First number, last word

By Tom Singer

February 24, 2014

May 31, 2005: The date of A.J. Burnett's last appearance against the Pirates. He is scheduled to face his recent teammates on Saturday, when the Bucs travel to Clearwater for an exhibition game against the Phillies.

"You know what really shakes you up? It's those foul tips. I won't wear the hockey-type mask. It molds to your face, and when you get a foul tip, you feel all of it, there's nothing to soften the blow." -- Pirates catcher Russell Martin, pointing out catchers have more to worry about than overly aggressive baserunners.

Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog Change for a Nickel. He can also be found on Twitter @Tom_Singer.