As we noted here Monday night, the Pirates have released starter Erik Bedard, according to reports.

Earlier on Monday, I suggested the Pirates should remove Bedard from their rotation. He was coming off a start on Sunday in which he allowed two three-run homers, and he hasn't been much good since the spring. The Bucs have moved further from playoff contention over the past few weeks, and the teams they're falling behind (the Cardinals and Dodgers) are more talented than they are. The Pirates have already wasted too much time with mediocre veterans like Bedard and Rod Barajas, and they need to be more adventurous in distributing playing time if they want a chance to make the playoffs.

Hopefully, the Pirates will turn to a younger starter, perhaps either Chris Leroux or Jeff Locke, in Bedard's absence. Kevin Correia is the more obvious solution, but he's really no better -- a mediocre veteran whose pitch-to-contact style can only do so much. Someone like Locke might not be much more than that in the long term, but at least there's a chance he can whiz through the league once before anyone figures out the book on him. Players like Leroux and Locke are higher-upside -- and probably just plain better -- than Bedard or Correia, and if the Pirates are going to get back in the playoff hunt, they need to take some chances.

For more on the Pirates, check out Bucs Dugout.