• Monday marks the first day of spring training. At Noon ET, the Pirates pitchers and catchers will have their first official workout.
• Pitchers and catchers will undergo physical exams on Monday prior to the first workout.
• Although position players don’t officially start until Saturday, 49 of the 62 are already in camp.

“We were getting rumblings that a bunch of them were going to show up and they did,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “It’s another sign of them taking accountability and responsibility for what’s in front of us.”

• Jose Ascanio is experiencing visa problems leaving Venezuela.He is expected to arrive by Tuesday or Wednesday. There will be 40 of the 41 pitchers and catchers in camp Monday.
• Ross Ohlendorf was one of the 20 pitchers that had a formal workout on Sunday. Ohlendorf is looking to bounce back after a injury plagued season in which he went 1-11.

“I know I can pitch better than I did last season, and I’m excited to show I can pitch better,” Ohlendorf said. He also was impressed with what he had seen of new manager Clint Hurdle, after working with him at mini-camps this winter. “He has a lot of energy, and positive energy, which makes it easy to believe in ourselves,” he said.

• Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune reports that Tyler Yates, who had Tommy John Surgery, is fully recovered and is expected to go through the same throwing program as everyone else at camp.
• Ryan Doumit is aware of the Pirates trying to trade him. 

  “I’m trying not to think about that because I don’t really care,” Doumit said. “No matter where they put me, I want to be the best I can be. I’m going to go out there and just try to play like I’m capable of playing, and let that speak for itself

• General Manager Neal Huntington indicated a decision is near on whether Joel Hanrahan or Evan Meek will be the closer for the 2011 season. In fact, it may have been made.

“We’ve got to sit down with the people involved and let them know,” Huntington said. “As soon as we do that, we’ll let you guys know. It won’t be something that goes through spring training.”

• Several of the Pirates players tweeted after day one of spring training:

Paul Maholm (@Maholm38): Great first day of spring. Threw a bullpen, fielded a few grounders, bunted, and some sprints. Now can we start games soon.

Tony Sanchez (@TSanchez26): First day of 2011 in the books. The first and last day of feeling 100%.

Joel Harahan (@Hanrahan4457): Day 1 was a success, can we skip to a few games then opening day please?

Daniel McCutchen (@DanielMcCutchen): Good to back at it, day one is in the books.

 

• Injury updates according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh-Tribune:

Donnie Veal (elbow surgery) won’t be on the fields much this spring.

Kevin Hart (shoulder surgery) is in “no-throw” mode for a while, but Huntington said he still has to chance to be game-ready by the end of spring training.

Tyler Yates (elbow surgery) will compete for a big league bullpen job.

 

 

The Buccos take the field on the first day of spring training 2011 (Picture via @BucsInsider)

 

Maholm, hanny, veras, correia throw first bullpen of camp (Picture via @RobBiertempfel)

Clint Hurdle watches as Andrew McCutchen takes some swings (Picture via @BucsInsider)

 

** I will be heading down to Bradenton, FL. in exactly two weeks for spring training. So be sure to keep checking back for coverage.