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A.J. Burnett starts for the Bucs against the Phillies today, with Wandy Rodriguez, Kris Johnson, Vic Black, Duke Welker and Hunter Strickland also taking turns. Here's the lineup:
Starling Marte LF
Alex Presley CF
Travis Snider RF
Gaby Sanchez 1B
Russell Martin DH
Michael McKenry C
Jared Goedert 3B
Jordy Mercer 2B
Chase D'Arnaud SS
-P- Minor-league camp has begun.
-P- These sentences, about why Brooks Brown is supposedly moving to the top of the Pirates' list of bullpen options, are incredible to me:
Brooks Brown was not one of them. But the 27-year-old right-hander may be forcing himself not only into the line, but to the head of it. He added to his impressive spring on Sunday by working a perfect ninth to save the Bucs' 8-6 victory over the Astros.
Yes, Brown worked "a perfect ninth" ... after allowing a run in the eighth. Why would a writer fail to mention that? It's baffling. Anyway, I'll go out on a limb and say Brooks Brown isn't anywhere near the top of the Pirates' list of bullpen candidates. He struck out 81 batters and walked 58 for Triple-A Toledo last year, which counts for much more than 4.2 spring training innings does.