Pirates cut Vazquez, settle on opening roster
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Pirates manager John Russell takes questions at PNC Park Sunday. -
Andrew McCutchen waits his turn at the batting cage during the Pirates' workout at PNC Park Sunday afternoon before their season opener today.
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The Pirates parted ways with veteran infielder Ramon Vazquez, with a clear risk that they will pay him $2 million for nothing in 2010, in settling their opening-day roster Sunday.
These were the final moves:
• Vazquez was designated for assignment, meaning the team can trade, waive or release him in the next 10 days.
• Outfielder Steve Pearce was optioned to Class AAA Indianapolis.
• Relievers D.J. Carrasco and Jack Taschner had their contracts purchased from Indianapolis and were added to the 40-man and 25-man rosters.
• Rule 5 outfielder John Raynor, reliever Hayden Penn and first baseman Jeff Clement were told they made the team.
• Reliever Joel Hanrahan was placed on the 15-day disabled list, reliever Jose Ascanio on the 60-day.
Game: Pirates vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 1:35 p.m., PNC Park.
TV, radio: FSN Pittsburgh, WPGB-FM (104.7).
Pitching: LHP Zach Duke (11-16, 4.06 last year) vs. RHP Vicente Padilla (12-6, 4.46).
Key matchup: Los Angeles' All-Star catcher, Russell Martin, is 7 for 15 with a home run and three doubles off Duke.
Of note: The Pirates are facing Los Angeles in an opener for the first time. There were two openers against the Dodgers when they were based in Brooklyn, in 1953 and 1955, both in New York.
Thus, this will be the roster that faces the Los Angeles Dodgers at 1:35 p.m. today at PNC Park:
Starters: Zach Duke, Ross Ohlendorf, Paul Maholm, Charlie Morton, Daniel McCutchen.
Relievers: Octavio Dotel, Brendan Donnelly, Evan Meek, Javier Lopez, Carrasco, Taschner, Penn.
Catchers: Ryan Doumit, Jason Jaramillo.
Infielders: Jeff Clement, Aki Iwamura, Ronny Cedeno, Andy LaRoche, Bobby Crosby, Delwyn Young.
Outfielders: Lastings Milledge, Andrew McCutchen, Garrett Jones, Ryan Church, Raynor.
Vazquez, 33, was signed to a two-year, $4 million contract out of free agency before the 2009 season. He batted .230 with one home run and 16 RBIs, never coming close to his prior production with the Texas Rangers. This spring, even after a long-troublesome right knee had healed following minor surgery in November, he batted .176.
First Published April 5, 2010 12:00 am
