--RHP Craig Hansen led the Pirates with 19 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings this spring. The bad news, though, was Hansen also issued 12 walks as control problems continue to hold back the former first-round draft pick who was acquired from Boston last July in the Jason Bay trade.

--LHP Donnie Veal walked 15 batters, hit three and threw three wild pitches in 14 1/3 innings this spring after leading the Southern League in walks and wild pitches last season for the Chicago Cubs' Class AA Tennessee farm club. However, Veal also held opposing hitters to a .146 batting average, which is why the Pirates decided to put Veal on the opening-day roster rather than offer him back to the Cubs as a Rule 5 draftee.

--LHP Paul Maholm is scheduled to make the first opening-day start of his five-year career Monday at St. Louis. Maholm led the team in victories last season, going 9-9 with a 3.71 ERA in 31 starts, and had a streak of 20 consecutive starts in which he pitched at least six innings from May 8-Aug. 24. That was the longest such streak by a Pirates pitcher since Rich Rhoden had 21 straight in 1986.

BY THE NUMBERS: .202 -- OF Craig Monroe's batting average when he was released by Minnesota last August.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "It was a very satisfying spring. I worked very hard last offseason to give myself a chance to get back to the major leagues. I really believed I still had something left and I proved it to both myself and the Pirates." -- OF Craig Monroe.