Quick Hits

A couple of quick notes:

• The search continues: Jon Morosi of Fox Sports tweets that the Bucs are looking at Shaun Marcum, along with Texas and San Diego. He's been a solid guy over his career, but only worked 124 IP last season with an elbow issue, making him a risk for 2013. In Pittsburgh's case, his biggest drawback is that he's a RH fly-ball pitcher with a 1.22 HR/9 innings career line, and so might not be the best fit for PNC Park.
• Big off season for Cutch. Andrew McCutchen will appear on the cover of video game "MLB 13 The Show" after a vote that was cast at the MLB.com site, Twitter and Facebook. "Dread the dreads" covers social media every bit as well as he covers center field. And with class, as his thx to Bucco fans shows.
• For you twerps, AJ Burnett has finally gone social. You can follow him at @wudeydo34 .
• John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus tweets that the Bucs are "kicking the tires" of LHP Joe Saunders. 
• Russell Martin and Chris Leroux are on the Canadian WBC preliminary roster.  
• Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe: "The Red Sox and Pirates never got deep into discussions of first baseman/outfielder Garrett Jones during the Joel Hanrahan trade talks because, according to a major league source, “'The Pirates really valued Jones highly.'” That fits what we've heard, as chronicled by Tim Williams of Pirates Prospects. We'll see when they sign him just how much they really value him.
• Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs in his "Reports from the Instructs"  features Gerrit Cole. He concludes that "everything is pointing at a big league debut sometime in 2013 as he continues progressing toward his ceiling of a true #1 starter."
• Andrew Pentis of MiLB.com talks with Gregory Polanco and Josh Bell about their off season.
• The Bucs signed Lucas May, a light hitting catcher who looks to be Tony Sanchez's caddy at Indy, as noted by John Dreker of Pirates Prospects.
• They also signed Aussie 16 year old RHP Nick Hutchings, according to Dreker. He sounds like a real deal from down under, with the Bucs outbidding four other clubs for his services.
• The Hall of Fame vote ended up with no new members, thank you, steroid era. Old Bucs Barry Bonds, Jose Mesa, Reggie Sanders and Kenny Lofton were on the ballot.
• David Manel of Bucs Dugout took a comparative look at players' 2011-12 seasons, both for MLB leaders and for the Pirates. The biggest improvement went to Pedro; the biggest bust was Hot Rod.