Starter Charlie Morton, his hamstring and the weather willing, will make his PNC Park debut today against the American League leader in ERA, complete games and shutouts.

So, he has heard of Kansas City ace Zack Greinke?

"No," Morton deadpanned yesterday.

Morton, 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA after two road starts, is well aware of the ballyhooed Greinke, 9-3 with a 1.90 ERA and 111 strikeouts against 18 walks in 109 innings, but Morton maintained he will try to block out both facets, pitching in Pittsburgh for the first time and facing Greinke.

"The less you think about the team you're going against, the starter you're going against, the better," Morton said.

Same thing with the debut in front of Pirates fans, not to mention his family and girlfriend.

"In reality, I don't think it benefits me, anyway. I'm excited to get back out and get in some kind of rhythm, every five days."

These Pirates have fared pretty well against some of the game's big-name pitchers, and manager John Russell ascribes such fortunes to a patient plate game plan.

"I think we have a good approach overall," he said. "You don't know what inning you might be able to get to that guy, so each at-bat is very important. Chances are, if he's on his game, you're not going to score much, you're going to have to wait for those limited opportunities. You have that focus, that intensity."

Washington is pursuing a trade for Pirates left fielder Nyjer Morgan, two sources said early yesterday, including one in the Nationals' baseball operations.

The teams began discussing a potential deal eight days ago, and a Washington proposal in which the Pirates would get center fielder Lastings Milledge, 24, crumbled when the Pirates came back seeking Milledge and starter Craig Stammen.

The teams plan to continue talks because Washington is interested in Morgan, 29, as a leadoff batter. Milledge, in Florida on a rehabilitation assignment for a finger injury, is a .261 career hitter with some power.

"This is one of those business things," Morgan said yesterday. "You go out there and keep playing. If something happens, something happens. I've never been in this situation. It is [flattering] that I opened some other team's eyes. But I can't really worry about it. I can only worry about what I can take care of here with the Buccos."

As catcher Ryan Doumit's rehabilitation schedule stands, he will report Tuesday to Pirate City for a minimum of four days of catching and designated hitting in Gulf Coast League games followed by additional at-bats in simulated games.

Doumit, after late-April wrist surgery, projects to head north July 5 for the rest of his assignment if everything works out well. Then, he would report to Class AAA Indianapolis or Class AA Altoona, both of whom play at home that day. The rest will depend upon his progress, "how he feels and how he does," Russell said. "Once we do send him down, we don't want him to have really a scheduled day off."

• The Pirates have lost out on Nicaraguan third base prospect Cheslor Cuthbert, who has agreed to sign with Kansas City for a bonus in the range of $1.5 million. The Pirates had been pursuing him for two years. The international signing period for 16-year-olds begins Thursday.

• Ian Snell will make his first start for Indianapolis this afternoon against Toledo.

• Reliever Diego Moreno, a Venezuelan prospect, was promoted from short-season State College to Class A West Virginia.

• In a break from past practice, the Pirates immediately ejected a fan who interfered with a ball in play last night, Bruce Chen's single up the left-field line in the fifth inning.