The Pirates are trying to catch lightning in a bottle.

If they succeed, that catch will be temporary.

Signing left-handed pitcher Erik Bedard and outfielder Nate McLouth to one-year contracts appear to be solid moves on the surface.

Bedard, 32, struck out 221 batters and won 13 games with Baltimore four years ago and had developed into a consistent starter in the American League before missing all of the 2010 season with a bad shoulder.

Last year, he started 16 games for Seattle, another eight with Boston, and fashioned a 5-9 record with a very respectable 3.62 earned run average.

Can the guy still log 200-plus innings and win 13-15 games in a major league season? The Pirates, Bedard, and the rest of major league baseball are going to find out.

If he can’t, that $4.5 million is going to look like money foolishly spent.

If he can, the Pirates may take another step toward respectability. At the same time, they would likely lose Bedard to a higher-priced bidder next offseason.

McLouth is in a similar situation. Before spending two disastrous years in Atlanta, the outfielder had become perhaps the Pirates’ most popular player.

In 2008, he hit .276 with 26 homers, 94 RBIs, led the National League with 46 doubles, stole 23 bases, made the All-Star Game and won a Gold Glove Award.

McLouth is still only 30 years old and the Pirates got him for a mere $1.75 million. If he rediscovers his game and even approaches those 2008 numbers, that’s a steal.

McLouth’s role on the team will likely be decided by the performances and/or health of left fielder Jose Tabata and right fielder Alex Presley. If Tabata falters, McLouth can play left. If Presley falters, Tabata moves to right and McLouth still plays left.

If everyone plays well, McLouth is the fourth outfielder and still gets 300 at-bats.

If McLouth falters, the Pirates’ investment in him isn’t much. Financially, it’s a no-lose situation.

But much like Bedard, if this guy plays well, he’s probably leaving town again, this time as a free agent out of the Pirates’ price range.

Throw in a power-hitting catcher in Rod Barajas and a solid fielding shortstop with occasional power in Clint Barmes and the Bucs haven’t done too badly on the open market.

The problem with one-year deals is that they are designed to be temporary fixes.

If Bedard and McLouth fare well, then leave, the Pirates are back to square one. Maybe another pitcher in the system develops over the next year and a productive Bedard becomes expendable.

Maybe McLouth is grateful for finding his game again in Pittsburgh and opts for a hometown discount to stay.

Bottom line, ultimately, is that money talks — and Pirate free agents usually walk.

But we dare to dream, fellow Pirate fans.

Produce now. We’ll worry about the rest later.