Notes

Today pits RHP James McDonald (7-4, 3.95 ERA) against LHP Cliff Lee (9-7, 3.05); nothing like facing back-to-back Cy Young winners, hey? The game starts at 7:05 PM and will be aired by Root Sports.

The lineup: Pedro Ciriaco SS, Matt Diaz LF, Andrew McCutchen CF, Neil Walker 2B, Steve Pearce RF, Brandon Wood 1B, Pedro Alvarez 3B, Mike McKenry C, James McDonald P.

Geez, is this a pulled-out-of-the-hat lineup. Pearce and Diaz finally get a lefty; too bad it's Lee. Ciriaco is starting at short, which we prefer as opposed to Wood. Ronny Cedeno is still feeling the effects of his collision with Xavier Paul in Atlanta; hopefully it didn't trigger any post-concussion problems (EDIT - it didn't; his left knee is sore). And good luck, Pedro Alvarez; Lee will be a lefty tester.

• The Phils added Hunter Pence and Placido Polonco to the roster today, sending down Domonic Brown and Drew Carpenter. Just what they needed, a couple more sticks.
• It has been eerily quiet from the trade front rumor mills for Pittsburgh so far today. Not so for the two leaders: Milwaukee snagged Jerry Hairston Jr. to replace the injured Ricky Weeks at second, and the Cards are close to landing Rafael Furcal to fill their need at short.
• Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports believes the Ryan Ludwick trade market pretty much consists of Cleveland and Pittsburgh, with the Indians having the edge. Ludwick is sort of a RH version of Garrett Jones.
• Troy Renck of the Denver Post tweeted that the Bucs had interest in Detroit LHP Charlie Furbush before he was shipped to the Mariners today.
• It must be killing Neal Huntington to read all those stories about the Steelers and Pens struggling to get under the salary cap.  
• Holy insult to injury! The Pirates minor league affiliate, the West Virginia Power, are giving out Ryan Braun jerseys tonight. Braun played for the Power when they were a Milwaukee farm club, but geez...