| The Pittsburgh Pirates have some of the best | | | | Alvarez, Brian Bixler, Luis Cuz, Adam LaRoche, |
| managers and coaches in the world lined up to | | | | Andy LaRoche, Freddy Sanchez, Ramon Vazquez, |
| work with the team. The Pirates themselves are | | | | Neil Walker and Jack Wilson; and outfielders nate |
| some of the best players in the world, but that | | | | McLouth, Nyjer Morgan, Brandon Moss, Steve |
| doesn’t mean they don’t still have their | | | | Pearce and Jose Tabata. |
| work cut out for them. No matter how you line | | | | So where do you take a great group of coaches |
| them up, however, the Pirates have a great | | | | and trainers and managers with a 40-man roster? |
| group of coaches standing up this year. The list | | | | Well, if you’re the Pirates, you get everyone |
| includes manager John Russell, bench coach Gary | | | | packed and ready to go and you head down to |
| Varsho, hitting coach Don Long, pitching coach Joe | | | | Bradenton, Florida. McKechnie Field will host the |
| Kerrigan, first base coach Perry Hill, third base | | | | Pirates this year for Spring Training and the 2009 |
| coach Tony Beasley, bullpen coach Luis Dorante | | | | Grapefruit League season, which officially begins |
| and bullpen catcher Heberto Andrade; head | | | | with a charity game on February 25 against the |
| athletic trainer Brad Henderson, head conditioning | | | | Phillies. |
| coordinator Frank Velasquez, assistant athletic | | | | The games continue with a lineup that includes |
| trainer Mike Sandoval, assistant conditioning | | | | games against the Braves, Tigers, Reds, |
| coordinator Kiyoshi Momose, physical therapist | | | | Netherlands, Twins, rays, Astros, Red Sox, the |
| & rehabilitation coordinator Erwin Valencia, | | | | Twins again, Yankees, Rays again, the Twins a |
| visiting clubhouse manager Kevin Conrad, assistant | | | | third time, Reds, Rays a third time, Blue Jays, |
| equipment manager Scott Bonnett and video | | | | back at the Phillies once more and rounding out |
| coordinator Kevin Roach. | | | | with the Reds a final time in the month of March. |
| What do all these aforementioned members do? | | | | With this kind of line up and thorough Spring |
| They work together to make a really great team | | | | Training, it sounds as though the Pirates will have |
| out of the 40-man roster that will be heading off | | | | very few moments to stop and get sore or sit |
| to Spring Training soon. The roster includes | | | | around and relax but then this is baseball season |
| pitchers Jimmy Barthmaier, T.J. beam, Sean | | | | coming up and if the Pirates are as excited as |
| Burnett, Matt Capps, Jesse Chavez, David | | | | they should be about getting back into the swing |
| Davidson, Zach Duke, Phil Dumatrait, Tom | | | | of things, then there won’t be a dull moment |
| Gorzelanny, John Grabow, Craig Hansen, Jeff | | | | in the training, on the field, in the games or any |
| Karstens, Paul Maholm, Evan Meek, Ross | | | | other time that the Pirates are doing what they |
| Ohlendorf, Romulo Sanchez, Ian Snell, Jeff Sues, | | | | love to do best, which is playing baseball. |
| Ronald Uvideo, Donald Veal and Tyler Yates; | | | | As the time winds down, local events are winding |
| catchers Robinzon Diaz, Ryan Doumit, Jason | | | | up for the Pirates as well. |
| Jaramillo and Steven Lerud; infielders Pedro | | | | |