• Right fielder Xavier Nady, the reigning NL player of the week, got his first rest of the season when manager John Russell gave him the night off Friday against the Cincinnati Reds. Nady had played in every inning of the first nine games, including four that went extra frames. Nyjer Morgan got his second start in center field, and Nate McLouth shifted to right. Nady was 0 for 8 in the past two games. "It's one of those things; we can't run him into ground every day," Russell said. "Let him regroup a little bit and let him get his legs back underneath him."
• Pirates president Frank Coonelly attended Triple-A Indianapolis' home opener last night at Victory Field. Before the game, outfielder/first baseman Steve Pearce was honored as the 2007 minor-league player of the year. Pearce, who turns 25 on Sunday, combined to hit .333 with 31 home runs and 113 RBI in 134 minor-league games last year.
• Reds relief pitcher Mike Lincoln, who served as the Pirates' closer briefly in 2003 at the end of a three-year stay in Pittsburgh, is one of the feel-good stories of this season. Lincoln hadn't pitched since May 2004, undergoing Tommy John surgery twice, but he made the Reds roster as a non-roster invitee.
• Left fielder Jason Bay, who got a day off last weekend, will probably start all three games against the Reds. "He's actually feeling kind of good," Russell said. "I'm thinking he might be able to go for a few more days."
Digits
.194 -- Opponents' batting average against the Reds' bullpen.
