Published: March 22, 2009 11:57 pm      

Pirates may look for pitching help

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pittsburgh Pirates felt they had increased their pitching depth after making two major trades in July.

However, with the season opener just two weeks away, the Pirates pitching has not been nearly effective as they had hoped. Their spring ERA after 22 games is 5.15, similar to last year’s 5.08 mark that ranked last in the National League and cost pitching coach Jeff Andrews his job after only one season.

The pitching has been so disappointing that General Manager Neal Huntington said Sunday he is looking outside the organization to strengthen the staff and would be amenable to a trade, waiver claim or free-agent signing.

“There may be situations out there like we had with Tyler Yates late last spring,” said Huntington, referring to the trade he made with the Atlanta Braves to acquire the right-handed reliever during the final week of spring training in 2008.

“Some of the pitchers we hoped would step up this spring, quite frankly, haven’t done so. We’re always looking to see if there are pitchers who do not fit in other organizations who might be able to come here and enter the competition.”

While it appears Ross Ohlendorf will stake a claim to one of the two open spots in the starting rotation, Huntington was not yet ready to say the right-hander has made the opening-day roster.

Ohlendorf has allowed two runs, one earned, and six hits in 91/3 innings for a 0.96 ERA with one walk and seven strikeouts.

However, Ohlendorf gave up four runs in 41/3 innings while pitching for Class AAA Indianapolis on Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies’ Lehigh Valley farm club.

“The two pitchers who you would consider the favorites to win those two spots in the rotation both had a rough time in their last outings and nobody has really separated themselves yet,” Huntington said.

Huntington also was referring to right-hander Jeff Karstens, who allowed four runs in three innings against the Boston Red Sox on Friday.

Karstens has given up

10 runs, nine earned, and 15 hits in 92/3 innings for a 6.39 ERA while walking four and striking out three.

Right-hander Virgil Vasquez is the only other remaining candidate for a starting job. The Pirates have decided if right-hander Jason Davis makes the team it will be as a reliever.

Davis has yet to pitch more than two innings in any of his eight outings this spring as he was slowed by a strained hamstring early in spring training.

However, Davis will be used as a starter if he begins the season at Indianapolis.

Vasquez has a 9.82 ERA after 71/3 innings, allowing eight runs and 12 hits with three walks and four strikeouts. However, he did pitch five shutout innings for high Class A Lynchburg against the New York Yankees’ Tampa farm club on Sunday.

Only three of seven bullpen jobs were determined when spring training began and that is still the case more than five weeks later.

Matt Capps will be the closer with left-hander John Grabow and right-hander Tyler Yates serving as his primary set-up men.