Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Rob Mackowiak avoids arbitration with one-year deal. Click photo for larger image.

The Pirates yesterday avoided arbitration with utilityman Rob Mackowiak and added Ben Grieve to their outfield mix, but general manager Dave Littlefield was adamant that his offseason work is not done.

Mackowiak and the team agreed to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million and nullified an arbitration hearing that had been scheduled for Feb. 10. He had been the team's only player to proceed to the stage where salary figures are exchanged. The figure he submitted a week ago was $1.8 million, the team's $1.35 million.

Joe Sroba, Mackowiak's agent, and Larry Silverman, the Pirates' vice president and legal counsel who handles arbitration contracts, used performance bonuses to help bridge the gap. Mackowiak can make $90,000 in bonuses, including $25,000 for 125 starts or 560 plate appearances, $30,000 for 130 starts or 580 plate appearances, $35,000 for 135 starts or 600 plate appearances.

"A lot of hard work has gone into this process," Sroba said yesterday.

Mackowiak, 28, was eligible for arbitration for the first time. He made $335,000 in 2004, when he started 122 games, including 51 at third base, 39 in right field, 17 in left and 15 in center. He hit .246 with 17 home runs and 75 RBIs.

Grieve, 28, was signed to a one-year, minor-league contract with a non-roster invitation to spring training. If he is added to the major-league roster, he will receive a $500,000 salary. He can make $25,000 in bonuses for 325 plate appearances, another $25,000 for 350.

Grieve is a 6-foot-4, left-handed hitter who displayed promising pop early in his career with the Oakland Athletics. He was the American League Rookie of the Year in 1998 and, in that season and the two that followed, produced a total of 73 home runs and 279 RBIs.

But he dipped to 34 home runs over the next three years with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and fell even lower last season, hitting .260 with eight home runs and 35 RBIs for the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs. That included 70 strikeouts in 250 at-bats.

In eight major-league seasons, Grieve has a .269 average, 118 home runs, 491 RBIs and an on-base percentage of .367.

"He could be a corner outfielder, or he could come off the bench for us," Littlefield said. "Obviously, he's been more productive than a bench player in the past. He's hit for power and gotten on base a lot. If we could have that player, we'd take it."

Grieve has drawn the ire of some of his past managers for a passive approach at the plate.

This trait drew national attention on June 26, 2003, when Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella gave Grieve a tongue-lashing in the dugout after he struck out looking to end a game, then delivered a profanity-laced tirade to the media about the explanation Grieve had given him.

"I asked him if the ball was high, and he says, 'I thought it was high,' " Piniella told reporters that day. "I said, 'Then why didn't you say something?' And he says, 'It doesn't matter.' I said, 'Well, what the hell do you mean it doesn't matter? It matters to me, and it matters to everybody else.' ... I'm expecting, if you think the ball is high, to tell the umpire it's high instead of walking off to the [expletive] dugout."

Littlefield expressed no concern about Grieve's personality.

"Production is the biggest issue," Littlefield said.

Littlefield said that the acquisition of Grieve will not end his pursuit of a right-handed power bat through free agency or a trade. He added that he also still covets a starting pitcher, despite the recent signings of veterans Todd Ritchie and Albie Lopez to minor-league contracts with non-roster invitations to spring training.

"No, we definitely are not done," Littlefield said. "What we've added are players coming back from injuries or trying to prove themselves. We want more offense and more starting pitching."

The addition of Grieve increased the Pirates' number of non-roster invitees to 26, their overall total to 66.

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