Several moves, shuffling personnel around:

RHP Joe Martinez, who came to the Pirates from the Giants (with John Bowker) in July, was removed from the Pirates' 40-man roster and designated for assignment.  That frees up a roster spot for newly signed starter Kevin Correia.  Martinez joined the Indy Indians after coming to the Pirate organization, and made 4 starts and 3 relief appearances for the Indians.  In 28 innings, he earned a 1-2 record and a 5.72 ERA.  Then he pitched 8.2 innings over 5 games for the Pirates, for a 3.12 ERA.  

Spring Training invitations for the big league camp were extended to pitchers Rudy Owens and Justin Wilson, both of whom pitched in Altoona in 2010.  Tyler Yates, working his way back from elbow surgery, was signed to a minor league contract and also invited to major league spring training. Infielder Jeff Clement was also invited to big league camp.   

The Pirates have announced the new managers for their minor league teams:  Dean Treanor, who was the pitching coach in Indianapolis in 2010, will now be managing the Indians.  Frank Kremblas, who has managed in Indianapolis for two years, will move into the role of minor league field/instructional coordinator.  PJ Forbes, who managed the Bradenton Marauders in 2010, will manage the Altoona Curve in 2011.  Carlos Garcia will move from coaching first base for the Pirates to managing the Marauders.  Gary Robinson is moving up from managing the State College Spikes to managing the West Virginia Power, and Dave Turgeon, former coach at Virginia Tech, will become the manager at State College.   

And, some winter league action for some Pirates' players and friends:

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
Gigantes de Carolina  4,  Indios de Mayaguez  2  --  For the second night in a row, Benji Gonzalez came into the game as a pinch-hitter for Los Gigantes, then remained in the game on defense.  Gonzalez flied out in the top of the 6th, then played second base for one inning, and shortstop for 3 innings.  He also grounded out in the 9th.  Los Gigantes scored one run in the 2nd, 2 in the 4th, and one more in the 5th, while a triple and a double contributed to Los Indios' 2 runs in the 7th.

Criollos de Caguas  7,  Senadores de San Juan  2  --  Former Indy Indian SS Luis Figueroa had another big night, going 4-for-5 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 4 RBI.  Figueroa flied out in the bottom of the 1st, and that was the only time he was retired.  His ground-rule double drive in Los Criollos' first run in the 3rd.  He doubled again (the conventional way) in the 4th, driving in 2 of that inning's 3 runs.  Then he homered to lead off the bottom of the 6th.  He also doubled in the 8th, but was left on base.  Los Criollos scored 2 runs in the 5th, without Figueroa's help:  three walks, including one by 3B Ramon Vazquez,  loaded the bases, then a double brought in two runs.  Vazquez also walked in the 2nd inning, but did not score.

Shortstop signings:  Former Pirate Brian Bixler has signed a minor league contract with the Nationals, and will likely be back to face the Indy Indians as a member of the Syracuse Chiefs.  Former Pirate Argenis Diaz, who was not offered a contract by the Pirates after this season, has signed a minor league contract with the Tigers.  We will likely see him again as a member of the Toledo Mudhens.

Cheering for Pirates' players and friends in Tuesday's winter league action: 

DOMINICAN LEAGUE   -- Final regular season games
Leones del Escogido  6,  Toros del Este  2  --  Los Leones' 4-run 6th inning gave them plenty of offense.  Los Toros were held to just 4 hits, with only one hit over the first 6 innings.  They scored one run in the 7th on a triple and a sacrifice fly, and one in the 9th on a single, a double, and an RBI ground out.  SS Pedro Ciriaco struck out in all three of his at-bats and also committed a fielding error which led to a run in the 4th.  


PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE
Gigantes de Carolina  5,  Senadores  de San Juan  4  -- Benji Gonzalez got into a game for Los Gigantes for the first time in over a month.  He entered the game in the top of the 8th to pinch-run after a double.  A fly out moved him to third base, but he was left there when the inning ended.  Then Gonzalez remained in the game to play second base, where he made 2 plays.  Los Senadores scored 3 runs in the 1st inning, an were leading 4-3 going into the 9th.  A 2-run homer in the top of the 9th gave Los Gigantes the win.  

 
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Cardenales de Lara  6,  Tiburones de La Guaira  3  --  Former Indy Indian (2008) TJ Beam made his Venezuelan League debut for Los Tiburones, but it was not a happy start.  He faced 4 batters and allowed 2 singles and 2 walks, with one run scoring before he was relieved.  A wild pitch by his relief and a double gave Lara 4 runs in the top of the 1st.  They added single runs in the 7th and 9th innings.  Los Tiburones cut the early lead in half with 2 runs in the 3rd.  Then in the bottom of the 8th, Los Tiburones homered off Lara's reliever Romulo Sanchez, who gave up 2 walks after the homer.  

Caribes de Anzoategui  7,  Tigres de Aragua  3  (Game 1) --  Los Caribes scored 5 runs in their last two at-bats for the come-from-behind win.  In the 5th, a single, a sacrifice bunt, a wild pitch, and a walk put Caribes on the corners.  LF Jose Tabata reached base on a throwing error, which allowed the runner on third to score.  A double drove in two more runs (including Tabata).  The 6th inning began with a pair of walks and a triple brought those runners across the plate.  Tabata also singled in the 1st inning, when Los Caribes scored one run, but he was out at third base.  Los Caribes also scored a run in the 2nd.  Los Tigres began the game with a 2-run homer in the top of the 1st, and they added another run on a walk and a double in the 5th.  1B Hector Gimenez singled for Aragua after the home run in the 1st.  SS Ronny Cedeno and CF Jorge Cortes were both hitless in the first game of the double header.  

Caribes  5,  Tigres  0  (Game 2)  --  Cedeno, Cortes, and Gimenez were all hitless in the night-cap, as Los Tigres were held to just 3 hits.  Los Caribes scored 3 runs in the 1st and 2 more in the 2nd.  Tabata did not get into the game.  
 

The Pirates have signed INF Josh Fields to a minor league contract.  Fields is an Oklahoma native who was the White Sox' first round draft pick in 2004.  He progressed quickly through their organization, playing mostly third base, and reached the major leagues in 2006, when he played in 11 games for Chicago after spending most of the season in AAA Charlotte (.305,  19 HR, 70 RBI).  For the next three seasons, Fields bounced between AAA and the majors.  With Charlotte, he totalled 25 homers and 85 RBI with a .262 average in 158 games.  He played in 193 games with the White Sox over those seasons, with a .231 average, 30 homers, and 99 RBI.  Fields was traded to the Royals after the 2009 season, but he got in little playing time during 2010 due to hip surgery.  He played in 13 games for the Royals in September, and his bat showed some promise -- .309 with 3 homers and 6 RBI.  The 28-year-old got in some make up for missed at-bats by playing for Los Senadores de San Juan in the Puerto Rican League during October and November.  In 22 games, he hit .200 with 6 RBI, though in his last week, he went 7-for-27 (.259).  Fields has been invited to the major league camp for spring training, and he will be competing for a utility spot on the major league club.  

Just a little action on Monday in the winter leagues as we cheer for a few Pirates' players and friends:

 DOMINICAN LEAGUE
Tigres de Licey  2,  Aguilas Cibaenas 0  --  Los Aguilas were held to three hits and two walks -- one hit and one walk in both the first and last innings, plus a single in the 8th.  Starling Marte came into the game as a defensive replacement in center field for Los Aguilas, but he did not get an at-bat.  Los Tigres scored one run in the 2nd, on a single, a walk, and a fielding error.  They added an insurance run in the 8th, when DH Ronny Paulino led off with a single and was replaced by a pinch-runner.  A sacrifice bunt and a throwing error put the runner on third base, and 1B Robinzon Diaz brought him in with a fly ball and an error.  A single followed, but two runners were left on base.  Tigres' Denny Bautista pitched to 3 batters in the 8th inning and gave up a single.  

 
VENEZUELAN LEAGUE
Tiburones de La Guaira  5,  Navegantes del Magallanes  4  --  A solo homer in the bottom of the 10th inning broke a 4-4 tie, for Los Tiburones' win.  Los Navegantes plated 4 runs in the 4th, on a 2-run homer, followed by four singles and a sacrifice fly.  Los Tiburones got onto the scoreboard in the 6th inning, with a run on a double and an RBI single.  Jean Machi took the mound in the bottom of the 9th for Magallanes, but he was done in by three fielding errors (of the 5 errors committed by Los Magallanes).  A single opened the inning, then Machi got a pop out.  The first fielding error put runners on first and second, then Machi struck out the next batter.  Another fielding error loaded the bases, and the third error allowed 2 runs to score.  An RBI single gave Los Tiburones their third run of the inning and tied the score.  Machi was relieved at that point, and a fly out ended the inning.