Tony Watson turns in best outing of spring for Pirates

Tony Watson turned in strong outing for the Pirates in making his first start of the spring.

The lefty was perfect against the Tampa Bay Rays in his two innings of work striking out two and not allowing a base runner.

He was followed by Jason Grilli, who gave up only one hit and walked one in two innings. The only run of the game came on fourth inning homer by Casey McGehee off Rays starter Matt Moore.

Pirates get last spring chance to beat Tampa Rays

Matt Moore, slated for the fourth spot in the Rays starting rotation, started against the Pirates today at McKechnie Field in the final Grapefruit League meeting between the teams.

This is the 13th time in 26 spring games that the Pirates have faced a lefty starter.

The Rays also had Reid Brignac starting at shortstop. He and Sean Rodriguez have been battling for the job. Brignac has had foot problems, but the job may be split anyway. He had a an error in the second inning.

Lefty Tony Watson is making his first start and eighth appearance of the spring for the Pirates. He has gone 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA in his previous outings.

Mo Town is here!

This is Jason Dill blogging from McKechnie Field where the Detroit Tigers bring the hottest hitter this Grapefruit League season, Ryan Raburn, to face the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Raburn has hit six home runs in 26 at-bats this spring.

Jim Leyland, who managed the Pirates the last time they made the playoffs, is back in Bradenton with the Tigers.

His club was tabbed as a favorite to win the World Series this year.

However, several of the marquee names aren't on this trip down from Lakeland.

Prince Fielder, Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera and Alex Avila didn't make the voyage down to the Friendly City.

Cabrera was injured earlier this week when he took a grounder to the face.

Doug Fister is scheduled to battle Pittsburgh's Charlie Morton today.

Here's the lineups:

Detroit

1. Andy Dirks CF
2. Brennan Boesch RF
3. Jhonny Peralta SS
4. Ryan Raburn 2B
5. Delmon Young LF
6. Don Kelly 1B
7. Clete Thomas DH
8. Brandon Inge 3B
9. Gerald Laird

RHP Doug Fister

Pittsburgh

1. Jose Tabata RF
2. Nate McLouth LF
3. Andrew McCutchen CF
4. Neil Walker 2B
5. Casey McGehee 3B
6. Matt Hague 1B
7. Rod Barajas C
8. Clint Barmes SS
9. Charlie Morton RHP

It's official: Burnett is a Pirate

(photo from nypost.com)

A.J. Burnett is a Pittsburgh Pirate.

The Pirates announced their trade with the New York Yankees, which brings the 35-year-old righty to Pittsburgh in exchange for Single-A prospects Diego Moreno and Exicardo Cayones, has been finalized.

The Pirates will also pay $13 million of the $33 million owed to Burnett over the next two seasons.

Burnett went 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA last season with the Yankees and was 34-35 in three seasons in New York.

He is 121-111 in his career, which has also included stints with the Florida Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays. Burnett threw a no-hitter with Florida in 2001 and his best year was with the Blue Jays in '08, when he won 18 games and led the American League in starts (34), strikeouts (231) and strikeouts-per-nine-innings (9.4).

Getting to know Kyle Drabek

(photo from ctv.ca)

Kyle Drabek toes the rubber today for the Toronto Blue Jays, though his name should be familiar to Pirates fans.
His father, Doug, won 92 games in six years with the Pirates, playing an integral role in the team's three straight National League East titles (1990-92). He won the Cy Young award in '90, when he went 22-6.
Kyle has made a name for himself, a well. Though he went 0-3 with a 4.76 ERA in three starts last year with the Jays, MLB.com ranked him baseball's 12th-best prospect. And he was part of the monster trade that sent former Jays ace Roy Halladay to the Philadelphia Phillies prior to last season.
Drabek is warming up in right field right now, and we are about 20 minutes from first pitch.