The Pittsburgh Pirates hired 53-year old manager Clint Hurdle to give the team a new look in 2011. Hurdle last managed in the majors back in 2009 with the Rockies. He was fired that year after leading the Rockies to a 18-28 (39.1%) record. Hurdle now has a 534-625 (46.1%) record in his first 8 years during the regular season as a major league manager. Hurdle also had a 7-4 (63.6%) record during his career in the post season. Hurdle is a tough guy which is the kind of manager the young Pittsburgh Pirates need in 2011 and beyond.

29-year old righty Joel Hanrahan is likely going to start the 2011 season as the Pirates’ stopper. Hanrahan pitched in 72 games (0 starts) for the Pirates last year and he was 4-1 with 6 saves, a 3.62 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. He only gave up 58 hits in 69 2/3 innings last season while whiffing 100 batters, which shows just how nasty he can be. He has now pitched in 105 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Pirates and he is 4-2 with 6 saves, a 3.03 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.

27-year old righty Evan Meek will either be the set-up man or closer for the Pirates in 2011. Meek pitched in 70 games (0 starts) for the Pirates last year and he was 5-4 with 4 saves, a 2.14 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Meek only gave up 53 hits in 80 innings for the Pirates last year as he was flat out nasty in 2010. Meek has now pitched in 120 games (0 starts) in his first three years with the Pirates and he is 6-6 with 4 saves, a 3.02 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP.

33-year old lefty Joe Beimel will likely start the 2011 season on the D.L. The Pirates hope he gets back into action soon because they need him. Beimel pitched in 71 games (0 starts) for the Rockies last year and he was 1-2 with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. In his first three years with the Pirates, Beimel has worked in 164 games (23 starts) in which he is 10-19 with a 5.00 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. Beimel is a much better pitcher than he was the first time around with the Pirates.

30-year old righty Jose Veras will likely be one of the Pirates’ top middle relievers in 2011. Veras pitched in 48 games (0 starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 3-3 with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. He has now pitched in 176 games (0 starts) in his first five years in the majors and he is 12-9 with 3 saves, a 4.24 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. Veras has a really good arm and he should be able to have a decent year for the Pirates in 2011.

28-year old righty Chris Resop really pitched well for the Pirates last year and they hope it wasn’t a mirage. Resop pitched in 22 games (0 starts) for the Pirates last year and he was 0-0 with a 1.89 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. He only gave up 10 hits while whiffing 24 batters in only 19 innings for the Pirates last year. Resop has now pitched in 80 games (0 starts) in his first five years in the majors and he is 3-3 with a 5.16 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. The Pirates hope that Resop is a late bloomer.

25-year old righty Sean Gallagher is back with the Pirates in 2011. He pitched in 31 games (0 starts) for the Pirates last year and he was 2-1 with a 6.03 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP. Gallagher has now pitched in 91 games (23 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 10-10 with 1 save, a 5.64 ERA and a 1.68 WHIP.

25-year old righty reliever Jose Ascanio only pitched in 2 games (2 starts) in Rookie+A-ball last year and he was 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. He has 7 whiffs in only 3 innings in the minors last year. He last pitched in the majors back in 2009 with the Pirates & Cubs. He has now pitched in 35 games (0 starts) in his first 3 years in the majors and he is 1-3 with a 4.99 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP.

26-year old lefty Donald Veal pitched in 9 games (all starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 3-2 with a 4.35 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. He last pitched in the majors back in 2009. Veal has pitched in 19 games (0 starts) in the majors and he is 1-0 with a 7.16 ERA and a 2.33 WHIP. He is a longshot to help the Pirates in 2011.

27-year old lefty Justin Thomas pitched in 12 games (0 starts) for the Pirates last year and he was 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP. He has now pitched in 20 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 0-2 with a 6.35 ERA and a 2.18 WHIP. He will need to improve to get back to Pittsburgh in 2011.

26-year old righty Chris LeRoux pitched in 6 games (0 starts) for the Pirates last year and he was 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. He has now pitched in 28 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 0-1 with a 7.67 ERA and a 1.94 WHIP. LeRoux is a big time longshot to help the Pirates in 2011.

33-year old righty Tyler Yates missed all of last year due to injury. He has pitched in 87 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Pirates and he is 6-5 with 1 save, a 5.06 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. Yates might be able to help the Pirates in 2011 if he can get and stay healthy.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE PIRATES BULLPEN IN 2011: B-

The Pirates have dealt 28-year old righty swinging 3B Josh Fields to the Rockies for either a player to be named later or cash. Fields played in 21 games for the Pirates this spring and he was 5 of 29 (.172 avg, .513 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 1 homer, 4 RBIs and 11 whiffs. The Pirates did him a favor by dealing him as he was going to start the year in the minors.

The Pirates have released 28-year old lefty reliever Fernando Nieve. Nieve pitched in 5 games (0 starts) for the Pirates this spring and he was 1-1 with 2 saves, a 9.82 ERA and a 2.59 WHIP. He gave up an amazing 17 hits in only 7 1/3 innings over the spring as he was pitching extended B.P. in spring training games. The Pirates probably won’t miss Nieve too much, if at all, in 2011.

The Pirates have released 31-year old righty swinging 1B/3B Garrett Atkins. Atkins played in 17 games for the Pirates this spring and he was 4 of 31 (.129 avg, .472 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 1 homer and 4 RBIs. Atkins whiffed a stunning 11 times this spring for the Pirates. The Pirates won’t miss Atkins one bit as they have a lot of corner infielders that they like a lot more than him.