Oliver Perez may start the 2006 season from the fifth spot in the rotation. The Post-Gazette article linked here cites a lack of work as the reason.
While Perez's participation in the World Baseball Classic has undoubtedly held him back a bit, there is reason for concern that he may not be healthy at all. At the WBC, his velocity was way off, and he did not pitch well there or in the Mexican Pacific League. Any success the Pirates might have this year depends heavily on Perez, so I hope everything is okay.
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Ryan Vogelsong got pounded by the Reds today, allowing four earned runs in three innings, including a homer by Adam Dunn. Zach Duke had a fairly good outing, though, allowing only one run in three innings while striking out three and walking one.