Another trade deadline has come and gone in Major League Baseball and, like many teams, the Pittsburgh Pirates were very active on the trade front. With an offense that has been relatively good this season, the Pirates turned their attention strictly to pitching as they made four deals leading up to the deadline. However, questions surround these new acquisitions and how they will impact the Pirates the rest of this season and into the future. Let's take a look at each trade and examine ... Read More
Pirates deal Melancon to Nationals
With the Aug. 1 trade deadline in the MLB fast approaching, the Pittsburgh Pirates have made a deal with the Washington Nationals. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports first reported the deal. Sources: #Nationals getting Melancon. — Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 30, 2016 The deal includes relief pitcher, Mark Melancon, being traded to the Nationals. In return, the Pirates received pitcher Felipe Rivero and prospect player Taylor Hearn. Melancon, who recently went to the MLB All-Star ... Read More
Despite rough first half, Pirates should buy at trade deadline
The 2016 Pittsburgh Pirates are a much different team from years past. For the first time since 2010 when they lost 52 games by the fourth of July, the Pirates (42-41) have questions regarding their role when it comes to the trade deadline. As always, the trade deadline (August 1 this year) is bound to be an exciting one. With the Pirates sitting just one game above the .500 mark, many think that it may be time to sell and bring younger talent into the organization. However, the time is now ... Read More
Is it too early to write off the Pittsburgh Pirates?
The Pittsburgh Pirates are 76 games into the 2016 season, and they aren't exactly in an ideal position. The Pirates, who are 37-39 this year, sit 12 games behind the Chicago Cubs for first place and three games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for second place in the NL Central. The team has endured an abundance of issues; however, it's not time to completely write off the Pirates just yet. Young rotation help arriving When it comes to the starting rotation, it's no secret they've struggled this ... Read More
Rutherford plays it safe during NHL trade deadline
After years of dealing away young talent for expensive and often over-hyped rentals, the front office decided to approach this year more conservatively. With limited cap space and attractive assets, Pittsburgh may not have had much of a choice, but it is a good choice nonetheless. Mortgaging the future for the "win now" mentality has backfired on the Penguins in the past. Trading for Jarome Iginla, Douglas Murray and Brenden Morrow proved to stagnate the building and development of fresh ... Read More
Penguins trade Plotnikov to Coyotes
The Pittsburgh Penguins started off Trade Deadline Day by shipping offseason acquisition Sergei Plotnikov to the Arizona Coyotes for prospect Matthias Plactha and a seventh-round draft pick in 2017. The Penguins signed Plotnikov in July after the Russian forward scored 15 goals and finished with 36 points in 56 games with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL last season. In 32 NHL games with the Penguins, Plotnikov managed only two assists and last played on Jan. 6. Touted as a physical ... Read More
Pirates’ buy-low-high-reward deadline could pay off
Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Neal Huntington has never been one for flashy transactions, and his approach at the trade deadline was no different. And for now, that is OK. Huntington has always been shy about trading his top prospects, but at the same time he said he wanted to improve the club via trade this year. So far he has managed to do both. But how much the Pirates have improved now that the non-waiver trade deadline has passed remains to be seen. Outside of the trade for ... Read More
COLUMN: Winners from trade deadline don’t always win in playoffs
If there is one thing that can be predicted about the MLB trade deadline each year, it is that it is unpredictable. The big deadline winners have rarely made it to the World Series as of late, while some teams that make little to no moves end up winning the pennant. Last season, for example, the Oakland Athletics came away as the deadline’s big winner. They went all-in to acquire pitchers Jeff Samardzija, Jason Hammel and Jon Lester and gave up outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and top prospects ... Read More
Who are Pirates most appealing trade pieces?
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
Penguins are now Rutherford’s team
Make no mistake about it: these Penguins are Jim Rutherford’s team. The Penguins general manager continued to put his mark on his team, making a pair of deals before Monday's trade deadline, acquiring defensemen Ben Lovejoy and Ian Cole. As the Penguins roster in currently constituted, Rutherford has either signed or traded for 11 of the 24 players on the team, more than predecessors Ray Shero (9) and Craig Patrick (4). In addition to the lineup, the Rutherford has replaced the entire ... Read More