Shots Across the Bow: Rule 5

Wednesday, 05 December 2012 21:09

Written by Bill Brink

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Rule 5 draft takes place today at 10 a.m. ET. The Pirates are interested some available players, but GM Neal Huntington said he believes they may be off the board by the time the team selects. They have the 13^th pick.

Huntington said this year the Pirates need players who can contribute, not just someone with upside that you try to stash on the bench all season.

MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo breaks down the Rule 5 draft, and also offers a look at the top 20 players left unprotected.

We’re still waiting for Jason Grilli to make up his mind, though the sense is at this point that another club will go the extra million or two and eliminate the Pirates from the bidding. Several clubs are reportedly interested in Grilli.

Aside from the Andrew Oliver trade, the Pirates – true to Huntington’s assertion Monday – have slow-played the winter meetings. Huntington stressed a lack of urgency to move after the Russell Martin signing. Clint Hurdle today talked about divergent paths the offseason could take; they’re currently following the plan laid out in case they got Martin. They displayed with the A.J. Burnett trade that a lack of movement at the winter meetings doesn't mean a lack of movement during the offseason. The issue becomes that the usable, quality players are more likely to sign with other teams as the winter progresses.

It still appears that once Zack Greinke signs and the Mets decide what to do with R.A. Dickey, the pace of the market will increase.

I will update the blog as the Rule 5 draft unfolds, so check back at 10 a.m. and on Twitter @BrinkPG.

In today’s Post-Gazette: Pirates add another inexpensive pitcher, Scott Boras talks Mark Appel and military-style training, other news and notes.