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Pirates sign Wells, 4 others

PITTSBURGH, March 1 (UPI) -- Righthander Kip Wells, acquired for Todd

Ritchie during the winter meetings, was one of five players to agree to terms on a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.

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The 24-year-old Wells was 10-11 with a 4.79 ERA in 40 appearances, including 20 starts, with the White Sox in 2001. He is expected to be one of Pittsburgh's top three starters and threw two scoreless innings

in his first spring training appearance on Thursday.

Pitchers Ryan Vogelsong, Tony McKnight and Mike Gonzalez as well as outfielder Tike Redman also agreed to one-year contracts Friday, one day

after the Pirates signed third baseman Aramis Ramirez to a three-year deal.

Vogelsong went 0-5 with a 6.75 ERA in 15 outings last season.

McKnight was acquired from Houston for closer Mike Williams before the trade deadline last year and went 3-6 with a 4.95 ERA in 15 starts with the Astros and Pirates.

Gonzalez split last season between Class A Lynchburg and Class AA Altoona, going 7-5 with a 3.51 ERA.

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The speedy Redman spent most of last season at Class AAA Nashville and hit .224 with a home run and four RBI in 37 games with Pittsburgh.

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