The Pittsburgh Pirates have declined to exercise all four of its 2012 club options. Catchers Ryan Doumit and Chris Snyder, left-hander Paul Maholm, and shortstop Ronny Cedeno are all now free agents, according to Jenifer Langosh of MLB.com.
All four players had buyouts written into their contracts and will cost the club a total of $2.2 million. Cedeno's option was $3 million, Snyder's was $6.75 million, Doumit's was $15.5 million over the next two years, and Maholm's was $9.75 million.
This leaves the club essentially bare at catcher and puts them at or near the top of the list of teams that will be looking for a solution via free agency, suggests Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette. Langosh adds that the Pirates will now also be looking for a shortstop, though Chase d'Arnaud might have a chance at the job. Otherwise, they will be looking for a solution at short in addition to catcher.