Kevin Gorman stories, Page 121
Kyle Crick has ‘driving force’ when he takes mound, with possibility as Pirates closer
Through a tumultuous season followed by a difficult offseason, Kyle Crick has found “a driving force” as a relief pitcher whose role could become even more important for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Crick’s rollercoaster 2019 season, which ended with a fractured index finger from a fistfight, was only a prelude to...
As Pirates play ball at PNC, no fans doesn’t mean no fanfare
The Pittsburgh Pirates hosted the first major sporting event in Pittsburgh since March 10 — a 129-day stretch — but there were no fans for their exhibition game against Cleveland on Saturday night at PNC Park. There were, however, plenty of cheers. The Pirates have been playing training camp intrasquad...
For Pirates, right-hander Joe Musgrove the natural choice to earn Opening Day start
Upon being named Opening Day starter for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Joe Musgrove’s mind couldn’t help but drift to the man who shared his love of baseball and pushed him to chase his dream of playing in the majors. “I just think about how proud my dad probably is right now,”...
Pirates confirm starting right fielder Gregory Polanco has tested positive for covid-19
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting lineup suffered a big blow with the announcement Gregory Polanco has tested positive for covid-19, which threatens to force the right fielder to miss the start of the season. Pirates manager Derek Shelton confirmed the positive test Friday afternoon after receiving consent from Polanco to go...
Pirates place closer Keone Kela on 10-day injured list
The Pittsburgh Pirates placed closer Keone Kela on the 10-day injured list, according to MLB transactions. The 27-year-old right-hander has not participated in training camp for undisclosed reasons. Kela was ordained the closer by new Pirates manager Derek Shelton at the outset of spring training at Pirate City in Bradenton,...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Discussing what Derek Shelton can’t, Pirates players with covid-19
One of the most uncomfortable interactions with coaches involves asking why a player didn’t participate in practice, attempting to clarify whether it’s for a disciplinary, illness, injury or personal matter. Derek Shelton won’t discuss it. Because he can’t discuss it. That’s the reality of the covid-19 sportsworld, when teams aren’t...
Pirates manager Derek Shelton’s office has HOF jerseys, Pittsburgh-themed vibesVideo
The Pittsburgh Pirates gave a glimpse of new manager Derek Shelton’s refurbished office at PNC Park through the lens of social media. On Wednesday night, Shelton gave a virtual tour. The office has a picture window, a new paint scheme and the stylistic touch of Shelton’s wife, Alyson, whom he...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Pirates GM Ben Cherington ‘impressed’ by covid-19 testing
When it comes to covid-19 testing, Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington is impressed with how MLB has implemented the health and safety protocols in training camp. That’s especially true for those tested most frequently: Players and coaches. Cherington credited the league for being proactive with adjustments to the system...
GM Ben Cherington says Pirates don’t expect to add any players through free agency, trades
General manger Ben Cherington warned that the Pittsburgh Pirates probably won’t add any new players to their 30-man major league roster through free agency or trades before next week’s season opener at St. Louis, despite having the third-lowest payroll in the majors. “I would expect that the players who are...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Pirates CF Jarrod Dyson makes powerful, provocative statement
The Zoom interview with Jarrod Dyson wavered from candid to cliche as the Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder touched on a number of baseball-related topics and showed his jovial and jaded sides. A serious question to Dyson, however, received a serious response. And it was as powerful as it was provocative....
Pirates add first-round pick Nick Gonzales to their alternate training site in Altoona
The Pittsburgh Pirates are adding No. 1 draft pick Nick Gonzales to their alternate training site in Altoona, paving the way for the former New Mexico State shortstop to play professional baseball this summer. Gonzales is awaiting results from a covid-19 test before he can practice, his father Mike Gonzales...
Pirates counting on speedy Jarrod Dyson to solidify center field, provide veteran leadership
When Jarrod Dyson homered in Monday night’s intrasquad game, Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton joked it was fun to watch the “fastest guy running around the bases in the big leagues.” After striking out in his first three at-bats, Dyson cracked that he was just trying to “get off the...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Joe Musgrove states his case to be Pirates’ Opening Day starter
Another day of training camp saw another intrasquad scrimmage on Monday, but the Pittsburgh Pirates showed off some potential storylines for the start of the season. Josh Bell crushed a homer. Joe Musgrove was humming. The pitching piggyback made its debut. Jarrod Dyson rounded the bases, too. The best news...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Weird as it was for Pirates to play in silence, it felt like baseball
As weird as it was to see baseball back last week with Pittsburgh Pirates in training camp at PNC Park, it’s even weirder to watch them play games without fans in the stands. Even if it’s only an intrasquad game. And we have baseball at PNC Park.Intrasquad baseball.But baseball nonetheless....
Analytics for Dummies: Communication key for Oscar Marin’s approach with Pirates pitchers
From the first pitchers meeting of spring training, Oscar Marin made an immediate impression on the Pittsburgh Pirates by conducting what Jameson Taillon jokingly called an Analytical Seminar for Dummies. It was something Marin simplified for himself while taking a deep dive into the analytical world of data-driven baseball, a...
Love it or hate it, Pirates players grappling with reality of universal DH
The Pittsburgh Pirates have accepted that the universal designated hitter is coming to the National League, and that’s the only thing universal the Pittsburgh Pirates have accepted about the designated hitter. Manager Derek Shelton has said the Pirates will use a rotation of players as the DH instead of a...
Like his consistent swing, Bryan Reynolds thrives as low-maintenance player for Pirates
After a top-five finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting last season, Bryan Reynolds has a simple goal for this summer that doesn’t have anything specifically to do with his statistics. “I just want to be better all the way around,” Reynolds said Friday, after an intrasquad game at...
Pirates’ Nick Burdi bounces back from another surgery in search of a feel-good story for his right arm
Nick Burdi came back from Tommy John surgery to become a feel-good story for the Pittsburgh Pirates last season: the reliever who threw gas and wore black-rimmed glasses like Ricky Vaughn from the movie, “Major League.” After Burdi blew out his right arm again last April, discovering neurogenic thoracic outlet...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Rainout bumps Derek Shelton’s 1st instrasquad game at PNC ParkVideo
Derek Shelton had his first spring training shut down by a global pandemic that also cost the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie manager his first Opening Day at Tampa Bay, his first homecoming trip to Chicago and his first home opener at PNC Park. Some guys can’t find a way to win....
Gregory Polanco hopes to live up to potential for Pirates, but first has to show he can throw
Gregory Polanco believes he can become the star the Pittsburgh Pirates once envisioned and is putting pressure on himself to live up to his five-tool talent. “For sure. I trust myself, I trust me, I trust the process and work that I’m putting in,” Polanco said. “I just need to...
Pirates pitcher Chad Kuhl comes back to camp with ‘gross’ curveball, eyes starting role
The stands were mostly empty and the batters were his Pittsburgh Pirates teammates, so the simulated game Wednesday night wasn’t quite the same as making his major-league debut against Clayton Kershaw. It was still a thrill for Chad Kuhl to pitch at PNC Park again, throwing two innings two years...
Pirates unveil 2021 schedule, featuring 162 games and openers against Chicago Cubs
One week after MLB announced the schedule for the 60-game 2020 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates released their 2021 schedule that will feature them playing against the Chicago Cubs on Opening Day on April 1 at Wrigley Field and in the home opener April 8 at PNC Park. And this one...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Why the Pirates have Jameson Taillon working out at PNC ParkVideo
Now that right-handed pitcher Hector Noesi has opted out of the 2020 season for family reasons, the Pittsburgh Pirates are a player short on their 40-man roster for training camp at PNC Park. And that depends on who you’re counting. Staff ace Jameson Taillon also is in camp and counts...
Right-handed pitcher Hector Noesi becomes first Pirates player to opt out of the MLB season
Right-handed pitcher Hector Noesi became the first Pittsburgh Pirates player to opt out from playing this season, citing family reasons, manager Derek Shelton said Wednesday night. Under an agreement between MLB and the Players Association, players are permitted to opt out this season because of the coronavirus pandemic. The 33-year-old...
Pirates ace Jameson Taillon uses rehabilitation to shorten arm action, change delivery
A second Tommy John surgery was the worst possible news for Jameson Taillon, but the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher decided rehabilitation was the perfect time to make a major change to his delivery. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound right-hander long had been interested in shortening his arm stroke and cleaning up his mechanics,...
