Sanchez Day to Day and Other Ramblings

FREDDY!

The good news is Freddy is day-to-day with a minor MCL sprain according to the Post-Gazette. We can all breath again, the defending National League Batting Champion is not done for the season. An MRI was taken to verify the diagnosis.

What concerns me is Freddy not getting out of the way of the slide. Is second base the best place for him considering his history with foot and ankle issues? Isn't that like putting a guy at catcher to protect his knees?

BIG COUNTRY!

Eldred goes deep again. If we never traded for LaRoche, Eldred would be on pace for a 162 HR season. Take that you juiced freaks holding single season HR records! Eldred is still batting .500 in Grapefruit action. He has now hit 4 of his 5 hits for round trippers. Going into the game today he was slugging at a 1.625 rate. This guy needs to come to Pittsburgh in one way or another. LaRoche was platooned to start last season, Eldred may be forcing a similar platoon in 2007.

Just to show how insane his spring numbers are, if he batted .200 over the course of a season where he had 500 at bats and maintained hitting 80% of his hits over the fence...Eldred would hit 80 home runs. Mind boggling! I know it would never happen, but man that is insane!

Bixler!

Being overshadowed by the fine spring of Eldred is an outstanding start for Brian Bixler. He is batting .667 after todays action. He was slugging at an impressive 1.167 going into todays contest with the Phillies where he improved on that number with a double and a triple in three at bats. I still think Bixler projects better to the majors than Lillibridge. Any day now, rumors of a Jack Wilson trade should hit the mills.

Worries?

I know it is Grapefruit League action, but is anyone else worried about 0-5-1? The one thing to take solace in, there are no ties in the regular season. What a relief, that would keep the perfect record in tact. Whew!

Tomorrow

Tony Armas Jr. will take the hill against Boof Bonser of the Twins. Also scheduled to pitch for the Pirates are McLeary, Kolb and ROMULO!