Andrew Lambo and Tony Sanchez started tonight, as the Mesa Solar Sox lost 8-3: -Andrew Lambo (.305) started in right field, batting sixth.  He went...

According to Jennifer Langosch, the Pittsburgh Pirates have re-signed left handed reliever Justin Thomas to a minor league deal, with an invite to Spring...

MLBTR released their top 50 free agents for the 2010/2011 off-season, which always includes predictions as to where the players will go.  Those predictions...

Free agency began yesterday, and we heard from Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated that the Pittsburgh Pirates were aggressive for players early.  Heyman elaborates...

Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus published full scouting reports for his Top 11 Pirates prospects very early this morning. He also released his rankings for prospects 12-20. Since the Pirates were the first organization on the schedule, the information is available to non-subscribers for free. That is a nice little bonus, so head over and take a look. Kevin is answering questions in the comments section, as well.

Baseball Prospectus released their 2011 top 11 prospects for the Pittsburgh Pirates today, which is free for everyone since it's their first prospect list...

On Friday the list of Super Two players came out, with an unprecedented low cut-off of two years and 122 days used to determine...

Cheering for Pirates' players and friends in Sunday's winter league games...

VENEZUELAN LEAGUE

Leones del Caracas� 9,� Bravos de Margarita� 2� -- Caracas began the game with 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st, and kept right on rolling, with a run in the 3rd, 2 in the 4th , and 4 in the 5th.� In the 5th, Margarita reliever Jhonathan Ramos enterd the game with one run already scored, a runner on second base, and no outs.� He made a missed catch error while covering first base for the first batter he faced, which allowed the base runner to score.� Then Ramos gave up a double and a single, and two more runs came in.� A double play and a tapper back to the mound ended the inning.� Margarita's first run came in the 4th inning, when LF Frank Diaz tripled, and 3B Andy LaRoche brought him in with a sacrifice fly.� Los Bravos scored again in the 5th inning on a pair of doubles.� LaRoche also walked in the 6th inning, but was earased in a double play.

Navegantes del Magallanes� 5,� Tigres de Aragua� 4� -- Aragua jumped out to a 3-0 start in the top of the 1st.� A lead-off double was followed by a sacrifice bunt by SS Ronny Cedeno, and an RBI single by LF Lastings Milledge. DH Hector Gimenez brought in Milledge with a 2-run homer.� Magallanes brought Corey Hamman on in relief to begin the 3rd inning, and Hamman allowed Aragua only one hit over the next three innings.� He then began the top of the 6th by giving up a double, then a sacrifice bunt by Gimenez.� Hamman was relieved, and one more run scored on a walk and a sacrifice fly.� Then in the bottom of the inning, Magallanes started their come-back.� Brian Bass had pitched 5 scoreless innings for Los Tigres (allowing just 2 hits and 4 walks), and Los Navegantes had to wait until Bass was relieved to start their rallies.� A single, a walk to DH Mike Ryan, then three more walks forced in two runs in the 6th.� A hit batter, another walk to Ryan, a wild pitch, and an RBI ground out got Los Navegantes within one run of Los Tigres.� In the bottom of the 8th, two lead-off singles and a sacrifice bunt put two Navegantes' runners into scoring position.� The next batter dropped another sacrifice bunt, which Aragua reliever Rich Rundles picked up and threw away, allowing two runs to score, to give Magallanes the win.� Aragua CF Jorge Cortes also singled and doubled in the game but didn't score.

Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman posted an interesting tweet earlier today.

Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated tweeted something interesting earlier today about the Pittsburgh Pirates and their activity during the first day of the free...

AFL West Stars� 3,� AFL East Stars� 2

The AFL's Rising Stars Game turned into a pitching duel in the desert on Saturday night.� The hitting stars managed only 13 runs total --� 6 for the East and 7 for the West.� The most important of those hits came in to bottom of the 9th, when the West's lead-off batter RF Leslie Anderson (Saguaros/Rays) ended the game with a walk-off home run.

Nine members of the Mesa Solar Sox were named to the East team.� C Tony Sanchez was the only representative from the Pirates' group.� Infielders Andrew Romine (Angels),� Jordany Valdespin (Mets), and Josh Vitters (Cubs) were on the team, as well as pitchers Chris Carpenter (Cubs), Robert Carson (Mets), Justin De Fratus (Phillies), Brad Holt (Mets), Eddie McKiernan (Angels), and Josh Zeid (Phillies).

The East team got the game started with a run in the top of the 1st, on two walks, a wild pitch by West starter Mike Montgomery (Rafters/Royals), and an RBI ground out by LF Brandon Laird (Desert Dogs/Yankees).� The West answered with a run in the bottom of the 2nd.� Three consecutive singles, including one by Anderson, had a West runner racing for home, but he was cut down at the plate by a throw in from East's RF Marc Krauss (Scorpions/Diamondbacks) to C Austin Romine (Desert Dogs/Yankees).� The East was almost out of the inning unscathed, but a fielding error by 3B Ryan Adams (Scorpions/Orioles) let Anderson score from third base to tie the score at 1-1.

The East took the lead again in the top of the 3rd.� Two walks and a single by Austin Romine� (at least the brothers were on the same All-Star team) gave the East a short-lived 2-1 lead.� Sure enough, the West tied it up again in the bottom of the inning, again taking advantage of the East team's miscues. A single, a throwing error by 3B Adams, and a passed ball by Austin Romine tied the game again.

The tie lasted for the next 5.5 innings.� East starter Manuel Banuelos (Desert Dogs/Yankees) pitched 2 innings and was responsible for the first unearned run.� Solar Sox' Robert Carson pitched the 3rd inning and was charged with a Blown Save, giving up the second unearned run.� Solar Sox' Josh Zeid pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 4th, and Chris Carpenter pitched a scoreless 7th, allowing just a double.� Justin De Fratus pitched to one batter in the 8th inning, and got a fly out.

Tony Sanchez, Jordany Valdespin, Andrew Romine, and Josh Vitters entered the game in the 6th inning.� Andrew Romine walked and Valdespin singled in the 7th inning, but did not score.� Sanchez flied out in the 8th inning, and that was his only plate appearance.�� The East team made one last attempt at a rally in the top of the 9th.� Andrew Romine singled and stole second base, then CF Trayvon Robinson (Desert Dogs/Dodgers) also singled, moving Romine to third base.� Valdespin grounded to second base, and a fielder's choice had Romine out at the plate.� 1B Brandon Belt (Scorpions/Giants) walked to load the bases, but a strikeout by Brandon Laird ended the threat.

The AFL takes Sunday off, as usual, then gets back to work on Monday.

The Mesa Solar Sox went 3-2 this week, and currently sit 12-10, two games behind the Scottsdale Scorpions.  Here is how the Pirates prospects...