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Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball Central

Kang, Pirates finalize $11 million, 4-year contract

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Even though the Pittsburgh Pirates employ one of the largest analytics departments in baseball, they are not exactly sure how Jung Ho Kang's outstanding statistics in South Korea will translate to the major leagues.They are willing to find out.Pittsburgh and the 27-year-old infielder finalized an $11 million, four-year contract on Friday. The deal includes a $5.5 million club option for 2019 with a $1 million buyout.Meanwhile, closer Mark Melancon was among nine of the Pirates' 12 players who filed for arbitration earlier this week who agreed to one-year contracts. The ...

Former Pirates pick Appel has sights set on majors

HOUSTON (AP) - Mark Appel struggled in a forgettable 2014.As this season approaches, the Houston Astros believe the right-hander has grown because of that adversity, and general manager Jeff Luhnow says the top pick in the 2013 amateur draft could make his major league debut this year."I think he will have a good experience in big league camp. He'll open some eyes, and I do believe that he has a chance to be with this team in 2015," Luhnow said.This comes after a season that was hampered from the start after Appel missed a big chunk of spring training following an appendectomy. He ...

Pirates make trade

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired right-handed reliever Arquimedes Caminero from the Miami Marlins for cash.The 27-year-old Caminero is 0-1 with a 5.49 ERA in 19 career appearances with the Marlins. He allowed eight runs in 6 2-3 innings with Miami last season and went 4-1 with 10 saves, a 4.86 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 42 relief appearances with Triple-A New Orleans in 2014.Caminero fills out the final spot on Pittsburgh's 40-man rotation.The Pirates report for spring training in two weeks.Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.

Patriots host parade for Boston fans

BOSTON (AP) - Giddy fans of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots chanted "Brady! Brady!" and clambered atop massive snowbanks for better views as players danced and waved their way through Boston in a Wednesday parade celebrating their fourth NFL title.Well-wishers blew kisses, pumped their fists and screamed themselves hoarse as the team rolled through downtown aboard the World War II-style amphibious "duck boat" vehicles that have become a staple of the city's championship parades.Some fans defied police warnings and climbed on giant piles of snow left from last week's blizzard ...

Pirates’ Burnett ready for final MLB season

BRADENTON, Fla. - As he watched the National League wild card game on television last October, A.J. Burnett realized he'd made a mistake by leaving the Pittsburgh Pirates."That's when it really hit me," Burnett said. "I kept saying, 'Why am I not there? I should be in that dugout with them.'"Burnett won a combined 26 games with a 3.41 ERA for the Pirates in 2012 and 2013. Last year, the lure of a hefty payday as a free agent led him to a $15 million deal with Philadelphia.He found more money but also endured more misery. Burnett pitched all season with a sports hernia and led the majors ...

Pirates’ owner Nutting gains high profile

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) - As the Pittsburgh Pirates regain their relevance in baseball, team chairman Bob Nutting's stature in the industry also is on the rise.In January, commissioner Rob Manfred placed Nutting on MLB's eight-man executive council. Members serve four-year terms and advise the commissioner on all major policy matters.Nutting also was part of the committee that chose Manfred to replace Bud Selig, who retired on Jan. 25."I think it shows the increasing respect for the (Pirates) organization," Nutting said Wednesday during a visit to his club's spring training camp. "To help ...