Doumit trade talks to heat up next month at the Winter Meetings

Pirates listening to offers for Doumit

At the trade deadline Pirates GM Neal Huntington made it known that catcher Ryan Doumit was available for trade and the Pirates are taking the same stance this off-season.

Trade talks surrounding Doumit is expected to heat up at the 2009 Winter Meetings in Indianapolis which will run from December 7-11.

Pittsburgh has held preliminary trade discussions with the Colorado Rockies and Tampa Bay Rays. The Rockies interest has been lukewarm as the Pirates have been eyeing short-stop prospect Hector Gomez or Eric Young jr.

The Rockies are likely to pass on Doumit and go with Chris Iannetta next season.

Pirates management though expects interest to pick up at the Winter Meetings with three more suitors already being mentioned;

The Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers.

Doumit, 28, batted .250 last season with 10 home runs and 38 RBI’s.

More Trade Buzz

There has been minimal trade talk surrounding Zach Duke and Paul Maholm. Many baseball insiders saw the trade deadline as the best time to get a substantial return on Duke, as the Tigers and Rangers were expressing significant interest.

Neither player is going to be dealt this winter. Pirates management blames Paul Maholm’s struggles last season on injuries as the team claims he was playing through a number of minor injuries.

Expect Matt Capps to be involved in some trade talk at the Winter Meetings but the Pirates are learning that his value is at an All-Time low. Very unlikely that he is moved.

Atlanta has been connected to Capps in recent weeks.