Winter Meetings End: Neil Walker for Jon Niese; Rule 5 Pick; Other Action

The Bucs pull the trigger on dealing The Kid, Rule 5 picks and other jive:

• Once Ben Zobrist was off the market, guys began to bid on Neil Walker as Plan B. The auction ended when the Mets agreed to send LHP Jon Niese to the Bucs for The Kid. Other teams that discussed Walker were the Angels, Dodgers, Nationals and Orioles.
• MLB.com's Adam Berry says the Bucs have interest in 1B Mike Napoli (as have several other clubs). He also noted that they have interest in just about any first baseman currently breathing, and while NH said he hasn't decided whether to platoon the position or go for a full-timer in 2016, Clint said they were looking for a platoon partner for Michael Morse. Our money is on the ol' skipper.
• Per Travis Sawchik of the Trib, the Pirates are interested in FA Mat Latos, according to an industry source. He had a bad season, but a balky knee and peripheral bad luck may be the cause, wrote Chris Booze of Camden Chat. Latos is said to be looking for a short term, rebuild some value, deal.
• A couple of names to watch for in today's Rule 5 draft who were left unprotected by the Bucs are 1B/OF Jose Osuna, who has seven homers in winter ball, and IF Adam Frazier, who had a strong off season in Arizona/USA team. Both played for Altoona in 2015. However, neither was on Baseball America's list of 50 players with a good shot at being selected. They escaped, but there were a couple of other hits. The Pirates lost RHP Deolis Guerra to the Los Angeles Angels, who had just been signed as a MiLB FA. That made it an oddball pick, as LAA could have just signed him and not be forced to keep him on the active roster all season. In the AAA part, the Bucs took good glove, no hit SS Alfredo Reyes from the Mets. They lost a couple more guys, as the Miami Marlins took RHP Patrick Johnson, who Pittsburgh had signed from the indy leagues, and 23 year old RH reliever Isaac Sanchez (2-3/3.93 @ Bradenton). The Bucs, btw, passed on the MLB phase of the draft.
• Pittsburgh was looking for a first baseman; Milwaukee's Adam Lind was sent to Seattle for a trio of lottery ticket teen pitchers. He had a year left on his contract for $8M, coming off a 3.1 WAR year, and sounded like a perfect seat warmer for Josh Bell. Apparently not.
• The Yankees will send ex-Bucco Justin Wilson to Detroit for a pair of pitching prospects, Luis Cessa and Chad Green.