Movin' Along...

-- Well, so much for Ian Snell making his next start here; it'll be at Indy instead. A day after giving Snell a shaky vote of confidence, the suits decided to repeat the Gorzo treatment on him and see if it works, not that it's done all that much for Gorzelanny.

They called up Virgil Vasquez, so we'll see how this plays out. We thought that they'd carry Snell for one more start until they were sure that Charlie Morton wasn't going to miss another turn; but Snell, as reported by DK of the Post Gazette, asked for the trip down to clear his head of the "negativity" that's surrounding him.

-- Matthew Pouliot of Circling the Bases picked the ten infielders most likely to change addresses. The local entries are:

Adam LaRoche - The comments he made after the Nate McLouth trade didn't help matters, but LaRoche was already unlikely to finish the season in Pittsburgh. A divorce would be best for both parties, as it'd surely help LaRoche to have a chance to ply his trade for a contender as he heads into free agency at season's end. While he's been a reliable first baseman since the day he debuted in 2004, he's still never topped 90 RBI in a season, partly because he sat against lefties early on and partly because he's hit in some poor lineups. However, it's also the case that his power has tended to disappear in big situations. A few key homers down the stretch for a more visible team might do wonders for his reputation as he enters the market.

Freddy Sanchez - While it's always Jack Wilson's name that comes up in trade rumors, his double-play partner is at least as likely to be dealt this summer. If they keep him, the Pirates will have to decide whether to pick up his $8 million option for 2010 or buy him out for $600,000. He's probably worth the cash, but he is 31 and second basemen tend to age especially badly, making it unlikely that he'll still be a quality regular when the Pirates are next ready to contend. He'd be an upgrade for the Giants, White Sox, Twins, Brewers, Cubs, Angels and Cardinals.

What, Jack Splat didn't make the Top Ten?

-- Nice enough start for the two number ones just promoted. RHP Brad Lincoln, in his Indy debut, allowed one run and two hits in 6-2/3 innings. 3B Pedro Alvarez smacked his second homer in three games for the Altoona Curve this afternoon.

Alvarez and Lincoln were also selected to play in MLB's All-Star Futures Game, on Sunday, July 12 in St. Louis. They'll represent the U.S. team. The pair are being fast-tracked, and may pop up at PNC sometime next season. The future's so bright, I need sunglasses...

-- 1B Calvin Anderson of the West Virginia Power, 2008's 12th-round draft pick, drove in the winning run in the Sally League all-star game. Anderson also went yard 13 times to win the home-run derby - and when's the last time a Pirate could lay claim to that title at any level?

-- 1B Brian Myrow was acquired from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for either cash or a minor league PTBNL. He was assigned to Indianapolis to replace Steve Pearce. Myrow hit .277 with seven homers and 25 RBI in 48 games for Triple-A Charlotte.