Game 30: Cardinals at Pirates

Karstens vs. some kid named Jaime Garcia at seven. Seems La Russa is passed out at the wheel, trusting a rookie in such a crucial game against a tough divisional opponent.

Game 29: Cardinals at Pirates

Duke and Carpenter at seven. The Bucs are in third place and need another win to keep their pennant dreams alive.

Game 28: Cubs at Pirates

Brian Burres and Randy Wells at seven. The clutchy Bucs are a major-league-best 10-1 in one and two run games and are just a half game back of the Cubs in the wild-card race.

Game 27: Cubs at Pirates

Morton and Lilly at seven. The Penguins are trying to steal the Bucs' playoff mojo.

Game 26: Cubs at Pirates

Maholm and Dempster at seven in what could be a preview of the NLCS Game 1. Finally, the Bucs get to play another contending team.

Off day

The Bucs rest today. Meaningful wild-card baseball resumes tomorrow, finally against a more worthy non-last-place team, the Cubs.

We've lost a lot of traffic here ever since the pay HW+ site launched, but we appreciate those who continue to value the completely free content here at HW-.

Game 25: Pirates at Dodgers

Karstens and Kuroda at four. If the hapless last-place Dodgers are going to be dissolved by Bud Selig, Coonington should save up for a Manny Christmas.

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.