Worth noting

By Tom Singer

March 18, 2013

• Monday's exhibition win was the Bucs' 10th of the spring, topping their total of last year, when they finished the preseason with a record of 9-20.

• Jeff Karstens showed he is geared up for his Grapefruit League debut -- set for Sunday, against the Orioles -- in another Minor League outing in Pirate City on Monday. The righty needed only 50 pitches to go through four scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out four.

Karstens reported breaking out a new mechanical wrinkle -- he worked from an old-school, over-the-head windup, which felt comfortable and obviously was effective.

• Tony Watson will make his Grapefruit League return to the mound on Wednesday against the Braves.

• Clint Barmes admitted getting a little extra charge out of his home run in Sunday's game. It came off Ivan Nova -- the Yankees right-hander who had fractured his left wrist with a pitch during Spring Training 2011, causing him to miss the season's first 25 games with the Astros.

• Of the Bucs' first 23 exhibitions, 13 have been either one-run (5-5) or two-run (1-2) games.

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.