PHOENIX - There was a lot of talk on sensitive topics and trades, yet only one deal while baseball general managers wrapped up their weeklong round of meetings Friday.

The San Francisco Giants acquired All-Star catcher A.J. Pierzynski from the Minnesota Twins for pitcher Joe Nathan and two minor leaguers, apparently completing the deal after the closed-door business meeting.

More trades were expected, but failed to materialize.

Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi said trade activity should pick up around Dec. 7, the deadline for teams to offer arbitration to their former players who became free agents, and Dec. 12, when the winter meetings begin in New Orleans.

''I think this is more laying the groundwork,'' Ricciardi said. ''And, in all fairness to everybody in the room, there were a lot of agendas. A lot of time was taken up with dealing with things we had to take care of.''

The GMs were busy this week discussing next season's testing system and schedule of penalties for steroid use. There also was talk about Questec, the tracking system used to monitor how umpires call the strike zone.

The Arizona Diamondbacks hoped to be among the busiest teams in the trading market. They went in looking to acquire Milwaukee slugger Richie Sexson and unload Curt Schilling and his $12 million 2004 salary.

Arizona accomplished neither, but GM Joe Garagiola Jr. felt the time was well spent.

''Everything we wanted to pursue in terms of ideas, we were able to pursue,'' he said. ''I think what happens now is there's a lot of information that needs to be reported back to ownership by all of us who were here, and get further direction and then try to proceed.''

Pittsburgh GM Dave Littlefield said the speculation that many clubs will let free agents go, creating a glut of talent, would help small-market teams.

The Pirates, who traded players such as Kenny Lofton, Jeff Suppan and Aramis Ramirez during the season, want to reduce their payroll by another $15 million - down to the $36 million to $39 million range - before 2004.

''That's something that would work well for me,'' Littlefield said. ''I just have limited resources. But I don't know. It's certainly something we'll be keen on and keep an eye on it.''

He said the drug issue got a thorough hearing.

After between 5 and 7 percent of 1,438 anonymous tests on players this season turned out positive, the commissioner's office proposed a system of dealing with the problem Thursday.

After requiring treatment for the first positive test, the possible penalties include suspensions and fines.

''It's certainly something that everybody knew was out there,'' Littlefield said.

He didn't believe that positive tests would affect the interest in players, at least initially.

''There's been discussion about this, just what kind of impact is out there, how much it's being used,'' Littlefield said. ''I think to some degree it's positive, because it gives some specifics vs. what's rumored, what's said under the table, that type of stuff.''

Ricciardi doubted a player's value would be cut.

''I still think we value the great player as a great player,'' he said. ''I just think as an industry you want to try to send the right message, and maybe this is one way of doing it.''