Now that the Pirates have traded Salomon Torres, they are left with only three experienced, reliable relievers: Matt Capps, John Grabow and Damaso Marte. The latter two are left-handed, and Marte generally is a one-out specialist.

Sounds like general manager Neal Huntington has plenty of work ahead to build a seven-man bullpen with outside help.

Or, maybe not.

"I don't think anyone's ever found a magic formula for a bullpen," Huntington said last night. "Some people throw lots of money at it, some go with lots of experience or power or strike-throwers. We're building with a lot of quality arms, some different looks, different elements. We feel we've got some, and we'll keep looking. But we're not going to be throwing a lot of money at it."

That could mean three things for the Pirates:

• No one else is getting traded. When the Pirates arrived at Major League Baseball's Winter Meetings last week, they did so with plenty of bids from other teams for Torres, Grabow and Marte.

Is Huntington now going to hang onto Grabow and Marte?

"I think so," he said. "We won't rule out a move, but it would make things tougher."

• The bullpen competition in spring training will require a scorecard, and a long one at that.

Internal possibilities for relief help include Rule 5 pick Evan Meek, recent waiver claims Ty Taubenheim, Jimmy Barthmaier and Phil Dumatrait, and several pitchers who spent most of last season in the Pirates' minor-league system: Franquelis Osoria, Jonah Bayliss, Romulo Sanchez and Juan Perez. Also in the mix will be minor-league starters Sean Burnett, John Van Benschoten and Bryan Bullington.

• Any further outside additions will be either major-league bargains or minor-league free agents.

The major-league free-agent pool is mostly old, expensive or both. There are 35-and-older types such as Jose Mesa, Roberto Hernandez, Antonio Alfonseca, Troy Percival and Bob Wickman. And those who are younger, such as Luis Vizcaino, are thought to be seeking three or more years with annual salaries in the $4 million range.

Shawn Chacon remains in the pool, too, but a return to Pittsburgh appears less than slim. Chacon, as he pledged he would near season's end, is marketing himself as a reliever and starter, and that is escalating his value in some eyes.

If the Pirates are actively pursuing any experienced major-league relievers, it is difficult to detect. Several agents representing such clients say they have not heard from Huntington.

NOTES -- The Pirates could be interested in trading for San Diego catcher Michael Barrett, even though he is coming off a down season -- .244, nine home runs -- and could make more than $4 million next season. Such a transaction likely would net little for the Padres. ... Torres yesterday informed the Milwaukee Brewers he will report rather than retire, something he had considered for three days following the trade. ... Reliever Masumi Kuwata is no lock to rejoin the Pirates. He had a medical examination on his long-troublesome ankle during the weekend in Los Angeles, then returned to Japan, where he told reporters he will begin talking to major-league "teams" next week. The Pirates are his first choice, he added.