Say Hey, Happy Birthday!

Following what surely was a thrilling day of sightseeing in Alabama - I mean, Central Pennsylvania - the Giants visit the Frank to the Phillies' Sylvester in the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight at beautiful PNC Park.

In stark contrast to the Giants, the Bucs have wet the bed this year in spite of a good offense: their ERA is dead last in the majors. In doing their best 2003 St. Louis Rams impression, the predictable Pirates are (you guessed it) bringing up the rear in the NL Central at 12-19.

Fans of the Pirates, our compatriots in (dare we say it, deeper) gloom, seem to have accepted their playoff-less destiny as fait accompli. At a recent get-together, I tried relating the improbable, albeit temporary, Lazarian tale of the 2006-07 Golden State Warriors to some downtrodden Pirate fans. Although I couldn't quite interpret their Iron City Light-tinged retort, I think it had something to do with me performing a physical impossibility.

That being said, the Giants are in a good position to wash the bitter taste of Philadelphia out of their mouths this week, starting tonight as Dirty takes on the struggling (but talented) Zach Duke. In the five starts since his tough season debut against the Brew Crew, Sanchez has kept pace with the likes of The Franchise, going 2-0 with a 1.82 ERA with 32Ks in 29.2 innings. This kid may be a keeper.

Duke, you may remember, is a 25 year old finesse lefty who had a lights out debut in 2005 but has battled inconsistency ever since. In future news, the San Francisco Giants sign lefty Zach Duke to a 8 year $187M deal.

Tonight also marks the return of Jose Castillo to Pittsburgh. To put in perspective, think return of Todd Linden. (Ouch, that's a lot meaner once I see it on the page - oh well.)

Let's hope the good guys display a collective short memory and we can make a good start towards a split our trip to Pennsylvania.

And, yes, that shirt is real.

Other notes:

- A very happy 77th to the greatest of them all, Willie Mays. The author of The (First) Catch, 660 career HRs, a pioneering career, and so much more, we are lucky as fans to say that he did it for the Giants.

- Armchair Scouting Assignment: Rookie Pirates GM Neal Huntington is looking to move Jason Bay, who has been accused of looking less than engaged in recent years. Then again, he plays for the Pirates and really, who gets Canadians anyway?

This Canadian, however, can hit. Given that the Pirates need young pitching in the worst way, it's probably worth noting that Bay may be someone on the move this July, and, if somehow, someway, the Giants stay in the thick of things, he's a guy worth targeting.