Pittsburgh signed Reggie Sanders to a one-year, $1M contract last week. The Pirates have been waffling for some time over who they planned to acquire to bolster their outfield. Sanders is now expected to cover left field while Brian Giles moves to centerfield. Pittsburgh was not content with the idea of using Rob Macowiak as their starting centerfielder and now will be able to use him off the bench as they prefer.

Sanders possesses moderate power skills and solid speed, though his walk rate has deteriorated and his contact rate has always needed improvement. I think the 35-year-old can maintain last season's production level for another year, so he should be worth his salary. However, I believe Pittsburgh should consider playing him in right field and having Matt Stairs and Craig Wilson platoon in left for defensive purposes.

The Pirates may still sign Kenny Lofton or trade for Raul Mondesi, which would mean that Stairs and Wilson will be pressed for playing time. However while either acquisition would highlight past mistakes, I think they should still attempt to improve the team further, as they're in a position to potentially make a playoff push if a couple of the stronger NL central teams falter.

In other Pittsburgh notes, Mike Lincoln may have seriously injured his shoulder when he slipped on a golf ball while running around the outfield warning track at the Pirates' Spring Training facility. I was aware competition for the Pittsburgh pen was going to be rough this season but taking out the established relievers should be discouraged as a means of improving a pitcher's odds of winning a roster spot. Lincoln will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the damage. Meanwhile, the Pirates may want to consider moving their Spring Training facility away from the River Run Golf Course or at least redefining the duties of their ball girls and boys.

In early February, the Red Sox claimed RHP Bronson Arroyo off waivers from Pittsburgh. Arroyo has had difficulty maintaining control of his pitches in the majors but has shown considerable potential at AAA. Last year at AAA Nashville, he compiled a 116:28 K:BB with 126 H and 10 HR allowed in 143 IP for a 2.96 ERA over 22 appearances including 21 starts. I think the 25-year-old has considerable potential and hope he receives an extended opportunity to display his talents in the majors sometime in the next couple years.

Boston's bullpen is overflowing and they're only looking for a starter of very high quality, so I don't expect him to break camp with the team. However if the Red Sox are able to slip him through waivers in the spring jumble, he should provide them with a solid option at AAA, where he should help that team win games. I suspect Arroyo will remain in the minors unless they have a couple pitchers out with injuries, as he should be behind a couple of other pitchers on the depth chart, but he would have been in a similar position in Pittsburgh.

The Red Sox have signed Kevin Millar to a two-year, $5.3M contract with a $3.5M option for 2005. His option reportedly becomes guaranteed if he accumulates 800 PA between the 2003 and 2004 seasons. I registered my disapproval of this acquisition when I discussed the process that brought Millar to Boston. Although I agree that Millar has similar skills to more recognized players from larger markets, new GM Theo Epstein should realize that you don't need to pay everyone as much as you think they're worth.

Boston also signed Robert Person to a minor league deal. If he makes the team, he'll reportedly receive a $2,500 bonus for each day he's on the roster and up to $650,000 in other incentives based on appearances and starts on top of a $300,000 base salary. Person underwent surgery to repair a small tear in his shoulder last August, but he's reportedly on track to be ready to pitch by Opening Day. However, Person will almost certainly remain in the minors until the Red Sox experience an injury to the starting rotation. The 33-year-old struggles with moderate control problems, which prevent him from rising beyond the status of above average innings eater. Nevertheless, few teams have the luxury of stashing such a pitcher at AAA. This was a very nice pick up on their part.

Person's previous employer signed Terry Adams to a one-year, $2.9M contract in early February. The price is the same as the Phillies were offering in arbitration while Adams was seeking $3.395M. However, the deal reportedly includes incentives that would not have been available had he gone to arbitration and lost.

Adams should be able to remain in relief for the 2003 season, which means he'll be overpaid but pitching more effectively. The 29-year-old lacks the endurance to start. His strikeout rate also improves when he's in the pen, so he's able to provide decent relief work despite some control problems. Unfortunately, his past experience as a starter has elevated his cost above what he deserves as a reliever.

Last week, the Mets added LHP Donovan Osborne to the list of pitchers they've signed to minor league deals. Osborne attempted a comeback last season after two years away from baseball due to chronic injury problems, but the 33-year-old unfortunately went out for the season in early May due to a muscle strain in his side. Prior to the injury, he looked rusty and was having some difficulties controlling the ball. The Mets bullpen and rotation will be filled to capacity without him, so he should be able to spend the majority of the season working his way back at AAA. I don't expect him to contribute significantly to New York's major league team in 2003, though he might be someone to watch in 2004 if he puts up strong numbers in the minors this year.