Kevin Gorman stories, Page 141
WPIAL product Cameron Johnson ready to reward NBA team that takes chance on him
On the eve of the NBA Draft, Cameron Johnson was counting his blessings and crediting everyone who played a role the past five years in his development from borderline Division-I prospect to projected NBA first-round pick. “It’s a long ways from him signing with Pitt and a lot of people...
Kevin Gorman: How ex-WPIAL star Cameron Johnson rose to projected NBA 1st-rounder
Mike Rodriguez received the phone call from Pitt director of basketball operations Brian Regan on Easter Sunday in April 2014, with a favor to ask and only a 30-minute warning. Jamie Dixon was headed to Pittsburgh International Airport, and the former Panthers coach wanted to stop on his way to...
Kevin Gorman: Pirates missed the mark in Mitch Keller’s PNC Park debutVideo
As PNC Park debuts go, Mitch Keller’s lacked sizzle. Not to mention a victory. Keller was as much to blame for that as the Pittsburgh Pirates are, as both his major-league debut and second start were disappointing defeats at Cincinnati and Atlanta, respectively. The buildup you would expect for a...
Kevin Gorman: Ray Searage wears bull’s-eye as Pirates deal with pitching problemsVideo
Ray Searage hears the criticism. How could he not? The strength of the Pittsburgh Pirates was supposed to be the pitching staff, with a strong starting rotation and a loaded bullpen. Instead, the Pirates have dealt with disaster, as pitching became their biggest problem. A dozen pitchers have spent time...
Kevin Gorman: After being benched, Artie Burns shows accountability to Steelers
Artie Burns was answering questions about living up to the expectations of a first-round draft pick who was benched last season when a smile came across his face and his eyes lit up. Burns interrupted an interview to reach out and high-five his 4-year-old son, A.J., who arrived at his...
Kevin Gorman: Devin Bush wants to put Steelers ILB job on ‘lock, like his ponytail
Devin Bush has football in his blood and on his brain, as the rookie inside linebacker has impressed the Pittsburgh Steelers with his athleticism and his ability to absorb the playbook. But Bush believes it’s also in his hair. James Conner made waves with his modern-day mullet for the season...
Pirates trade Nick Kingham for cash 1 year after magical debut
Less than 14 months after a magical major league debut, the Pittsburgh Pirates traded pitcher Nick Kingham to the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday for cash considerations. Kingham, 26, who was out of minor league options, had been designated for assignment June 8. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound right-hander took a perfect...
Pitt names star-studded 12-member Hall of Fame class
Pitt announced a dozen athletes ranging from All-Americans to All-Pros will be welcomed to its Hall of Fame in 2019. The 12-member class will be inducted Sept. 20 at Petersen Events Center and introduced at Heinz Field when the Panthers play UCF on Sept. 21. Sam Clancy, men’s basketball: A...
Pirates sign seven more draft picks, including fifth-rounder Grant Ford
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed seven more draft picks on Wednesday, including fifth-rounder Grant Ford, a right-handed pitcher from Reno-Nevada. Also signing were Clemson catcher Kyle Willis (12th round), Georgia Tech outfielder Chase Murray (13th), The Masters University infielder Aaron Shackelford (14th), Rollins right-hander Garrett Leonard (15th), Minnesota catcher Eli Wilson...
Kevin Gorman: Steelers have to hope JuJu learned dos and don’ts from AB
To say JuJu Smith-Schuster learned from Antonio Brown is an understatement about the understudy of the NFL’s most prolific pass-catcher and social-media star of this decade. That Smith-Schuster embraces the opportunity to replace Brown as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ top player in both regards is only as valuable as how much...
Pirates recall Mitch Keller to start Wednesday’s game against Atlanta Braves
The Pittsburgh Pirates recalled top prospect Mitch Keller and will start the right-hander against the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night at SunTrust Park. It will mark Keller’s second start in the majors. In his debut, Keller allowed six runs in the first inning, including a grand slam, before throwing three...
JuJu Smith-Schuster says he learned from Antonio Brown’s Steelers exitVideo
JuJu Smith-Schuster said he was disappointed with how Antonio Brown’s tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers ended but said he wouldn’t describe their subsequent Twitter feud as hatred. The Steelers wide receiver exchanged words with Brown since the seven-time Pro Bowl and four-time All-Pro wideout was traded to the Oakland Raiders,...
Pirates plan to build top pick Quinn Priester ‘the right way’ in Bradenton
The Pirates gave Quinn Priester and his family the prototypical tour of Pittsburgh on Tuesday, from getting his first view inside PNC Park to a ride on the incline and lunch at Primanti Bros. On Wednesday, they put Priester on a plane. After signing their first-round pick, the Pirates sent...
Kevin Gorman: Penguins GM playing with poker face on trading Phil Kessel
Phil Kessel pulled a page out of the playbook of another Pittsburgh sports superstar, using his leverage like Antonio Brown to kill a trade before it could be finalized. Difference is, Jim Rutherford didn’t cave like Kevin Colbert. Where the Steelers general manager stayed true to his word about trading...
Pirates sign six more draft picks, including three first-day selections
One day after signing first-round pick Quinn Priester, the Pittsburgh Pirates came to terms with six more draft choices. The Pirates signed their second-round pick, Indiana outfielder Matt Gorski; Houston infielder Jared Triolo, their Comp B pick; and third-rounder Matt Frazier, an outfielder from Arizona. 2nd-rder Matt Gorski signs with...
Amid appeal, Braves’ Josh Donaldson starts four-homer splurge against Pirates
Playing amid an appeal of a one-game suspension for his role in a benches-clearing incident, Josh Donaldson made the Pittsburgh Pirates pay in a big way. The Pirates were leading, 2-0, when the Atlanta Braves third baseman hit a 365-foot homer off Pirates pitcher Chris Archer that bounced off the...
Pirates promote Dovydas Neverauskas, demote Alex McRae in bullpen swap
The Pittsburgh Pirates continued their revolving door with relievers, making a pair of moves to bolster their bullpen. The Pirates recalled right-hander Dovydas Neverauskas from Triple-A Indianapolis. Neverauskas has an 18.90 ERA in five appearances with the Pirates this season. To make room on the 25-man roster, they optioned Alex...
Kevin Gorman: With top pick Quinn Priester, Pirates love the man in the mirror
Upon being introduced as the newest member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Quinn Priester casually mentioned the mirror where he wrote his goals in dry-erase marker. There was nothing casual about his goals, which were outlined in an arc around his bathroom mirror so Priester could still see himself while brushing...
Pirates GM: ‘You’re going to fall in love with’ 1st-round pick Quinn PriesterVideo
Quinn Priester had seen pictures of PNC Park and even saved one as the background on his phone after the Pittsburgh Pirates selected the pitcher in the first round of the MLB Draft. “But seeing it in person doesn’t even compare to any of the pictures I’ve seen,” Priester said....
Pirates sign 1st-round pick Quinn Priester
The Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday signed their first-round draft pick, high school pitcher Quinn Priester, keeping the right-hander from following his commitment to play at TCU. Priester will start his career with the Gulf Coast League Pirates. Contract terms were not announced, but the slot value for the No. 18...
Pirates place Jordan Lyles on IL, recall Montana DuRapau
The pitching woes continued for the Pittsburgh Pirates, as they sent a third starter on the injured list Monday. Jordan Lyles was placed on the 10-day IL with hamstring tightness, two days after he lasted only three innings in a 5-3 loss at Milwaukee. Lyles labored through 92 pitches against...
Pitt adds 5th basketball recruit in graduate transfer Eric Hamilton
Pitt added to its frontcourt depth by signing the fifth member of its 2019 recruiting class in graduate transfer Eric Hamilton, a power forward who has played at Wichita State and UNC Greensboro. The 6-foot-9, 250-pound Hamilton averaged 6.1 points and 4.4 rebounds in 16.3 minutes a game last season...
Steelers safety Jordan Dangerfield follows the rules in trying to find a roleVideo
Jordan Dangerfield has spent his football career trying to find a balance between breaking barriers and following the rules. That’s typical life for an undrafted free agent in the NFL. Even when Dangerfield was playing with the first-team defense during organized team activities this spring, the Pittsburgh Steelers safety always...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: This time, Pirates have no choice but turn to Mitch Keller
The Pittsburgh Pirates spent Saturday making moves and general manager Neal Huntington spent Sunday explaining the decisions on his weekly radio show. The biggest was made for him. Before Nick Kingham was designated for assignment — likely signaling his ending with the club — and Rookie Davis was placed on...
Jung Ho Kang starts at shortstop, hits Miller Park scoreboard in return to Pirates
With one swing, Jung Ho Kang changed the conversation on Sunday from where he was in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting lineup to what he did to the Milwaukee Brewers’ scoreboard. Check ? The? Scoreboard?No seriously, check on the scoreboard. Did he break it?#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/odQyLPpIHK— Pirates (@Pirates) June 9, 2019 One...
