Let's get meta for just a quick second. When you start writing about sports, and I'm talking specifically about baseball here, you quickly realize there is always someone smarter than you. One such person is Dan Szymborski, ESPN baseball analyst and creator of a proprietary projection system called 'ZiPS." Hosted over at Fangrahps, ZiPS takes into account many different factors when forecasting future playoff performance. Chief among them is prior performance set against comparable players ... Read More
Pirates trade Morton to Phillies
Charlie Morton will be opening the season on the other side of Pennsylvania as the Pittsburgh Pirates dealt the right-handed pitcher to the Philadelphia Phillies for minor league pitcher David Whitehead. In seven seasons with the Pirates, Morton battled injuries and inconsistency going 41-62 with a 4.39 ERA. The former 95th overall pick in the 2002 Major League Draft by the Atlanta Braves made his professional debut in 2008 for the Braves before coming to Pittsburgh in a trade that sent Nate ... Read More
A look at Pittsburgh Pirates team needs post-Winter Meetings
With the rush of the Winter Meetings behind them, the Pittsburgh Pirates will now continue to supplement their 2016 roster. Last year, the team saw a relatively quiet Winter Meetings that nevertheless saw them come away with key pieces such as Atntonio Bastardo and Francisco Liriano, who they re-signed. The bulk of their roster work was done after the summit. General manager Neal Huntington identified a market exploit as he looked to Korea for position players, solidified the weakest part ... Read More
Who are the reclamation projects the Pirates may sign?
The process may as well be a set schedule by now. December-February: The Pittsburgh Pirates acquire a struggling pitcher with some past success. The acquisition gains little attention nationally; fans give mixed reactions. May: After a few appearances, the pitcher is making a positive impact. Fans are cautiously optimistic. Nay a peep from the national media, though. August: The pitcher is having a great season. He has won the support of the fan base; pitching coach Ray Searage gets ... Read More
Pirates named Baseball America’s Organization of the Year
The Pittsburgh Pirates were named as Baseball America’s 2015 Organization of the Year on Monday. Their ability to put together a 98-win season through a strong core and good free agent signings and trades weighed heavily in their favor, as well as their strong minor league system. The Pirates were praised by Baseball America for the way they found value in building their roster better than most franchises did in 2015, such as the signings of A.J. Burnett and Jung Ho Kang, and the trades for ... Read More
Pirates keeping options open with Cervelli
Francisco Cervelli’s future with the Pirates is at a crossroads. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported Thursday that the Pittsburgh was listening to offers on all seven players with one year left on their deal with the club, including the Pirates’ catcher. Heyman also said the Pirates are considering signing Cervelli to an extension. The Pirates appear to be considering all options with Cervelli. And they should. Heyman’s rumor did not specifically address Cervelli’s availability other than ... Read More
Starling Marte wins first Gold Glove Award
There's been talk over the past few years that Starling Marte should move to center field, as he's the superior defender. On Tuesday night, he has the hardware to back it up, as he won his first career Gold Glove Award for his play in left field for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Marte beat out Justin Upton of the San Diego Padres and Christian Yelich of the Miami Marlins to take home the award. Marte's arm was a big reason for winning the award, as he led all National League outfielders with 16 ... Read More
COLUMN: Pirates lose more than a player in bidding for Byung-Ho Park
Jung-Ho Kang, our pick as the 2015 most valuable Pirates player, brought to Pittsburgh an abundance of new fans, new culture and most importantly, new financial opportunity. The Nexen Heroes, Kang’s former team, listed Byung-Ho Park on their posting system on November 2. Not too long after, rumors began to swirl on whether or not Park could adjust to MLB pitching, and what teams were involved in buying the rights negotiate with him. The 29-year-old of Buan County, South Korea is a two-time ... Read More
POLL: Which Pirates player should win the Gold Glove Award?
Three Pirates were nominated for the Gold Glove Award at their respective position, but which one deserves to take home the award? [poll id="150"] ... Read More
Should the Pirates follow the Royals model in off-season?
Sometimes breaking tradition is good. Sometimes plans need to be changed. Maybe it is time for the Pittsburgh Pirates to alter their course. General manager Neal Huntington’s blueprint to success has been clear since he was hired in 2008: Flood the system with prospects. Overspend in the draft and spend money on international players. Trade major league players when their value is high to get prospects in return and limit money on free agents and trade acquisitions to players they feel ... Read More