Bucco Blog reports that the Pirates and Devil Rays are talking, and the Bucs may be targeting 22 year-old first baseman/outfielder Elijah Dukes. Jake’s informal poll of writers and scouts seemed to indicate that such an acquisition would require either Tom Gorzelanny or Mike Gonzalez. To me, Gorzelanny would make the most sense. As you probably know, Dukes has a world of talent but some makeup issues.
Gorzelanny had a scare last year with August elbow stiffness, though he came back to make three starts after that. For 2007, the 24 year-old southpaw is projected at a 4.06 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 153 innings by ZiPS and a 4.27 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in 168 innings by RotoAuthority.