Bucco Bits and B-Days

Just to kill some time before the lineup is posted...

• Spring numbers for the right field/fourth OF'er candidates: Alex Presley - 48 PA, .317/.383/.415, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 8 RS; Travis Snider - 43 PA, .314/.372/.457, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 2 RS; Felix Pie - 45 PA, .308/.400/.590, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 7 RS; and Jose Tabata - 46 PA, .238/.283/.405, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 7 RS. 
• We're wondering if the Bucs will push their pitching decisions down the road a bit. The street talk has Jeff Karstens starting the season in the pen, but  he hasn't made an appearance in a Grapefruit game yet. So the possibility exists that he could open the season on the 15 day DL while the FO sorts things out on the mound. His workload this week should tell the tale. If he does land on the DL, he'll join Francisco Liriano, Jose Contrelas and Charlie Morton in Rehab City.
• BTW, don't put much faith in the rumor we reported yesterday from NY that the Yanks and Bucs are contemplating a David Aardsma - Gaby Sanchez deal. Aardsma is coming off 2011 TJ surgery and worked all of 7-2/3 IP last year, majors and minors combined. Additionally, the Pirate FO doesn't place a lot of value on relievers as a class; they're much more apt to sell than buy. Now if the Evil Empire was looking for a spare outfielder and had something a little shinier to offer...
• March 23, 1893 - RHP Ray Kremer is born. Kremer pitched ten seasons for the Pirates, his only MLB club, and went 143-85, winning 20 games twice and leading the NL in ERA in 1926 and 1927. What's more amazing is that he didn't make his major league debut until he was 31 years old! Also born this day in 1948 was announcer Lanny Frattare, who was part of the Pirate broadcasting team from 1976-2008 and announced over 5,000 Bucco games during those 33 seasons. He was the Pirates longest-tenured voice.