Pirates not interested in Kyle Lohse, according to report

It's not a surprise, but the Pirates "don't appear to be pursuing" Kyle Lohse, Jon Morosi writes. Morosi also says Lohse would be "a great fit" for the Bucs, which I suppose is true if you don't consider the fact that signing Lohse would cost the Pirates the No. 14 pick in the draft next year. The Bucs have no business giving up that pick, so unless they can get Major League Baseball to allow them to sign Lohse and keep their pick (MLB was supposedly considering doing that for the Mets, who have the No. 11 pick, when they were pursuing Michael Bourn), there's really nothing to discuss. The Pirates' rotation can certainly use the help, but the draft-pick compensation really is a problem.

I'm a bit bearish on Lohse anyway -- his xFIP ran a full run behind his ERA last year, and you'd hate to see him leave the Veteran Starter Rehab Facility in St. Louis and fall off the wagon. If the Bucs didn't have to give up a pick for him, I wouldn't mind if they signed him to a two-year deal, but I wouldn't be eager to see the Pirates sign him for longer than that, given that he's 34 and has never really been a top pitcher, last year's shiny ERA notwithstanding.