RYAN VOGELSONG is the former Pirate pitcher who left the big leagues for stints in Japan and the minors before SF decided to give him his first MLB start since 2004 in place of the injured Barry Zito. Vogelsong is 5-12 with a 6.27 ERA in 52 career appearances -- 18 starts -- at PNC Park. His ERA is the highest all-time for any pitcher who's thrown at least 75 innings at the park.
The Pirates will give Jeff Karstens (2-0, 3.94) a third spot Thursday start in place of the injured Ross Ohlendorf (right shoulder), who isn't expected back until next month.
Pittsburgh has won both of Karstens' starts in 2011, as he's yielded seven runs over 10 1/3 innings. The right-hander got credit for the win with a solid performance Saturday, when he yielded two runs in six innings of a 7-2 victory over Washington.
At roughly a Pickem, the Bucs look like a good value at home. Don't wait, the game starts at 12:35 EST today!