Pirates/MLB category, Page 242
New Pirates GM Ben Cherington used professor stint to learn more about himself
Perhaps the new Pittsburgh Pirates general manager can be referred to as Professor Ben Cherington. After all, he is just a little over three years removed from being an adjunct professor at an Ivy League school. Cherington took time off from baseball after a four-year stint as the Boston Red...
Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez faces 21 new child sex-related chargesVideo
Prosecutors filed 21 new charges Tuesday against suspended Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Felipe Vazquez after investigators found evidence of child pornography on devices they say he owned. Vazquez, 28, was ordered to stand trial Tuesday on 10 counts of child pornography, 10 counts of unlawful contact with a minor and...
Tim Benz: Breaking down Pirates GM Ben Cherington’s ties to Neal HuntingtonVideo
It could just be one of those “funny how things work out” stories. Or, it could make more sense than that. “He was someone who helped me get an interview for an internship with the Cleveland Indians in 1998,” new Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said of his predecessor Neal...
Kevin Gorman: New Pirates GM changes culture by refusing to sing small-market blues
That the Pittsburgh Pirates hired Ben Cherington as general manager made so much sense, as he has previous experience at the position and a World Series championship on his resume. Pirates chairman Bob Nutting and president Travis Williams took turns highlighting Cherington’s 1) track record of building a winner, 2)...
Bob Nutting says no one on Pirates is ‘untouchable’ for new GM Ben Cherington
Upon hiring Ben Cherington as general manager, Pirates chairman Bob Nutting gave him the green light to make whatever roster moves he deemed necessary to create a winning club. And no one is off limits. “I told Ben from the beginning that no one on the roster, no one in...
New GM Ben Cherington wants Pirates to ‘be competitive on a regular basis’Video
Ben Cherington knows about breaking curses. He was the assistant director of player development when the Boston Red Sox swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2004 World Series. That ended an 86-year title drought that stretched to 1918 and eradicated the so-called Curse of the Bambino. There is no...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden discuss Mason Rudolph vs. Myles Garrett, Colin Kaepernick, Ben Cherington
If you were on Twitter this weekend, it was a frustrating place to be. Nothing but people trying to soften Myles Garrett’s actions against the Steelers by way of blaming Mason Rudolph. And people pounding the Colin Kaepernick drum because he threw a nice deep ball or two against air...
Steve Blass remembers Vera Clemente for her charity work, continued love for Pittsburgh
When Steve Blass was pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates, he had a vision of what teammate Roberto Clemente would do following his playing days. “I always thought Roberto would become the governor of Puerto Rico, and that Vera would make a great first lady,” Blass said. “He was that popular...
New Pirates GM Cherington gets endorsement from ex-Red Sox manager Farrell
The Pittsburgh Pirates have a strong endorsement of their new general manager from someone who knows him well. “You got a great guy there to run things in Pittsburgh,” John Farrell said of Ben Cherington. “I can’t say enough good things about him.” Cherington will be introduced Monday at a...
Vera Clemente, wife of former Pirates star outfielder, dies
Vera Clemente, the widow of former Pirates outfielder Roberto Clemente, died Saturday at age 78. “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Vera Clemente, the widow of the great Roberto Clemente and a cherished member of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Major League Baseball family,” Pirates chairman of...
New Pirates GM Ben Cherington left mixed legacy with Red Sox
How Ben Cherington’s second tenure as a general manager turns out remains to be seen. He will be introduced Monday as the new Pittsburgh Pirates GM. However, Cherington left a mixed legacy in his first shot at running a baseball operation’s department. During his four-year stint as Boston’s GM from...
Former Pirate Andrew McCutchen continues to give back to Pittsburgh community
Andrew McCutchen no longer plays for the Pirates, but he still calls Pittsburgh home. He said that won’t change. Part of the reason McCutchen has continued to live in Pittsburgh during baseball’s offseason is because his wife, Maria, is from DuBois. “We decided before we got married that we would...
Source: Ben Cherington to be named Pirates general manager
The Pittsburgh Pirates have found their next head of baseball operations, and it is Ben Cherington, a source confirmed to the Tribune-Review on Friday. Cherington replaces Neal Huntington, who was fired Oct. 28 after 12 years on the job. The new GM will be introduced at a news conference at...
Despite delays, Pirates still have pick of qualified managerial candidates
The Pittsburgh Pirates have had one of the more curious manager searches in recent baseball memory. The Pirates fired Clint Hurdle on the last day of the season. General manager Neal Huntington then began interviews for Hurdle’s successor. Yet after he talked with six candidates, Huntington was fired Oct. 28....
Greene County native Pete Putila emerges as Pirates GM candidate
Pete Putila grew up in Greene County rooting for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He might wind up in charge of their baseball operations or, possibly, at least playing a major role. Putila, a Houston Astros assistant general manager, has emerged as a candidate for the Pirates’ GM job. The Carmichaels graduate’s...
Pirates’ Erik Gonzalez fractures foot in winter ball
Misfortune has followed the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Erik Gonzalez to the Dominican Republic. The utility infielder fractured his left foot this past weekend while playing winter ball. It is his second bone break in the past seven months after he fractured his clavicle April 19 in a collision with Pirates center...
Report: Former Pirates manager Clint Hurdle to retire from baseball
Former Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle is retiring from baseball, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Hurdle, who coached the Pirates nine years, was fired this season after going 69-92. It was the worst season Pittsburgh had since 2010. Former Pirates manager Clint Hurdle retires from baseball,...
First Call: Steelers rare history as underdogs vs. Browns; Ben Cherington as Pirates GM?
They’ve tied. They’ve needed overtime to win. They relied on Landry Jones. But the Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t lost to the Cleveland Browns since 2014. It was a 31-10 beat down by the Browns in Week 6 of that year. And it wasn’t even that close. That was also the last...
Ben Cherington, Matt Arnold reportedly among GM candidates for Pirates
MLB’s annual general managers meetings began Monday in Scottsdale, Ariz., even though the Pirates don’t have a general manager at the moment. However, indications are the Pirates are getting close to filling the vacancy created when Neal Huntington was fired Oct. 28 after 12 years on the job. The New...
Pirates pick up contract option for Starling Marte, Chris Archer
The Pittsburgh Pirates committed $20.5 million in salary Monday for center fielder Starling Marte and starting pitcher Chris Archer, picking up the contractual options on the team’s most expensive players. Marte will be paid $11.5 million and Archer $9 million in 2020, according to spotrac.com. The moves were not surprising,...
Pirates’ Dave Parker one of 10 names on Hall of Fame ballot
Dave Parker, who played 11 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and won consecutive National League batting titles in 1977 and 1978, was one of nine players named Monday to the Hall of Fame ballot for possible election to the class of 2020. Also included on the ballot, which will be...
Tim Benz: Pittsburgh fans should have easy time with ‘scariest sports story’ challenge
SB Nation got this Halloween sports-related thread going on Twitter Thursday. What's the scariest sports story you can tell in 6 words? — SB Nation (@SBNation) October 31, 2019 It shouldn’t be hard for Pittsburgh sports fans to figure out this one. We’ve seen plenty of scary things. And they...
Pirates trade relief pitcher Parker Markel to the Angels
With assistant general manager Kevan Graves temporarily monitoring the roster, the Pittsburgh Pirates opened up a spot Thursday when they traded right-handed relief pitcher Parker Markel to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for cash considerations. Markel, 29, spent most of last season in the Seattle Mariners’ minor-league system, appearing...
Kevin Gorman: Watching ex-Pirates shine in World Series ‘incredibly disturbing’Video
When Bob Nutting met with the media Monday, the Pittsburgh Pirates chairman made an emphatic opening statement to confront his frustrations that led to firings. “Frankly,” Nutting said, “I just watched too many times former Pirates achieving success at other clubs, which is also incredibly disturbing both to me and...
Gerrit Cole moves swiftly to distance himself from Astros
Gerrit Cole might have enjoyed his two seasons as a member of the Houston Astros, getting to the World Series and all. But now the former Pittsburgh Pirates first-round draft choice and free-agent-to-be looks like he’s ready to try a third team. Gerrit Cole, an impending free agent, was resistant...
