It is that time of year again – the trade deadline is a week and a half away and the Pittsburgh Pirates are already being linked to a number of names on the trade market. But of course teams have to give to get, so what do the Pirates have to offer other teams? The top prospects If the Pirates decide to get creative and make a run at Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels it would have to take a package center around top pitching Tyler Glasnow, and possibly include top hitting ... Read More
COLUMN: Polanco could be Pirates biggest X-Factor in second half
Now more than ever the Pittsburgh Pirates need Gregory Polanco to live up to his potential. The Pirates are in the midst of a tightly contested NL Central race with the St. Louis Cardinals, but Josh Harrison’s injury will keep him out at least another month, while Starling Marte has been battling the injury bug lately. This is the perfect chance for Polanco’s star to shine: to be the guy that steps up and helps deliver the Pirates to their first ever NL Central crown. The Pirates need ... Read More
Checking in on Pirates top prospects
As Pittsburgh Pirates fans may be all too familiar with by now, the lower budget Major League club’s lifeblood is the team’s farm system. With the MLB All-Star Future’s Game now in the rear view mirror, now is a good time to see how some of the club’s top prospects have been performing this year. Keep in mind pitchers Jameson Taillon and Nick Kingham were omitted due to having both suffered a major injury that cost them most of their seasons. Tyler Glasnow - The right-handed pitcher was ... Read More
Cole, Walker help Pirates even series with Cardinals
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Gerrit Cole was named to the NL All-Star team on Monday, and Friday he showed why in a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. The right-handed Cole [13-3 2.30 ERA] threw seven innings and recorded three strikeouts with his only blemish coming from a Matt Carpenter two-run home run in the top of the third. He is the first Pirate pitcher to win 13 games before the Mid-summer Classic since Dock Ellis in 1971. Offensively, Neil Walker was the hero of the night for the ... Read More
Unheralded pitchers helping ease loss of pitching depth
Similar to the phoenix from the Harry Potter series, the once strong Pittsburgh Pirates pitching depth may be rising from the ashes a bit after appearing to flame out. Coming into the 2015 season, the team’s pitching depth was considered a strength, as pitchers like Jameson Taillon, Nick Kingham, Brandon Cumpton, Casey Sadler and Clayton Richard were expected to be the team’s top pitching depth options. Instead, the former four players are now unavailable due to injury, while Richard was sold ... Read More
It’s time for the Pirates to promote Alen Hanson
Now is the time for the Pittsburgh Pirates to bring up second baseman Alen Hanson from AAA Indianapolis. Josh Harrison is on the disabled list, and Starling Marte might be right behind him. Gregory Polanco, meanwhile, is struggling to get on base. Those are the top three Pirates in stolen bases this season, all either injured or underperforming. Hanson, who was Baseball America’s seventh best Pirate prospect prior to the start of the season, could help fix the club’s woes between the ... Read More
What areas could Pirates improve?
Approaching the midway point of the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates once again find themselves as legitimate playoff contender. The club’s 45-33 record is the second best in the National League, and third in the Majors. After a rough start, the Pirates appear to have hit their stride and barring injuries or setbacks, should find themselves in a push for a third straight Buctober. They still trail the St. Louis Cardinals by 6.5 games in the National League Central, but are still firmly ... Read More
Pirates need to beat division foes to get over hump
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jared Hughes knows wins never come easy against fellow National League Central teams, and so far the Pirates have had a hard time getting those wins. The Pirates have been a woeful 14-20 against fellow National League Central teams this year. Breaking it down, the club is 2-4 against the Cardinals, 4-6 against the Cubs, 6-3 versus the Milwaukee Brewers and a dreadful 2-7 vs. the Cincinnati Reds. “There are a bunch of good teams in the NL Central,” Hughes said. ... Read More
Pirates fielding versatility can help preserve the bullpen
A baseball team having only four bench players is usually not an ideal situation for that team. But for the Pittsburgh Pirates, they can afford to do so for a short time. The bench fell short a man Wednesday after Corey Hart was placed on the 15-day disabled list and pitcher Chris Volstad took his spot on the 25-man roster. It was a much needed addition to the Pirate bullpen that combined to throw 12 1/3 third innings the previous three days. It is a loophole that is probably used more than ... Read More
Checking in on Travis Snider
When the Pittsburgh Pirates traded Travis Snider to the Baltimore Orioles for two minor league pitchers in February, many questioned why the Pirates traded a Major League player for prospects. The 27-year-old Snider looked like he was finally coming into his own last year, as he had a post All-Star line of .288/.356/.524 and added nine home runs after the Midsummer Classic. He looked like a challenger for the right field starting job in 2015, or at the very least be a strong contributor ... Read More