Pirates/MLB category, Page 165

In the latest retransmission dispute impacting local viewers, Verzion’s FiOS TV dropped AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh. A Verizon spokesman said its agreement to carry AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh expired Sept. 30. Verizon released a statement saying, “AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh has demanded a significant increase to an already high rate so fans can...

Bob Gibson brushed me back once. More on that in a minute. Gibson died Friday from pancreatic cancer. He was 84. Every player who tried to get a hit over the last 52 years can thank Gibson. His 1.12 ERA in 1968 was the last straw for major league owners...

MIAMI — Veteran catcher Francisco Cervelli announced his retirement Saturday after a 13-year major league career. The 34-year-old Cervelli played in only 16 games this year for the Miami Marlins before his season was cut short by the latest in a long string of concussions. He also had concussions in...

In a shortened season played amid pandemic and, perhaps mercifully, before an empty PNC Park, the sinking ship that is the Pittsburgh Pirates hit rock bottom on the Allegheny River. The Pirates won only 19 of 60 games for the worst record in baseball and fifth-worst winning percentage (.317) in...

I’ve always been a big fan of the cartoon “South Park.” Don’t tell me what happened in “The Pandemic Special.” I’ve got it on the DVR. A recurring spoof in the early seasons of that show was that every episode ended with one of the kids telling the other characters,...

The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed right-handed pitcher Sean Poppen off waivers from the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, adding depth to a bullpen that has dealt with injury issues. Poppen, 26, had a 4.70 ERA in six appearances for the Twins this season, allowing nine hits, four runs (all earned) and four...

Two weeks before the season ended, Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitchers had an informal staff meeting to talk about how they have performed and how they wanted to finish the season. “Playoffs were out of reach,” said Pirates right-hander Joe Musgrove, the Opening Day starter. “A lot of our goals had...

Thursday’s “First Call” gives us the potential television times — and network — for the rescheduled Steelers game in Nashville. Bryan Reynolds is getting some support from Pirates brass. Ryan Switzer is getting interest from an AFC North rival. And the Cincinnati Bengals are looking out for their quarterback. Who’s...

Not that Derek Shelton needed a vote of confidence from his general manager after one of the worst seasons in Pittsburgh Pirates history, but Ben Cherington gave his manager one anyway. That Cherington and Shelton were seated next to each other Wednesday for a final Zoom conference call with reporters...

Despite being involved in an accident that killed three people in the Dominican Republic, the Pittsburgh Pirates are expecting top prospect Oneil Cruz to be able to play next season. “No reason to believe he wouldn’t be available for spring training, full participant,” Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said...

Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Wednesday that changes are coming to the player development system, indicating that farm director Larry Broadway will be taking on a new role within the organization. Broadway, 39, oversaw the Pirates’ farm system, ranked No. 16 by MLB.com, for nine years, serving as...

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball started the process of contracting minor league affiliates Tuesday, with the Appalachian League converted to a college summer circuit for rising freshmen and sophomores. The agreement between MLB and the minor leagues expires Wednesday. MLB has proposed cutting the minimum guaranteed minor league affiliates...

Ke’Bryan Hayes didn’t just have a September to remember, the Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman had one worthy of honor. Hayes was named NL Rookie of the Month on Monday, his first award as a major leaguer. The 23-year-old Hayes batted .376 (32 for 85) with seven doubles, two triples, five...

It was important to manager Derek Shelton that the Pittsburgh Pirates played to win the final game of the regular season, even though they long had been eliminated from playoff contention. Cleveland had clinched, so the Pirates wanted to play spoiler for the Indians’ seeding. Instead, Carlos Santana and Franmil...

Speaking publicly for the first time about prospect Oneil Cruz being involved in a crash that killed three people last week in the Dominican Republic, Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington warned “there’s not a single piece of evidence from what we’ve seen that this is anything but an accident.”...

Ke’Bryan Hayes already was having the best game of his young major league career, so the Pittsburgh Pirates were rooting for the rookie third baseman to make it even more memorable in his final at bat. Hayes lined a double to right-center field in the ninth inning to complete a...

After dealing with a revolving door at third base the past five years, the Pittsburgh Pirates appear to have found a player who can put a lock on the position in rookie Ke’Bryan Hayes. Since his Sept. 1 call-up, Hayes has not only handled the hot corner with a great...

Mitch Keller and his Pittsburgh Pirates teammates had a choice to make Friday night after their 40th loss of the season, 4-3 to the Cleveland Indians. Feel good or feel bad. For Keller, he could feel good about ending the season by throwing 11 consecutive hitless innings, six against the...

Herb Soltman isn’t sure what he will do Oct. 13 on the 60th anniversary of Game 7 of the 1960 World Series. But he has a good idea. “I might sit home and cry,” he said. Breaking with a cherished tradition, Soltman and other members of the Game 7 Gang...

Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Oneil Cruz, who was involved in a traffic accident that killed three people in the Dominican Republic early Monday morning, was ordered to pay bail of 2 million Dominican Pesos ($34,000 in U.S. currency) during a preliminary hearing Friday, Dionisio Soldevila of the Dominican newspaper Periodico Hoy...

Jared Oliva started jotting down notes in a black book in the fall of his freshman year at Arizona, a way for the wide-eyed walk-on to track his progress at tryouts for the defending national champions. “I was trying to make the team,” Oliva said. “There’s 55 dudes for a...

The home finale for the Pittsburgh Pirates started the same way as their home opener almost two months earlier, with automated crowd noise cheering a Colin Moran home run at an otherwise empty PNC Park. What was drastically different is Moran’s was the first of a season-high four homers by...

When the Pittsburgh Pirates started the season, catching was the position of primary concern. A year earlier, Jacob Stallings had been designated for assignment and cleared waivers. Now, he was being counted on as the starter. Not only did Stallings solidify that spot, but the 30-year-old became the Pirates’ most...