Let's keep the damaged goods theme going! DK reports the Pirates are interested in Noah Lowry while Jerry Crasnick says they're intersted in JJ Putz (via MLB Trade Rumors, because Crasnick's link is Insider). Lowry is in the Duchscherer mold; he was a promising young pitcher but he's had all kinds of arm trouble and hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2007, plus there's some ugliness over a misdiagnosis of the injury (alleged by his agent). He's probably not as good as Duchscherer and I have some reservations about a guy that hasn't pitched in such a long time, but if he's really healthy he might be worth a shot. Putz is coming off of elbow problems and an ugly season with the Mets. He probably wants to close, which means that he's pretty unlikely to end up here unless Matt Capps and Joel Hanrahan go elsewhere.

Whether or not these guys or Wright or Duchscherer end up in Pittsburgh in 2010 (I'm leaning towards "not" at this point; I don't see anyone signing with the Pirates until after the New Year and closer to spring training unless we make some kind of silly money offer), it's pretty clear that the Pirates are looking to upgrade their pitching staff for 2010.

Also, the Blue Jays are interested in Ryan Doumit, but that doesnt' fit with the rest of the post.