Notes

RHP Tim Wakefield (4-2, 4.26 ERA) faces RHP Jeff Karstens (4-4, 2.54 ERA) tonight at 7:05 PM. It's fireworks night and the game will be aired on Root Sports.

The lineup: Jose Tabata LF, Chase d'Arnaud 3B, Garrett Jones RF, Andrew McCutchen CF, Neil Walker 2B, Lyle Overbay 1B, Ronny Cedeno SS, Mike McKenry C, Jeff Karstens P.

Lyle Overbay is back out of the doghouse after yesterday's two hit performance while d'Arnaud gets his second start at third. McCutch is at cleanup, where Clint Hurdle has experimented with him when Garrett Jones plays.

• Happy birthday, Paul Maholm. The lefty turned 29 today.
• Big Papi won't start again tonight. It was interesting to watch the contrasting styles at play last night. The Bosox want to bludgeon teams into submission; the Bucs nickle and dime opponents with D and dinks. Different strokes for different leagues.
• James McDonald went to Stargell Field this afternoon to visit with the Homewood RBI (Reviving Baseball in the Inner cities) players. J-Mac is himself a RBI alumnus, as are Carl Crawford, Coco Crisp, James Loney, Jimmy Rollins, CC Sabathia, Yovani Gallardo and Justin Upton. The Pirate community involvement by the players and the FO has always been top drawer; ditto for Pirate Charities.
• Man, talk about recycling. The national media reports that 68 year old Davey Johnson will get the Washington Nats job, and the Fish recently brought on 80 year old Jack McKeon as skipper.