Wednesday: Bucs-O's, Pitching & Lineup, Hughes Hurt, Prospects, Moves, More

Today: The Orioles come to Bradenton to play at McKechnie Field, with first pitch due at 1:05. No radio, but the game will be on Root Sports (replay at 7PM) and MLB.TV.

The pitching: Jeff Locke will start, with Mark Melancon, Tony Watson and Cory Luebke are on tap to follow. Miguel Gonzalez goes for the Birds, with Vance Worley penciled in also. Gerrit Cole, btw, is working a 65 pitch back lot game today to keep him on schedule.

Starling is having a big (10-for-20) spring - photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates

The lineup: John Jaso 1B, Cutch CF, David Freese 3B, Starling Marte LF, Fran Cervelli C, Gregory Polanco RF, Josh Harrison 2B, Jordy Mercer SS and Locke P. Looks like regular season if you swap out Freese for JHK & Jeff for Frankie.

• MIA Jared Hughes is day-to-day with a pulled left lat in his back; apparently he injured it about a week ago.
• If u have a fresh coffee and some time, Shane Tourtellotte of The Hardball Times has an in depth look at all five clubs in the NL Central Division. It's worth the read. If you're a little pressed for time, Chris Schubert of MLB Daily Dish has a current update of the division news. 
• Bullpen coach Euclides Rojas came to America the hard way from Cuba, as this piece by Yahoo Sports Tim Brown explains. 
• With the prez and the Rays in Cuba, might there now be an agreement reached over the transfer of Cubano ballplayers to MLB? 
• Dan Farnsworth of Fangraphs rates the 2016 Pirate Prospects.
• John Dreker of Pirates Prospects reports (sub required) that once-upon-a-time prospect Luis Heredia is being moved to the bullpen and that 3B Wyatt Mathieson has reinjured his shoulder.
• Chris Volstad, released by the Braves a few days ago, has signed with the White Sox.
• Alex Dickerson, who was sent to the Padres in 2013 for Jaff Decker and Miles Mikolas, was optioned back to AAA by SD. 
• The Reds released Jonathan Sanchez.
• Plum HS RHP Scott McGough was sent to AAA by the Fish. The Bucs drafted him late out of high school in 2008, but he went to Oregon and became a 2011-5th round selection of the Dodgers. Miami picked him up, and he got his first taste of the show last year.