Doubleheaders always bring the potential of unique accomplishments, and Tuesday's contests between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Mets brought some of those into play. Both games ended the same, a 3-1 Pirates victory giving the home team nine consecutive wins over the Mets, the most in franchise history. Often times in doubleheaders, relief pitchers appear in one game, but both Mark Melancon and Neftali Feliz appeared in each of the victories. Feliz allowed the lone run in Game ... Read More
Which team got the better of the Neil Walker-Jon Niese trade?
Tonight, Neil Walker will walk into PNC Park in an unfamiliar role: outsider. And Jon Niese will pitch against a team that knows him all too well. In December, a trade between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Mets sent shockwaves through both organizations. The Pirates sent beloved local boy Walker to the Big Apple in return for starting pitcher Niese, who had spent his entire career with the Mets. Now, in Monday night’s game, the two players will face their former teams for the ... Read More
Neil Walker makes return to Pittsburgh
Monday morning, Gerrit Cole had a chance to play tour guide, showing off the sites Pittsburgh had to offer, but his guest was a familiar face. After sleeping in his own bed and swimming in a pool he helped build, Neil Walker made his long-awaited return to Pittsburgh as his new team, the New York Mets, are visiting town for a three-game series. This past off-season, Walker was traded to the Mets, a trade that shocked people and caused anxiety because of several factors. For one, his ... Read More
Pirates’ Jonathon Niese an easy target but not solely to blame
At the end of Monday night’s game, Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jonathon Niese's record stood at 3-2, but that doesn’t tell the story of the game. In the loss to the Cincinnati Reds at the Great American Ballpark, a place where he hasn’t fared well, Niese allowed three solo home runs, but each barely cleared the wall. Those home runs are outs in practically any other ballpark. Is it alarming that a ground ball pitcher surrendered three long fly balls? Sure. At the same time, though, ... Read More
Pirates offseason analyzed: So long
In part two of analyzing the Pirates offseason, take a look at the guys the Pirates parted ways with. Good-byes: Oct. 20 Baltimore Orioles claim Vance Worley off waivers - Worley was a likable guy and very pleasant in the dealings I had with him, but it was clear that the Pirates were done waiting for him to show consistent promise as a starter. Worley had a trying season and saw his time as a starter with the Pirates end in Philadelphia, site of where he had some of his best pitching ... Read More
Pirates offseason analyzed: New additions
It has been a busy time all around baseball as the 2015 season is over and teams are trying to find the right pieces to make a run toward the 2016 World Series. The Pittsburgh Pirates are no different and have welcomed some faces, while saying goodbye to other ones. Hellos: Oct. 24 Pirates acquire Trevor Williams - This was a bizarre acquisition as this was later revealed to be compensation for the Pirates losing their "pitching guru" in Jim Benedict, someone whose opinion had high ... Read More
Neil Walker traded to Mets for Jon Niese
The Pittsburgh Pirates have been quiet for the first couple days of the annual Winter Meetings. That is until Wednesday rolled around. Pirates’ general manager Neal Huntington made his first major move of the offseason when he shipped second baseman Neil Walker to the New York Mets in exchange for left-handed starting pitcher Jon Niese. The deal is pending a medical review, but all signs point to it being a one-for-one deal. Walker, a former first-round pick and local product was ... Read More
Have Alvarez, Melancon and Walker played their last games as Pirates?
Previously, we’ve taken a look at who the Pittsburgh Pirates’ impending free agents as well as their players arbitration-eligible players. The latter story did not cover Pedro Alvarez, Neil Walker or Mark Melancon, since their situations are worth a closer look. All three will be eligible for free agency after the 2016 season, and Walker and Melancon are already 30, with Alvarez being 28. So, here is a closer look at all three’s off-season situations. Pedro Alvarez – It is hard to remember ... Read More
Pirates win to secure home field for wild card game
The Pittsburgh Pirates had a chance to control their fate in regards to determining the location of the National League Wild Card game and with a 4-0 win against the Cincinnati Reds Sunday afternoon, will ensure that it is played at PNC Park. “I’m proud of our team regardless of anything else that has gone on," manager Clint Hurdle said. "We won 98 ballgames, we’ve got a home field game in the wild card, everybody in that clubhouse contributed something this season and we’ll look forward to ... Read More
Pirates clinch third straight playoff berth
Merry Clinchmas, Pirates fans. September 23 has been a good day for the Pittsburgh Pirates, as they've clinched their playoff spot on that day in each of the last three years. This season, the Pirates defeated the Colorado Rockies by a 13-7 score to punch their ticket to the postseason. Neil Walker went 4-for-5 at the plate, hitting his 15th home run of the season in the third inning, while also batting in a career-high six runs. The Pirates had a total of 19 hits in the game. As far as ... Read More