Perrotto: Baseball Sense Still Part of Pirates’ Decision Making (+)

One of the biggest areas of competition for the Pittsburgh Pirates during spring training is relief pitching.

One of the more difficult things to evaluate in spring training is the effectiveness of relievers during exhibition games.

That will be the challenge for Pirates manager Derek Shelton when his team begins Grapefruit League play Saturday by hosting the Toronto Blue Jays at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.

The level of competition can vary during the exhibition season for many reasons, chief among them whether a team is playing at home or on the road. Teams rarely take all their regulars on road trips.