Day 2 Winter Meetings Report: Pirates have "significant interest" in Wilson Betemit; LHP Tsuyoshi Wada on Radar?

By John Perrotto

DALLAS--Add Wilson Betemit to the list of free agents the Pirates are looking at as a contingency plan at third base.

The Pirates have "significant interest" in Betemit, according to one Pirates' source, as they look to find someone to compete with incumbent Pedro Alvarez for the starting third baseman's job in spring training.

Betemit, 30, is a free agent after hitting a combined .285 with eight home runs and 46 RBIs in 97 games and 323 at-bats with Kansas City and Detroit last season. He hit 13 home runs in just 84 games and 276 at-bats with the Royals in 2010.

Betemit can play all four infield positions and would be utilized as a utility infielder if Alvarez bounces back from a horrid 2011 with a good showing in spring training.

The Pirates also have some interest in Kevin Kouzmanoff to play third base after he was released by Colorado at the end of the season. However, the drawback to Kouzmanoff as far as the Pirates are concerned is his inability to play the middle infield positions, which would not allow him to serve as a utility infielder if Alvarez were to win the starting third baseman's job.