Franchise Notes

New Pirates GM Neal Huntington said he was "assured" by team ownership that they would spend money on player development and scouting. Huntington: "I got the assurance before I took the job. I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe we had the opportunity to be successful." Huntington, on the fans: "We're asking not for patience, but we're asking for them to evaluate our actions" ("In My Own Words," FSN, 3/21).

NOTES: The Blues have selected Ticketmaster's TicketExchange as their authorized ticket resale service, and the service is available for all remaining home games this season" (Ticketmaster)....SI's Peter King wrote "it does not hurt [NFL Commissioner Roger] Goodell at all" that he found the 49ers guilty of tampering with Bears LB Lance Briggs. King: "In the past year the league has sent out two strongly worded memos reminding teams of the anti-tampering policy, yet stories of teams and agents talking about looming free agents" at last month's NFL Scouting Combine -- "a week before free agency began -- were everywhere" (SI.com, 3/25).