Virgil Vasquez News

Neal Huntington commissioned Dan Fox , the Pirates' statistical guy, to perform an analysis of the value of relief.

These are all fairly logical choices with Evan Meek and Jose Ascanio still on the 60-day DL and several prospects still waiting to be added before the Rule 5 draft, as well.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielders Jason Repko, left, Andre Ethier and Matt Kermp celebrate a 8-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in a baseball game in Pittsburgh Saturday, Sept.

It would have taken a tank to drag Brandon Phillips out of the Reds' lineup on Thursday, or any other day coming up the rest of the season.

Outfielder Manny Ramirez was out of the Dodgers' lineup Monday because of a sore left hamstring, the same problem that forced third baseman Casey Blake to return early to Los Angeles to be treated by a team doctor.

The Dodgers locked up their fourth playoff appearance in six years, getting a two-run single from pinch-hitter Jim Thome during a four-run eighth inning in which Pirates relievers walked four before going on to beat Pittsburgh 8-4 on Saturday night.

Jeff Karstens will get a second chance to show what he can do as a starting pitcher.

It was the moment every kid who plays baseball dreams of, even if it didn't go quite the same way it did in his fantasies.

Joey Votto went 4 for 5 and scored three runs, Homer Bailey allowed two runs in six innings and the Cincinnati Reds continued the Pittsburgh Pirates' losing ways with a 12-2 win Wednesday night.

The Pirates have had several young players decline team requests to play winter ball, and general manager Neal Huntington sounded plenty displeased about that yesterday.

Ryan Doumit in right field? It was no big deal to deploy the Pirates' catcher in the outfield, manager John Russell insisted yesterday, even though there had been no indication such a move was coming, even though Doumit had not played there since Aug.

Right-hander Ross Ohlendorf's season will end a couple of weeks before the Pirates wrap things up.

It would be easy to get the impression the Pirates are not taking too seriously these 19 home runs Garrett Jones has hit as a 28-year-old rookie.

With rosters expanded and Indianapolis' season now over, the promotions of Diaz, Karstens and Veal were no-brainers. Diaz played fairly well in an extended stint with the Pirates earlier this season and only got sent down in a roster crunch.

The Cubs tied a major-league record Tuesday night with eight consecutive hits to start the game against the Pirates.

Pirates first-round draft picks who have played for the team in the majors: Year Player 1966 Richie Hebner 1971 Craig Reynolds 1973 Steve Nicosia 1974 Rod Scurry 1975 Dale Berra 1980 Rich Renteria 1981 Jim Winn 1982 Sammy Khalifa 1985 Barry Bonds 1986 Jeff King 1992 Jason Kendall 1995 Chad Hermansen 1996 Kris Benson 1997 J.J. Davis 2000 Sean ...

St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols didn't play a lick of baseball through nine innings and he still managed to kill the Pirates on Saturday at PNC Park.

The Pirates have switched to a six-man rotation, which sort of reminds Kevin Hart of the season he pitched for the University of Maryland.

The Pirates have a six-man rotation -- Paul Maholm, Charlie Morton, Zach Duke, Kevin Hart, Ross Ohlendorf and Dan McCutchen -- mapped out through at least Sept.

Virgil Vasquez finds himself in a new role as he begins his second stint with the Pirates this season.