"Remember the fuss when the Pirates had Lastings Milledge platooning in right field with struggling Ryan Church?

He is playing even less now.

For the fifth time in six games Saturday, Milledge, the team's 25-year-old possible corner outfielder into the future, was on the bench. Ryan Doumit was in right for the fourth time in that span. Garrett Jones was in right for the other occasion.

Manager John Russell was asked if Milledge is healthy.

"Yes," he replied.

So, this is because Doumit is swinging well?

"Yeah, Ryan's swinging the bat pretty well."

Doumit had homered twice in the previous three games, and he also hit a monster ball just foul Friday night, clanging off the Pirates Charities sign high above right field. But those home runs also were Doumit's only two hits in 22 at-bats before Saturday.

Milledge is batting .303 over his past 47 starts, and he has fared well in more recent play, too, hitting safely in 12 of the past 13 games and having a .295 average in that span. The glaring negative: Despite finally showing some power right around the All-Star break, he has one extra-base hit in his past 22 games."