Day two of Pirates mini camp

• Ross Ohlendorf took a break between conditioning and meetings to answer fans questions during an online chat (You can read the entire chat transcript here).

On if he is entering the new season healthy: “While the season didn’t get off to the best start for me, I was very happy with how I pitched those two months and feel I learned a lot from my early season struggles. My arm is feeling great right now, and I’m really looking forward to the upcoming season.”

On the impact of manager Clint Hurdle: “Clint has already been making a great impression on all of us down here at mini-camp this week. He has great energy and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the game. He has been to the World Series twice in the last five years and we are all working toward sending him back there again soon!”

Ross Ohlendorf tossing on the field.

Steve Pearce taking batting practice.

Catcher Tony Sanchez (far left) at minor league camp.

• Clint Hurdle on the difference between mini camp and spring training: “Today, it was more eyes-on. We’re not doing any heavy-duty coaching right now. If we see something that needs to be addressed, we’ll address it. We’re not grading anybody out right now; that will start in spring training. Now, it’s about getting our feet underneath us, getting familiarized with personnel.”
• Clint Hurdle on if he’s happy with the attendance at mini camp: “The one thing you can’t control in these camps, they’re voluntary. I had conversations with some of the guys. There will be some guys here part-time, some of them will be here full-time. I’ll work with the people who are here. It’s not going to be held against anybody who’s not here. There are different reasons some guys aren’t here. Some of the guys who aren’t here, they’ve been around a little bit longer, they know what’s at stake and they know what they need to do. I’m happy with the guys who are here. They guys that aren’t, we’ll get them tuned in and, not that they’re catching up, but we’ll get them on board and in place when they get here.”

• Tyler Yates and Kevin Hart threw bullpen sessions on Tuesday (both are rehabbing from surgeries). They each threw 25 pitches (only fastballs). Pitching coach Ray Searage said “I like what I saw.”

  Hart, who had surgery to repair a torn labrum, said, “It was pretty good. I felt calm and relaxed and everything. It felt good to get on the mound.”

  Yates had Tommy John Surgery in 2009 and suffered set backs during the 2010 season said, “Hopefully, I’ll be game-ready by the first day of spring training. If I’m a week behind, that won’t be too bad, either. Right now, I’m not worried about my velocity; it’ll come. My arm feels strong.”