• The Pirates have not yet officially announced the deal with left-hander Joe Beimel. General Manager Neal Huntington said, “We’re still working through some things.” But sources claim the contract is a minor league deal with a spring training invite.

Beimel was reported to have offers from several clubs, including a two-year deal, but turned them down to play in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania native) and to work with Manager Clint Hurdle.

• Owner Bob Nutting is happy with the moves so far this offseason and especially the work from Manager Clint Hurdle.

“We addressed clear needs on the field and a clear need in the clubhouse,” Nutting said. “We were able to strategically put in pieces of talent — there’s certainly an upgrade at first base [with Lyle Overbay] and an opportunity for Garrett [Jones] in right field. But the real impact we’re going to see is a cultural change in the clubhouse. We’re simply not going to accept anything less than a top performance and a focus on winning. More than anything else, that’s what this offseason demonstrated. There were tangible steps taken toward improving this organization through leadership and talent.”

• The Pirates will be holding a 5K race on Saturday April 9^th that will take place on the North Shore.

The run will start on Federal street with PNC Park’s home plate being the finish line.

To register and/or for more details, click here.