Pirates/MLB category, Page 272
3 issues Pirates must resolve before heading westVideo
There was plenty of happy, hopeful talk after the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied to defeat the Oakland A’s on Sunday. Starling Marte, the hero with the winning three-run homer, talked about the “positive mindset” and “energy” players pass among themselves. Cole Tucker, who mixes contagious enthusiasm with impressive athleticism, gushed how...
Podcast: Mark Madden and Tim Benz on Evgeni Malkin, Kentucky Derby, Pirates
In this week’s “Madden Monday,” 105.9 the X’s Mark Madden and I cast a wide net over the sports world. We start with following up on last week’s podcast in which Madden told us there was some fire to the smoke when it comes to the Pittsburgh Penguins considering a...
Tim Benz: Pirates can’t afford injury bug within starting staff
In his usual Sunday media scrum with reporters, Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Neal Huntington rattled through the litany of injuries that have beset his club. “We haven’t had an at-bat from our regular left fielder (Corey Dickerson),” Huntington said to begin his mental checklist. “Our regular right fielder (Gregory Polanco)...
John Steigerwald: Attendance finally sinking to level Pirates deserve
This is going to be a bad year for the Pirates. Not exactly a bold prediction, I know, but I’m not just talking about on the field, where they’ve shown every indication, especially with the injuries, of being a team that will struggle to finish at .500. Their attendance is...
Pirates’ Cole Tucker finally gets a real hit off Fernando Rodney
Cole Tucker said his single that started the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 13th-inning rally Sunday wasn’t the first time he faced the Oakland A’s Fernando Rodney. Only the first time he’s hit against the 42-year-old relief pitcher in the flesh. “I played against Fernando Rodney a ton, growing up, in video games,”...
Kevin Gorman: Tyler Glasnow’s fast start puts pressure on PiratesVideo
The word conviction repeatedly was referenced by the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday when talking about pitching, and especially when talking about trading pitchers. Tyler Glasnow lacked it. Chris Archer possessed it and Neal Huntington used it to make a trade-deadline deal that was celebrated last July and now is being...
Starling Marte’s 3-run homer in 13th lifts Pirates over A’sVideo
Clint Hurdle makes his living figuring out what makes people do what they do. The Pittsburgh Pirates manager thinks he has figured out Starling Marte. After nearly four hours of baseball Sunday at PNC Park, Marte hit a three-run homer to defeat the Oakland A’s, 5-3, bringing the Pirates back...
Pirates’ Nick Kingham will start Wednesday, return to his comfort zone
During his rookie year in 2018, Nick Kingham did what he believes he does best – make 15 starts. But, with the Pittsburgh Pirates adding veteran Jordan Lyles to the rotation. he was forced to settle for a relief role this season. That will change Wednesday against the Texas Rangers....
With few off days, Cole Tucker, Kevin Newman may share time at shortstop for Pirates
The on-the-job training continued Sunday for Cole Tucker, who started his 14th consecutive game at shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Cole’s flawless glove – no errors in his first 59 chances — has enabled manager Clint Hurdle to remain patient with his rookie’s bat. He was hitting .205 before Sunday,...
Pirates prospect Mitch Keller working on new pitch as he awaits call-up
Neal Huntington is reluctant to use the word “inevitable” when assessing the possibility of top prospect Mitch Keller making his major-league debut this season. But the Pittsburgh Pirates general manager certainly gave the impression Sunday that Keller could help bolster the starting rotation at some point soon. “Inevitable is a...
A’s Skye Bolt, with family roots in New Ken, narrowly misses HR at PNC Park for 1st MLB hit
Skye Bolt’s first major-league hit came in Pittsburgh, not far from his late great-grandmother’s New Kensington home. But among all the joy of achieving a boyhood dream, Bolt also felt something else Saturday night at PNC Park. A bit of sheepishness. “I’ve gotten a fair amount of grief about it,”...
Pirates’ Steven Brault, Nick Kingham to take spots of injured Jameson Taillon, Chris Archer
On paper, at least, the Pittsburgh Pirates entered spring training with a three-man competition for the final spot in the starting rotation. They’re entering the first full week of May with all three of those men in the rotation. With Chris Archer and Jameson Taillon being placed on the injured...
Kevin Newman lifts Pirates over Athletics in 7th-inning rally
Kevin Newman began Saturday as a newly activated major leaguer in a new role. By the end of it, he was back at his long-familiar position and in a starring role of a Pittsburgh Pirates win. Newman’s seventh-inning, two-run triple into the right-field corner capped a rally from an early...
Pirates farm report for games of Saturday, May 4, 2019
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 15-13) lost 6-3 to Louisville (Reds). LHP Brandon Waddell (0-2, 8.56) took the loss after allowing five runs in 2/3 of an inning of relief. RHP Dario Agrazal (2-1, 1.32) allowed an unearned run in seven innings with seven strikeouts in a no decision. 1B Will Craig (.263)...
Pirates plan on making Kevin Newman more versatile after his activation
The Pittsburgh Pirates took advantage of a rehabilitation assignment to prepare Kevin Newman for a more versatile role. Newman, the Pirates’ first-round pick in 2015, was exclusively a shortstop during his first three professional seasons. Last season, he spent about a fifth of his time at second base, too. But...
Pirates go with 10-man bullpen after recall of Dovydas Neverauskas, DFA of JB Shuck
Their pitching staff strained by another injury to starting pitcher, the Pittsburgh Pirates added an arm to their bullpen Saturday with the recall of Dovydas Neverauskas. Neverauskas is a right-hander who appeared in 49 games the past two season for the Pirates, posting a 6.02 ERA and 1.38 WHIP with...
As starting pitcher injuries mount, are Pirates considering ‘openers’ for 1-2 innings?
Clint Hurdle clearly didn’t want to commit to it. But the Pittsburgh Pirates manager also didn’t seem too concerned about tipping his hand. Are the Pirates considering joining the mini-trend across the majors of using “opener” as their pitcher for the first one or two innings? “Do we have those...
Pirates’ Jameson Taillon placed on injured list with elbow injuryVideo
What first merely just felt “a little different” in Jameson Taillon’s right arm during spring training ultimately culminated in a trip to the injured list for the Pittsburgh Pirates opening day starter on Saturday. What has been diagnosed as an elbow flexor tendon strain will prevent Taillon from throwing for...
Pirates minor league report: May 3, 2019
Pirates INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 15-12) won 7-5 over Louisville (Reds). 2B Kevin Kramer (.250) finished 3 for 3 with a grand slam, a double and five RBIs. CF Jason Martin (.250) went 2 for 4 with a double, a triple and two runs scored. 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (.265) had a base...
Led by Josh Phegley’s 8 RBIs, A’s rough up Joe Musgrove, pound PiratesVideo
Joe Musgrove followed a late start with an early exit that saw his ERA go up and the Pittsburgh Pirates’ perfect record against the American League go down in flames. The Oakland A’s got four hits and eight RBIs from catcher Josh Phegley in a 14-1 victory over the Pirates...
Pirates notebook: Interleague play has been kind to Bucs
The Pittsburgh Pirates have called the National League home for more than a century, but recent interleague results might make them want switch leagues. “We’ve been really good the last couple years (against the American League),” said manager Clint Hurdle, whose team entered Friday with a 16-4 record at home...
Pirates rookie Bryan Reynolds takes fanfare around his hitting streak in strideVideo
On a leather chair, a baseball and batting gloves sat atop the Pittsburgh Pirates lineup card for a game against the Texas Rangers, personal keepsakes for rookie outfielder Bryan Reynolds. Reynolds pointed to his prized possessions — all from his first career major-league home run — as nonchalantly as he...
First Call: A safety for the Steelers?, Torts’ Tumble, a humiliating first pitch
In Friday’s “First Call,” we consider a familiar name as a fit for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Plus, the “Torts Tumble,” a humiliating first pitch, and people are already turning on Jameson Taillon. A safety for the Steelers? Keep this name in mind for free agency next season, Steelers fans. It’s...
Pirates minor league report: May 3, 2019
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 14-12) defeated Louisville (Reds), 5-3. All five Indians runs came in the fifth inning on a RHP Mitch Keller (.333) RBI double, LF Jose Osuna (.250) run-scoring single and a three-run homer from 1B Will Craig (.275) to put Indianapolis ahead, 5-2. Keller (3-0, 3.48) also got the...
Fantasy Sports podcast: Melky Cabrera’s hot start, NFL Draft impact
It’s our weekly fantasy sports podcast with Jeff Erickson of Rotowire. This week, we look at which draft choices could impact the fantasy football world. Kyler Murray leads the way. Josh Jacobs should help the Oakland Raiders. Those tight ends from Iowa could be worth a pick. And the New...
