Off Day Notes

 PNC Fireworks - Dave DiCello Photography

• The Bucs are back on the bike tomorrow night, with Charlie Morton taking on Pirate nemesis Edwin Jackson.
• After the opening homestand, the Bucs have a batting slash of .229/.325/.333 with four HR and an OPS of .658. The pitchers, on the other hand, have compiled a 2.18 ERA/3.47 FIP, .241 Opp BA, 48.5% ground ball rate and an 86.9% strand rate.
• Jeff Locke will begin his rehab from an oblique injury on Wednesday at Bradenton per Bill Brink of the Post Gazette. More good news: At Indy, Phil Irwin is slated to make his first start since ulnar nerve surgery last April.
• Pirate pitching is up to its old tricks: the Bucs have allowed three-or-fewer runs in five of their six games.
• Tim Williams of Pirates Prospects reported that Harold Ramirez and Barrett Barnes suffered apparent hammy injuries yesterday during WV's game and were placed on the DL. They could join Austin Meadows, who is also out with hamstring problems and already on the DL. That trio was West Virginia's starting outfield.
• Ex Bucs: Jose Contreras is not retiring; however, he is looking into a Mexican or Japanese gig.
• Going into today, replay has been used 44 times. 14 calls were confirmed, 13 stood as inconclusive and 16 were overturned. The average length of review: two minutes, 16 seconds.
• "Never turn your back on your first fortune" - a look at the recent team-friendly security blanket contract extensions by Jeff Passan of Yahoo!Sports.