-P- Greg beat me to the punch in the diaries (thanks, Greg), but this new Brew Crew Ball feature for minor league splits is indeed "the best thing ever." If you've ever wondered how Andrew McCutchen hits lefties, well, now you can find out.
-P- Don't miss Azibuck deservedly ripping Jim Tracy and Paul Meyer in the comments of another thread.
-P- Ryan Doumit is listed as day-to-day. Given what he looked like running the bases last night, it seems like it'll be at least another day or two before he can move well enough to start at any position. That is, if he ever gets another start.
-P- Could it be that MLB teams are finally learning that it's not really necessary to have a "proven closer"? Of baseball's current saves leaders, I count three (Tom Gordon, Jason Isringhausen and Danys Baez) who have closed for more than a couple years or been acquired by their current team as a closer. The rest are youngsters like Francisco Rodriguez, Bobby Jenks and rookie save leader Jon Papelbon and former rent-a-relievers like Dave Weathers and Derrick Turnbow. Further down the saves lists are a number of other non-name-brand closers who are performing well, like Chris Ray, Fernando Rodney and Ambiorix Burgos. Tonight's matchup against the Diamondbacks also features two fairly young closers in Mike Gonzalez and Jose Valverde who have been very good. If only the Pirates had learned before that you don't need to hire a "proven closer," we might have been spared a year and $2.5 million for Jose Mesa.
-P- John Perrotto says the Pirates make no sense. Pirates bloggers respond: "Well, duh!"