Record number of players turn out for Pirates minicamp
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) – The Pirates opened their wintertime minicamp Wednesday with a record number of players participating at their Florida training complex. The 33 players who showed up for pitching, hitting and fielding drills was nearly double the number who took part two years ago when the Pittsburgh team opened its winter minicamp at Pirate City.
“This kind of turnaround says a lot about the type of players we have on our team because it is strictly voluntary,” Pittsburgh manager Lloyd McClendon said. “It’s one thing for the young kids to want to come down here and make a good impression but it’s another for veterans like (relief pitcher) Mike Williams and (second baseman) Pokey Reese to take the time to do this.”
While the minicamp is primarily for pitchers, also taking part Wednesday were position players including Reese, center fielder Rob Mackowiak and right fielders Matt Stairs and Craig Wilson. Others, including first baseman Randall Simon and third baseman Aramis Ramirez, were expected to arrive Thursday.
Stairs, who was signed as a free agent in December after spending last season with Milwaukee, caught McClendon’s attention after working in recent months with a personal trainer and losing 18 pounds.
“Matt looks very slim and fit, I was very impressed,” McClendon said. “It’s good for him and good for us to see him in that kind of shape.”
Pittsburgh has also brought 30 members of its major-league and minor-leaguer managerial and coaching staffs to the camp as well.
“We have a lot of new people into the organization on both the major-league and minor-league sides,” said Pirates General Manager Dave Littlefield. “This gives us an opportunity to hold some organizational meetings with the entire staff and really get the ball rolling on the 2003 season.”
The Pirates on Wednesday signed veteran right-hander Rolando Arrojo to a minor-league contract as a free agent and invited him to major-league spring training, which starts next month. Arrojo, released by Boston on Dec. 18, will compete for one of two open spots in the Pirates’ starting rotation.
Arrojo, 34, was 4-3 with a 4.98 ERA in 29 games for the Red Sox last season. He starred for the Cuban national team from 1986-96 before defecting and signing with Tampa Bay as a free agent.
Arrojo had a 40-42 lifetime record in the major leagues with six saves and a 4.55 ERA in 158 games, 105 starts, in five seasons with Tampa Bay (1998-99), Colorado (2000) and Boston (2000-02).