Sunday Afternoon Notes

-- It's Nyjer Morgan's turn to get a day off. Nate McLouth will lead off, with Andy LaRoche in the two hole and Freddy Sanchez batting third.

Morgan's replacement, Craig Monroe, will bat clean-up. Robby Diaz is catching back-to-back, an oddity when a night game is followed by a day game.

And the Astros are moving Bucco killer Edwin Maysonet to leadoff from the eighth spot. Meteoric rise, hey?

-- Donnie Veal was placed on the 15-day DL with a groin pull that he suffered in his Friday outing when he slipped on the mound. It shouldn't have any bearing on his Rule 5 status; the draftee must be active for at least 90 days, and he's almost 2/3's of the way there.

Copacetic timing for the injury, with Tyler Yates and Craig Hansen out and Gorzo largely ineffective of late. The bullpen could use a fresh arm to eat a few innings.

We're guessing that the recently acquired RHP Steven Jackson (eleven appearances, 1-0-1, 3.10 ERA, fifteen Ks in 20-1/3 innings) will get the call from Indy. He was touted as a middle reliever while in the Yankee system.

But maybe not; Neal Huntington is always full of surprises. The beat writers are speculating that Virgil Vasquez or Chris Bootcheck may be in line for the job, too. We'll find out tomorrow.

-- John Perrotto of the Pirates Report.com has all the current trade rumors wrapped up in one neat column today.

-- Circle May 30, 2009, on your calendars. Yesterday marks the date of the first win for David Price of the Rays and the first hit for Matt Wieters of the O's. We expect a lot more to follow.