off Dallas Keuchel, Pittsburgh Pirates rookie outfielder Starling Marte became what is believed to be the 28th player in major league history to homer on the first pitch he saw in the big leagues.

Marte, a 23-year-old right-handed hitter from the Dominican Republic who is considered Pittsburgh’s top position prospect, took a high, 86-mph cutter and drove it over the left-center field fence.

Here’s the clip from MLB.com:

The most recent player to accomplish this feat before Marte was Washington Nationals pitcher Tom Milone last September.

Here is a complete list of the players who have homered on the first pitch they saw in the big leagues entering the 2012 season.

Tom Singer of MLB.com reports that the Pittsburgh Pirates are “close enough to an agreement” to acquire Houston Astros lefthander Wandy Rodriguez that the Bucs have stopped discussions involving other lefthanders.

Singer writes: “Rodriguez may already have begun the process of undergoing the pre-requisite physical before the deal becomes official, although no announcement is expected Tuesday night.”

Rodriguez, 33, is 7-9 with a 3.79 ERA this season. He has one year remaining on his contract beyond this season, at $13 million, with a player option for $13 million for 2014.

UPDATE: Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports that it is a done deal.

there is $ changing hands in wandy deal. he has $30M to go thru '13, so #astos will send dollars to #pirates. done deal.—
Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) July 25, 2012

Heyman also reports that the player option for 2013 will be triggered by the trade, so Rodriguez is officially due $26 million after this season.

Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com has the full details of the trade:

CONFIRMED: #Pirates get LHP Wandy Rodriguez and cash from #Astros for Rudy Owens, Colton Cain and Robbie Grossman.—
Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 25, 2012

The Pittsburgh Pirates are becoming “serious bidders” for outfielder Justin Upton, who the Arizona Diamondbacks have said they would trade for the right price, ESPN’s Jayson Stark reported Sunday on Twitter.

#Pirates emerging as serious bidder for Justin Upton. More on that and other trade buzz on the 12:30 ET edition of Baseball Tonight!

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 15, 2012

The Pirates have been mentioned before as a possible destination for the 24-year-old Upton, who Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers said he would trade for the right price. Upton has also been loosely linked to the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers.

The Diamondbacks would likely be interested in Pirates’ top pitching prospects Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon, the PIrates’ two first-round picks in the 2011 and 2010 drafts, respectively.

On Saturday, Towers said that he had discussed the trade rumors with Upton. He said he told Upton his policy of listening to offers on him is nothing unusual.

“I said, ‘Hey, this is no different than the way I approached it even before you got to know me in 2010. I listen on everybody,’” Towers said. “We’re in the information gathering business. I said, ‘If something gets close, you’ll be a part of the process. I’m not going to shock you with something. If something is coming down and I think it’s close, there will be a heads up.’ I said, ‘At this point in time, a lot of people are kicking tires. Your name is out there a lot, most of it is untrue.’”

In 82 games this year, Upton is batting .264 with a .735 OPS. He has seven homers and 37 RBI while stealing 10 bases.

Justin Upton sat down with Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers about trade rumors involving Upton. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers told reporters Saturday that he had discussed trade rumors with star young right fielder Justin Upton, MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert reported.

Towers said the pair had a “good conversation,” and that he thinks Upton “gets it.” Towers has said he would be open to dealing the 24-year-old Upton for the right price. Towers also said that he told Upton his policy of listening to offers on him is no change from of his players. From Gilbert’s report:

“I said, ‘Hey, this is no different than the way I approached it even before you got to know me in 2010. I listen on everybody,’” Towers said. “We’re in the information gathering business. I said, ‘If something gets close, you’ll be a part of the process. I’m not going to shock you with something. If something is coming down and I think it’s close, there will be a heads up.’ I said, ‘At this point in time, a lot of people are kicking tires. Your name is out there a lot, most of it is untrue.’”

Upton has been loosely linked to the Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates as potential trade partners for the Diamondbacks.

Upton is batting .268 with seven homers and 37 RBI in 81 games this season. He has a .744 OPS and 10 stolen bases.

Carlos Quentin is being sought by multiple teams as a potential trade option. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Carlos Quentin looks to be one of the most coveted commodities this trade-deadline season, as recent reports have pegged up to eight teams with interest in trading for the San Diego Padres outfielder.

The latest report comes from CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, who puts three teams in the definitive chase — the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians. Radio personality Mike Silva reported on Twitter Sunday that the Mets also had interest in Quentin and were scouting him. Heyman adds that the Miami Marlins have also been involved, but their interest might be waning after acquiring the Houston Astros’ Carlos Lee.

Finally, the Toronto Blue Jays and Detroit Tigers could also get involved, but Heyman suspects they will focus on other areas for now.

The Tigers and Blue Jays were originally seen as teams that might make a run at Quentin, but Delmon Young is starting to hit better for the Tigers, who seem more interested in a starting pitcher (Matt Garza?) and an infielder (Marco Scutaro?), while the Jays are more likely to trade a hitter or acquire a pitcher, depending on whether they are a buyer or seller.

The 29-year-old Quentin is batting .268 this season with a .924 OPS in 33 games with the Padres. He has seven homers and 17 RBI. A San Diego native, Quentin will be a free agent after the season, and the Padres would reportedly like a shot to sign him to a long-term deal. But with their ownership situation still unresolved, they would not yet be able to commit to a long-term, big-money deal.

Star college pitcher Mark Appel is leaning toward turning down a contract offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates and returning to Stanford, reports CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman.

Mark Appel, rhp picked No. 8 overall, is leaning against signing w/ the pirates for $3.8M to instead return to stanford

—
Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) July 09, 2012

Appel, who was projected by many to go with the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft, fell to Pittsburgh at No. 8, at least partly because of concerns over whether he would sign. The new slotting restrictions limit the Pirates’ flexibility in trying to sign Appel.

Pittsburgh has $6.56 million to sign its top-11 picks. If he had been selected No. 1 overall, Appel would have gotten somewhere around that amount in his deal alone. The large gap between those numbers made many expect the Pirates would have difficulty signing Appel. The two sides have until July 13 to reach a deal.

Justin Upton or Carlos Quentin could be on their way to Pittsburgh this year (Christian Petersen, Getty Images)

The Pittsburgh Pirates are a surprise contender at the All-Star break, and they are looking to get stronger. FOX Sports‘ Jon Paul Morosi reports that the team has expressed interest in The San Diego Padres’ Carlos Quentin and the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Justin Upton, both power-hitting outfielders that would add a jolt of offense to the Pirates line-up.

The Pirates have gotten an impressive amount of production from outfielder Andrew McCutchen, who has a .359 batting average with a .411 on-base percentage and 16 home runs at the halfway point of the season. However, the team could benefit from having a cleanup hitter later in the batting order as McCutchen figures to face less pitches in the season’s second half and into the playoffs.

Upton, who has hit .267 with seven home runs and 36 RBIs has been mentioned in trade discussions recently, while Carlos Quentin has achieved similar numbers with the Padres.

Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates will be in the Home Run Derby, replacing injured Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen will be in the Home Run Derby on Monday, replacing the injured Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins.

McCutchen is having an outstanding season for the first-place Pirates entering Saturday with a major league leading .359 batting average, a .413 on base percentage with 16 home runs and 56 RBIs. The other participants in the Home Run Derby for the National League are Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Carlos Beltran of the St. Louis Cardinals and the Colorado Rockies’ Carlos Gonzalez.

Looks like i'll be participating in the HR Derby.pretty pumped to be apart of it.—
andrew mccutchen (@TheCUTCH22) July 08, 2012

OFFICIAL: Andrew McCutchen to replace Giancarlo Stanton as an #NL representative in #HRDerby.—
  (@MLB) July 08, 2012

The Chicago White Sox appear to be the favorite in negotiations to land Boston Red Sox infielder Kevin Youkilis, but the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates are also making a strong push to land him.

CBS Sports’ Scott Miller reports that a “handful of clubs” continue to be interested and in negotiations with the Red Sox, including the Pirates and Dodgers. The Pittsburgh Tribune Review‘s Rob Biertempfel reported on Twitter that the Pirates also remain a player in the negotiations.

I’ve heard from multiple sources that Youkillis talks moving very fast today and#RedSox are still talking with #Pirates and couple others

— Rob Biertempfel (@BiertempfelTrib) June 23, 2012

Youkilis sat on the bench for the second day in a row on Friday, as he continues to be less and less in the Red Sox’s plans and the urgency to deal him picks up. The 23-year-old Will Middlebrooks has emerged as the team’s primary option at third base, as he is batting .319 with a .916 OPS in 39 games. While battling injuries for much of the year, Youkilis is batting only .225 with a .670 OPS.

Miller reported that the Red Sox will have to take on almost all of the money owed to Youkilis for the rest of the contract, in order to get rid of him.

Meanwhile, Youkilis is already being asked about his best memories with the Red Sox, The Boston Globe‘s Peter Abraham reports:

Youkilis when asked about his memories with #RedSox: “I’m still here. I’m not dead.”

— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) June 23, 2012

Kevin Youkilis could be flipping to a new uniform soon, as trade talks have intensified between the Boston Red Sox and several clubs. (Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

The Boston Red Sox could soon trade third baseman Kevin Youkilis as talks have picked up steam recently, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi reported Monday night. One National League executive said Youkilis is being shopped “everywhere.” From the Fox Sports report:

The Red Sox have made clear that (a) Youkilis is available and (b) they are willing to include cash to facilitate a better player return. In response, a number of clubs have indicated that they have interest in acquiring the three-time All-Star. …

The Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates are among the teams with varying levels of interest in acquiring Youkilis, sources say.

The 33-year-old Youkilis is posting easily the worst numbers of his career this season, though he has been hampered by a lower back strain for most of the year. He’s hitting just .213 with a .301 on-base percentage. He has four homers and 13 RBI in 39 games. He is currently mired in a dreadful 1-for-21 slump.

Fox Sports reported that Youkilis is still due about $7 million this season. He has a $13 million club option for next season. Or his next team could buy out his contract next season for $1 million.

One team to which Fox Sports says he won’t be traded: his hometown Cincinnati Reds. Third baseman Scott Rolen was activated from the disabled list on Monday, and 26-year-old third baseman Todd Frazier had also been playing well while Rolen was out of the lineup.

Pirates outfielder Nate McLouth is batting just .140 this season (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

The Pittsburgh Pirates designated former All-Star outfielder Nate McLouth for assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday.

McLouth, 30, was an All-Star and Gold Glove winner in 2008 when he batted .276 and had career highs in HR (26) and RBI (94). He was traded to Atlanta the next season.

McLouth signed a one-year deal in December to return to Pittsburgh, but is hitting .140 with no HR and two RBIs in 34 games this year.

Pittsburgh recalled infielder/outfielder Matt Hague, who is hitting .278 with 15 RBIs in 36 Triple-A games this season.

Minor league infielder Drew Sutton has been traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Tampa Bay Rays, according to Bill Chastain of MLB.com. It’s his second move in 24 hours — he was just traded from the Atlanta Braves to the Pirates yesterday.

Sutton now goes to the Rays in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. He’s expected to be in uniform tonight when the Rays take on the Toronto Blue Jays.

Sutton, 28, was hitting .270 in 38 games this season for the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves. He has a smattering of big-league experience with the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox; he’s a career .258 hitter.

A PNC Park security guard had his middle finger “ripped off at the second knuckle” during a melee at the Pittsburgh Pirates game Wednesday, according to numerous reports.

The finger is reported to have been re-attached following the incident, which began when a woman refused to leave the ballpark when asked and a fight broke out.

Allegedly, the woman was asked to leave the park because she was smoking, which is not allowed. Her boyfriend and father then instigated the fight with the guard.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have demoted 2010 All-Star representative Evan Meek to Triple-A, according to Hardballtalk.

Meek has allowed six earned runs in nine appearances this season, resulting in a 5.59 ERA. He’s allowed 12 hits in 9.2 innings pitched, resulting a 11.2 hits per nine inning mark.

In 2010, Meek served as the Pirates set-up man, posting a 2.14 ERA in 70 appearances. He also recorded four saves and gave up just 53 hits.

Last year Meek played in just 24 games due to injury, but posted a 3.48 ERA in 20.2 innings pitched.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have traded relief pitcher Ryota Igarashi to the Toronto Blue Jays for a player to be named later or cash considerations, according to MLB.com.

Igarashi, 32, signed a minor league deal with the Pirates in December. He pitched 9+ innings in spring training, with a 8.68 ERA.

In two seasons with the New York Mets, Igarashi made 79 appearances out of the bullpen with a career record of 5-2 and an ERA of 5.74.

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher A.J. Burnett has returned to spring training with the team eight days after surgery to repair a fractured orbital bone in his face, according to the Associated Press.

Burnett has been cleared to return to workouts, and Saturday he made 50 throws and rode the exercise bike, according to the report.

“The first few (throws) were a little hairy, I’m not going to lie,” Burnett told the AP. “But it went fine. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do. I’m glad to be back down here with the guys.”

The injury occurred on Feb. 29, when he fouled a bunt off his face during a drill.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed star center fielder Andrew McCutchen to a six -year, $51.5 million contract extension, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The contract will also reportedly contain a club option worth $14.75 million, meaning the team could potentially control the All-Star through 2018. The deal is designed to buyout his remaining arbitration seasons, and his first two years of free-agency.

Last season McCutchen hit .259/.364/.456 with 23 home runs, 23 stolen bases, and 87 runs scored. The 25-year-old is about to enter his fourth MLB season with the Pirates.

Pittsburgh initially drafted McCutchen No. 11 overall in the 2005 MLB Draft.

Recently acquired Pittsburgh Pirates hurler, A.J. Burnett, fouled a ball off of his face while bunting yesterday, and will need surgery to repair an orbital fracture around his right eye, according to the Pittsburgh Pirates official Twitter account.

A.J. Burnett has been diagnosed with an orbital fracture of his right eye…He will undergo surgery tomorrow in Pittsburgh.

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 1, 2012

Burnett, who left camp due to the injury, is scheduled to have surgery tomorrow. There is no word on how long he will be out of commission.

Burnett, 34, went 11-11 last season with a 5.14 ERA in 32 starts for the Yankees. It marked the second consecutive season that the right-hander posted an ERA above 5.00, and the fourth year the hurler failed to post a sub 4.00 ERA. The former 18-game-winner, however, has been able to pitch 185 innings-or-more in each of the past four years.

The director of Florida operations for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Trevor Gooby, delivered a baby on park grounds during a special event for season ticket holders Tuesday night, according to the Bradenton Patch.

“She pushed one time and the baby was out,” Gooby said. “We wrapped the baby up in towels.  He was crying and EMS arrived a couple of mintues later and cut the umbilical cord. I told her my name is Trevor and it makes a great name,” Gooby jokingly said to the new mother.

The eight and half months pregnant season ticket holder Latisha Kirk was enjoying a walk around the park when all of a sudden she began to experience discomfort.  Once alerted of the soon-to-mother’s situation, Gooby rushed Kirk by wheelchair to the front gates of the park when she insisted, “The baby is definitely coming.”  After sending staff to retrieve towels and gloves, Gooby prepared for delivery telling the Bradenton Patch, “I could see the baby’s head.”

Later, Gooby checked in with the Manatee Memorial hospital and discovered that Ms.Kirk and her newborn baby boy were in good health.  He is planning to making a visit the hospital later Wednesday.

Pittsburgh Pirates president Frank Coonelly has been charged with four counts related to drunk driving, according to Pittsburgh-Tribune Review.

“My actions that evening were irresponsible and wrong,” Coonelly said in a statement. “I take full and sole responsibility for them. There is no excuse for ever driving under the influence of alcohol.”  He joined the Pirates this morning at the spring training complex in Bradenton, Florida.

According to Ross Township court records, police arrested Coonelly on Dec.22 charging him with drunk driving, driving the wrong way, careless driving, and driving with a blood-alcohol content of at least .16.

Coonelly waved his right to a preliminary hearing Feb. 1 and his scheduled formal arraignment is scheduled for March 20 in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court.

It’s been days since the New York Yankees agreed in principle to trade hurler A.J. Burnett to the Pittsburgh Pirates, but now the deal is finally official, according to Jon Heyman of CBS:

Burnett passed the physical and mlb approved the trade. Done deal.

—
Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) February 19, 2012

The Yankees will receive pitcher Diego Moreno and outfielder Exicardo Cayones in return for Burnett and $20 million to help pay his salary. The deal is likely to be announced Monday.

Burnett, now 35, was disappointing for the Yankees last season, going 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA. He now joins a Pirates rotation that’s likely to include Jeff Karstens, James McDonald, Erik Bedard and Kevin Correia.

The New York Yankees and the Pittsburgh Pirates are “on the verge” of deal that would send A.J. Burnett to Pittsburgh, sources have told ESPN.

The Yankees are expected to receive a pair of prospects in return for the former All-Star pitcher, but New York is expected to absorb about $20 million of Burnett’s remaining $33 million he’s owed on his contract. The deal is reportedly pending approval of the commissioner’s office, according to ESPN.

Burnett had been on the trading block for the majority of the winter. The team had also spoke to the Los Angeles Angels about a potential swap for another bloated contract, Bobby Abreu’s, as well as the Cleveland Indians for a potential swap for Travis Hafner. The Yankees are still in search of a full-time designated hitter for next season.

Burnett, 34, went 11-11 last season with a 5.14 ERA in 32 starts for the Yankees. It marked the second consecutive season that the right-hander posted an ERA above 5.00, and the fourth year the hurler failed to post a sub 4.00 ERA. The former 18-game-winner, however, has been able to pitch 185 innings-or-more in each of the past four years.

Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Casey McGehee has avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year-deal, according to a tweet from the Pittsburgh Pirates.