Grapefruit Opener: Bucs Visit Rays

Today opens the Grapefruit League for the Bucs, as they'll hit the road to visit the Tampa Rays and Roberto Hernandez. First pitch is at 1:05 and will aired by KDKA The Fan, 93.7.

• The lineup: Starling Marte LF, Alex Presley CF, Travis Snider RF, Garrett Jones 1B, Pedro Alvarez 3B, Brad Hawpe DH, Mike McKenry C, Josh Harrison 2B, Chase d'Arnaud SS.
• The pitchers: LHP Jeff Locke, RHP Chris Leroux, RHP Bryan Morris, LHP Mike Zagurski, RHP Duke Welker, RHP Vin Mazzaro and RHP Brooks Brown, with RHP Ryan Reid serving as the bullpen. Locke and Leroux, who has lobbied to start, are scheduled for two innings each.

It's early; Cutchen, The Kid, JT, Russell Martin, and Clint Barmes will be spared the bus ride and stay in camp today. Most should debut against Atlanta tomorrow.

• Kyle McPherson had the same injury as Jeff Karstens, biceps tendinitis, during winter ball. He told Tom Singer of MLB.com that it took a couple of months for it to clear up and several more weeks to get back to 100% on the mound. 
• Francisco Liriano told Bill Brink of the Post Gazette that he hopes to start playing catch and running around the first week of March. He's been throwing the ball on level ground, but still needs someone with him to catch it.
• Michael Barr of Fangraphs takes a look at the Buc outfield, and says "center is obviously sealed, left field is probably sewn up, and right field, which is kind of a mess, is the one to watch."
• Some old Buccos in Florida to help coach up the club: Mike LaValliere, Manny Sanguillen, Bill Virdon and Bill Mazeroski. Steve Blass is also around, repping Root Sports.
• The new McKechnie Field will be on display for the GL home opener against the Braves and Julio Teheran. It's now 2,000 seats bigger, the scoreboard has been renovated, and it has a new boardwalk.
• Ben Nicholson Smith of Major League Trade Rumors has a table that shows the effect of call-up dates on team control. Gerrit Cole, who was smooth in yesterday's scrimmage, has to cool his heels at Indy til mid-June if the FO wants to avoid having him become a Super Two player and arb eligible for four years rather than three. He'll be under team control through 2018 if he earns an eventual spot on this year's roster.