MLB Insiders - Pittsburgh Pirates

Unassuming Jason Bay is anything but a loose cannon, yet the Pirates left fielder does speak the truth.

Thus, no one blinked on the final day of last season when Bay gave an honest assessment of the Pirates for 2008.

"To think we're going to win 100 games or go to the World Series next year with the exact same team would be a little foolish," Bay said.

However, new general manager Neal Huntington sat tight throughout the winter when the trade and free agent markets weren't to his liking and made no major moves. Thus, the Pirates have an almost identical team the one that went 68-94 last season.

Bay again was honest during the Pirates' fan festival last month when asked about the lack of moves, saying he didn't see how the team could be competitive with no major upgrades

"I think that, for a championship-quality team, you need to make more moves. And I'm not talking about the .500 team we can be," Bay said. "I don't think anyone in this room is going to tell you we're a championship-quality team."

However, Bay says he is not ready to drop the subject and play ball.

"It's time to move on and focus on what we do have here," Bay said.

Huntington and new team president Frank Coonelly believe the Pirates should improve just by regressing to the mean. They also believe new manager John Russell will make a difference as he takes over for Jim Tracy.

Bay knows Russell from his days as the Pirates' third base coach from 2003-05 and is hopeful the new skipper can change the atmosphere.

"You can feel the air is a little different around here, just the way things are run and certain little idiosyncrasies that have changed," Bay said. "I think it's great. For the young team we have, it's great to just lay down the law and have that concrete guidance."

Huntington said he holds no grudges against Bay.

"I just wish he'd come to me first before he went public with his comments," Huntington said. "Maybe what I said, he wouldn't have liked and he still would have made his comments. But, at least, he would have made those comments with an understanding of what we're trying to accomplish."

WHERE, WHEN: McKechnie Field, Bradenton, Fla. First exhibition game is Feb. 28 against Philadelphia at Clearwater, Fla.

NOTES, QUOTES
--Free agent RHP Byung-Hyun Kim was signed to a one-year contract worth $850,000 with the opportunity to earn an additional $1 million in performance bonuses. Kim is expected to be the primary right-handed setup reliever, a job that opened after Salomon Torres was traded and Shawn Chacon left as a free agent. Kim, 29, was a combined 10-8 with a 6.08 ERA last season in 28 games, 20 starts, with Colorado, Arizona and Florida.

--INF Ray Olmedo was designated for assignment by the Pirates to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for RHP Byung-Hyun Kim, and the Phillies claimed him off waivers. Pittsburgh had claimed Olmedo off waivers from Toronto on Feb. 1 after he hit .216 with one RBI in 27 games for the Blue Jays last season.

--2B Freddy Sanchez was unable to participate in all fielding drills at the starting of spring training, as he is still recovering from arthroscopic shoulder surgery performed last September. The Pirates, though, are confident Sanchez will be at full strength soon.

--LHP Damaso Marte was unable to throw off the mound during the first week of spring training because of the flu but he should have plenty of time to be ready for the start of the season.

--C Ronny Paulino has been getting extensive work on his defense during the early part of spring training. While Paulino draws high parks for his handling of pitchers, he has committed 18 errors and 17 passed balls in his two major league seasons.

BY THE NUMBERS: .221 -- Career batting average for right-handers off RHP Byung-Hyun Kim, who was signed as a free agent to be the primary right setup reliever.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I think we're a complete ballclub, and I told the players that. We're not so much the power-hitting team that is going to hit a bunch of home runs, but we can handle the bat, we can pitch, we can play defense. It's a matter of putting it all together." -- Pirates manager John Russell following his address to the team before the first full-squad workout of spring training.