Pirates/MLB category, Page 255
Pirates’ Clint Hurdle, Neal Huntington recognize human side of trade deadline
Francisco Liriano has been traded four times, three times in the lead-up to the trade deadline –including once by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Melky Cabrera has been dealt three times as a major-leaguer himself; he’s changed teams seven times. The two men combine for more than 70 years of life and...
Pirates farm report for Sunday, July 21, 2019
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 50-49) defeated Durham (Rays), 3-1. CF Jason Martin (.261) had two hits and an RBI. Pinch-hitter Will Craig (.247) hit his 19th homer, a solo shot. Dovydas Neverauskas (2-1) got the victory with two scoreless innings of relief. He struck out four. Starter Mitch Keller (7-4, 3.10) gave...
John Steigerwald: ’79 Pirates reminder of difficulty current small-market teams have
What will happen first: An American walking on Mars or the Pirates going to another World Series? Right now, I’d put my money on a Mars walk. The Pirates celebrated the 40th anniversary of their most recent World Series win Saturday night — the same night America was celebrating the...
Trevor Williams to start Monday for Pirates after missing start because of flu symptoms
Trevor Williams felt better Sunday, and he’ll return to the Pittsburgh Pirates rotation Monday. Williams will start the opener of a four-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals after he was scratched from his scheduled return in the rotation Saturday because of what the team called “severe flu-like symptoms.” Williams...
Pirates lose game, series to Phillies on 11th-inning homer
The Pittsburgh Pirates had opportunities to win Sunday’s game in the ninth and 10th innings. The Philadelphia Phillies just needed one swing to do it in the 11th. Rhys Hoskins turned on a Chris Stratton curveball for a line-drive homer down the left-field line to lead off the 11th inning...
Police: Fan who walked on PNC Park field says friend dared him toVideo
Home plate umpire Ben May slowly made sure he stayed out of the individual’s path. Philadelphia Phillies batter Brad Miller stood his ground until the casually walking fan got close enough to the batter’s box and extended his arm for a handshake Miller took a few hastened steps away in...
Neal Huntington says Pirates ‘still working through’ whether to be deadline buyers or sellers
Neal Huntington might have been playing coy, or the Pittsburgh Pirates longtime general manager might have been skillfully dodging the question. But when Huntington was asked whether the Pirates would be “buyers” or “sellers” at the trade deadline late next week, he had a philosophical and pragmatic answer. “The interesting...
Neal Huntington: ‘We fully anticipate Felipe will be closing the next (Pirates) playoff games’
The MLB trade deadline 10 days away, Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Neal Huntington on Sunday was asked about the prospects of trading his most-marketable player. In meeting with reporters at PNC Park minutes before first pitch of the game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Huntington explained that it was part of...
Kevin Gorman: Once baseball’s best, Dave Parker belongs in Hall of Fame
When the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrated their 1979 World Series champions on Saturday at PNC Park, there was only one other place in the world Dave Parker would have rather been. That’s Cooperstown, N.Y. Parker was regarded as the best player in baseball from the mid-1970s until the early ‘80s, a...
Joe Musgrove dominates with arm, bat, legs as Pirates top Phillies
Joe Musgrove had plenty to be happy about Saturday night when he pitched the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 5-1 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies at PNC Park. His head-first slide carried the first run across the plate after his double ignited a three-run rally in the third inning in front...
Kent Tekulve’s message to Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez came from Hall of Famer
Two years ago in spring training, Kent Tekulve approached Felipe Vazquez. Tekulve, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ second all-time saves leader (he recorded 158 to Roy Face’s 191), wanted to impart some of his wisdom on the team’s current bullpen ace. “We had a 10-minute chat,” Vazquez said Saturday night when the...
Fam-a-lee forever for Pirates as they celebrate 1979 World Series championsVideo
Dressed in black jerseys with gold trim and gold pillbox baseball caps with black stripes, the 1979 “We Are Family” Pirates stood triumphantly one more time to cheers in Pittsburgh. The Pirates celebrated the 40th anniversary of their World Series championship by honoring the players in what manager Clint Hurdle...
Pirates notebook: Rookie Dario Agrazal provides big boosts to rotation
Nearly 100 games into the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting rotation remains a work in progress. Jameson Taillon and Steven Brault remain on the injured list. Trevor Williams, who spent a month rehabbing a side strain, was scratched as the starting pitcher Saturday night while battling a severe case of...
Bullpen, offense waste strong Jordan Lyles start in Pirates loss to PhilliesVideo
Jordan Lyles described his most recent start as a “hard-to-get-out-of-bed type outing.” Lyles pitched well enough for a satisfying night’s sleep Friday. But the Pittsburgh Pirates’ playoff hopes are quickly getting put to bed. Lyles snapped out of two-month-long funk, but neither the offense nor bullpen provided any support in...
Pirates will skip Trevor Williams (flu) in rotation, Joe Musgrove moved up to start Saturday
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced that Trevor Williams has been bumped from his scheduled Saturday start because of “severe flu-like symptoms,” and that Joe Musgrove’s turn in the rotation will be moved up a day to pitch in Williams’ place against the Philadelphia Philies. Williams was tagged for season highs allowed...
Francisco Cervelli works out at PNC Park, Pirates getting him work at many positions
It wasn’t just the heat wave that had Francisco Cervelli drenched in sweat in the Pittsburgh Pirates clubhouse Friday afternoon. Members of the training staff put Cervelli through a strenuous workout in the left-field corner of PNC Park about four hours prior to Friday’s game. Cervelli was doing somersaults and...
Clint Hurdle hints that Keone Kela’s return to Pirates bullpen is imminent
Keone Kela’s most recent rehab appearance was so good, the reliever headed back to Pittsburgh and seemingly soon will find himself back on the Pirates roster. Kela needed only 11 pitches to strike out all three batters he faced for Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday night. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said...
Kevin Gorman: Celebrating the 1979 Pirates, not the generational gap
For a 6-year-old Pittsburgh kid who needed nothing more than a ball and a glove to spend a summer day happily, the 1979 Pirates were my glorious introduction to baseball. With the Pirates winning the World Series and the Steelers on their way to a fourth Super Bowl, Pittsburgh branded...
After day out of lineup and team day off, Josh Bell back hitting cleanup for Pirates on Friday
Over a 31-day span from April 28-May 29, Josh Bell had 12 home runs, 25 extra-base hits, a .402 average and herculean 1.278 OPS. “Wouldn’t it be a wonderful world for Josh if he stayed in that spot the entire rest of his career?” Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle mused...
Pirates reliever Richard Rodriguez dominant, fueled by demotion
Richard Rodriguez pitched so poorly in his first major league action the Baltimore Orioles took the almost-unprecedented step of scrapping him from their September active roster in 2017. Keep in mind, rosters are unlimited in September in the majors. So, when Rodriguez followed a mostly spectacular 2018 for the Pittsburgh...
U mad, bro? Opinions fly about Mike Tomlin, Pirates, and Steelers of the past
It’s a strange—but highly entertaining—collection of entries for this week’s “U mad, bro?” Some attack the Pirates. Others defend them. And I get attacked for being negative toward Mike Tomlin … in a column that I authored intending to defend him. Oh, also, some guy thinks Deshea Townsend was a...
NFL’s potential regular season split could pinch fantasy sports interest
The fantasy sports landscape could suffer quite a shake-up if that 18-16 regular season split is adopted by the NFL. Imagine how that would impact fantasy lineups and strategies. I see none of that being for the better — in fantasy sports or real life. We talk to Jeff Erickson...
Tim Benz: A look at some great Pittsburgh-Philadelphia sports moments
With the Philadelphia Phillies coming into town for a weekend series, the nostalgia gears in my brain got going. I started flashing back to my favorite Pittsburgh-Philadelphia sports memories of years gone by. I figured I’d choose one from each of the three major professional sports to outline on “Breakfast...
Pirates minor league report for July 18, 2019
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 48-48) won 9-1 over Syracuse (Mets). The Indians scored six third-inning runs with C Christian Kelley (.198) and RF Hunter Owen (.143 with Altoona) each hitting a home run. RHP James Marvel (2-0, 2.55) threw six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts, a walk and only one hit allowed....
5 things we learned about the Pirates over disastrous post-break roadtrip
The excitement, enthusiasm and good vibes the Pittsburgh Pirates took into the All-Star break by way of 14 wins over a 21-game span dissipated in a major way over the six days since National League play resumed. Losing five of six to two of the three teams the Pirates are...
