Gamethread: Pirates visit Orioles

The Pirates visit the Orioles in Sarasota at 1:05 PM.  Juan Nicasio will take the mound.

In one minor news item, piratesprospects.com reports (sub.req'd) that the Pirates have released RHP Angel Sanchez.  They had outrighted Sanchez off the 40-man roster after the 2014 season, but he bounced back with a strong 2015 that seemingly made him a candidate to go back on the roster.  Unfortunately, he hurt his arm late in the season and ended up having Tommy John surgery, which would have kept him out all this year.  Once the season ended, he would have been a minor league free agent.  It's possible they'll try to re-sign him, like they did with Casey Sadler.  I'm not sure what it accomplishes to release and re-sign a player who's already on a minor league contract.  There's probably some technical difference.  If the Pirates do re-sign Sanchez for 2016, after the season they'll have to re-sign him for 2017 as well.