Team president Frank Coonelly said Tuesday that the Pirates would consider buying out the contract of an underperforming veteran, but added that the team is not focused on potentially doing that with Matt Morris.
Morris is making slightly over $10 million this season and will be owed a $1 million buyout if the team doesn't exercise its option on him for 2009. "He is not pitching up to his standards or our expectations, but he is still working very hard ... to regain his effectiveness," Coonelly said. "We are working equally hard to make him an effective member of our staff and have not given up on him."