The Associated Press

BRADENTON, Fla. - The Pittsburgh Pirates placed relief pitcher Matt Herges on waivers Wednesday after trading two pitching prospects to Montreal to acquire the reliever in December.

"This just baffles me," Herges said. "I don't understand why they traded for me."

The right-handed Herges won 20 games in relief for the Dodgers in 2000 and 2001 and was expected to give the Pirates another strong arm in middle relief. He was 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA this spring, striking out seven and allowing three hits in 9 1/3 innings.

But the Pirates let him go - apparently to keep right-hander Salomon Torres in case he is needed to move into the starting rotation.

"We're not in a position where we can just give starters away," Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said, citing the decision to keep Torres.

The move means left-hander Dennys Reyes makes the club, despite a 6.23 ERA this spring.

• Outfielder Adam Hyzdu was optioned to Triple-A Nashville, the second consecutive spring he lasted until the final cut without making the team.

RED SOX: The team placed pitcher Frank Castillo on unconditional release waivers and offered outfielder Adrian Brown back to Tampa Bay.

Castillo was 6-15 with a 5.07 ERA for Boston last season.

Brown, picked in the winter meeting draft, had to be on Boston's opening day roster or be offered back to Tampa Bay.

CUBS: Bobby Hill was given the chance to secure the starting second base job, getting more spring at-bats than any other player on the team. But he hit .154 (8-for-52) and committed five errors and was optioned to Triple-A Iowa.

In his final 29 games with the Cubs last year, Hill batted .314 (32-for-102).

DODGERS: Right-hander Giovanni Carrara, a stalwart in Los Angeles' bullpen the last two years, was placed on waivers for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release.

Carrara, 35, was 1-0 with an 8.31 ERA this spring, allowing 12 earned runs in 13 innings.

MARINERS: One day after his worst outing of the spring, right-hander Gil Meche found out that he made Seattle's starting rotation. Meche allowed 10 runs in 22/3 innings against Oakland Tuesday but will be the team's fifth starter.

BRAVES: Atlanta placed left-handed reliever Mike Venafro on waivers for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release. Venafro, 29, was 1-1 with a 6.30 ERA in eight spring games.

RANGERS: Right-hander Danny Kolb was placed on waivers to give him his unconditional release. He was 0-1 with a 5.63 ERA in eight appearances this spring.

EXPOS: Orlando Hernandez was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of tendinitis in his right shoulder. The move is retroactive to March 21, meaning he can return April 5.