There is a new pitching coach, Joe Kerrigan, who held that position with Montreal, Boston and Philadelphia, also serving a stint as the Red Sox's manager. Kerrigan replaced Jeff Andrews, who was fired after only one season on the job.
The Pirates say that just three of the 12 spots on their pitching staff are locked up. Left-hander Paul Maholm will front the rotation and almost certainly get the Opening Day start at St. Louis on April 6 after signing a three-year, $14.5 million contract in late January. Closer Matt Capps and left-handed setup man John Grabow will be the key pitchers in the bullpen.
Beyond that, no other pitchers are assured of jobs, though left-hander Zach Duke and right-hander Ian Snell are likely to be part of the rotation, and Tyler Yates seems to be a safe bet to retain his right-handed setup role.
"We're all going to have to come to spring training ready to compete," right-handed starter Jeff Karstens said.
"I think that's a good thing. I'm a firm believer that competition brings out the best in everybody. We have a lot of talented pitchers, even though the results didn't show it last season. The competition is going to be strong and it's going to make us all better pitchers."
Joining Karstens, Duke and Snell in the competition for starting jobs will be left-hander Tom Gorzelanny, who won 14 games in 2007 before posting a 6.66 ERA last season, and right-handers Jimmy Barthmaier, Daniel McCutchen and Ross Ohlendorf.
Yates will be one of many pitchers trying to land bullpen spots along with left-handers Sean Burnett, Phil Dumatrait and Donnie Veal, and right-handers Denny Bautista, Chris Bootcheck, Jesse Chavez, Jason Davis, Craig Hansen, Juan Mateo, Evan Meek, Romulo Sanchez, Jeff Sues and Virgil Vasquez.
"What I like about our situation is we have much more pitching depth than a year ago," general manager Neal Huntington said. "Last spring, we basically had five starters and just went with them. This time, guys are going to have to earn their roster spots, and that's always an optimal situation."
Despite trading outfielders Jason Bay and Xavier Nady last July, then going 17-37 in the last third of the season, the Pirates are optimistic they will be able to score runs with a lineup core that includes switch-hitting catcher Ryan Doumit, first baseman Adam LaRoche, second baseman Freddy Sanchez, shortstop Jack Wilson and center fielder Nate McLouth.
Third baseman Andy LaRoche, left fielder Nyjer Morgan and right fielder Brandon Moss enter camp having starting jobs to lose.
WHERE, WHEN: McKechnie Field, Bradenton, Fla. The first exhibition game is Feb. 25 against Philadelphia at Bradenton.
TOP CANDIDATE TO SURPRISE: RHP Ross Ohlendorf is a big, strong and smart guy who has great stuff and seems ready to blossom at 26. He will get a much better opportunity as a starter with the Pirates than he did as a reliever with the Yankees, and he is primed to take advantage.
TOP CANDIDATE TO DISAPPOINT: LHP Tom Gorzelanny said the reason he went from winning 14 games in 2007 to posting a 6.66 ERA in 2008 is that he hid an elbow problem all season. Sore elbows often lead to major surgery, especially when it comes to Pittsburgh pitchers.
AUTHORITY FIGURES: Manager John Russell was 67-95 in his first season in 2008, and, although he is a patient person by nature, he says he expects a lot more out of his young players this year. He will rely heavily on new pitching coach Joe Kerrigan to fix a staff whose 5.08 ERA last season was the worst in the National League.
--3B Andy LaRoche says he is completely healthy for the first time since tearing a ligament in his left thumb during spring training last season. He is hopeful good health will help him greatly improve on a disappointing 2008 rookie season in which he hit a combined .166 with five home runs and 18 RBIs in 76 games with the Dodgers and Pirates.
--1B Adam LaRoche is likely entering his last season with the Pirates. The club made no effort to sign him to a multiyear contract after unsuccessfully attempting to do so last winter. Furthermore, 1B/OF Steve Pearce is expected to see most of his playing time at first for Class AAA Indianapolis this season with an eye on becoming the Pirates' starting first baseman in 2010.
--LHP John Grabow, who was worried at this time last season that he might need surgery to remove bone chips from his pitching elbow, says his arm has never felt stronger because of a workout regimen designed to strengthen the shoulder and take pressure off the elbow. Grabow was a bright spot for the Pirates last season, going 6-3 with four saves and a 2.84 ERA in 74 games.
--C Hector Gimenez, signed to a minor league contract earlier in the offseason, hit a walk-off home run in the 11th inning to give Venezuela a 1-0 win over Mexico during pool play at the Caribbean World Series in Mexicali, Mexico. Gimenez, 26, hit .226 with two home runs and 16 RBIs in 43 games with Tampa Bay's Class AAA Durham farm club last season, and he hit .194 with four homers and 21 RBIs in 38 games with high Class A Vero Beach.
--RHP T.J. Beam was claimed off waivers by Toronto after the Pirates designated him for assignment to clear a roster spot for the addition of free agent OF Eric Hinske. The Pirates were hoping to re-sign Beam, 28, to a minor league contract after he went 2-2 with one save and a 4.14 ERA in 32 relief appearances with Pittsburgh last season. He also went 2-1 with five saves and a 3.09 ERA in 30 games with Class AAA Indianapolis.
BY THE NUMBERS: 5.08 -- The Pirates' ERA last season, the highest by a National League team other than Colorado since Cincinnati had a 5.19 mark in 2004.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I think we have a lot of starting pitchers ready to blossom, and the reason why is they are a lot like NFL quarterbacks. You'll find your exceptions, but for the most part it takes quarterbacks in the NFL three or four years to learn the system, to have all the variables thrown at them, and to understand how to react to all of those variables. Most of our starters are at that stage of their careers." -- New Pirates pitching coach Joe Kerrigan.