BRADENTON, Fla. - David Ross, a backup catcher who became expendable when the Los Angeles Dodgers added three catchers in recent months, was traded Wednesday to the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash.

The Pirates are believed to have sent the Dodgers less than $100,000 for Ross, who hit .170 with five homers and 15 RBIs last season. He is hitting .105 with one homer and two RBI this spring.

Ross had 10 homers and 18 RBI in 123 at-bats with Los Angeles in 2003.

"He calls a good game, has a lot of power and just needs a chance to play," said Pirates reliever Rick White, who was in the Dodgers' camp last year.

Ross was so eager to join the Pirates, he made the 3½-hour cross-state drive from the Dodgers' camp in Vero Beach to Bradenton in time to meet some of his new teammates after their exhibition game against Minnesota.

"I'm excited - I want to get to know these guys, especially the pitchers and what they throw," Ross said. "I'm going to get a crash course. I feel like I'm back in school and studying right before an exam."

Pittsburgh set its 25-man opening day roster by reassigning reliever Mark Corey and outfielder Ben Grieve to Triple-A Indianapolis, but may need to make another move because of catcher Humberto Cota's strained left oblique. He was sidelined for two months with a similar injury last season.

Cota hasn't played since homering twice against the Phillies last Saturday, when he was also struck on the forearm by a ball. That injury is no longer bothering him.

Cota can throw without any discomfort, and hopes to be swinging the bat again by Saturday - two days before the Pirates open at home against the Brewers. But the Pirates plan to be cautious because of last season's injury.

"I don't want to do anything stupid and aggravate it," Cota said. "They don't want to take that risk."

Pittsburgh is carrying only one other catcher, 40-year-old starter Benito Santiago.

Ross fell out of the Dodgers' plans after the team acquired catchers Jason Phillips, Paul Bako and Dioner Navarro. Bako and Phillips will start the season in Los Angeles, with Navarro and Mike Rose at Triple-A Las Vegas.

"I'm happy to be with Pittsburgh," said Ross, a teammate of Pirates pitcher Josh Fogg on Florida's 1998 College World Series team. "It's a younger club here and I think I'll fit in.'

The Pirates won't make a 40-man roster move with Ross until they decide if he will start the season in Pittsburgh or in Triple-A. To clear a roster spot, they are expected to move one of their two rehabilitating pitchers, John Van Benschoten or Sean Burnett, to the 60-man disabled list.

Van Benschoten (shoulder surgery) is expected to miss the season, while Burnett (elbow surgery) probably won't pitch until late in the season, when he hopes to make some minor league starts.