Notes: Double Dip; Buc Bats Boom 13-5; Lotsa of Stuff Happening

Today: Split squad day: Tyler Glasnow gets the call at LECOM Park against the Red Sox at 1:05, followed by young gun Mitch Keller, Dovydas Neverauskas and Kyle Crick. That game be on AT&T SportsNet. Game #2 is v the Blue Jays in Dunedin at 1:07. Steven Brault will start things off with another hot prospect, Taylor Hearn, then Richard Rodriguez and Jordan Milbrath, scheduled to be the cavalry. That game will be carried by 93.7 The Fan.

Yesterday: Buc bats stayed hot in a 13-5 win over the Twinkies. Cool Chad went 4-1/3 IP, giving up three runs, but it was an improvement over last outing and he's still keeping the faith with his changeup. Kevin Siegrist and Tyler Jones both put up zeroes in relief; Edgar Santana was tapped for the other pair of runs. Jose Osuna and Jordan Luplow each had two hits and three RBI, with J-Lupp homering. S-Rod went long, had two hits and scored three runs. Cervelli banged one out of the yard among his two raps, with two runs scored and an RBI. The Bucs used 13 hits to plate their 13 runs.

Notes:

• Old Pirate prospect Robbie Grossman went 2-for-3 for Minnesota. He's been in a dogfight for a roster spot since the Twins signed Logan Morrison, taking away Robbie's DH swings.
• Cervy has a heavier bat, a simpler swing and a new bod per 93.7 The Fan's Jeff Hathhorn.
• The back-ups in center for Starling Marte are S-Rod and Adam Frazier; Clint's not going to move Gregory Polanco around. 

The dude can play anywhere (image AT&T SportsNet Pgh)

• The 2017 Altoona Curve team were given their Eastern League Championship rings in a pre-game ceremony at the ballyard yesterday. The Pirates also extended their contract with the Curve through 2022. The franchise has been a Bucco farm club since 1999, and that's the longest run of any minor league affiliate of the Pirates in franchise history.
• Keep your eyes open - the Bucs should make their first big cut of the spring early next week. After Monday, the likely chop date after today's twinbill, there are only eight exhibitions left until Opening Day.
• Nicholas Caporoso of Rumbunter has the story on Lolo Sanchez, an 18-year-old outfielder who's been climbing with a bullet in the Bucs system.
• The Tigers’ Opening Day starter will be Jordan Zimmermann; he'll hook up with Ivan Nova on Thursday, March 29th. Yep, that close.
• Transplanted Buccos: Gerrit Cole is slotted at #4 in the Astro's rotation and Charlie Morton fifth. Ground Chuck is slated to pitch Houston's home opener. 
• The Bucs' April 7th contest with the Reds has been declared the “Brian Shaw Memorial Game” in honor of the New Kensington police officer killed in the line of duty. It's a Saturday night Zambelli fireworks date, so there should be quite a few on hand to honor the fallen officer.
• The Pirates hosted the RISE To Vote campaign yesterday. The program enrolls pro and college athletes to vote and then encourages them to then take the register-to-vote message to their fans and communities.
• Sean Burnett has signed a minor-league deal with the Marlins. The 35-year-old hasn't worked regularly since 2012 as he was beset by elbow problems.