Notes...

Holiday notes and thoughts...

• Starling Marte made CBS's Dayn Perry's "All Black Friday (Bargain) Team." His salary was $500K last season, but he provided $23M in WAR value.
• Haven't heard much about RHP Ricky Nolasco being on the Bucco radar, and he's off it for sure now. He signed a four-year deal worth $49M with a club option with the Twins, a contract that's way out of the Pirates' comfort zone. 
• With guys like Javier Lopez, Joe Smith and Manny Parra being signed to seven and eight figure, multi-year contracts in free agency, expect the Bucs to dangle at least one young arm from their bullpen as trade bait during the off season. With the FA market looking a bit overheated financially, the FO may opt to go the trade route to patch the Pirate roster holes, and the value of non-closing relievers is going through the roof.
• The Giants signed Indy reliever RHP Erik Cordier, 27, and added him to their 40-man roster. His line was 4-2-4/ 4.58 ERA in AAA, but he did crank out 11 K per nine innings, offset by nearly five walks. His numbers aren't there, but the career minor leaguer's fastball sits at 98.We wonder if the G-Men are hoping to slip him through waivers sometime during the off-season after the 40-man rosters fill or if they do think he deserves a MLB contract on velocity alone.
• Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that "The Rockies want (Justin) Morneau. He’s their primary target." He adds that rumored Pirate target James Loney is their fall back option.