Grapefruit Game 18: Rained out

BRADENTON, Fla. — There was no ballgame today. The Pirates and Minnesota Twins were rained out.

“Our pitching plans will stay right in line,” manager Clint Hurdle said. He said Jon Niese and Eric O’Flaherty would throw in the cages.

Righty A.J. Schugel will start tomorrow on the road against the Toronto Blue Jays, as the Pirates elected to keep Ryan Vogelsong back at Pirate City to throw in a minor league game, a controlled environment, as he ramps up to 75 pitches. This is normal, Hurdle said.

Outfielder Matt Joyce was 2 for 3 with a home run and a double Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies. He is a candidate to be the Pirates’ fourth outfielder to start the season. With last cuts about two weeks away, Hurdle said there tough calls to make with final roster spots.

"They're always hard decisions, because people are attached to them,” Hurdle said. “You hear people talking about them as pieces. They're never pieces to me; they're players. I've been that player."