-P- The Pirates still haven't won in Spring Training yet, but there's reason for optimism here: Ian Snell struck out seven batters in three innings (although he walked two and allowed three runs), Brad Eldred homered again (that's four in four games), and the Bucs rallied from a 9-0 deficit to tie the game. However, Tom Gorzelanny allowed five runs.

Here's the box score.

-P- Jason Bay should play tomorrow.

-P- In other news, the White Sox signed Javy Vazquez to a three-year, $34.5 million extension that begins in 2008. That might seem like a lot for a pitcher with ERAs of 4.91, 4.42 and 4.84 the last three seasons, but Vazquez's peripherals are very strong, and a lot of his apparent struggles have to do with pitching in front of bad defenses (2004, 2005) and in tough ballparks (2005, 2006).This is a decent deal for the Sox.

-P- Dice-K kept the Marlins off the board in the three innings he pitched against big-league hitters today. Kevin Goldstein has published one scout's opinion of Matsuzaka's showing today.