PirateFest was this past weekend, and since I’m a season ticket holder, I got free tickets and made the trip over to the convention center on Saturday afternoon. Due to some other plans I wasn’t able to stay for as long as would have liked to, but I can report that I had a good time, and will likely go back next year. We got there around noon, played a few of the carnival games, won some prizes, stuck around for the player Q&A and then had to go. My girlfriend, who is infinitely lucky, got drawn to play both Deal or No Deal (with Ross Ohlendorf as the banker) and the pierogi eating contest. She ended up with some pretty nice prizes, including this ball signed by the banker.
With PirateFest now in the past, and pitchers and catchers reporting in just 13 days, I think its safe to call this the unofficial end of the off-season. Lets take a quick look back at what has gone on over the last 4 months.
- October 4, 2009: The Pirates end their ignominious 17th consecutive losing season with a loss to the Cincinatti Reds, their 99th of the year.
- October 17, 2009: The Pirates announce that Perry Hill will not return as their infield instructor in 2010. He would eventually be replaced by former Bucco Carlos Garcia.
- November 3, 2009: Second baseman Akinori Iwamuri is acquired from the Tamba Bay Rays in exhcange for relief pitcher Jesse Chavez
- December 10, 2009: In the Rule V draft, held annually at the winter meetings, the Pirates select OF John Raynor from the Florida Marlins.
- December 12, 2009: Former AL ROY Bobby Crosby signs a deal with The Pirates. Crosby is expected to back-up incumbent Ronny Cedeno, with the chance to win the starting job in Cedeno struggles.
- December 13, 2009: In a surprise move, The Pirates opt not to tender closer Matt Capps a contract offer by the midnight deadline, making him a free-agent. Capps would eventually sign a one year deal worth about $3.5 Million with the Washington Nationals.
- January 13, 2010: Free agent OF Ryan Church agrees to terms with the Pirates. Church will be the Pirates 4th outfielder, but will likely get plenty of at bats backing up all 3 outfield positions.
- January 16-20, 2010: After losing Capps(voluntarily so) earlier in the off-season, GM Neal Huntington made a flurry of moves within a matter of just a few days to revamp his bullpen by signing D.J. Carrasco, Octavio Dotel, and Brendan Donnely.
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