The Pirates are one of a half-dozen teams in pursuit of outfielder Rocco Baldelli, one of the most intriguing -- and risky -- players available in Major League Baseball's free agency.
Baldelli, 27, once was among the sport's rising stars, but his career with Tampa Bay was derailed by a condition that weakened him and kept him from regular duty. He missed most of the past season because of a medical condition that caused extreme fatigue, but returned to the Rays in August and hit .263 with four home runs in 28 games, then two more home runs in the playoffs and World Series -- all with regular rest. One diagnosis was Baldelli had mitochondrial disorder, a potentially debilitating condition. But a new diagnosis delivered this month by the Cleveland Clinic after extensive tests was that he has channelopathy, a much less severe condition that is treatable with medication. Channelopathy involves dysfunction of ion cells in handling potassium, chloride, sodium and calcium.
Baldelli told the St. Petersburg Times last week that he is getting good results from the medication and called it "definitely an encouraging development."
The Rays have told Baldelli they are interested in bringing him back even after buying out the final three years of his contract for $4 million. The Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are the others interested.
The Pirates have had several conversations with Baldelli's representatives, according to one high-ranking team executive, and their pursuit is serious. General manager Neal Huntington has acknowledged coveting a right-handed power bat for the outfield -- Nate McLouth, Brandon Moss and Nyjer Morgan all are left-handed -- and Baldelli could fit that, the Pirates believe, even if he continues to require regular rest.
Ty Wigginton, another right-handed power bat the Pirates had been weighing, has fallen to the background. Wigginton's primary positions are third and first base, and newcomer Ramon Vazquez now is Andy LaRoche's backup at third, and Steve Pearce could be Adam LaRoche's backup across the diamond.
Also yesterday, the Pirates signed six players to minor league contracts with invitations to the major league portion of spring training:
* Reliever Denny Bautista was brought back, two weeks after the team declined to offer him arbitration.
* Reliever Chris Bootcheck, 30, had a 6.04 ERA in parts of five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels. He and Bautista each will be in the mix to make the Pirates' bullpen next spring, Huntington said.
* Reliever Juan Mateo, 26, was brought back and will provide minor league depth after a strong 2008 in which he had a 2.02 ERA for Class AA Altoona.
* Outfielder Jeff Salazar, 28, once a highly regarded prospect, batted .211 in 90 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks this past season. He will compete for a job with the Pirates.
* Utility infielder Andy Phillips, 31, spent parts of last season with the Reds and New York Mets and has a .250 career average. He will also compete for the main club.
* First baseman Garrett Jones, 27, batted .279 with 23 home runs and 92 RBIs for Class AAA Rochester this past season. He will provide minor league depth.
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NOTES -- The Pirates are finding no suitors for Jack Wilson and are set to enter 2009 with him as their everyday shortstop. ... The Pirates offered more money than what free-agent starter Daniel Cabrera accepted from the Washington Nationals in his one-year, $2.6 million contract he signed over the weekend.
