Hart threw 3 1/3 innings in his game against Philadelphia Class A players, allowing two runs on four hits (three of those infield singles), plus two strikeouts and four walks. He threw 74 pitches, 39 of them for strikes...
Meanwhile, up in Clearwater against Philadelphia's Class AAA team, Daniel McCutchen pitched four scoreless innings, allowing three hits. He struck out two, walked one and threw a total of 61 pitches.
For the most part, I couldn't care less about Spring Training numbers, but I just can't see how the Pirates can do anything with Steve Blass Kevin Hart other than send him to the minors. He was facing Class A hitters today, for Pete's sake. The Pirates like Hart because they see him as having more upside than McCutchen, but it's far from clear to me that the best way to have him develop is to let him watch entire major league lineups circle the bases while he searches for his ability to throw strikes. He can work through it in the minors, sparing himself some serious embarrassment and sparing the rest of us the pain of having to watch him. The Pirates have an option on Hart, and they should use it. Maybe the thing to do would be to send him to Altoona and have Joe Kerrigan make a few trips over there.