Pirates Hire Coaching/Player Development Director

PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Pirates have named former big-league catcher John Baker their director of coaching and player development. The move is the latest step in an organizational shuffling designed to help end the Pirates’ freefall. Pittsburgh has finished last in the NL Central in each of the last two seasons. The 39-year-old Baker comes to the Pirates from the Chicago Cubs, where he spent the last five years in their baseball operations department. Baker hit .247 during a seven-year big league-career with the Marlins, Padres and Cubs.