Huff signs with Orioles

For 3 years and 20 million, the Baltimore Sun reports. Scratch Huff's name off the Lefty McThump list.

2007 Bucs ZiPS

Dan Szymborski of BBTF shares his 2007 ZiPS projections for the Bucs. Of all the projection systems in 2006, ZiPS fared the best for pitchers, and came in fourth for hitters.

For the hitters, ZiPS predicts significant declines for Freddy and Ronny, a slight decline for Bay, continued stagnation for Wilson and Castillo, slight improvements to near-mediocrity for Nady and Bautista, and improvements for Duffy and McLouth. ZiPS thinks Duffy will raise his game from 2006's .255/.317/.338 to .274/.326/.384 and McLouth will break out from 2006's .233/.293/.385 to .267/.325/.409. So calling either of these an "improvement" is generous.

For the pitchers, ZiPS likes Duke, Gorzelanny, Snell, and Maholm in that order. ZiPS seems to really like Duke, projecting him to pitch 216 IP with a 1.35 WHIP. Both Snell and Maholm are projected to improve from last year (Snell's 1.46 WHIP to 1.38, Maholm's 1.61 to 1.49). ZiPS projects McLeary, Youman, Wasdin, Santos, and Bullington will all outperform Chacon.

While it's painful to see a screen full of numbers predict exactly how the Bucs will lose their 15th year in a row, at least there's no Jeff Reed picture involved.

pigskin.com gone dark

This morning I see a Network Solutions takedown notice at the website of our free pick 'em pool. All hail whoever was winning!

UPDATE: Site's back up. Game On!

No gnus is good gnus

Or so Gary Gnu reports. This week will probably be quiet. Last January, IIRC, DL started the year with some free-agent signings.

I still predict that Mike Gonzalez gets traded nowhere and the Pirates sign no one of consequence before March 1. I've been wrong before, so use this comment thread to report gnus if you gnot them.

Ho ho ho

Merry Christmas! I am wearing the Santa suit tonight. See you later in the week.

NFL week 16: Ravens at Steelers

One o'clock and game is on.

Jose Bautista

... is the subject of the Sunday installment of DK's Post-Gazette column. Ed Eagle has also written about him for MLB.com.

My take on the patience stuff - as DK notes, even Castillo has a good OBP this winter - is this. The pitchers down there must have serious control problems.

Still, this is a guy that I like for 2007, and when I do my first Pirates sudoku for 2007 I hope to find 500 plate appearances within easy reach for him.

Huff

So, what do you think of this Aubrey Huff guy? Want him for three years?

Gonzo like B.J. Ryan

Dave Littlefield sees it this way in Dejan Kovacevic's latest.

He does not equate the two but says that, after Ryan, Gonzalez is as good as they come. I would agree with that.

Bucs sign Einar Diaz

Why?

DK Q+A

Today's topic: Herrera and Kuwata.

"Especially in the case of Kuwata, the signing might be partly a symbolic gesture to make the Pirates' name known to other potential talent in Japan. It might seem hollow, but scouts who work abroad will tell you that this sort of thing matters."

Reminding people that the Bucs are, in fact, a MLB team, is a prerequisite to future international signings.

Also on Kuwata and Herrera:

Wilbur at OnlyBucs asks whether the Bucs are now ready to compete overseas.

Pat at WHYGAVS proposes Kuwata's tryout be marketed as a reality game show.

Pirates Roundtable #4

Now up. We sat this one out, but 12 others field two questions on DL's "good pitching beats good hitting" inanity, and what Jason Bay might fetch in a trade.

All hail spike123, Slow Country 21 and Rowdy!

For going 12-4, 11-5 and 10-6 to win weeks 15, 14, and 13, respectively, in the HW NFL pick 'em challenge. Don't short these folks just due to the lax triple hail - drink up. Just two weeks left, starting with the game tonight.

Stunningly perfect

Ladies and gentlemen, Honus the Alpaca. Crimps galore and major density.

the Cuban guy

What are your thoughts on the eighteen-month layoff recently enjoyed by Yoslan Herrera?

My hunch is he'll be rusty for a month or two, and then better than ever.

That looks like a good signing to me. I was cool to the idea of Kuwata until I learned he talks to the ball, Mark Fidrych-style. Bones and I have long advocated the use of innovative crowd-pleasing tactics. Now that Jack has asked how this will work for Kuwata in America, I'm highly interested. I'll buy tickets just to see if our American balls can understand his Japanese wisdom.

Pirates sign two

They signed an old Japanese pitcher and a young Cuban pitcher, the PG reports.

What is known about trade offers involving Mike Gonzalez

Dejan Kovacevic shares what is known.

My prediction: the Pirates do not trade him.

NFL week 15: Steelers at Panthers

The Pirates Steelers can get back to .500 with a win this afternoon.

Only three AFC teams have a worse record.

The starters

Zach Duke spoke to John Perrotto about the team building around the current crop of young starters.

More three-way action

The Gray Lady gets in on the fun.

I wonder: would you rather see Adam LaRoche or Melky Cabrera in a Pirates uniform? I will put my answer as the first comment.