Pittsburgh Pirates Wiretap

Pirates Bypass Arbitration, Sign Perez To One Year Deal

Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Oliver Perez bypassed salary arbitration Monday by agreeing to a one-year contract worth approximately $1.9 million.

Perez made $381,000 while going 7-5 with a 5.85 ERA last season, when he was sidelined for nearly two months with a broken toe after he kicked a laundry cart in frustration following a June 26 start in St. Louis.

Via AP

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Wilson Gets One-Year Contract From Pirates

Outfielder-first baseman Craig Wilson chose not to go to salary arbitration and agreed to a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates worth about $3.5 million.

The deal leaves the Pirates with two arbitration-eligible players, right-hander Kip Wells and left-hander Oliver Perez.

The 29-year-old Wilson made $3 million last season, when he missed 103 games because of two left hand injuries. He hit .264 with five homers and 22 RBIs. He had a team-leading 29 homers in 2004.

Wilson's role for this coming season has not been defined. Since the end of last season, the Pirates have traded for first baseman Sean Casey and outfielder Jeromy Burnitz, who is expected to start in right field.

Via AP

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Duckworth Signs Deal With Pirates

Right-hander Brandon Duckworth, who spent time early last season in the Houston Astros' rotation, agreed Thursday to a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Marty McLeary and Nerio Rodriguez, two other right-handers with major league experience, also agreed to minor league deals with the Pirates.

Duckworth was 0-1 with an 11.20 ERA in seven games with Houston last season and is 16-21 with a 5.34 ERA in 91 career games with the Phillies and Astros. Right-handed reliever Scott Strickland, who also spent time with Houston last season, previously signed a minor league contract with Pittsburgh.

McLeary pitched in three games with the San Diego Padres in 2004 before going 5-8 with a 4.75 ERA in 41 games with Class Triple-A Portland last season.

Via AP

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Burnitz Lands In Pittsburgh

Jeromy Burnitz finalized his $6.7 million, one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates after taking a physical Wednesday, but only after the unhappy Baltimore Orioles said the outfielder's agent backed out of a two-year deal.

Burnitz's Pirates contract calls for a $6 million salary this year and a $6 million mutual option for 2007 with a $700,000 buyout if the team declines its option. Baltimore thought Burnitz had agreed to a $12 million, two-year contract with the Orioles last week.

Via AP

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No Camden? Pirates Nearing Deal With Burnitz

The Pirates are close to a deal to sign free-agent outfielder Jeromy Burnitz.

The sides have agreed to most aspects of a contract, a source close to the negotiations said yesterday, but some details remain, including Burnitz passing a physical. It is not known precisely what the other details are, but the source said they were not likely to prevent an agreement, which could be achieved in the next day or two.

Multiple reports out of Baltimore last week said Burnitz had agreed to a two-year deal with the Orioles worth between $10 million and $12 million. But Howard Simon, Burnitz's Connecticut-based agent, insisted yesterday that no deal had been struck and that he had told reporters only that he was "staying in close touch" with the Orioles.

Simon's focus in the past three days has shifted to discussions with Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield.

Simon declined to offer specifics, but it is believed that Burnitz's contract would be for two years with a total value in the range of $12 million, which would make it the richest free-agent signing in the Pirates' history. However much they are offering, it appears it is more than still-on-the-table offers from the Orioles and Houston Astros.

Via Post-Gazette

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