SYD Thrift built the Pirates managed by Jim Leyland into a winner by making one-sided trades that brought the Bucs Bobby Bonilla, Doug Drabek, Mike Lavalliere and Andy Van Slyke.

“I’m trying to do the same kinds of things,” said Thrift, now GM of the Orioles. “I didn’t have the problems with high salaries then that I have here. The most difficult thing is the economics. You don’t trade players today. You trade contracts.”

Brady Anderson, Albert Belle and Mike Mussina have no-trade rights. Mike Timlin and B.J. Surhoff have partial no-trade clauses… Cardinals, Padres and Royals all have inquired about Pirates catcher Jason Kendall, eligible for free agency after the 2001 season. Pirates GM Cam Bonifay likely is just testing the market for Kendall and will attempt to sign him in the winter. If he fails, Bonifay will have a head start in knowing how highly valued Kendall is and which teams have an interest in acquiring him. “He’ll only deal him now if he’s blown away with an offer before the deadline and I doubt that’s going to happen,” one insider said.