Bucs Tame Tigers; Richard Stays, Notes and Lineup

Vance Worley took the news that he's going to the bullpen in stride and gave the Bucs three workmanlike innings as Pittsburgh won 7-3 against the Tigers at Lakeland. The game got off to a good start as Petrina McCutchen, Andrew's mama, sang the National Anthem. David Price retired the first nine Buccos, but a quick burst keyed by Fran Cervelli's two-run bomb and doubles by Cutch and Jung-Ho Kang led to a four-spot. Pittsburgh's first-rounder from last year, Cole Tucker, even got three frames in at short. Minor league hurler John Kucha tossed three hitless frames, getting seven grounders and a K, so it was a nice spotlight game for a couple of youngsters.

Francisco Cervelli (photo Brynn Anderson/Sports Illustrated)

Today's Game: Frankie Liriano is on the hill against Baltimore tonight as the Bucs travel to Sarasota for a 7:05 game. The match will be aired by the MLB Network and 93.7 The Fan.

Today's Lineup: Josh Harrison 3B, Gregory Polanco RF, Cutch CF, Neil Walker 2B, Starling Marte LF, Pedro 1B, Jung-Ho Kang SS, Tony Sanchez C, Liriano P.
Today's Bench: Minor league.
Today's Pitchers: Gerrit Cole, minor leaguers.

We'd guess that this is the regular Pirate lineup against righties if you slip Francisco Cervelli in for Sanchez and Jordy Mercer for Kang. Against lefties, we'd expect Mercer to switch with Polanco and a little bit of wiggle in the middle, depending where Clint bats Corey Hart.

• The media gang reports that Clayton Richard didn't exercise his opt-out clause and will stay with the Bucs. He'll remain in extended spring training at Pirate City after camp  breaks and later join Indy, following the trail plowed by Vance Worley last year.
• Speaking of Vanimal, Worley is gonna need a crash course in bulllpen life. Now that he's in the pen, those four day breaks are a thing of the past, and he hasn't pitched as a reliever but once since 2011 (last July). It's not an easy transition.
• Pirates Prospects has the run-down on the injured prospects in the system like Clay Holmes, Harold Ramirez and Rinku Singh.
• A better sign of spring than even a robin: the Pirate equipment truck is on its way back to Pittsburgh.
• Alex Presley was DFA'ed by the Astros.
• If you ever wondered what the meal money was for players on the road, Robert Raiola (‏@SportsTaxMan) tweeted that MLB players will receive a $100.50 per diem on road days this year, up from $99 last year. The mean average pay this year is $4.3M.