BRADENTON, Fla. — By Thursday, most of the Pirates who are on the 40-man roster or were invited to major league spring training had reported to Pirate City. They have a place to go, a job, a purpose: to make the team, make a case for themselves and prepare for the season ahead.
About eight miles away, a 20-minute drive to the southwest, a handful of free agents had reported to IMG Academy, a boarding school and sports training center, for what attendees apparently are calling Camp Jobless. As baseball’s uniquely slow offseason gives way to spring, they are still looking for a landing spot.