PIRATES White trying for spot with Bucs

The 36-year-old pitcher is hoping to land a bullpen spot.
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) -- Rick White would like to finish what he started with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
White, a 36-year-old right-hander, began his career with the Pirates in 1990, when he was their 15th-round draft pick. After stops with seven other teams, he would like nothing better than to end it wearing a Pirates uniform. White decided to return to his roots in January after spending one season with the Cleveland Indians.
"I didn't think it was too bad when I was here the first time," White said. "The Pirates have a lot of young pitchers, and I kind of like helping the younger guys out if they need it. It's going to be fun to see how it works out."
Nonroster invitation
White is in camp on a nonroster invitation, but he has pitched well enough that he is being considered for one of the two openings in the bullpen. He has allowed one run in four innings, facing two batters above the minimum.
White is one of eight nonroster pitchers left in camp and has more experience than any Pirates pitcher except closer Jose Mesa, a 14-year veteran.
"He's got eight-plus years in the big leagues," said manager Lloyd McClendon, who was White's teammate 11 years ago on the Pirates. "When you amass that amount of time, it's not by mistake. He must be doing something right."
White broke into the majors in 1994 and immediately was thrust into the closer's role. After converting six of nine save opportunities, White was used as a starter. He went 4-5 with a 3.82 ERA in 43 games that season and 2-3 with a 4.75 ERA in 15 games in 1995. He didn't pitch again for the Pirates after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in December 1995.
White became a free agent after missing most of the 1996 season, and he didn't resurface in the majors until 1998. The highlight of his career was pitching in the 2000 World Series for the New York Mets.
Bouncing around
But White left New York after 2001 and hasn't spent more than one year in the same place. He would like for that odyssey to end with the Pirates.
"When I was here the first time, I never wanted to leave," White said. "I got drafted by the Pirates and I was always going to be a Pirate. But then I had surgery and I've done a lot of traveling since. Hopefully, I can finish my career here because that's what I wanted to do to begin with."
The Pirates think White might have something left even though he didn't have a good year with the Indians in 2004. In 59 games, he had a 5-5 record and 5.29 ERA, allowing 33 runs in his final 39 innings.
The Indians didn't offer White arbitration, and he became a free agent.
"He's a veteran guy who has pitched in the bullpen before, and it still looks like he has a very good arm," McClendon said. "We're going to run him out there. He's going to get every opportunity to make this team."