Kevin Gorman stories, Page 109
Pirates hire assistant hitting coach, field coordinator
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced two changes Friday to their major league coaching staff. They hired Christian Marrero as assistant hitting coach. Marrero played in the Pirates organization in 2012 and spent time with the Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies, where he was a hitting coach for Lakewood...
Penguins rookie Pierre-Olivier Joseph ready for NHL debut
Pierre-Olivier Joseph tried to talk in theoreticals about making his NHL debut, but the Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman couldn’t suppress the smile that served as a dead giveaway that it’s coming soon. With the Penguins defense corps decimated by injury, necessity could dictate that the 21-year-old Joseph is in the lineup...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Pirates trading not to save on salaries but stockpile their system
Ben Cherington made headlines with his assertion that, despite trading Josh Bell and Joe Musgrove, the Pittsburgh Pirates “haven’t made a single move this offseason for any financial consideration.” For the Pirates general manager, the deals weren’t so much about saving $10.75 million — both players avoided arbitration, with Musgrove...
GM Ben Cherington says Pirates haven’t made ‘a single move … for financial consideration’
Despite trading All-Star first baseman Josh Bell on Christmas Eve and Opening Day starter Joe Musgrove on Monday for prospects, Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington insisted he hasn’t made “a single move this offseason for any financial consideration.” Instead, Cherington finally allowed that the Pirates are rebuilding, even if...
Mars alum David Bednar pumped about pitching for Pirates after 3-team trade
David Bednar was in Mars on Monday night when he heard the Pittsburgh Pirates agreed to trade Joe Musgrove to the San Diego Padres, the organization where Bednar was a relief pitcher. That’s when Bednar started to pay close attention to Twitter and learned an hour later he would be...
Pirates send Joe Musgrove to Padres for 4 prospects, receive Mets catcher in 3-team deal
The Pittsburgh Pirates continued to dismantle baseball’s worst team, trading Opening Day starter Joe Musgrove to the San Diego Padres on Monday in a three-team deal that returned five players. The Pirates, who finished an MLB-worst 19-41 last season, will receive center fielder Hudson Head and pitchers David Bednar, Omar...
Former WPIAL stars Alex Kirilloff, Austin Hendrick on Baseball America’s prospect list
A pair of former WPIAL stars are ranked in Baseball America’s top 100 prospects, including one who cracked the top 20 for the first time. Plum’s Alex Kirilloff is ranked the No. 18 overall prospect and No. 1 in the Minnesota Twins organization by Baseball America. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound outfielder...
Baseball America ranks Ke’Bryan Hayes as Pirates’ top prospect, one of top 20 in baseball
A brilliant rookie debut has lifted Ke’Bryan Hayes to rise in Baseball America’s top 100 rankings and become the top prospect for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2021. Baseball America moved Hayes from No. 52 in 2020 to No. 15 this year, the highest of any Pirates prospect, when it updated...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Productive day for Pirates, who add another Polanco
Signing another Polanco might have provided a punchline for fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates, but Friday proved to be a productive one for an organization that is making moves to rebuild from the bottom up. The Pirates started by signing 15 international prospects, highlighted by the top teenage outfielder in...
Pirates avoid arbitration hearings, agree to contract terms with nine players
The Pittsburgh Pirates avoided any salary arbitration hearings this year, agreeing to contract terms with nine players Friday. The Pirates signed pitchers Steven Brault, Kyle Crick, Chad Kuhl, Joe Musgrove, Richard Rodriguez and Chris Stratton, second baseman Adam Frazier, first baseman Colin Moran and catcher Jacob Stallings to one-year deals....
Pirates add super utility player, signing Wilmer Difo in minor-league deal
The Pittsburgh Pirates have placed a premium on versatility, which played a role in their signing of free agent Wilmer Difo on Friday. The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder fits the bill of super utility player, having played second base, shortstop, third base and the corner outfield spots in six seasons with the...
Pirates give $2.35 million bonus to sign top international teenage outfield prospect
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed the top teenage outfield prospect in the 2020-21 international free agent market Friday, giving a $2.35 million bonus to 16-year-old Shalin Polanco of the Dominican Republic. The 6-foot, 170-pound Polanco — no relation to Pirates right fielder Gregory, although both hail from Santo Domingo — is...
Pirates trade lefty reliever Nik Turley to Oakland A’s for cash considerations
The Pittsburgh Pirates traded left-handed reliever Nik Turley to the Oakland A’s on Thursday for cash considerations. Turley, 31, was 0-3 with a 4.98 ERA and 1.108 WHIP with 20 strikeouts and 11 walks in 21 2/3 innings over 25 appearances last season. Turley is 0-5, with a 7.78 ERA...
Pirates, medical partners could ‘potentially utilize’ PNC Park as a covid-19 vaccination center
The Pittsburgh Pirates are meeting with medical partners at Allegheny Health Network and Highmark to “potentially utilize” PNC Park as a covid-19 vaccination center, a team spokesman confirmed Thursday. “The ballpark can allow for mass vaccinations to be done in a safe and socially distanced manner,” team spokesman Brian Warecki...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Pirates GM Ben Cherington’s minor moves shake up status quo
While watching the Pittsburgh Steelers get blown out by the Cleveland Browns, I commented to my cousin that Sunday night would have been a better time for the Pirates to trade Josh Bell than Christmas Eve. His response: Wait, the Pirates traded Josh Bell? So maybe Ben Cherington’s timing worked,...
Pirates claim outfielder Troy Stokes Jr. off waivers from Tigers, designate reliever Nik Turley
The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed Troy Stokes Jr. off waivers from the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, adding an outfielder to the mix. To make room for Stokes on the 40-man roster, the Pirates designated lefty reliever Nik Turley for assignment. Stokes is a 5-foot-9, 200-pounder who missed the 2020 season with...
Ex-Pirate Josh Bell calls trade to Nationals ‘something that I embrace with open arms’
After being the lone All-Star for the Pittsburgh Pirates last season, Josh Bell is embracing his trade to the Washington Nationals, who he called an “All-Star team” filled with World Series champions. “It’s definitely exciting times,” Bell said Saturday afternoon on a video conference call. “I think it’s everyone’s dream...
Fractured right wrist ends Pirates RF Gregory Polanco’s winter ball season
Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Gregory Polanco fractured his wrist, ending his winter ball season in his native Dominican Republic, the latest setback in his injury-riddled career. The Pirates said in a statement Polanco suffered a small nondisplaced fracture of the triquetrum bone and will have his wrist immobilized “for a...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: After Josh Bell trade, Pirates need to invest in future cornerstone
Ben Cherington has been consistent with his message that the Pittsburgh Pirates need to “be aggressive and focused about adding talent,” which is a polite way of saying that the organization is bereft of it. The Pirates general manager also hasn’t been shy about implying that anyone and everyone is...
Trading Josh Bell to Nationals is first major move in offseason of rebuilding for Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates once coveted Josh Bell’s bat so much they took the risk of drafting the slugger in the second round and signing him to a record $5 million bonus to convince him to skip college. Bell became the face of the franchise, both for hitting majestic home runs...
‘Christmas came early’ for Sean Gibson, who celebrates MLB’s recognition of Negro Leagues
When Sean Gibson got word MLB officially was recognizing the Negro Leagues, he spent Wednesday taking celebratory phone calls from the descendants of Satchel Paige and Buck Leonard. The great-grandson of Josh Gibson is the executive director of a foundation in the heralded slugger’s name and spearheading a campaign to...
Pirates ticket David Burke to improve engagement with fans, business partners
With a “focus on enhancing fan and partner engagement,” the Pittsburgh Pirates announced Wednesday the hiring of David Burke as executive vice president of sales and business development. Burke will lead a handful of sales departments, ranging from tickets to partnerships, as well as business analytics. He has been executive...
Pirates manager Derek Shelton promises to create a culture of competition next season
Derek Shelton takes pride in laying the foundation for a culture change in his first season as Pittsburgh Pirates manager, and he’s just as enthused about creating a culture of competition in his second year. MLB is still working out whether the 2021 season will start on time or delay...
Pirates hire Tony Leo as assistant athletic trainer
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Monday the hiring of Tony Leo as assistant athletic trainer for the major league club, completing the final piece of their sports performance staff. Leo served as infection control prevention coordinator for the Oakland A’s this past season. Prior to that, he spent 23 seasons with...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: For Pirates, Rule 5 Draft is 1st move in virtually normal offseason
The MLB winter meetings were virtual because of the coronavirus pandemic, so baseball’s biggest week of hot stove season felt like virtually any other week to Pirates general manager Ben Cherington. The Pirates were relatively quiet until Thursday, when they were active in the Rule 5 Draft by adding a...
