Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/27887
4B – Daily News – Saturday, March 26, 2011 Major League Baseball 2011 Preview American League (AP) —Be it Red or White, this should be a good summer to play for the Sox. All-Stars Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez wound up in Boston. Adam Dunn picked Chicago, plus Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski decided to stick around. "They did a great job get- ting players," slugger David Ortiz praised his Red Sox. "This is a tough division to play at and you definitely want to go out there and get whatever you can, whatev- er's available, and that's what they did. So it all depends on us now." Konerko, beginning his 13th season with the White Sox, echoed that sentiment. "We certainly have what we need in every area, starters, bullpen, lineup," he said. "We have what we need, it's just a matter of coming together as a team and executing. That's easier said than done, and you have to stay healthy on top of it." All that, and that's not even mentioning the four teams that actually made the AL playoffs last season — the champion Texas Rangers, the New York Yankees, Tampa Bay and Minnesota. Health could be the biggest question in Boston, where 2008 AL MVP Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis and Jacoby Ells- bury are coming back from serious injuries. But the Red Sox landed the speedy Crawford with a $142 mil- lion, seven-year contract and traded for Gonzalez, giving them an upgraded lineup to pair with their deep rotation. The Red Sox finished third in the AL East in 2010, unable to keep up with the first-place Rays and wild- card Yankees. Those teams aren't planning on backing up, and Toronto and Balti- more should be better, too. So while Boston is much improved, there are plenty of potential challengers within its division — and beyond. "Like I always said, our division is the toughest in baseball," Yankees captain Derek Jeter said. The Central could get into the act this season with its own three-team race. Minnesota is seeking its third straight division title, Detroit signed dangerous switch-hitter Victor Mar- tinez and Chicago added Dunn to its strong core. "Looking at the Twins over the years, they're always going to be competi- tive," said Jim Thome, who opted to return to Minnesota in January instead of signing with the AL champion Rangers. "Look at what the White Sox and Tigers have done, they've upped their teams, too. It should be a fun, fun division." The White Sox got off to a difficult start last year, moved into first place at midseason and stumbled down the stretch while the Twins surged into the play- offs. record since 2003. Morales, who hit 34 homers in 2009, was lost for the year when he broke his leg while jumping on home plate to celebrate a game- ending grand slam on May 29. Free-agent relievers Scott Downs and Hisanori Taka- hashi will help in the middle innings, and Ver- non Wells should provide a lift on offense and defense after coming over in a trade with Toronto.Wells hit 31 homers in his final sea- son with the Blue Jays. Seattle Mariners There was a lot of anticipation in Seattle a year ago, and the Mariners finished with the AL's worst record at 61-101. Manager Don Wakamatsu was fired in August and Eric Wedge agreed to take over the rebuilding job in October. Wedge inherits a club that finished with a major league-low 513 runs last season. At least he still has All-Star outfielder Ichi- ro Suzuki and AL Cy Young Award winner Felix Hernandez, who had a majors-best 2.27 ERA in 2010. an offseason spending spree that rivaled the Red Sox, adding Dunn's big bat, shoring up its bullpen and bringing back team leaders Konerko and Pierzynski. Now even manager Ozzie Guillen and general manag- er Kenny Williams are get- ting along again. "The Central is going to be tough, Central goes down to the wire every year," White Sox pitcher John Danks said. "If it doesn't come down to the wire it will be a rarity." Texas ran away with the West in 2010 on the way to the pennant. AL MVP Josh Hamilton is back, but the Rangers could be pushed by improving Oakland and the Los Angeles Angels. Of course, a major injury or trade could jumble any one of the divisions, setting the stage for another wild season. "The American League in general, the last couple years, has been really good," Konerko said. "Even the teams that were last place in each division were tougher than usual. There's no pushover." A look at the AL in pre- dicted order of finish: One of the majors' toughest lineups got a little deeper when All-Star third baseman Adrian Beltre agreed to an $80 million, five- year contract with the AL champs in January. Beltre, an outstanding defender, hit .321 with 28 homers and 102 RBIs for Boston last sea- son.He pushes Michael Young to designated hitter and utility infielder, unless the Rangers agree to trade the six-time All-Star. Texas tried to bring back Lee, who instead decided to sign with Philadelphia. AL Rookie of the Year Neftali Feliz toyed with becoming a starter but will stay as the closer. Brandon Webb, who won the NL Cy Young Award in 2006 with Arizona, also could help the rota- tion at some point. WEST Texas Rangers Oakland Athletics Newcomers Hideki Matsui, David DeJesus and Josh Willingham are being counted on to boost an offense that managed just 109 homers and 663 runs last season, the team's second-fewest in the last 28 non-shortened seasons. Matsui will serve as the primary DH after batting .274 with 21 homers and 84 RBIs last season for the Angels. The pitching staff is young and talented from the front of the rotation to the back of the bullpen. Trevor Cahill went 18-8 with a 2.97 ERA last season and fellow All-Star Andrew Bailey had 25 saves and a 1.47 ERA.But Bai- ley was hampered by a strained forearm dur- ing spring training, a concern heading into the season. Los Angeles Angels Mike Scioscia's team is hoping the return of Kendrys Morales and a retooled bullpen will help return the Angels to their winning ways. Los Angeles finished third in the divi- sion last season at 80-82, its first losing Chicago responded with EAST There are high hopes in Boston, and all the pieces are there for a third World Series championship in eight years.Jon Lester, John Lackey, Clay Buchholz, Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka form a solid rotation, with dependable swingman Tim Wakefield ready to fill in if needed.The lineup has speed with Crawford and Ellsbury and power with Ortiz, Gonzalez and Youkilis. The most glaring issue on the loaded Red Boston Red Sox Sox could be Jonathan Papelbon, who is under pressure after an off-year.Bobby Jenks and Daniel Bard could take over at closer if Papelbon falters. New York Yankees Spurned by Cliff Lee, the Yankees strength- ened their bullpen and weakened a division rival by signing free agent Rafael Soriano to a $35 million, three-year contract to set up for fellow All-Star closer Mariano Rivera.Soriano had an AL-best 45 saves for Tampa Bay last season and gives New York another dynamic arm for late in games. That bolstered 'pen could get plenty of work.Beyond CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes, there are major questions in the rotation for Joe Girardi and new pitching coach Larry Rothschild. A.J. Burnett had a strong spring training but is coming off a dismal 2010 sea- son. Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia will begin the year in the last two slots, but that could change quickly if either right-hander gets off to a poor start — former Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon is waiting for a chance, and a comeback. Tampa Bay Rays It was a long, cold winter for the defending division champs, whose payroll constraints played a role in the departure of Crawford, first baseman Carlos Pena, starting pitcher Matt Garza and seven of the team's top eight relievers.Tampa Bay's payroll is projected to be about $41 million, down from $73 million last season. All-Star third baseman Evan Longoria and speedy center fielder B.J. Upton are back to go along with a deep rotation headed by ace David Price. Manager Joe Maddon also is hoping to get an offensive boost from aging stars Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez, who each signed one-year deals with goals of putting up big numbers and doing better in free agency next winter. Baltimore Orioles Looking for a surprise team in the Ameri- can League? Buck Showalter took over the Orioles last August and led them to a 34-23 finish.Then Baltimore did a decent offseason impersonation of its big-budget division rivals, signing first baseman Derrek Lee and desig- nated hitter Vladimir Guerrero, and trading for third baseman Mark Reynolds and shortstop J.J. Hardy. The biggest problem for the Orioles is they play in the star-studded East, and they're going to need their young starting rotation — headed by Jeremy Guthrie and Brian Matusz — to step up if they're going to contend. Toronto Blue Jays The Blue Jays are hoping new manager John Farrell can help Brett Cecil, Ricky Romero, Brandon Morrow and Kyle Drabek turn into the foundation of a strong rotation that will help them keep up in their formidable division.Farrell, who takes over for the retired Cito Gaston, spent the previous four seasons as Boston's pitching coach. The lineup, which had a major league-lead- ing 257 homers, took a hit with the trade of pricey outfielder Vernon Wells to the Angels but still has home run king Jose Bautista, Aaron Hill and Adam Lind. CENTRAL Chicago White Sox ons had a quiet winter, re-signing right-han- der Carl Pavano and Thome, who needs just 11 homers to reach 600 for his career.Then again, Minnesota's biggest offseason need was time — a sorely needed break for stars Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Joe Nathan to recover from injuries. Mauer had minor left knee surgery in December, delaying his progress in spring training. Morneau, who won the AL MVP award in 2006, was limited to 81 games last season due to a concussion. Nathan, who had 47 saves in 2009, is coming back after reconstructive right elbow surgery. Their health could be key to Minnesota's chances in 2011. Detroit Tigers Martinez gives Detroit another big bat for its potent lineup but first baseman Miguel Cabrera was arrested in February on suspi- cion of driving under the influence and resist- ing an officer without violence, both misde- meanors.Cabrera, who has submitted a writ- ten plea of not guilty, insists he is focused on baseball and the Tigers are going to need him to contend for a playoff spot. The Tigers will be without oft-injured reliev- er Joel Zumaya at the start of the season, leaving newcomer Joaquin Benoit and All- Star closer Jose Valverde to handle the action late in games. Detroit also is looking for a bounceback year from right-hander Brad Penny, limited to nine starts for St. Louis last year due to a back problem. Cleveland Indians Grady Sizemore is on his way back after undergoing microfracture surgery on his left knee. The three-time All-Star center fielder could give Cleveland another offensive threat to go with Shin-Soo Choo, who quietly hit .300 with 22 homers and 90 RBIs last sea- son. That's it for the bright side in Cleveland, which has a suspect rotation beyond Fausto Carmona and is likely headed for its third con- secutive losing season. Kansas City Royals Kansas City's rich farm system is even more loaded after a December trade sent ace Zack Greinke, shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt and cash to Milwaukee for shortstop Alcides Escobar, outfielder Lorenzo Cain and right- handers Jake Odorizzi and Jeremy Jeffress. The problem is most of the Royals' top prospects are at least a year or two away from having a significant impact on the big league club. Until the youngsters develop, the bottom of the Central is a tossup between the Royals and Indians. National League (AP) — Bruce Bochy has already picked the Phillies as his World Series favorite, and that's coming from the manager who knows something about Philadelphia's aces. The Colorado Rockies consider themselves a legiti- mate title contender, too, even if they have to take care of Bochy's champion San Francisco Giants in the pitching-heavy NL West to get there. The main marketing slogan for the White Sox is "All In" and they certainly earned it in the offseason. They re-signed first baseman Konerko and catcher Pierzynski to multiyear deals and bolstered their bullpen by adding free-agent relievers Jesse Crain and Will Ohman.But the biggest move was a $56 mil- lion, four-year contract for Dunn, who gives Chicago some sorely needed power from the left side.The big Texan has 354 homers and 880 RBIs in 10 major league seasons, but has never been a regular designated hitter, something he will try with the White Sox. Minnesota Twins The two-time defending Central champi- ROUND-UP Red Bluff Weekend - Events Itinerary and Guide - 7,000 copies Published as an insert to The Daily News Wednesday, April 13 2,000 additional local distribution through Sunday April 17: Restaurants ★ Hotels ★ Weekend Event Sites Participating Local Businesses ★ Fairgrounds This magazine-size special section will reach and excite those folks already planning to attend Red Bluff’s “crown jewel” event – and the final Community events leading up to it; the mixer, the parade and more. Distribution will be through the Daily News, with additional freestanding distribution to reach non-subscribers and visitors. Here’s a low-cost, last minute option to “brand” your business with the Round-Up, and let folks from out of town know that you’re here – particularly valuable for restaurants, hotels and western-oriented retail businesses. Deadline for Space Reservations: Monday, April 4 at 5 PM ! Contact your Daily News Advertising Rep TODAY! 527-2151 D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY "When you walk into this clubhouse, it's no longer, 'Can we win this division?'" Rockies veteran Jason Giambi said. "I think it's a failure for this year if we're not a World Series con- tender." With four No. 1 starters in its rotation, Philadelphia is eager to make up for an early exit to the Giants last fall in the NL championship series. The Phillies were supposed to be the team to beat. Now, the expectations are even greater for this club: Win it all or bust. "Obviously, that is the ultimate goal," said Cliff Lee, who was on the other end against the Giants while pitching for AL champion Texas last season. "The first thing you've got to do is get there. We've got to play 162 games to get to the postsea- son. Once you're in the post- season, yeah, you've got to win the last game to do the ultimate." Lee is far from the only new addition in the National League as he returns to Philly. From Southern Califor- nia to South Beach and north to the nation's capital, changes abound in the NL. No more Bobby Cox on the top dugout step for the Atlanta Braves after he retired. No more Joe Torre managing the Los Angeles Dodgers. The four-time World Series winning skip- per is Major League Base- ball's new executive vice president for baseball opera- tions. Slugger Jayson Werth is now in Washington. The right fielder received a $126 million, seven-year contract from the Nationals this win- ter, which includes a full no- trade clause. And with another former AL Cy Young Award win- ner, Zack Greinke, now with Milwaukee, the Brewers fig- ure to be in the playoff chase. And don't rule out Cincinnati in the Central after the Reds reached their first playoff trip in 15 years last fall only to be swept by the Phillies in the first round. In the NL East, does any- body else stand a chance against Charlie Manuel's bunch and all of those aces: Lee, Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton? "We've still got to go play. We've got to beat peo- ple. That's part of it," Manuel said. "If you're good, you've got to stay good. That means you've got to play hard, stay focused on what you're doing, can't get distracted and you've got to stay at it. And you've got to love to play." The new-look New York Mets hope they are fine after a winter of transition — and financial trouble — and same goes for the Florida Marlins and Chicago Cubs, two more NL teams with new managers. The Mets fired manager Jerry Manuel and GM Omar Minaya after two straight losing seasons, and now longtime baseball exec- utive Sandy Alderson is in charge and will be eager to get things turned around in a hurry. New skipper Terry Collins is getting another shot in his third managerial gig after going 444-434 dur- ing 1990s stints with the Astros and Angels. "I think honestly the favorite has to be the Phillies. You want to pick the Giants because of the success last year, but the way the Phillies have built that rotation, it might be one of the best rotations ever," Milwaukee outfielder Corey Hart said. A look at the NL in pre- dicted order of finish: WEST Colorado Rockies The big-spending Rockies aren't quite ready to declare themselves the division champions considering the Giants won it all. But with a rebuilt roster and two young super- stars signed well into the future, manager Jim Tracy has high hopes for a team that was plagued by injuries in 2010 and lost 13 of its final 14 games to finish 83-79 and third in the NL West. This winter, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki locked up a new deal that pays him an additional $132 million over seven seasons through 2020, a contract that guarantees him $157.75 million for the next decade. He had been guaranteed $25.75 million through 2013 under the $31 million, six-year contract he received in January 2008. Carlos Gonzalez followed suit, receiving an $80 million, seven-year contract this offsea- son that runs through 2017 and covers what would have been his first three years of free agency. Tulowitzki, who missed 33 games with a broken wrist, was an All-Star, won a Silver Slugger award and his first career Gold Glove. Gonzalez was the NL batting champi- on with a .336 average and hit 34 home runs with 117 RBIs in his first full big league sea- son. And ace Ubaldo Jimenez leads a talented rotation after he won 19 games last season and started the All-Star game. "The Giants have what every team wants, to win the World Series. They should be the favorites," Tulowitzki said. "They backed it up last year and they have a lot of returning play- ers, the pitching staff especially." San Francisco Giants The Giants still look an awful lot like they did last fall, when this bunch of castoffs and misfits surprised everybody by getting by the mighty Phillies in the NL championship series and then handling the Texas Rangers in five games to win the World Series. General manager Brian Sabean kept near- ly his entire roster intact for what he hopes is another deep October run, losing World Series MVP shortstop Edgar Renteria and also utility infielder Juan Uribe to the rival Dodgers. But San Francisco signed veteran shortstop Miguel Tejada, plenty familiar with Bay Area baseball after winning the 2002 AL MVP for the Oakland Athletics. "We probably do have a target on our back but that's a good thing. Let's go out and defend this championship," Bochy said. San Diego Padres A late 10-game losing streak did in the Padres last season — and they know full well they should have been a playoff team with 90 wins. San Diego had an NL-best 76-49 record on Aug.25 and had a chance until the season's final day, when it lost at San Fran- cisco. The Padres look much different going into 2011, having traded away All-Star slugger Adrian Gonzalez to Boston in a mass exodus of players and boosted the lineup with a handful of new faces. The team must make up for Gonzalez's production after he hit .298 with 31 homers and 101 RBIs last season. Closer Heath Bell's 47 saves were one shy of the majors-best 48 by San Francisco's Brian Wilson. Los Angeles Dodgers Don Mattingly has been waiting for his chance to be a manager, and the former Yan- kees star takes over in place of Torre for a team that went 80-82 last season. The Dodgers signed Uribe away from the Giants in one of their bigger moves of the win- ter after he produced career bests of 24 home runs and 85 RBIs in his second season with San Francisco. GM Ned Colletti insisted the divorce of Los Angeles owners Frank and Jamie McCourt wouldn't affect offseason spending, and the Dodgers committed more than $80 million in signings over the winter — including a three- year, $21 million contract for Uribe. Arizona Diamondbacks New Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers doesn't sugar coat his team's chances as Kirk Gibson begins his first full season as manager. Towers has turned around franchises during his days in San Diego, and he is now running a club that struck out 1,517 times last season and fin- ished in last place in the West for the second straight season. The team's 65 wins in 2010 matched the second-lowest victory total in franchise histo- ry. EAST Philadelphia Phillies The Phillies and most everybody else fig- ured this team had the talent to win it all last season as two-time defending NL champions with baseball's best record. Now, add Lee to the mix and the expectations are even greater for a club that fell short after winning 97 games. Can this superstar pitching staff make it happen this time? Roy Halladay pitched a perfect game early last season, then a no-hit- ter against the Reds in the playoffs. Still, as the Giants showed, anybody has a shot come the postseason. "If we play just like we always have and keep the same attitude, I don't worry about the target or the expectations.We'll be fine," Manuel said. Atlanta Braves Fredi Gonzalez steps in to fill the big shoes left by Cox, who led the Braves to 91 wins and back to the playoffs for the first time in five years only to lose to the Giants in the first round as the wild card. Atlanta added durable second baseman Dan Uggla as a key right-handed bat. The Braves acquired him in a trade from Florida, then rewarded the slugger with a $62 million, five-year contract. Keeping Chipper Jones healthy as he recovers from knee surgery is a top priority, and the Braves are counting on Jason Heyward following his Rookie of the Year runner-up season with another strong year. A rotation led by Derek Lowe (16-12), Tommy Hanson (10-11) and Tim Hudson (17-9) should keep the Braves right in the mix even if the Phillies are the strong favorite. But the Braves will dearly miss retired closer Billy Wagner. Florida Marlins After losing someone like Uggla, Hanley Ramirez knows he needs to return to his pro- ductive self. The 2006 Rookie of the Year was the NL batting champion in 2009 after hitting .342 with 24 home runs, then finished at .300 last season with 21 homers and 76 RBIs. The young Marlins figure to rely on their tal- ented rotation and a bullpen that was bol- stered this winter. New York Mets Many consider the Mets to be a mess con- sidering their financial woes and the large contracts still on the books.With proven exec- utive Alderson in charge, that could change for a club that went 79-83 to finish fourth in the East. The retooled Mets still have question marks throughout their roster as they try to avoid a fifth straight season out of the playoffs despite the challenges ahead. And ace Johan Santana won't pitch for a while after shoulder surgery.Homegrown All- Star shortstop Jose Reyes, with the Mets for all eight of his big league seasons, has been limited by injuries the past two seasons and will be looking to impress.He batted .282 with 11 homers and 54 RBIs and 30 stolen bases last season, but can become a free agent after this year. Alderson, a former Marine and Harvard Law School graduate, came aboard in late October in a GM job he hasn't held since 1997, when he ended a long and successful tenure as Oakland Athletics general manag- er.He already parted ways with second base- man Luis Castillo and left-hander Oliver Perez this spring — despite still owing $6 mil- lion to Castillo and $12 million to Perez. Washington Nationals How much will Werth's addition be worth in providing a much-needed boost to this offense? The Nationals hope a lot.He played in 159 games for the Phillies in 2009 and 156 last season, when he batted .296 with 27 home runs and 85 RBIs. Washington — which has been last in the East the past three seasons and five of six since relocating from Montreal — went 20-28 in one-run games and 3-10 in extra-inning games last year, both worst in the NL. The Nats tied for the most errors in the majors. The Nationals will be without star pitcher Stephen Strasburg for most of the season if not all of it.He was placed on the 60-day dis- abled list this past week as he recovers from right elbow reconstructive surgery last Sep- tember. Recovery time is typically 12 to 18 months. Manager Dusty Baker rattled off the names of free agents signed by the rest of the divi- sion. CENTRAL Cincinnati Reds "People weren't standing still," Baker said. "We weren't standing still, either.We just re- signed people that we have and hope through experience and time that they get better, which they should." The defending division champions brought back their roster virtually intact, spending more than $150 million to lock in key players long-term. They're counting on more consis- tency from outfielders Jay Bruce and Drew Stubbs and right-handed starter Johnny Cueto, and full seasons from left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman and right-handed starter Edinson Volquez. The Reds made the playoffs last season for the first time in 15 years.Baker thinks that experience should help in their quest for their first back-to-back division titles since 1994- 95. St. Louis Cardinals The Cardinals imploded down the stretch last season, going 21-27 while scoring two or fewer runs 17 times.They failed to sign three- time MVP Albert Pujols to an extension in the offseason, leaving him a potential free agent after this year. Could things get worse? Yes. Top starter Adam Wainwright tore up his pitching elbow in February and had recon- structive surgery. Starter Chris Carpenter pulled his left hamstring during spring training and missed a few weeks. Newcomer Lance Berkman developed a sore left elbow while getting ready for his move to the outfield. Util- ity infielder Nick Punto had surgery for a sports hernia, sidelining him for the first month of the season. Much of the focus will be on how Pujols handles the contract uncertainty. If he has a subpar season, the Cardinals are in trouble again. Milwaukee Brewers Milwaukee made two of the biggest moves in the division, acquiring Greinke and Shaun Marcum to round out the rotation.The Brew- ers also replaced manager Ken Macha with Ron Roenicke, who has instant expectations. The Brewers gave up some of their top prospects to get the two pitchers in a win-now move. Prince Fielder can become a free agent after the season.If the pitching staff can hold up, the Brewers have enough offense to be a contender. Bad sign: Greinke cracked a rib during a pickup basketball game in the offseason, an injury that is likely to sideline him for the start of the season. Houston Astros Call the Astros the young and the hitless. Houston played 11 rookies last season, often using three or more in the starting line- up.The Astros brought the young lineup back virtually intact, adding veteran infielders Clint Barmes and Bill Hall to their ongoing rebuild- ing. Offense is the issue. Houston hit only 108 homers last season, worst in the NL. The Astros' on-base percentage and slugging percentage also were the league's worst. Only Pittsburgh scored fewer runs in the NL. Overriding goal: a good start. The Astros opened 17-34 last year. Chicago Cubs Can they just get along? Manager Mike Quade's top challenge is to get the Cubs to stop fighting themselves. Quade had to call a team meeting during spring training after pitcher Carlos Silva and third baseman Aramis Ramirez squabbled in the dugout. said. "Sometimes a little revolt's not bad," Quade There's been more than a little of that. In 2007, Carlos Zambrano got into a fight with catcher Michael Barrett in the dugout and kept at it in the clubhouse. Last year, Zam- brano got into it with Derrek Lee, drawing a suspension. Zambrano got counseling and finished the season 8-0, but his temper remains a question. Lee was traded as part of a makeover after the Cubs finished second-to-last in the divi- sion despite having the NL's top payroll.The Cubs upgraded their rotation by acquiring Matt Garza, a 15-game winner with Tampa Bay last season. Quade, who took over when Lou Piniella retired, has to try to make them all get along. Pittsburgh Pirates Can they lose fewer than 105? The Pirates hit that mark during their 18th straight losing season.They hit a league-low .242 and had a league-high earned run aver- age of 5.00 — fourth-worst in franchise histo- ry.The only major move in the offseason was to fire manager John Russell and replace him with Clint Hurdle, who will try to pump enthu- siasm into his young and overmatched line- up. The Pirates tried to upgrade their pitching staff by signing Kevin Correia, who went 10- 10 with a 5.40 ERA — worse than Pitts- burgh's 2010 ERA — for San Diego.