Game 69: Pirates at Orioles

Zach Duke vs. Radhames Liz at seven. According to BA, Liz has freakishly long arms - standing up straight his fingers stretch to below his knees. Also freaky is that his scapula makes an audible clicking noise every time he throws a pitch.

Game 68: Pirates at Orioles

Dumatrait and Burres at seven. Only one team will emerge at .500. Regardless of .500 being just mediocre and nothing to be content with, tonight's game is a big freakin' deal.

First, as Dejan points out, a win "would mark the latest in a season the Pirates have been .500 since Sept. 1, 1999." Is it Freakshow II? Are you not entertained?

Second, Dumatrait's first pitch will be the first Bucco pitch in Baltimore since Teke's on Oct. 17, 1979.

Game 67: Nationals at Pirates

Gorzelanny and Bergmann in half an hour. ALR gets the day off. Dirty Doug at first and Gomez at third.

Game 66: Nationals at Pirates

Snell and Lannan starts at seven.

Game 65: Nationals at Pirates

Maholm and Redding at seven. Bucs are two games under .500 but only a half game out of the basement.

Game 64: D-Backs at Pirates

Zuke vs. the Unit. Game on.

Wilbur on draft

Wilbur Miller's profiles of the 2008 draft class are up. All hail WTM for surviving this torturous exercise during the DL/Creech era, and maintaining his invaluable site.

In other post-draft linkage, scout.com gives the Bucs the second highest draft grade in MLB: "Beyond just the elite talent at the front of the class, the depth that Pittsburgh added really is remarkable".

Game 63: D-Backs at Pirates

Staff ace Phil "Kamasutrait" Dumatrait and Doug Davis, just started.

Game 62: D-Backs at Pirates

Whatever is inhabiting the recesses of Tom Gorzelanny's mind takes on Dan Haren tonight at seven. Gorzo can't keep up his 1.87 WHIP and 28 K to 40 BB act for much longer.

Game 61: D-Backs at Pirates

Snell and Webb at seven. Ronny calls the game remotely from Indy.

Day two of the draft continues. None of JR's kids taken yet.

Game 60: Astros at Pirates

Maholm vs. Backe starts now. An angry Wiggy stands between the Bucs and a trip out of the basement.

Draft thread

C'mon, lucky seven. Baby needs a new pair of shoes!

Game 59: Astros at Pirates

Duke and Oswalt at seven.

Red Wings at Penguins at eight.

Game 58: Astros at Pirates

Wandy Rodriguez and Phil Dumatrait tonight at seven.

If I had to pick one game to go see the Pirates, I'd look for a game where they are facing Wandy Rodriguez. I don't much of anything about Wandy, but the way the Pirates bat him around, when his name is drawn as the match-up, I'm always surprised to see he's still in the league.

The weather could be better for this one.

In other news, Bo Diddley died. The ipod shuffled through "Dearest Darling" about two hours before I heard the news. That would be freaky except that I listen to Bo Diddley all the freakin' time. The man was pretty good.

And, oh yeah, last night there was a hockey game. It was pretty good.

Game 57: Pirates at Cardinals

Tom Gorzelanny and Adam Wainwright at eight.

Game 56: Pirates at Cardinals

Ian Snell and Braden Looper at two.

It's June. Now is when bad starts become bad first halves.

Game 55: Pirates at Cardinals

Maholm, Parisi, seven eastern time.

Game 54: Pirates at Cardinals

Duke and Wellemeyer at eight.

Game 53: Pirates at Reds

Dumatrait and Harang starting pretty soon.

Game 52: Pirates at Reds

Tom Gorzelanny and Bronson Arroyo at seven.