NOTABLE ARRIVALS
RHP Brian Boehringer (from San Francisco as free agent), RHP Josh Fogg (from Chicago White Sox in trade), RHP Sean Lowe (from Chicago White Sox in trade), 2B Pokey Reese (from Boston as free agent), LHP Ron Villone (from Houston as free agent), RHP Kip Wells (from Chicago White Sox as free agent), RHP Mike Williams (from Houston as free agent).

--Infielder Pat Meares and outfielder Derek Bell are both strong candidates to be released as the Pirates try to pare their roster from 33 to the Opening Day limit of 25. The Pirates owe Meares $7.5 million for the final two years of his contract and $4.75 million for the final year of Bell's contract and a buyout for 2003.

Meares has a chronic left hand problem and hit .211 with four homers and 25 RBIs last year. This spring, he is hitting just .206 in 34 at-bats.

Bell batted only .173 with five homers and 14 RBIs in 46 games last season, then didn't play after July 3 because of a strained hamstring. Bell is just 4 for 27 (.148) this spring and hasn't played since straining his right groin March 18, one day after saying he was going into "Operation Shutdown" because he had not been guaranteed the starting right fielder's job.

Bell could possibly fight an unconditional release on the grounds of being injured. However, he already has the 10 years of service time necessary to receive his full pension, so he would have nothing to gain by filing a grievance over loss of service time.

There are indications the Pirates may be trying to work out a deal with Bell. Reportedly, they would pay half of the $1.5 million in salary he is deferring this season as a lump sum now if he would agree to a release.

--Left-hander Ron Villone's final tuneup before his unlikely Opening Day start turned out to be his worst of the spring.

Villone gave up five runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings Wednesday (March 27) in a 10-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in an exhibition game. Villone's ERA jumped from 1.64 to a final mark of 3.78 in four starts and 16 2/3 innings.

Villone will face the New York Mets on April 1 in the opener at Shea Stadium. It will be Villone's first Opening Day start. He has only 29 career victories and is with his eighth team in eight major league seasons.

However, Villone isn't exactly going into that outing with a full head of steam. He gave up three homers, two to non-roster first baseman/outfielder Brian Lesher.

Lesher hit a solo shot in a two-run third inning. In the fourth, Vernon Wells hit a two-run homer before Lesher added another solo blast as Toronto moved ahead for good, 5-4.

--While the Pirates have suffered a spate of injuries in the past few days, the news on the medical front was encouraging Thursday (March 28).

Third baseman Aramis Ramirez returned to the lineup after sitting out two straight games with a strained right quadriceps. Outfielder Armando Rios was able to take batting practice, three days after colliding with Minnesota first baseman Michael Cuddyer in a freak play. Rios was sprinting down the first base line after hitting an infield popup and Cuddyer leveled him as he moved to try to make the catch. Rios should be able to play Friday (March 29).

Outfielder Chad Hermansen continued to make progress after straining a buttocks muscle on Tuesday (March 26) while running the bases in a game against the New York Yankees. Hermansen had an anti-inflammatory injection Wednesday (March 27) and is hoping to play in the exhibition finale Saturday (March 30) against Toronto. Hermansen is on the bubble to make the team but now could begin the season on the disabled list.

Reliever Mike Fetters, who strained a muscle in his left ribcage while taking batting practice March 23, says he will be ready for the opener. Fetters might not pitch in any more exhibition games but is expected to test his sore side Saturday (March 30) with a side throwing session.

--Right-hander Kris Benson, recovering from last May's reconstructive elbow surgery, pitched 2 2/3 innings Tuesday (March 26) for Class AAA Nashville in a minor-league exhibition game at Pirate City in Bradenton. It was Benson's second outing of the spring; he pitched two perfect innings for Class A Hickory the previous week.

Benson gave up one run -- which came on a double steal -- on three hits with one walk and five strikeouts while throwing 50 pitches.

Benson's fastball was clocked at high as 95 mph, and two of three hits off him were bloopers.

Benson will stay behind in extended spring training when the Pirates break camp Sunday (March 31) and pitch four innings in a minor-league intrasquad game that day.

Benson then will begin the season with Nashville on an injury-rehabilitation assignment and make four starts before being reevaluated -- April 5 against Sacramento, April 10 against Fresno, April 15 at Sacramento and April 20 against Oklahoma. Benson is shooting for a May 1 return to the major leagues.

--Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield has gathered his top advisors together for the final week of exhibition play. Roy Smith, Lenny Yochim, Al Avila, Jesse Flores, Jax Robertson, Bill Singer, Pete Vuckovich and Doug Strange all began observing the Pirates on Monday (March 25).

Littlefield wants his chief scouts to get a good look at the Pirates' players to get a feel for how they compare to players around the rest of the major leagues.

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