There is no shortage of rumors throughout the off-season. Those rumors can start by a simple mention of a player, and spread like wildfire, to the point where a day after the mention fans are penciling the player in to future lineups, regardless of whether the team is actually pursuing the player. Eventually, it gets hard to determine how the rumor started, or how much truth there is to the rumor. I will be keeping track of all of the rumors this off-season, including the source of the rumor, and the exact level of reported interest by the Pirates. The rumors will include free agent rumors and trade speculation. Players will only remain on the tracker as long as they are on the free agent market.
Adrian Beltre
Date of First Rumor: 11/8/2010
Pirates’ Level of Interest: They’ve shown interest, although it may not be more than a phone call.
Source of Rumor: Jon Heyman reported that the Pirates were showing interest in “free agent prizes”, including Beltre.
Latest Update to Rumor: Jennifer Langosch mentions that it’s standard for General Managers to inquire on the price of every free agent.
Chance of Pirates Acquiring Player: Very unlikely, considering how much Beltre will cost, and how in-demand he will be this off-season.
Justin Duchscherer
Date of First Rumor: 11/9/2010
Pirates’ Level of Interest: Have expressed interest. Level of interest unknown.
Source of Rumor: Bill Brink of the PPG reported the interest.
Latest Update to Rumor: None.
Chance of Pirates Acquiring Player: The same rumors existed last off-season. The Pirates could sign Duchscherer, but there’s no guarantee that they will be aggressively bidding for his services.
Kevin Correia
Date of First Rumor: 11/9/2010
Pirates’ Level of Interest: No reported interest.
Source of Rumor: Mark Polishuk and Ben Nicholson-Smith of MLBTR predicted the Pirates would sign Correia.
Latest Update to Rumor: None.
Rumor Analysis: Just a prediction as to who the Pirates would sign. Possible, but no reported interest outside of the prediction.
Kevin Millwood
Date of First Rumor: 11/9/2010
Pirates’ Level of Interest: No reported interest.
Source of Rumor: Mark Polishuk of MLBTR predicted the Pirates would sign Millwood.
Latest Update to Rumor: None.
Rumor Analysis: Just a prediction as to who the Pirates would sign. Possible, but no reported interest outside of the prediction.
Jorge de la Rosa
Date of First Rumor: 11/9/2010
Pirates’ Level of Interest: De La Rosa is their top target.
Source of Rumor: Steve Adams of MLBTR predicted the Pirates would sign de la Rosa. Troy Renck reported that the Pirates are believed to have interest. Rob Biertempfel reported that De La Rosa is the Pirates’ top target.
Latest Update to Rumor: De La Rosa is the Pirates’ top target.
Rumor Analysis: Started as a prediction with no reported interest. Then it was reported that the Pirates were believed to have interest. Then de la Rosa was named the Pirates’ top target. Pirates will have to spend a lot to sign de la Rosa.
Jeremy Bonderman
Date of First Rumor: 11/5/2010
Pirates’ Level of Interest: No reported interest.
Source of Rumor: Rob Biertfempfel mentioned Bonderman as a possibility for the rotation.
Latest Update to Rumor: None.
Rumor Analysis: Player was just mentioned as a possibility for the Pirates.
Doug Davis
Date of First Rumor: 11/5/2010
Pirates’ Level of Interest: No reported interest.
Source of Rumor: Rob Biertempfel mentioned Davis as a possibility for the rotation.
Latest Update to Rumor: None.
Rumor Analysis: Player was just mentioned as a possibility for the Pirates.
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
