Worth noting

• Southpaw Wandy Rodriguez's final pre-World Baseball Classic tuneup went well, holding the Phillies to two hits and an unearned run for three innings, looking uncommonly sharp for so early.

Hurdle had a theory: "I think Wandy is really amped to go pitch for the Dominican."

• Chris Leroux, originally scheduled to pitch against the Phillies, instead threw in Pirate City for his final workout prior to departing for Classic play.

"If A.J. and Wandy went deep," pitching coach Ray Searage said of the first two pitchers lined up to face the Phillies, "we didn't want Chris to get short-changed. This was the sure way to handle it."

• Francisco Liriano (fractured non-throwing arm) and Jose Contreras (Tommy John surgery) are still limited to stretching out by playing long-toss. Neither has thrown yet off a mound in camp, Searage clarified -- although Contreras had done that prior to being signed to a Minor League deal by the Pirates on Feb. 13.

• Hurdle indicated his staff will huddle later this week over possible squad cuts, and the first will come after the weekend. The Pirates still have 62 players in camp, including the four (Jason Grilli, Jameson Taillon, Rodriguez and Leroux) who will be on Classic sabbatical.

• Members of the Pirates' 2012 Dominican Summer League champions hopped over from Minor League camp in Pirate City to McKechnie Field, where in pregame ceremonies they received their rings and congratulatory handshakes from club president Frank Coonelly, assistant GM Kyle Stark and, in a true sign that they have arrived, the Pirate Parrot.