Oh, happy day!

Joe Saunders has to be smiling today. Or at least he will be, when he wakes up on Pacific Daylight Time.

Saunders, who turned 26 last week, is living every pitcher's dream: He faces the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight. Because of injuries in the Angels' rotation, Saunders has been called up from Triple-A Salt Lake City specifically for that purpose.

What a way to return!

Saunders actually has pitched very well when Los Angeles or Anaheim or whatever they heck they're called has used him as a spot starter this season, posting a 3-0 record with a 2.22 ERA. In 19 lifetime starts, he's 10-3.

The Pirates, meanwhile, are traveling down the coast from Seattle after being shut out in consecutive games, the latter marking the major-league-leading eighth time Pittsburgh has failed to score.

At least they were dominated last night by an up-and-coming pitcher, Felix Hernandez, who got back on track after some injuries to even his record at 4-4 and lower his ERA to 4.00. The previous game, the Pirates were shut out by Jeff Weaver, who managed to get his ERA below 9.

Pittsburgh did manage to scratch out six singles and a double against Hernandez and closer J.J. Putz. The Pirates also showed their typical lack of discpline at the plate, striking out 10 times while walking just once.

Here's a note from the Associated Press on the Pirates' ineptitude against certain pitchers this season: "The Pirates, next-to-last in the National League on on-base percentage and owners of its second-fewest hits entering Thursday, made another struggling pitcher happy. Four of their last five shutouts have come against Kyle Lohse, Kameron Loe, Weaver and Hernandez, who were a combined 5-22 until they got well against Pittsburgh."

Joe Saunders hasn't been struggling, but he sure must be happy nonetheless.

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When the Pirates return home, "fans" (or more accurately, people who like baseball but are disgusted) are staging a protest.

A site called IrateFans.com contains information about the protest, as well links to relative articles that have been written about bottom-line, no-commitment-to-winning approach by the team's owners, the Nutting "clan."

The June 30 protest might be worth a trip over toward PNC Park, even if you don't spend a dime to get inside the place and give the Nuttings any of your hard-earned cash.