Pirates/MLB category, Page 238
Starling Marte thanks fans and Pirates in farewell post
Starling Marte, who spent 13 years in the Pirates organization, took to social media Monday to say goodbye to Pittsburgh and Pirates fans, after he was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The outfielder thanked the city and fans for their support and expressed gratitude for playing for the Pirates, which...
First Call: Diamondbacks bask in Starling Marte trade; Montana’s advice for Brady; big games for Pitt and Duquesne
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” Arizona is celebrating the Starling Marte trade in a way we might not like. Joe Montana has advice for Tom Brady. LeSean McCoy talks about his reduced role. Jeff Capel’s return to Duke. And stunning numbers for Duquesne’s big game Wednesday. Hey! You can’t do that!...
Tim Benz: Different melody, same lyrics from Pirates after Starling Marte trade
Ask someone more social media savvy than me. You know, one of “these kids today.” But I think now that Ben Cherington has made his first significant trade as Pirates general manager, this would be an appropriate time to go with the Spider-Man meme that I see on Twitter all...
With Starling Marte gone, Pirates likely will turn to free agency at center fieldVideo
The Pittsburgh Pirates haven’t been this unsettled about their Opening Day center field in more than a decade. General manager Ben Cherington said he will be look for external options to fill the hole created when veteran Starling Marte was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday. The Pirates received...
Who are the prospects the Pirates got in return for Starling Marte?Video
In a signal the organization is trending toward a full-scale rebuild, the Pittsburgh Pirates not only traded arguably their best position player, they did so for some international slot money and a pair of 19-year-old minor leaguers who have not played above the lower Class A level. But who are...
Starling Marte left his mark statistically on the Pirates
Starling Marte left his mark in eight seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. A look back at some of his superlatives now that he has been traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for two prospects and international bonus money:Among all position players in the franchise’s 133-year history, Marte ranks 17th in Wins...
Pirates trade Starling Marte to Diamondbacks for pair of prospects
Starling Marte’s days with the Pittsburgh Pirates were numbered from the time Ben Cherington became general manager Nov. 18. Cherington saw the center fielder as his best trade option in his attempt to restructure — the Pirates still won’t use the term “rebuild” — the roster. The 31-year-old Marte is...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden: Kobe Bryant’s death, PiratesFest futility, Penguins second half, Super Bowl preview
This week’s “Madden Monday” starts on a somber note as we address the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant. Mark Madden and I discuss his legacy, his place in NBA history, what made him unique, and the sad memories Pittsburghers may have of Roberto Clemente’s passing as a result. After...
Baseball took Pirates shortstop Cole Tucker to school in 2019Video
Shortstop Cole Tucker’s chat with reporters at PiratesFest included references to his hair, knee, athleticism and hitting stroke, second base, Bryan Reynolds, Mike Trout, Adrian Beltre, Cody Bellinger, his European vacation, younger brother Carson and the man everyone calls Shelty. And, yes, it only took 17 minutes. The main theme,...
Newest Pirate Guillermo Heredia was always drawn to team
Though he’s spent his entire four-year MLB career in the American League since defecting from Cuba, Guillermo Heredia said he’d always taken notice of and admired the Pittsburgh Pirates. Speaking through an interpreter Saturday from PNC Park during PiratesFest, Heredia said that played a part in the outfielder’s decision to...
‘Paranoid’ of sign-stealing last season, Pirates would change signs every inning on the roadVideo
Suspicious of opponents engaging in sign-stealing, the Pittsburgh Pirates at times would change their catcher-to-pitcher signs every inning during road games last season, catcher Jacob Stallings said. “I don’t want to say we were aware, (but) we were paranoid that things were going on when we were on the road,”...
Kevin Gorman: Josh Bell is face of the Pirates, who hope his bubble won’t burstVideo
Josh Bell makes it a point to practice in game-like conditions so he always pops in a mouthful of bubble gum for batting practice, mimicking his motions for facing major-league pitching. When he left the batting cages for a photo shoot Thursday to promote the Pittsburgh Pirates’ new road jerseys,...
Jameson Taillon concerned by Astros’ cheating scandal, optimistic about Tommy John recovery
Jameson Taillon speaks carefully and thoughtfully on the two issues confronting the sport he loves and the right arm that helps him pursue it. The Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher, who will spend the 2020 season recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, is the team’s union representative. In that role and...
16 months after Tommy John surgery, Pirates RHP Chad Kuhl on track for seasonVideo
Chad Kuhl had an eventful offseason in which he got married and traveled to the Caribbean to attend another wedding. The outlook for 2020 is a conventional, normal season for Kuhl. And considering he hasn’t pitched in 19 months, that’s all Kuhl is asking for. Kuhl’s recovery from Tommy John...
Former Pirates 1st-round pick Will Craig drops 25 pounds in effort to improve defenseVideo
In an effort to prove he could travel all around the field, Will Craig bypassed doing any traveling around the world. “We were going to plan a trip to somewhere in the Caribbean (over the offseason), but it was right in middle of my (losing-weight) process, so I said ‘I...
Kevin Gorman: Trading Starling Marte might force the Pirates to finally use the R-wordVideo
The Pittsburgh Pirates touted their unveiling of new road jerseys at PiratesFest on Friday at PNC Park as “rewriting the script,” which is one way to use an R-word without using the R-word. Refresh. Recalibrate. Rewrite. Anything but rebuild. The Pirates have a new management team attempting to create a...
Pirates OF Gregory Polanco at ‘100%’ physical health in return from shoulder injuryVideo
Ben Cherington tapped the knuckles of his clenched hand onto a table not once but twice Friday as he was discussing the status of Pittsburgh Pirates starting right fielder Gregory Polanco. The first time Cherington knocked on wood was when he declared Polanco “at 100% right now from a basic...
Pirates’ Derek Shelton gushes about pitcher Chris Archer
In his 59-day reign as Pittsburgh Pirates manager, Derek Shelton ate a Primanti’s sandwich with Joe Musgrove. (Musgrove bought.) Shelton spent some time discussing Broadway songs with pitcher Steven Brault. (“I don’t really know any,” Shelton said.) At the end of a 21-minute chat with reporters Friday, Shelton said he...
GM Ben Cherington: Pirates expect to add another catcher before spring training
Ben Cherington acknowledged Friday the Pittsburgh Pirates went into the offseason knowing it needed to add catchers. Even after signing two with major league experience, Cherington said he isn’t done. “We are continuing to look for more catching,” the Pirates general manager said while speaking to reporters Friday at PNC...
Mt. Lebanon’s Don Kelly’s job safe with Pirates, despite ties to AstrosVideo
Don Kelly’s status with the Pittsburgh Pirates was not impacted by his ties to the Houston Astros, Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Friday. Kelly, a former Mt. Lebanon and Point Park standout, was named the Pirates’ bench coach Dec. 7, five weeks prior to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred disciplining...
The script is back: Pirates unveil updated road jerseysVideo
It was met with great fanfare and well received when Pitt went back to the Script five years ago. Now, the Pittsburgh Pirates are doing the same. The Pirates unveiled updated road jerseys Friday, and the new aspect is actually an old one. The word “Pittsburgh” across the chest of...
Pirates to replace Steve Blass with Kevin Young, Matt Capps, Michael McKenry on broadcasts
Following Steve Blass as Pittsburgh Pirates broadcaster would have been a tough act for any individual. So three former players will do it. Former Pirates players Kevin Young, Matt Capps and Michael McKenry will rotate as color commentator analysts for games on television and radio this season, the team announced...
New Pirates catcher John Ryan Murphy seeks bounce-back yearVideo
It seems only fitting John Ryan Murphy will be in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ spring training camp next month. The veteran catcher, who signed a minor league contract Jan. 10 as a free agent, was born and raised in Bradenton, Fla. He attended many Pirates Grapefruit League games at what was...
Pitt, WVU baseball will bring the Backyard Brawl back to PNC Park
The Backyard Brawl is returning to PNC Park. The Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pitt and West Virginia athletic departments announced Thursday that the schools’ baseball teams will meet April 29 at the home of the Pirates. It’s the second consecutive season the two rivals will meet at PNC Park. West...
Pirates name Dave Turgeon manager of the Altoona Curve
The Pittsburgh Pirates named Dave Turgeon, who is entering his 10th season as a coach in the team’s system, to manage the Double-A Altoona Curve. He replaces Michael Ryan, who was fired last season. Turgeon spent last season as manager of the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League, where...
