Notes: A look at Pirates job competitions

A few notes for Tuesday:

• I outline potential job competitions going on in Pirates camp. Featured: Tyler Webb, the mostly unknown gentleman in the photo above
• Old friend Joe Blanton finally found a new team, heading to a Nationals club that has spent much of the offseason looking for bullpen help. Earlier this month, I addressed whether the Pirates should pursue Blanton again, although there were never any reports connecting them to him.
• In case you missed it, the Pirates have named Gerrit Cole their Opening Day starter. That hardly comes as a surprise, although it’s the first time Cole has received that honor. (I guess “honor” is the right word, although it’s always hard to take an honor too seriously if it was previously bestowed upon Ron Villone.) Francisco Liriano started the last three Opening Days for the Bucs.
• Thanks, everyone, for your responses to the Bob Nutting FanPost prompt. Here are your responses: WTM, BuccoFan21, buccofan89, Thunder, Spike Vrusho, Burdman23, IAPiratesFan, HebnersGhost, ChiBurgh (this one’s good), Below The Mendoza Line and WHYG Zane Smith.