It looks like Liriano will only be available to the Pirates for part of the season at best due to his recently disclosed injury to his non-throwing arm Obviously, he may not sign at all. So, what should the Pirates do? Rely on internal options? Sign another free agent? Deal for another starter? Below are some suggestions. I would love to hear more suggestions in addition to these:

Trade Jose Tabata for Randall Delgado

A Braves blogger suggests this. Atlanta needs a leadoff hitter. Tabata can leadoff and play LF and has 4 more years of control. Delgado could fill the fifth spot in the Bucs rotation and has six more years of control.http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1475505-braves-offseason-why-atlanta-needs-to-trade-for-jose-tabata

Trade Garrett Jones for Gavin Floyd

Knobler tweeted that White Sox are looking around for a left-handed hitter and that Gavin Floyd is available. The Pirates pursuing Floyd seems like a popular suggestion. The Pirates probably don't to give Jones's three years of control up for one year of Floyd. Sox probably see #4 starter's value greater than a platoon player. Superficially, this seems like a match but probably neither team would be interested.

Rick Porcello for Garrett Jones

Years of control and WAR values are a match. Tigers are looking for another OF bat. Tigers can probably can get a lot more than Jones for Porcello. NH probably doesn't want to offer much more than Jones to make it happen.

Trade Garrett Jones or maybe Jose Tabata and a prospect. for Johan Santana and salary.

AJ Burnett type salary relief. Mets pay more salary if they get Jones. Mets want to unload him, Pirates looking for Burnett type bounce back.

http://metsblog.com/metsblog/mets-would-love-to-trade-johan-santana/

Franklin Morales/Jose Igglesias for Garrett Jones and Nick Kingham

Pirates were rumored to be interested in these two during the Hanrahan talks. Pirates would get a SS prospect and BoSox get a prospect of similar value in Kingham. Jones' value is probably a bit higher than Morales and Iglesias' value is probably a bit higher then Kingham's so the ledger is balanced. This would have to be done in lieu of a Napoli deal. Morales is a left fifth starter for the Bucs. Bosox have Ciriaco and Drew at the ML level and their top prospect is a SS at AA so Iggy is expendable.

Chris Capuano for Jose Tabata

Seems like a mismatch but maybe years of control and potential can entice the Dodgers to part with one year of surplus starter Capuano. Bucs taking on salary but the Dodgers probably don't care.

Sign Joe Saunders.

Boo.