Pirates/MLB category, Page 240
Top 5 stories in Pittsburgh sports in 2019
Much like a year ago, the 2019 Steelers season ended in disappointment when the team fell short of reaching the playoffs. Also like 2018, the past year was filled with captivating storylines in Pittsburgh sports. Here’s a few of the most memorable: 1. Quarterback carousel Life without Ben Roethlisberger was...
Maria and Andrew McCutchen announce birth of 2nd son
Andrew McCutchen and his wife, Maria, welcomed their second child, Armani X McCutchen, on Christmas Eve. The former Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star shared a link to Maria’s Instagram page which announced the baby’s birth. “Armani X McCutchen Born on Christmas Eve.” she shared on the post. “The X signifies 10 years...
From McCutchen to Iwamura, best and worst Pirates of the decade
The 2010s were filled with ups and down for the Pittsburgh Pirates. They bookended the decade with last-place finishes, going 57-105 in 2010 and 69-93 in ‘19. Those awful seasons brought the end of the managerial tenures of John Russell and Clint Hurdle. General manager Neal Huntington was also axed...
Pirates, other NL Central teams quiet so far this offseason
Ben Cherington has the reputation of being deliberate with his decisions. He has lived up to that during his first six weeks as the Pittsburgh Pirates’ general manager. Cherington has made just two player moves of note. Catcher Elias Diaz was for designated for assignment, and catcher Luke Maile was...
Pirates add Glenn Sherlock to coaching staff
Glenn Sherlock, a 35-year veteran in professional baseball, will join the Pittsburgh Pirates coaching staff, the organization announced Monday. Sherlock’s primary focus will be run prevention and coaching the team’s catchers. He also will assist manager Derek Shelton and bench coach Don Kelly with game preparation and management. Sherlock, 59,...
Pirates will look to upgrade offense that struggled to score runs last season
The 2019 Pittsburgh Pirates provided a fine example of new-age baseball thinking that batting average is an overrated statistic. The Pirates hit .265, which was sixth in the major leagues. Yet they had a 69-93 record and finished last in the National League Central for the first time since 2010....
Pirates hire Tarrik Brock as new 1st base coach
Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton filled another vacancy on his coaching staff Friday, as the team announced the hiring of Tarrik Brock as its new first base coach. Brock, 45, has been minor league outfier/baserunning coordinator for the Los Angeles Dodgers for the past three seasons. Before that, he was...
VideoChart: The highest-paid Pirates playersVideo
This offseason, former Pirates pitcher Gerrit Cole inked a $324 million contract with the New York Yankees. Here’s a VideoChart of the players with the highest-career earnings while a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Want to see more animated stats? Check out all of our VideoCharts here....
Mark Madden: Pirates signing catcher Luke Maile signifies rebranding, not rebuilding
The Pirates signed catcher Luke Maile. He hit .151 with Toronto last season. His career batting average is .198. Gee, how can you not get excited? The new Pirates management effectively has batted its eyes at the local stooge media, because we keep reading/hearing about Maile’s defensive acumen, particularly his...
Pirates sign four minor league free agents
The Pirates have agreed to terms on minor league contracts with an infielder, an outfielder and two pitchers and given them non-roster invitations to spring training, the team announced Tuesday. Right-handed pitcher Hector Noesi has the most big league experience, going 12-34 with a 5.51 ERA in 119 appearances with...
Oscar Marin ‘super excited’ for opportunity to coach Pirates pitchers
Oscar Marin, even during a phone call from another country, made it clear how enthusiastic he is to join the Pittsburgh Pirates. The team announced Marin’s hiring as pitching coach Tuesday, a day after news broke the Texas Rangers bullpen coach was tabbed to replace Ray Searage. The Pirates also...
Pirates officially tab Oscar Marin as pitching coach
Oscar Marin, who has been a pitching instructor at many levels since 2010, was officially named Pittsburgh Pirates pitching coach Tuesday morning by general manager Ben Cherington. Marin, 37, spent last season as the bullpen coach with the Texas Rangers. He served the Seattle Mariners in 2017 and 2018 as...
Tim Benz: Pirates need to let manager Derek Shelton truly be in charge
A frequent criticism of the Pittsburgh Pirates in recent years has been that the franchise employed one of the most expensive managers in Major League Baseball but had one of the lowest payrolls. In August 2018, USA Today published a deep dive into why managerial contracts were dipping. Clint Hurdle’s...
Sources: Pirates to hire Oscar Marin as pitching coach
The trend in the major leagues recently has been for teams to hire pitching coaches with varied backgrounds who haven’t necessarily played professional baseball. That fits the description of Oscar Marin, whom the Pirates will hire as their pitching coach. Two baseball sources confirmed to the Tribune-Review on Monday that...
Pirates sign catcher Luke Maile
The Pirates added a player at a position of desperate need Monday, signing free agent catcher Luke Maile to a one-year major league contract. Maile, 28, is known as a strong defensive catcher who hasn’t hit much in parts of five big league seasons. For his career, he’s a .198...
Pirates’ Gregory Polanco will be OK for spring training, but shoulder will need monitoring
Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Gregory Polanco’s extended recovery from shoulder surgery continues, but he should have no restrictions when he reports to spring training. But that doesn’t mean his shoulder problems are finished. Todd Tomczyk, the Pirates’ director of sports medicine, said Polanco’s shoulder will require regular management, possibly including...
Pirates hoping to fill pitching coach position ‘sooner rather than later’
The Pittsburgh Pirates are looking for a pitching coach for the first time since 2010. Ray Searage was promoted from assistant coach in August that year to replace the fired Joe Kerrigan. Searage then spent the next nine seasons overseeing the pitching staff. However, Searage was fired at the end...
3-batter rule could be 1 more challenge for Pirates rookie manager Derek Shelton
Unless Rob Manfred has a change of heart, it will be a rule change that has the greatest effect on how managers deploy their personnel in more than four decades. MLB’s commissioner said this past week during the winter meetings in San Diego a rule requiring pitchers to face at...
Pirates wrap up Winter Meetings with trade possibilities on the horizon
SAN DIEGO — Ben Cherington left his first Winter Meetings as general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday without making trade. However, it seems likely center fielder Starling Marte will be with another team by the time spring training opens in mid-February. Second baseman Adam Frazier could also be...
Pirates GM Ben Cherington sticks with ‘authentic’ approach while retaining coaches, scouts
SAN DIEGO — There is a certain segment of fans and media members who have advocated that the Pittsburgh Pirates fire everyone. Owner Bob Nutting has done his share of firing since the end of a season in which the Pirates had a 69-93 record and finished last in the...
New Pirates GM Cherington, manager Shelton confident in Kelly’s ability as bench coach
SAN DIEGO — Don Kelly won’t be the prototypical bench coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The former Mt. Lebanon and Point Park standout, who was hired last Saturday, has only one year of coaching experience at any level of baseball. He was the Houston Astros first-base coach last season. However,...
Pirates manager Derek Shelton getting to know organization at winter meetings
SAN DIEGO — Derek Shelton knew who he wanted to go to for advice. Soon after Shelton was hired as the Pittsburgh Pirates’ manager two weeks ago, he got in touch with Jim Leyland. Though Shelton only knew Leyland in passing, he thought the former Pirates manager was the perfect...
First Call: Le’Veon Bell brags about bowling, Antonio Brown’s new song, potential Starling Marte trade partnerVideo
In “First Call” Wednesday, Le’Veon Bell brags about his bowling night out, Antonio Brown tries his hand at music, and a logical trade partner for Starling Marte emerges. Bell’s bowling boast Steelers Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis was renowned as a great bowler, with a perfect game under his belt....
Catcher at top of Pirates’ wish list
SAN DIEGO — It doesn’t take a deep dive into the Pittsburgh Pirates roster to determine the area that lacks depth. Jacob Stallings is the only catcher on the 40-man. Stallings, who turns 30 later this month, has played just 95 games and accumulated 282 plate appearances in four major...
PiratesFest date finalized for PNC Park
PiratesFest will return to PNC Park on Jan. 25, with autograph sessions — free and otherwise — and appearances by team executives and past and present players. The all-day event will include several activities for season-ticket holders and others, beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing until 5 p.m. Admission is...
