News & Notes

 This week's happenings:

• Not much hot stove sizzle so far. As has been the case since the season ended, Big Joe Musgrove remains the betting favorite to be dealt, as confirmed by Anthony Franco of MLBTR.
• Per Baseball America, third-string catcher Andrew Susac has signed a deal with the Bucs. The Pirates, btw, have seven guys who are MiLB free agents. Of them, RHP Montana DuRapau, has signed with Oakland.
• No Golden Glove love for the Bucs. At, 2B, Adam Frazier lost out to Kolten Wong and Tucker Barnhart beat out Jake Stallings at C.

Our little Burdi is back in the nest for the time being - 2019 Inception

• Oft injured RHP Nick Burdi cleared waivers and was assigned to Indy by the Bucs; he's eligible to declare free agency, even tho he's injured. RHP Dovy Neverauskas also cleared and was released.
• Adam Berry of MLB.com predicts the Opening Day roster for the Bucs if the season were to start tomorrow. Spoiler alert - the '27 Yankees it ain't.
• Well, it's a start: as reported by John Dreker of the Pittsburgh Baseball Network/Pirates Prospects, the winter league in Nicaragua announced that they have retired #21 league-wide in honor of Roberto Clemente.
• C Erik Kratz, 40, who started with Pittsburgh in 2010 and made another stop here in '16, won't play next year, although he didn't commit to a full retirement.