Coaching Position Filled

The Pirates filled their 2nd to last coaching vacancy this past Friday by naming naming Jeff Manto hitting coach.

Manto joined the Pirates as a roving hitting instructor on Oct. 17, 2002, after managing Philadelphia's Class A Lakewood team in 2002 and serving as a coach with Lakewood in 2001. He played nine seasons in the Major Leagues from 1990-2000 with the Indians, Phillies, Orioles, Red Sox, Mariners, Tigers, Yankees and Rockies. In 289 Major League games, Manto batted .230 with 31 home runs and 97 RBIs.

Manto's only previous big league coaching experience came when he was added to the Pirates staff last September at the conclusion of the Minor League season.

The only remaining position in the coaching staff to fill is that of 3rd Base Coach.

In Honor of Thanksgiving........

Seems Tike Redman's days with the Pirates has come to an end
(get what is meant by the title of this entry.......wait...wait...ok got it?)


PITTSBURGH -- Outfielder Tike Redman's 10-year association with the Pittsburgh Pirates came to an end on Monday when he was dealt to the New York Mets for cash.

The Pirates also released outfielder Michael Restovich on Monday, both players had been removed from Pittsburgh's 40-man roster on Nov. 18.

Redman was Pittsburgh's fifth-round choice in the 1996 First-Year Player Draft and the lone remaining member of the 2000 squad that closed Three Rivers Stadium. He became the Pirates' regular center fielder after batting .330 during the final two months of the 2003 season and led the National League in hits during that stretch.

However, by the middle of last season, Redman had fallen out of favor with team management due to his inconsistent defensive play. He lost his starting job to rookie Chris Duffy and was limited mostly to pinch-hitting duties down the stretch. Redman finished the year with a .251 batting average, two home runs and 26 RBIs in 135 games.

Restovich saw only limited playing time with the Pirates in 2005, after being acquired from the Colorado Rockies on May 11. In 52 games with Pittsburgh, Restovich went 18-for-84 (.214) with two home runs and five RBIs.

That Boy Ain't Quite Right

So to deprive us fans of making any more King of the Hill reference and or jokes at the ballpark the Pirates traded infielder Bobby Hill to the San Diego Padres on Monday for a player to be named later, which will no doubt be someone you have never heard about...but later.

Hill was left off of the Pirates' 40-man roster Friday and they had 10 days to trade or release Hill after designating him for assignment.

Hill hit .269 in 93 at-bats with Pittsburgh last season before being optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on July 22. After batting .241 with five RBIs in 35 games with Indianapolis, Hill was not included among the Bucs' September callups.

In 2004, Hill was the Pirates' Opening Day starter at second base. He went on to hit .266 in 123 games while being used primarily off the bench as a pinch-hitter. His 16 pinch-hits that season fell three shy of tying a club record.

40 Man Roster Finalized

On Friday the announced a dozen personnel moves to finalize their 40-Man roster.

Added to the Roster:
RHP Josh Sharpless
IF Yurendell De Caster
IF Craig Stansberry
IF Javier Guzman

Reinstated from 60 Day-DL:
P Sean Burnett
P John Van Benschoten
2B Jose Castillo
CF Chris Duffy

Designated for Assignment:
CF Tike Redman
IF Bobby Hill
OF Michael Restovich
P Jeff Miller

Cuban Told No

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is interested in buying his hometown Pittsburgh Pirates, but the ownership told him the team isn't for sale despite its ongoing streak of 13 consecutive losing seasons.

In an e-mail response to The Associated Press, Cuban said Monday he looked into buying the team recently but, "they told me they have no interest in selling."

Cuban's interest in the team he grew up rooting for is well known, but this is the first time he has acknowledged wanting to buy the Pirates. Previously, he said he would look into acquiring a stake only if the Pirates were put up for sale or if acquiring a lesser share of the team would help keep it in Pittsburgh.

"The Pirates are not for sale," club vice president Patty Paytas said, responding to Cuban's comment.

The Pirates were bought 10 years ago by a group assembled by newspaper heir Kevin McClatchy, the managing general partner. The largest investor is Wheeling, W.Va., newspaper publisher G. Ogden Nutting and his two sons, who were initially brought into the group by McClatchy in 1996 and have since acquired at least a 25 percent stake of the 119-year-old franchise.

While McClatchy's group probably prevented the franchise from moving elsewhere and was successful in persuading lawmakers to build PNC Park, the team has had 10 consecutive losing seasons since the purchase and only once has finished within five games of .500.

The Pirates had the third-lowest payroll in the majors last season and have declined to actively pursue upper-tier free agents, attempting instead to build with lower-priced prospects.

That probably wouldn't be the case under Cuban, a billionaire who has spent millions building the Mavericks into one of the NBA's top franchises, though they have yet to win an NBA title since he acquired them in 2000.

Cuban also attempted to buy into a Pittsburgh sports team before purchasing the Mavericks, talking with Mario Lemieux's ownership group as it was buying the NHL's then-bankrupt Pittsburgh Penguins in 1999. But the group wanted Lemieux to be the face and voice of the organization, and was unwilling to allow Cuban to play an active role in the team's day-to-day operations.