Many Pittsburgh Pirates contributed to the team's third consecutive playoff appearance, so it is no wonder why the list for placement when it comes to the most valuable player for 2015 is long. PSN's list will be a three-part series as honorable mention through 6 in this first part, 5-2 in the second part and the best will get their own separate entry. Unfortunately, Ray Searage was not up for consideration, or else this would not have been a contest. Honorable mention Jared Hughes- Hughes ... Read More
COLUMN: Deserving Benedict will be missed by Pirates
It is a sad day for the Pittsburgh Pirates as Jim Benedict, whose work has been praised from top to bottom in the organization, has departed to join the Miami Marlins as vice president of pitching. Though the title sounds like a bizarre one, this is a compliment to a man who frankly I am surprised was even with the Pirates last season. Benedict and Ray Searage made a great team that consistently improved Pirates pitchers. Whether they found success with the team or with another after their ... Read More
AM Joe: Bucs, pucks, hoops, recruits and more
Good morning, Pittsburgh. Here's your day in sports for Wednesday, October 21, 2015. What's on tap for today: Pitt's women's basketball team is getting close to their run for a second consecutive NCAA tournament bid. Head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio is at ACC media day today in Greensboro, North Carolina. Pittsburgh headlines: The Penguins (3-3-0) evened their record and got the power play and captain Sidney Crosby both on the board in a big way in their 3-2 overtime victory ... Read More
Orioles claim Vance Worley
The Baltimore Orioles announced that they have claimed Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Vance Worley off of waivers. Worley, 28, pitched in 71.2 innings in 2015 while splitting time between the Pirates’ rotation and bullpen. He also had a brief stint in Triple-A with the Indianapolis Indians. After going 8-4 with a 2.85 ERA in 17 starts in 2014, Worley struggled in 2015 with a 4.02 ERA. He made eight starts for the Pirates last season, and spent most of his time in the bullpen as a ... Read More
Pirates Boscan, Hernandez choose free agency
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Wilfredo Boscan and outfielder Gorkys Hernandez have elected to become free agents, according to Baseball America, Boscan, 25, was used primarily in the Indianapolis Indians rotation this summer after signing a minor-league deal with the Pirates last offseason. The right-handed pitcher posted a 3.07 ERA appearing in 25 games for the Indians posting 10 wins and three losses while accumulating 86 strikeouts. Boscan was called up to join the Pirates three times over ... 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 television ratings rise during 98-win season
After every Pittsburgh Pirates victory, broadcaster Greg Brown says, "Raise the Jolly Roger!" This year, not only was the record of the Pirates raised but so to were their ratings on Root Sports. According to information from Nielsen in THIS Forbes.com article on the 29 Major League Baseball teams in the United States, the Pirates ratings on Root Sports were up 8 percent with a 9.15 ratings average compared to an 8.49 ratings average in 2014. The 9.15 rating was good for third in all of ... Read More
Faces may change, but expectations remain
Almost a week has passed since the Pittsburgh Pirates’ season came to an abrupt halt, forcing players to clear out their lockers and fans to pack up their. After all seeing a team win 98 games, only to lose one and get the boot is a tough pill to swallow. If anything, it is a sign that expectations have changed for the Pirates, and they'll remain at a high level for the foreseeable future In the Dugout: Manager Clint Hurdle will be going into his fifth year as manager of the Pittsburgh ... Read More
Pirates prospects prep for 2016 in Arizona Fall League
Each fall, top prospects from Major League Baseball's 30 teams convene in the Arizona for the Arizona Fall League in hopes of honing their skills in order to continue pursuing their Major League dreams. Six teams make up the league which kicked off action earlier today. The AFL serves as a proving ground for these prospects as they compete with and against prospects from other organizations. Each team is made up of prospects from five teams. This year prospects from the Pittsburgh ... Read More
Pirates will have tough decisions to make in arbitration
Last week, we took a look at the Pittsburgh Pirates who are set to be free agents. Now, it's time to check in on their players that are arbitration eligible this off-season. The Pirates have 12 players that are eligible for arbitration, however first baseman Pedro Alvarez, second baseman Neil Walkand closer Mark Melancon’s situations will be broken down in greater detail later due to their significance. That leaves nine players the Pirates can tender a contract to. These players can accept ... Read More