Regrettably, I have to leave before the end of the game and won't be back until tomorrow morning, but I wanted to post a few thoughts about tonight's game, or at least the seven innings I saw.
-P- Doug Mientkiewicz started at third and looked perfectly good there, making an on-target throw in the one attempt I saw at a toss across the diamond and ranging far to his left to make another play. I'm not sure this should mean anything, given that it was just one game and the Pirates are better served in the long run by continuing to play Jose Bautista at third, but if the Pirates want to let Mientkiewicz play third every once in a while against a righty, I'm fine with that.
-P- Brian Bixler started at shortstop and wasn't nearly as bad as 0-for-3vas, but he managed to make an error, too, on an off-target throw. By the way, Trogglodite thinks we should call Bixler "Bambi," which isn't very nice but I think is kind of funny, given his boyish look.
-P- Ronny Paulino made a play on a throw from the plate. In other news, Linkin Park made a good album, Kevin Trudeau gave some good medical advice, and the Pope converted to Islam. Actually, Paulino didn't have a bad game at all - he drew a walk (although Bronson Arroyo was kind of pitching around him) and drove in two runs with a single.
-P- Nate McLouth is just awesome. He's been so good that when he comes to the plate in an important situation, my default expectation is that he'll come through. Today he had two hits through the first seven innings, including an RBI single to give the Bucs the lead in the sixth.