The New York Mets missed the playoffs last season, and one of their veteran players continued to struggle in the power department.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported that the Pirates plan on spending on the free agent market, bucking the trend of their offseason activity for the past 10 years. Feinsand didn't have a money total that the Pirates would spend in free agency, but reported that it's around $30-40 million.

The Reds had an opening in that role because Matt Tracy has moved into the assistant pitching coach spot. Last season's assistant pitching coach, Simon Matthews, was hired by the Washington Nationals as their new pitching coach.

He beat out Cristopher Sanchez of the Philadelphia Phillies and Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

With a week to go until the Rule 5 protection deadline, the Pirates have yet to make a concrete decision on No. 15 prospect Esmerlyn Valdez.

In a world of big spenders and cash-strapped small market teams, clubs like the New York Mets and the Pittsburgh Pirates often do business following the tried a