MLB: Pittsburgh Pirates Blog

$100 Pirates tickets giveaway

2009-04-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

So the ticket broker Coast to Coast Tickets has a Facebook page now, and they're looking to get people aware of it, so they're giving away a $100 gift card good towards anything on their site in a random drawing of their Facebook fans on May 4th. Should be enough for two Pirates tickets, for sure.

Right now, looks like there's only 81 fans total, making that a 1 in 81 shot if the drawing happened today (I'm sure there will be more when the drawing happens on May 4, but those are still pretty decent odds)!

The Coast to Coast Facebook page is here:

Coast to Coast Tickets on Facebook

and they're posting bonus entry codes on their Twitter account here:

Coast to Coast Tickets on Twitter

2008-11-25T11:07:00.000-08:00

Wow! Singh and Patel are believed to be the first Indian pro baseball players. Know of any others?

2008-10-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

Arrrggghh! Walk the plank if you forget to vote next Tuesday, November 4th.

2008-10-20T10:54:00.000-07:00

Arrrgggh! Anybody else as excited as I am to see what Kerrigan brings onboard?

Off-Season Blues...I mean, Greens

2008-10-16T08:23:00.001-07:00

It's sad when you go to the Pirates home page and this is the top story. They're putting in a new field surface. Last year they made changes to the PNC Park seating (information here), and now it's the grass. If you read the article, you can learn about every kind of grass it will contain and how it's a great pedigree. Choosing, not to mention growing, that stuff is one of those jobs you never, ever think about. Probably because it's really boring to think about.

I'd really rather leave the field as-is and work on developing the team, but I guess I'm not the one in charge. Oh well, at least they're recycling the old field grass to use around Pittsburgh. Can't get any greener than that.

2008-07-05T10:24:00.000-07:00

Trying to find my mom a cool birthday gift, I ended up doing a search for Pittsburgh concert tickets and found out that Johnny Mathis is playing at Heinz Hall soon. I didn't even know that guy was still alive, but he sure can sing. There are so many celebrities like that out there, ones that you can't remember for sure if they're dead or alive. Then again, my brother even forgot that my grandma had passed away once, so I suppose it's not just a celebrity problem...

To All Star or Not to All Star?

2008-06-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

The past couple of years it's been an easy decision about whether or not to buy MLB All Star Game tickets. 2007, San Francisco...way too far away. 2006, Pittsburgh...right here at home. No brainers.

But this year it's a tough call. With gas prices up, a 12+ hour round-trip to the Bronx is pushing it. It's close enough to be tempting but far enough to make me feel lazy. Maybe I'll just wait and see the final lineup.

Pain Pain, Go Away

2008-06-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

It's bad enough to injure or re-injure yourself during a game you win, but poor Snell didn't even get the hero's glory for pushing through the pain yesterday. Ian, if it makes you feel any better, we all felt your pain during that crappy 6th inning. Hope you get that elbow under control soon!

Out with the old, in with the new

2007-10-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

Well, they finally did it... Tracy's out, and Huntington's in. Also out are Brian Graham, Ed Creech and Jon Mercurio. Will it help? Only a new season will tell.

A fatigued what?

2007-06-04T15:41:00.000-07:00

I know I've been quiet a while, but this cracked me up. So they're saying that Roger Clemens of the Yankees may be healthy enough to make his major-league debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates next weekend. Not in itself all that special, but it's his injury that had me cracking up. He's out due to -- get this -- a "fatigued groin."

I know a lot of guys who'd give their right arm to tell people their groin was getting enough use to be fatigued.

Ahem. Back to baseball.

2007-01-16T14:02:00.000-08:00

The Pittsburg Pirates are still pining away for Adam LaRoche, but what if that doesn't pan out? They confirm their second choice is Chad Tracy, from the Arizona Diamondbacks, who would play 1st base for the Pirates.

Sanchez Rewarded for his Determination

2006-12-11T07:47:00.000-08:00

Infielder Freddy Sanchez of the Pittsburgh Pirates was given the 17th Tony Coingliaro Award for overcoming adversity through spirit, determination, and courage. Sanchez was born with a club right foot and a severely pigeon-toed left foot which required him to have surgery and lots of rehab to learn how to walk and run. Sanchez overcame all of this to lead the National League with a .344 batting average last season for the Pirates.

The Season for Rumors

2006-11-17T12:41:00.000-08:00

The internet still amazes me with how fast it spreads news, but this time of year (baseball-wise) all it seems to have available is rumors. Regarding the Pittsburgh Pirates, all the rumors are about Yuslan Herrera, who (rumor has it) pitched for cuba in the 2004 Olympics, then defected to the Dominican Republic. We seem to be fairly sure he's a 6 foot 2 right-hander, aged 25. Beyond that, facts about, say, his experience and the gaps therein, his speed, and overall ability get kind of fuzzy.

I've seen some speculation that the Pirates organization may even have taken an interest in Herrera because the novelty of his background may lure a few more fans into PNC Park to see him for themselves. Nothing wrong with selling more tickets, but let's hope Yuslan Herrera will surprise skeptics and keep on selling tickets with some genuinely sharp pitching.

A Pittsburgh Win to Celebrate

2006-11-02T11:56:00.000-08:00

Wrong time of year to get a win from the Pirates (maybe from the Steelers as well--just kidding!) But Pittsburgh’s National Hockey League team had a nice victory over the Los Angeles Kings. We beat them 4-3 in overtime.

The winning goal came from rookie Evgeni Malkin, who contributed another one in regulation time, and who has made a goal in every game he has played for us so far. That’s six in a row—this guy might just make a hockey fan out of me. Where do I get Penguins tickets?

World Series Holds Out Hope for Pirates

2006-10-28T13:30:00.000-07:00

Think about it. Who ended up in this year's MLB World Series? One team (Detroit) that scraped bottom only three years ago with 119 losses to 43 wins and another (St. Louis) that squeaked into the playoffs with 83 wins, the lowest total ever for a World Series winner. Note that they didn't make it into the World Series when they led their league in wins.

2006 was a bummer for the Pirates, but...well, fill in your own hopeful platitude here. It's a stretch, but just ask the Tigers and the Cardinals if luck can't change.

Nutting Family Likes Pirates More Than Slots

2006-10-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

Looks like Pittsburgh Pirate majority owners Bob and G. Ogden Nutting are giving up on trying to get 500 slot machines for Seven Springs Mountain Resort, and will concentrate on just fixing the place up real cool. The reason is that Pennsylvania law doesn't allow a casino owner to own a pro sports team as well, and the Nuttings aren't about to let go of the Pirates.

I'm not a real strategic kind of gambler. That's why I like the slots--ya pays yer nickel, ya takes yer chance. Assuming the machines aren't rigged to rip players off, do I really care what the people who own the machines do with the rest of their money? All the legal hassles over gambling are a mystery to me.

You Will Be Missed

2006-10-12T11:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, tragedy struck the New York Yankees with the news that Cory Lidle died in a plane accident in New York City. Cory & his piloting instructor, Tyler Stanger, both died yesterday afternoon after crashing into a 50-story building in Manhattan. Lidle left behind his wife Melanie & son Christopher. I would like to express my sympathies to his family & hope that they will someday recover from their great loss.

Well, Our Pitchers are Good....

2006-10-02T20:52:00.000-07:00

With All-Star pitchers like Jason Bay and Freddy Sanchez, maybe next year will be the year. It’s tough being a Pittsburgh sports fan right now. At least we’ve got the Steelers.

Pirates let snakes get away.

2006-06-19T17:12:00.000-07:00

I was surprised that the Pittsburgh Pirates failed to capitalize on their near-comeback against the Arizona Diamondbacks today. The game went eleven innings with the Diamondbacks scoring only in the fourth and eleventh. It was disappointing to see the Pirates suffering so much at the plate.

I am hoping to make it out to the park for one of the Pirates upcoming games against the Kansas City Royals or Los Angeles Dodgers. I just hope they will fare better against the Royals than they did against the D-Backs. Kansas is at the bottom of the AL Central, so I may just get my wish.

Pirates with No Bats

2006-05-15T17:30:00.000-07:00

The Pittsburgh Pirates are not doing as well as I hoped they would be doing by this point in the season. We are sitting at the bottom of the NL Central standings and just gave up a painful series to the Florida Marlins. Ian Snell choked and allowed 8 runs in the first two innings and we were unable to get the runs and hits to make a come back. We lost 2 of 3 and the series to the Marlins just as we did against the Washington Nationals and New York Mets. What is the primary cause of our losing record, in your opinion?

Stay Healthy Pirates. Please!

2006-04-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

There is no doubt that it’s been a very rough start of the season for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Things can get a lot better for them if they stay healthy, but with three of their key players on the disabled list it may be too late. Our first baseman, Sean Casey, is the biggest loss but it looks like Jason Bay was trying his best to make up for it by hitting a home run Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Racing accident takes one life

2006-03-27T18:08:00.000-08:00

Saturday was a sad day for Indy Racing and sports fans everywhere. During practice, Paul Dana failed to notice another car had stopped on the track and plowed into it at an estimated 175 miles per hour. Dana died in the crash and the driver of the other car, Ed Carpenter was released from the hospital in good health except for a bruised lung. Paul Dana was well liked in his circles and will be missed by many.

Health Concerns for Kip Wells

2006-03-01T18:29:00.000-08:00

Kip Wells of the Pittsburgh Pirates has been diagnosed with a clogged axillary artery which brings blood to the head and arms. He experienced what the players termed as “arm fatigue" and was diagnosed through an angiogram. The doctors claim the act of throwing is what caused the blockage.

What is happening to our professional athletes?

2006-02-10T15:44:00.000-08:00

This Pittsburgh Pirates fan is concerned with the scandals that are circling professional sports right now. Players threatening fans, the NHL gambling ring and collegiate athletes going to jail for robbery are the outrageous undignified goings-on that are dominating news in the sports world right now.

Pirates Fan Makes Super Bowl Predictions

2006-01-30T09:39:00.000-08:00

It’s not quite the same as the Pittsburgh Pirates making the World Series but, hey, if you’re from Pittsburgh, you’ve got to be wishing you had Super Bowl tickets to see our Steelers beat the Seattle Seahawks! Go, Steelers!

Super Bowl Destiny Decided

2006-01-23T15:06:00.000-08:00

If you don’t have Super Bowl tickets yet, you had better act fast. The battle at Ford Field is going to be intense. Both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks flexed their muscles on Sunday and came out victorious. Both games were blowouts and the Broncos and Panthers couldn’t get past the power and passion of the two teams destined for Super Bowl XL.

Basketball Battle of the Titans

2006-01-16T13:05:00.000-08:00

In sports news the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets went head to head in a frenzied marathon of a basketball game on January 10, 2006. The triple overtime match was one of the highest scoring games in history. Anthony Henry of the Nuggets scored 43 points including the game winning field goal made with 2.9 seconds left. Both teams played with amazing intensity and never backed down going goal for goal throughout the extra minutes. If you are a basketball fan at all you know that this qualifies as one of the greatest games in history. My hat is off to these two great teams for the fine skill and concentration displayed in their titanic battle.

Oliver Perez Under the Microscope

2006-01-07T17:29:00.000-08:00

The Pirates are looking hard at Oliver Perez. Like many players he is playing winter ball. Some think that he didn’t do well in the 2005 season because he did not participate in any conditioning or winter ball during the off-season. He is playing for the Mexican team from Culiacan, his home town, at the suggestion of team management. Littlefield has made a trip to check up on his progress and the outlook is good for him to have a strong 2006 season and take on more of a leadership role. He has not made any impressive improvements on the mound but has made some general steps in the right direction

Pirates Hope for Fewer Injuries in 2006

2005-12-30T12:43:00.000-08:00

In the 2005 season the Pittsburgh Pirates started out strong and then injuries and other setbacks plagued the team. The season went downhill from there. We have made some player acquisitions that should help us to start out strong in 2006. The Pirates hope that these new additions can stay healthy and take us into the post season. Filling our opening at third base will be a player we have seen before, Joe Randa. The free agent has been signed to a one year contract and we are counting on his great home run stats and bating average to increase our scoring potential in 2006.

Now Hiring: Pitcher, Right Field and Third Base

2005-12-22T18:14:00.000-08:00

There have been some exciting changes made to the Pittsburgh Pirates team. One of the more popular shifts is Dave Littlefield’s decision not to offer a contract to Josh Fogg. As a pitcher his game fluctuated and his stats showed it. We are hoping to fill the openings we have at right field and third base with the resources that are saved by not allowing Fogg arbitration. The members of the 2006 bullpen with the fifth slot open will be Duke, Maholm, Wells, and Perez. The lineup is young and fresh and we feel like we have good depth even without a fifth. The question is, who do we court for the opening?

Pirates Sign Roberto Hernndez

2005-12-14T14:35:00.000-08:00

The Pittsburgh Pirate signed a great deal with free agent pitcher Roberto Hernandez for one year. He fills our space for a right handed Veteran reliever. This is our first free agent signing of the off-season and a good one in my book. If there is anything this Pirates team needs, it’s pitching. We don’t have the depth in the bullpen that fans would like and I foresee some more player trades and acquisitions in the very near future. Now that the Winter Meetings are concluded in Dallas, our management will be back and working on getting this team ready for spring training and the 2006 season.

Drugs or No Drugs?

2005-12-06T18:47:00.000-08:00

There have been a fair amount of controversies this year surrounding the steroids and baseball scandal. Talk radio shows all over the country have been covering each new player who comes forward or denies involvement. Everyone seems to have a different opinion on the morality of using performance enhancing drugs. I don’t understand why it’s so hard for people to take a side. Either they used drugs or they didn’t. It shouldn’t matter what kind of drugs they used. If we don’t want America’s youth using them, then steroid use should be considered as wrong illegal substance abuse.

Littlefield of to Winter Meetings

2005-12-02T16:14:00.000-08:00

There are more player moves that happen during the Winter Meetings than at any other time of the year. Going into this year’s meetings the Pittsburgh Pirates have the opportunity to make some trades and sign free agents. This year’s payroll increase will allow us a lot more flexibility than in past years and we could really beef up our offense at right field, third and first. If we have the chance to also increase our pitching strength I believe strongly we should take the opportunity this off season. General Manager Dave Littlefield is concerned with pitching as well as the clubs other needs and will make the right decisions.

Spring Training and Jeff Manto

2005-11-25T11:08:00.000-08:00

The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced their Grapefruit League spring training schedule. They will start March 2, 2006 with a game against the Washington Nationals. The game will be held in Viera, Florida at the Space Coast Stadium. The Pirates will be playing a charity game against Manatee Community College the day before on March 1, 2005. Our Grapefruit League home games will include competitions with the Braves, and Red Sox to mention a few. In other news, Jeff Manto has been chosen to be the Pirates hitting coach. Of the Pirates coaching staff, he is the first to have been promoted from within. He was a good MLB player and will was a fine coach in the Minors. He will be a nice addition to Jim Tracy’s staff.

More Money Equals More Wins

2005-11-15T13:58:00.000-08:00

General manager Dave Littlefield has a great opportunity this off season to build the Pirates up and find some good veteran players to lead his young modestly paid new team. The financial elasticity to do this comes from his liberating the team of some long-term expensive contracts and the fans. The Pittsburg Pirates have seen attendance go up by over 200,000 in 2005. With more money to spend this team may be able to pick up the powerhouse offensive players they need to gain a competitive edge and hopefully more wins next season.

Diligence

2005-06-14T09:13:00.000-07:00

I was starting to get worried about Pirates short stop Jack Wilson. Wilson did not impress anybody earlier in the season. Recently though, through the month of June Wilson has been very patience and his bat is finally coming around. In all 11 games this month Wilson has been hitting with a .316 batting average. With a patient approach I would only assume that Wilson season will only get better.

Coming Around

2005-06-01T16:21:00.000-07:00

The Pirates are breathing a sigh of relief. Their right-handed-closer Jose Mesa has finally come through the way the team has been expecting him too. Mesa earlier in the month of May had two blown saves and his roster spot was looking shaky. But last night against the Marlins, Mesa pictured perfectly to get his first save in long time. A couple more performances like that and he doesn’t have to worry about loosing his roster spot.

Month of May

2005-05-29T11:59:00.000-07:00

What a month for right-handed-picther Dave Williams. In this month of May, Williams went 4-1 with a sizzling 2.59 ERA. It is uncharacteristic of Williams to pitch so consistently, but I am sure the coaches are loving every moment. Just don’t get your hopes up if Williams doesn’t have another ‘May’ like month.

Fundamentals

2005-05-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

It has to be a little frustrating for pitching coaches in the Majors to keep reminding their pitchers about their mechanics. It is all fundamentals when you think about it. Ever since we started playing baseball in little league the game has always been about the fundamentals.

Well for south paw Oliver Perez, he might have forgotten about all that. Pitching coach Spin Williams noticed Perez’s lead foot was coming out to far on the mound which opens his shoulder and causes him to lose velocity on most of his pitches. So Perez was given two weeks off to work on his mechanics.

Here is your shot

2005-05-18T12:19:00.000-07:00

It looks like Daryle Ward will get some regular playing time at first base. This is due the injured Craig Wilson, who is at least expected to be out for two months. The good news is that Craig Wilson has quite the potential to be a power threat with a bat in hand. Another upside is Ward has the capability defensively to be a solid baseball player.

Around the Horn

2005-05-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

from Foxsports.com

The club is expecting a breakout season at the plate from second-year 2B Jose Castillo, who came off the D.L. last week after missing a month with an oblique strain. The Pirates believe Castillo can hit 15 to 20 home runs. He already is a top defensive second baseman because of his outstanding range and arm strength.

1B Daryle Ward has kept his weight in check and the nagging injuries that plagued him last season appear to be behind him. He's one of the club's few legitimate left-handed power threats and will play as long as he keeps hitting.

SS Jack Wilson's off-season appendectomy has affected his ability to drive the ball consistently. Wilson's offense will suffer until he regains strength in his core.

A look at the Pitching

2005-05-06T13:41:00.000-07:00

After being among the steadiest setup men in the N.L. last season, RHP Salomon Torres was hit hard in several early appearances. Torres' sinker lacked downward movement because a stiff neck forced him to shorten his delivery. The team believes he will get back on track once his mechanics are realigned. . . .

IF Freddy Sanchez will continue to receive increased playing time because of his approach at the plate. Unlike most of the team's young hitters, Sanchez does a good job of working the count to his favor. He also is adept at hitting with two strikes.<

Redman cruises early, stung late in loss

2005-04-18T14:39:00.000-07:00

By Ed Eagle / MLB.com

The vinyl LPs of yesteryear have long since been replaced in popularity by CDs and MP3 players, but they can still serve as an apt analogical synopsis of the first two weeks of the 2005 Pittsburgh Pirates season.

"I think it's become a broken record for us," said Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon. "We're just not getting hits in key situations. Somehow we've got to come out of this funk."

The Pirates' 4-2 loss to the Cubs at PNC Park on Sunday before a crowd of 20,416 at PNC Park followed a script that has become familiar for the team. Mark Redman gave the Bucs another solid pitching performance, but the struggling offense could not capitalize on opportunities to blow the game open. As a result, the Pirates were held to three runs or less for the ninth time in 12 games, including each of their eight losses.

In search of their first series win of the season, the Pirates appeared to have Cubs starter Greg Maddux on the ropes in the third inning. Redman, who was hitless in his previous 31 at-bats, singled after two outs and advanced to third base on a Matt Lawton double. An RBI single by Jack Wilson and a run-scoring double by Jason Bay gave the Pirates a 2-0 lead with runners at second and third base. With another pair of runs just a base hit away, the future Hall of Famer fanned cleanup hitter Rob Mackowiak to close the book on the Pirates' best offensive inning of the game.

"I didn't think [Maddux] had his best stuff," said McClendon. "I really thought we had the opportunity to be effective off of him. We just couldn't get the hits that we needed."

After collecting five hits off Maddux in the first three innings, including four in the second inning alone, Pittsburgh was held to one hit over the final six frames.

"We got on [Maddux] early and we didn't really put him away," said Bay. "That's just the way things have been going.

"We've got guys who are getting hits, but we're just not getting the timely ones. We've out-hit some teams and lost, but we're not getting the crucial ones to drive in runs, and that's the problem."

Redman (1-1), who took a line drive off his right knee in his previous start, had his third consecutive strong outing for the Pirates, limiting the Cubs to one earned run through the first seven frames.

In the eighth, however, the veteran lefty began to fade. With the game tied at 2, Redman allowed consecutive one-out singles to Jerry Hairston and Nomar Garciaparra before being lifted in favor of Salomon Torres.

"Lloyd was giving me a chance to try to get a win out of it," said Redman. "Unfortunately I couldn't get Nomar to swing at my pitches and I fell behind, 2-1, on him so I had to come right after him in that situation."

After Torres walked Aramis Ramirez on five pitches to load the bases, Derrek Lee came through with the big hit the Pirates had been unable to deliver. Lee's sharp grounder between shortstop and third base was enough to chase home the two runs which proved to be decisive.

"In that situation, you want a ground ball to induce a double play," said Torres. "I got a ground ball and it found a hole."

The Chicago bullpen made sure that the lead held up. Michael Wuertz (1-0) tossed a scoreless seventh inning to earn his first win of the season. Cubs closer LaTroy Hawkins blanked the Bucs in the ninth to notch his second save in as many days.

McClendon, who has taken his share of heat from the fans and the media in the early weeks of the season, put the onus of getting his team back on track on the shoulders of himself and his coaching staff.

"These are the guys that we have in the locker room and we have to continue to make them better and continue to believe in them, and we're going to do that," said McClendon.

Despite their slow start at the plate, McClendon remains confident in the ability of his hitters.

"Every year, we talk about the offensive slumps of a team," said McClendon. "We know it's going to come and the guys in that locker room know that they are going to hit.

"The players need me the most when they are down. When they are playing well they don't need me [because] they're feeling good and they're in their groove. This is the time when you have to step up as the leader of the club and make sure they are ready to play every day and go out there and give it their all. We'll do that."

In the Begining

2005-04-09T11:53:00.000-07:00

Baseball season started earlier in week and things have not worked out the way most people have wanted. Please keep in mind it is only the start of the season. The Pittsburg Pirates won their first game of the season recently against the San Diego Padres in a start of the first season series.

The score was 3-2 and the rust is still coming off. The Pirates sit at the bottom of the National League Central with the Cubs, both with a 3-1 record, but don’t fret the season has just begun.

Tough Call

2005-03-30T17:13:00.000-08:00

from Foxsports.com

LHP Zach Duke, the Pirates' 2004 minor league pitcher of the year, has exceeded all expectations in camp. He has excellent command of his 89-92 mph fastball and his off-speed pitches. Most impressively, Duke has a better feel for pitching that would be expected of a player who started last year at Class A. He mixes his pitches well and has excellent mound presence. If Duke is unable to win the final starting rotation job, he'll begin the year at Class AAA. His stay in Indianapolis will be short if he can continue to dominate the way he has at the lower minor league levels.

Injury Woes

2005-03-13T17:27:00.000-08:00

from Foxsports.com

Spring injuries to LHP Oliver Perez, RHP Kip Wells and LF Jason Bay, along with the offseason appendectomy surgery on SS Jack Wilson, showed how thin the team is behind their top stars. Although all four are expected to be back on the field before opening day, the loss of any of these players for an extended time during the regular season would be difficult, if not impossible, for the club to overcome. . .

Key Issues

2005-02-14T12:11:00.000-08:00

from Foxsports.com

With approximately $4 million remaining in available payroll, and the free-agent market void of any impact hitters, G.M. Dave Littlefield will attempt to address his team's need for a power hitter through a trade, preferably for a player with low service time. Despite the season-ending injuries suffered by LHP Sean Burnett and RHP John Van Benschoten, Littlefield still has several talented pitching prospects from which to deal. . . .

Because SS Jack Wilson will be sidelined for at least the first two weeks of camp while recovering from an offseason appendectomy, oft-injured IF Freddy Sanchez will be given plenty of opportunities to show that he is healthy and ready to compete for the big league job as the backup to Wilson and 2B Jose Castillo.

Oliver Perez

2005-02-03T16:37:00.000-08:00

It will be on the arm of young 23-year-old Oliver Perez, to will help lead the way for the rest of the Pirates bullpen and rotation. The lefty went (12-10) and maintained a 2.98 ERA in 2004.

The kid also ranked only under Randy Johnson, hold the opposing batters to s very respectful .202 BA, and the icing on the cake is at such a young age Perez was ranked 4th in the NL in 2004 with 239 K’s in 196 innings.

Young Oliver has the goods.

Infielder Analysis

2005-01-24T15:18:00.000-08:00

from foxsports.com

The strength of the infield is up the middle. All-Star Jack Wilson always has been among the top defensive shortstops in the game. Last season, his bat finally caught up to his glove. 2B Jose Castillo, a converted shortstop, displayed outstanding range and a rifle arm as a rookie. With a year of experience, Castillo should be able to contribute more at the plate. 3B Ty Wigginton is a below-average defender, but he should add 20 to 25 home runs to a lineup in desperate need of power. Daryle Ward, another subpar defender, will get the majority of time at first base if he can stay healthy and keep his weight under control.

Pirates pick up All-Star Lawton

2004-12-20T09:49:00.000-08:00

By Jim Molony / MLB.com

The Pirates filled their need for a leadoff hitter Saturday by acquiring All-Star outfielder Matt Lawton from Cleveland in exchange for lefty reliever Arthur Rhodes.

"Lawton, we think, is a good fit. With this move we've been able to help our offense," Pittsburgh general manager Dave Littlefield said. "With the trade of Jason Kendall we obviously needed some offense. This gives us a left-handed bat who has done a solid job as a leadoff hitter. He will help replace some of the offense we lost with Kendall."

Lawton is due $7.25 million in 2005, the final year of a four-year contract he signed following the 2001 season. Rhodes is owed $8 million, including $3.2 million for 2005 and $4.8 million for 2006, the final season of a three-year, $9.2 million contract the pitcher signed last winter.

"There are cash considerations involved in the trade," Littlefield said. "Basically Cleveland is going to be paying some of the difference in salary between Rhodes and Lawton for this year. In return we will be paying some of Rhodes' salary for '06."

Lawton, 33, hit .277 with 25 doubles, 20 homers, 70 RBIs and 23 stolen bases in 150 games last season. He hit .305 with 15 homers and 49 RBIs in the first half, but slumped to .239 with five homers and 21 RBIs after the break.

Lawton's 23 stolen bases was tops among the Indians and sixth-most in the American League.

"He will lead off and play right field," Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He's a solid player, he's got some power, he can run and he's a very intelligent hitter and we're very excited to have him."

McClendon said he spoke to Lawton on Saturday.

"He's very excited about playing in the National League," McClendon said.

"This will give us some flexibility as far as [Lawton's] ability to play some different spots in the outfield and lead off," Littlefield said. "[He's] not the conventional [leadoff] guy per se because he does have some power, but he does get on base. This will be a guy that will provide both of those needs, be the leadoff hitter and also play in the outfield as a left-handed bat."

Rhodes, acquired from Oakland in the Kendall trade Nov. 27, spent 14 days on the Pirates roster. With the Pirates well-stocked with younger, cheaper left-handed options in their bullpen, the 35-year-old was clearly expendable.

"In my opinion this makes us a stronger team," Littlefield said. "We just felt overall that we knew that the dynamics of the situation was that taking back Rhodes was an extra piece for us."

Cleveland needed a lefty reliever, and the veteran Rhodes is expected to help out in a setup role and give manager Eric Wedge a late-inning option to use against left-handed hitters.

Rhodes was 3-3 with a career-high nine saves and a 5.12 ERA for Oakland in 2004.

Torres to Get $200,000 Signing Bonus

2004-11-15T11:34:00.000-08:00

by Associated Press, from ESPN.com

Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Salomon Torres' two-year contract will pay him $2.6 million, including a $200,000 signing bonus.

The Pirates' top setup man will make $1 million in 2005 -- a $250,000 raise from last season, when he was among the NL's most-used relievers -- and $1.4 million in 2006.

Torres' deal, agreed to Thursday, includes contract escalators of $25,000 for 30 games finished in 2005, $35,000 for 35 games finished, $45,000 for 40 games finished, $55,000 for 45 games finished, $65,000 for 50 games finished and $75,000 for 55 games finished.

Torres, 32, was 7-7 with a 2.64 ERA in 84 appearances last season, the most by a Pirates reliever since Kent Tekulve pitched in 85 games in 1982. Torres was fourth among NL relievers in innings pitched with 92.

Torres is 16-13 with two saves and a 3.70 ERA in 130 games over the last three seasons with Pittsburgh, in what effectively is his second major league career. He did not pitch in organized baseball from 1998-2001 and spent two years as the pitching coach for the Montreal Expos' Dominican Republic summer league affiliate before signing a minor league deal with the Pirates.

The right-hander was 11-25 mostly as a starter with the Giants, Mariners and Expos from 1993-97.

Corey, Figueroa Leave Pirates

2004-10-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

By Ed Eagle / MLB.com

PITTSBURGH -- Needing to clear space on their 40-man roster to protect up-and-coming prospects and potential free agent signings, the Pirates have parted ways with pitchers Mark Corey and Nelson Figueroa.

Corey was granted free agency Thursday after successfully clearing waivers. The right-hander, who was a minor league free agent in December 2002 after brief stints with the New York Mets and Colorado, spent the 2004 season shuffling five times between Pittsburgh and Triple-A Nashville. He was 1-2 with a 4.54 ERA in 31 relief appearances with the Bucs and 1-4 with a 4.42 ERA and 16 saves as the Sounds closer.

Figueroa, who like Corey split each of the past two seasons between Pittsburgh and Nashville, was given his unconditional release. The 30-year-old right-hander was 12-8 with a 4.19 ERA at Nashville before injuries in the Pirates rotation led to his promotion. In 10 appearances with the Bucs, including three starts, Figueroa was 0-3 with a 5.72 ERA. He was signed to a minor league deal on Jan. 13, 2003 after pitching in the big leagues with the Diamondbacks, Phillies and Brewers.

With the two moves, the Pirates currently have three spots open on their 40-man roster, which must be finalized by Nov. 20.

Among those prospects who must be added to the roster or be left exposed to the Rule 5 Draft are first baseman Brad Eldred, outfielders Chris Duffy, Rajai Davis and Nate McLouth, and pitchers Matt Peterson and Jeff Miller.

Bucs Succumb to Cubs' homers

2004-09-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

By Ed Eagle / MLB.com

CHICAGO -- The anticipated matchup between Pirates southpaw Oliver Perez and Cubs right-hander Mark Prior at Wrigley Field on Wednesday had the potential to be a heavyweight battle for the ages.

However, in Chicago's 13-5 pounding of the Pirates, the young hurlers looked more like battered grapplers holding on to avoid being knocked out by the 16-mph wind gusts than pugilists in their prime.

It didn't take long for Perez to realize that the conditions were not working in his favor. Coming off of a dominating, 14-strikeout performance against the Astros, Perez was taken deep in consecutive first-inning at-bats by Derrek Lee, Sammy Sosa and Michael Barrett as the Cubs jumped out to a 4-0 lead.

Before Wednesday, Perez had given up as many as four runs in only four of 26 starts.

Displaying a granite chin that would have made Rocky Balboa proud, Perez picked himself up off the canvas to keep the Cubs off the scoreboard for the next four innings. In the fifth, after the Pirates clawed back for a 5-4 lead, Perez pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam by fanning Barrett and inducing Mark Grudzielanek to ground out to end the inning.

Chicago's knockout blow finally came with two outs in the sixth. Neifi Perez tagged a two-run home run to left field to put the Cubs ahead to stay. After Moises Alou tripled to deep right-center field and Lee walked, Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon decided it was time for Perez to throw in the towel for the afternoon.

Perez (10-9) was saddled with the loss after allowing six runs on 10 hits and four walks. He also struck five batters to improve his season strikeout total to 217.

Prior, who had gone 5-0 with a 2.02 ERA in five previous starts against the Pirates, didn't fare much batter. Unable to protect a four-run lead, he lasted just five innings, allowing five runs on nine hits and three walks.

Pittsburgh put six consecutive runners on base at one point in the second inning against the Cubs' young right-hander and scored four times to tie the game. Jose Castillo's second RBI of the day, a two-out single in the third inning, gave the Pirates a 5-4 lead.

The Cubs put the finishing touches on their three-game sweep of the Pirates by putting a five-spot on the board in the eighth inning, highlighted by Sosa's grand slam off Mark Corey.

Chicago reliever Michael Muertz tossed a scoreless sixth inning to earn his first Major League win.

After falling for the 12th time in their last 13 road games, the Pirates will return to Pittsburgh for their final homestand of the season beginning Friday against the New York Mets.

Rookie of the Year?

2004-09-09T15:25:00.000-07:00

The Pirates have never had an NL Rookie of the Year award for any of their rookies ever, but Jason Bay is a good start. Even though he missed the first month of the season, Bay is in front of all the rookies in the league with 22 home runs, 67 RBIs and a .581 slugging percentage.

Bay also had the second eight RBIs game of the season. Nomar Garciaparra is the only other active player with two eight RBIs games.

Go Bucs!!

Williams is Back!

2004-09-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

from mlb.com:

Williams threw a simulated game on Monday and was given a clean bill of health to return to the mound, although he will be on a reduced pitch count Thursday. Not wanting to tip his hand to the Brewers, Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon wouldn't reveal how limited the pitch count would be.

"I'm not sure, 100 maybe," McClendon joked. "He'll throw anywhere between one and 120."

Williams isn't likely to throw more than 60 pitches, but regardless of how long he is on the mound Thursday, the left-hander understands that he has been given an opportunity that could determine his future role on a team loaded with young starters.

Welcome back Williams! GO PIRATES!!!

Way to Go!!!

2004-08-27T15:42:00.000-07:00

from mlb.com:

After Johnson retired 18 of the first 19 hitters he faced, including 17 straight following Jack Wilson's one-out single in the first inning, Wilson and rookie Jason Bay began the seventh inning with back-to-back home runs off of Johnson to propel the Bucs to a 2-1 win in a briskly-played, 107-minute game.

Woo Hoo!!! Way to go!!

Pitching Rotations

2004-08-25T14:59:00.000-07:00

from mlb.com:

Although the team has not yet released pitching probables for the upcoming weekend series with the Cardinals, Bucs skipper Lloyd McClendon plans to use Ryan Vogelsong on Friday, Nelson Figueroa on Saturday and Oliver Perez on Sunday. Josh Fogg will start the series opener on Monday against the Brewers, followed by John Van Benschoten, who will pitch Tuesday on seven days' rest.

It's good to have that cleared up. Let's hope that Wells feels better soon.

What a Play!

2004-08-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

From mlb.com

In the Pittsburgh Pirates' 7-1 win on Tuesday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Bank One Ballpark, Wigginton's "everything" included a little of his own blood.

The hard-nosed Pirates third baseman hit his first home run since being acquired from the New York Mets on July 30, but it was his bone-jarring collision at home plate with Diamondback catcher Koyie Hill in the fourth inning that he'll likely remember for years to come.

What a play! Let me know what you think about it.

Pirates Beat Giants!

2004-08-12T11:19:00.000-07:00

From mlb.com:

If you didn't know any better, you might think it was the Pittsburgh Pirates who were fighting for their playoff lives Wednesday night at PNC Park.
Facing a San Francisco team which was two games out of postseason contention, the Bucs overcame closer Jose Mesa's second blown save in as many nights to down the Giants, 8-6, in 11 innings.

GO PIRATES!!! Keep it up!

Pirates shoot for 4th straight

2004-08-11T14:08:00.000-07:00

The Pirates will be looking for a fourth straight win tonight against the Giants at PNC. Rookie Sean Burnett will be making his eleventh career start tonight. The 21-year-old has won five outings straight, but his last two games have botched the other column. He'll be facing Kirk Rueter, a fellow lefty. One of the best pitchers in the league, the Pirates will have their work cut out for them. Hope you all can find time to watch!

GO PIRATES!!!

Great Effort from Perez

2004-08-05T09:57:00.000-07:00

From mlb.com:

There is no doubt that Perez has great stuff, but even with great stuff, a
pitcher can be just .500. In fact, tonight's game might very well have been
Perez's season in a microcosm. Good pitching, a few timely hits by the other
team, and a lack of support from his own team.

The game against the Dodgers should have been a victory. Oh well, maybe next time.

Bay Named Rookie of the Month

2004-08-03T11:08:00.000-07:00

from mlb.com:

Pirates left fielder Jason Bay was named Monday as the National League's Rookie
of the Month for July. For the Canadian slugger from Trail, British Columbia, it
was the second consecutive month in which he garnered the award.

Way to go Jason Bay!!!

Benson Trade Rumors

2004-07-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

So, here's the latest news from the Pirates...

With six days remaining before the July 31 trading deadline, Pirates right-hander Kris Benson is the most coveted starter available on the market not named Randy Johnson. Benson has increased his trade value by winning four of his last five decisions and pitching consistently well for two months.
Littlefield, who spends most of his waking hours these days on the phone with his scouts and other GMs, has put himself into a position to add one or two top prospects to a young team which seems poised to make its first run at a winning season since 1992. He understands that the return on the Benson trade could go a long way in helping the Bucs to field a competitive unit for years to come.

Let me know what you think about all of this...

Why Couldn't Last?

2004-07-20T08:46:00.000-07:00

Well, it was a good streak while it lasted. I only wish that it could have gone on a little longer. Unfortunately, the Expos took advantage of the fact that the Pirates were having an "off" night. Lloyd McClendon, the Pirates manager, has looked at this loss as a sign that a little extra work is needed from his team.

Often times throughout the season, he'll put his team through defensive workouts to keep his players sharp in the field.
After the Bucs' 6-2 loss to the Expos on Monday night at PNC Park, a defeat which snapped their 10-game home winning streak, it seems a pretty sure bet that McClendon will soon have his squad back on the field for additional pregame work.

All that work is bound to pay off and I'm sure another streak is on its way!!!

GO PIRATES!!!

NL Falls to AL in All-Star Salute

2004-07-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

From MLB.com:

The crowd had barely calmed itself from the buzz created by the appearance of ceremonial first-pitch honoree Muhammad Ali when Clemens put the National League in a quick six-run hole, which led to a 9-4 American League win.

An Ivan Rodriguez RBI triple and two-run homer by Manny Ramirez gave the AL an immediate 3-0 lead. With two outs, Jason Giambi reached on a Jeff Kent error, and after Derek Jeter singled to left, game MVP Alfonso Soriano cleared the bases with a first-pitch homer to left field that gave the AL a six-run advantage.

Jack Wilson manned shortstop for the last four innings and his defense was flawless. He went 0-2 at the plate. Good game, Jack! Let's not take our players for granted ;-).

Make sure to catch the game against the Marlins tonight!!!

Pirates RULE!!!

2004-07-12T14:45:00.000-07:00

Well, maybe they don't "rule" right now, but you gotta stick behind your team, right? This is my new site devoted to the Pirates and all things baseball. If you're a Pittsburgh fan, you can post comments to show your support for our boys in black. There's not much to say right now during All-Star break, but I'll put up a little info for now in case you're not all up to date already.

Pittsburgh has a .453 avg right now, coming off a 1-3 series w/ Montreal in Puerto Rico. We'll be back in Pittsurgh for a 3 game series against the Florida Marlins on Friday.

In other news, congrats to Pirates short stop Jack Wilson, who will be playing in the All-Star game tomorrow!!!

GOOD LUCK ON FRIDAY, PIRATES!!!