Name Droppin'

• Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports that the Pirates had some interest in RHP AJ Burnett of the Yankees. The 35 year old is an inning eater, but his $16.5M contract seems way out of the Pirates' depth unless the Bronx Bombers are willing to foot most of his bill, especially as Fangraphs lists his 2011 value at 1.5 WAR/$6.5M.
• Dejan Kovacevic of the Trib reports that the Bucs had a chat with LHP Paul Maholm, but doesn't expect much to come of the conversation.
• The Pirates showed some interest in RHP Dan Wheeler, according to MLB Trade Rumor's Ben Nicholson-Smith. From the same site, Mark Polishuk presumes the Pirates are looking at Taiwanese LHP Chen Wei-yin, 26, a report that's made the web rounds before.
• Rob Beirtempfel of the Trib notes that Pittsburgh is in on Cuban OFs Yoennis Cespedes and Jorge Soler, although both seem to be in line for for some monster money.
• The Pittsburgh Pirates announced the signings of LHP Jo-Jo Reyes and RHP Logan Kensing to minor league deals with invites to spring training. Reyes, 27, is a starter who is 12-26 with a 6.05 ERA in five seasons with the Braves, Blue Jays and Orioles. Kensing, 29, is 8-9 with a 5.81 ERA in 132 MLB appearances with Florida and the Nats, missing 2010 while recovering from elbow surgery. The reliever throws in the mid-to-upper 90s. 
• Jim Callis of Baseball America compares Pirates outfield prospects Starling Marte and Robbie Grossman. He also puts Jamison Taillon/Gerritt Cole among the top four minor league pitching duos.
• SS Pedro Ciriaco proved you can go home again when he signed with his old club, the Red Sox. C Jason Jaramillo stayed in the division, inking a deal with the Cubs, where he stands a decent chance of becoming the #2 catcher. 
• Indy's IF/OF Corey Wimberly signed with the Mets, and corner player Josh Fields went to the Dodgers.