After a dismal April that appeared to be a bleak glimpse of things to come, the Bucs have finally started to show some signs of life. Today's solid 7-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants put the finishing touches on an impressive 7-3 ten game road trip. The bats have started to come alive -- the team averaged nearly six runs a game on the trip -- and the defense showed a marked improvement. Some of the most impressive glove-work came from the fresh-off-the-DL Jose Castillo, who has begun his own personal Web Gem highlight reel. All in all, the good play helped rid some of the bitter after taste left over from April.

That's not to say all is happy and bright in Pirate-land. The offense has improved, but the lineup still sports several players vying to become the next Mario Mendoza. The team will have to do without Craig Wilson, one of it's few power threats, for about two months. Not to mention that its ace is on the shelf for at least a week with some troublesome arm problems.

But now is not the time for negativity. Being a Pirate fans means you must practice tunnel vision. Enduring over a decade of losing has taught me that you must learn to savor the moment when a good stretch comes along. Recent history dictates that it will not usually hang around for long.

So with tunnel vision firmly in place, what's next? The Bucs return to PNC, where unfortunately the home cooking has not agreed too well with them. The Bucs are 3-9 at home this season. However, they face three beatable teams (Milwaukee, Chicago and Colorado) during the upcoming eight game home swing. It's not a cake walk by any stretch of the imagination, but a 5-3 record over that span is not out of the question. That would put the team one game under .500 -- not too shabby.

After that? A trip to St. Louis and a possible end to the party. But it's silly to dwell on such things. For now, let's enjoy the fact that the black and gold are playing some good baseball.