Game 24: Pirates at Dodgers

Duke and Monasterios at ten. No word yet on whether Bud Selig will investigate or possibly dissolve these last-place Dodgers for their flagrant failure to play competitive baseball this year.

Game 23: Pirates at Dodgers

Morton and Billingsley at ten. The Bucs are in third place, the hapless Dodgers in last. Morton needs to step it up if he wants to make the wild-card rotation.

Game 22: Pirates at Dodgers

Burres and Kershaw at ten. The hapless 8-13 Dodgers will try not to get absolutely boat-raced by the red-hot Bucs, who are just three games back in the wild-card race.

Game 21: Pirates at Brewers

Maholm and Narveson at 1:10 PM as the hapless 9-11 Brewers struggle to have a better record than the magical 2010 Bucs.

Game 20: Pirates at Brewers

Karstens and Wolf at eight. The hapless 9-10 Brewers keep trying to score 20 runs per game, but nearly always fail. Losers.

Game 19: Pirates at Brewers

Duke and Gallardo at 8:10. Despite all the pistol-whippings and humiliation, the Bucs are just one game back of the Brewers in the wild-card race.

Game 18: Pirates at Astros

Charlie Morton will try to defend himself against Brett Myers at two. On the year, opponents are batting .434 off Morton. Bucs need a win to stay competitive in the wild-card race.

Game 17: Pirates at Astros

Chris Jakubauskas will probably pitch against Wandy Rodriguez tonight at 7 our time.

Wild-card race is getting pretty thick with a lot of teams bunched up around two games out.

Good time to activate Secret Weapon Jakubauskas.

Game 16: Pirates at Astros

Maholm vs. Oswalt at eight. Despite this recent 36-1 run sweep, the Bucs are still just 1.5 games out from the wild card.

NFL Draft

Steelers take Maurkice Pouncey with the 18th pick. How long until the Combine includes off-field challenges, like being surrounded by a bar full of thirsty underage kids? This Pouncey kid looks solid and ready to protect Dennis Dixon.

Game 15: Brewers at Pirates

McCutchen and Wolf at 12:35. The Bucs are just one game back in the wild card race. To still be playing meaningful baseball this late in April is both refreshing and remarkable.

Game 14: Brewers at Pirates

Duke and Gallardo at seven. Bucs are only 1.5 games back with less than 150 games to play. If Neal wants to acquire enough Veteranosity to make a run for the pennant, some kind of Moskos-for-Kenny-Rogers-or-David-Wells type trade might be worth the front office's consideration.

Game 13: Brewers at Pirates

Morton and Bush at seven. The delirium of this mid-April wild card race makes it hard to know who to trade.

Game 12: Reds at Pirates

Arroyo and Maholm at 1:35pm. Bucs are a game out of first and a half-game back for the wild card.

Forecast high around 50 with a chance of sun toward the end of the game.

Game 11: Reds at Pirates

Burres and Cueto at seven. Bucs must win to stay in the thick of the wild card race.

Game 10: Reds at Pirates

Cy Young candidate Zach Duke vs. Leake at seven. Bucs need a win to stay in contention.

Game 9: Pirates at Giants

Morton and Sanchez at 3:45. The Bucs are 4-4 and just 1.5 games out of first.

Game 8: Pirates at Giants

Maholm and Cain underway. Bucs up 2-0 in the third after the Iwamura jack.

Game 7: Pirates at Giants

Ohlendorf and Zito after your bedtime. Rain likely, rainout possible.

Game 6: Pirates at D'backs

McCutchen and Jackson at 4pm EST.

Wild-card berth could be on the line here.