As much as hockey means to Canada, that's what baseball means to America. It is, after all America's sport. Baseball is popular all over the world, though. An event like the World Baseball Classic helps elevate baseball's status globally. Countries like Japan, Dominican Republic and Cuba are hotbeds for baseball talent. One country that isn't usually associated with baseball is Germany. Their national sport is football and its top league is known as Bundesliga. Germany also has a baseball ... Read More
Locke-d and loaded
Each year, there seems to be that one player that breaks out from behind that shadows and takes the city, and league, by storm. Last year for the Pirates, that guy was James McDonald. Now, we of course know the story with McDonald. He came over in the Octavio Dotel trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Last year was the year that J-Mac became a household name, at least for the first half of the season. McDonald was considered an All-Star snub and in the running for the Cy Young Award before the ... Read More
Pirates come from behind in win over Tigers
With a late-game rally that was equal parts American League thunder and National League small ball, the Pirates on Thursday upended the Detroit Tigers, 5-3, at PNC Park. In the seventh inning, the Pirates batted around against right-hander Anibal Sanchez and erased a two-run deficit. With one out, Garrett Jones dropped a single into center field. Russell Martin walked. Pedro Alvarez lined a two-run double. On the next pitch, Travis Snider banged a double off the Clemente Wall to give the ... Read More
J-Mac’s days in Pittsburgh are numbered
James McDonald. I bet that’s a name you haven’t heard in a while, other than Monday’s atrocious rehab start in AA Altoona. And if the Pirates want to be serious contenders this season, they need to cut ties. McDonald has been just about everything for the Pirates since arriving in 2010 for Octavio Dotel. He has been the ace, the worst pitcher in the rotation, a solid number three starter and a reliever. McDonald made his debut in 2010 for the Pirates. He started 11 games and went 4-5 with ... Read More
Can Pirates’ Jason Grilli continue record setting pace?
When the Pittsburgh Pirates made the decision to trade former closer Joel Hanrahan to the Boston Red Sox and hand the job to set-up man Jason Grilli, it was often questioned how the veteran would handle to transition from the eighth inning to the pressures of pitching in the ninth inning. With close to two months of the 2013 season now in the books, Grilli hasn't just made the transition to closer, he’s made it look easy. Grilli not only currently leads all of baseball with 21 saves at the ... Read More
Pirates Pick Up Extra Inning Victory Over Tigers On Walker Home Run
After a 6-5 loss yesterday, the Pirates wrapped up their two-game road series against the Tigers with a hard fought extra inning victory against the Tigers. The story of the game was pitching, and Rick Porcello and Jeanmar Gomez each looked brilliant on the mound tonight. Porcello, who came into the game with an ERA over six, pitched one of the best games of his career. The 24-year old pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing only three hits, while striking out eleven batters. His strikeout ... Read More
Pittsburgh Pirates GM Neal Huntington Trades: Win, Lose, Or Draw?
Neal Huntington is the General Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and has always been criticized for his management of the team. Huntington gets the blame anytime the team is not succeeding, and as is the case recently, gets lauded with praise when the team plays well. Huntington arrived to the Pirates in late 2007, and has done his best to rebuild an organization. Unlike his free agent pickups, I’ve been a fan of Huntington’s trades over the past five to six seasons. Smitty has stated that ... Read More
Pirates drop opener to Tigers
DETROIT -- Justin Verlander struck out 13 batters and sent the Pirates to a 6-5 loss against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on a rainy Monday afternoon. Jhonny Peralta had four hits and drove in three runs. Neil Walker doubled and tripled, scoring a run and driving in another for the Pirates. Verlander (6-4) allowed three runs on seven hits in seven innings. After the Pirates scored one off Verlander in the first, he shut them out until the seventh. The Pirates fought back ... Read More
Pirates take series from Brewers; have best start since 1990
MILWAUKEE -- Ryan Braun came to the plate three times Sunday afternoon with multiple Milwaukee Brewers on base and two outs. Twice, in the third and the seventh innings, the Pirates sent Braun and the Brewers back to the dugout. The Pirates defeated the Brewers, 5-4, at Miller Park to win the three-game series and their 13th of the past 16 games. The Pirates taxed Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo and knocked him from the game after four innings. Gallardo struck out seven and walked two, ... Read More
Locke, homers carry Pirates to victory
MILWAUKEE -- The Locke Ness Monster was at it again. As with his mythical lake-dwelling namesake, people don't know whether Jeff Locke is for real or just a fascinating apparition. What they do know is that the left-hander's legend continued to grow on Saturday, when he threw six innings of three-hit shutout ball against the dreaded Brewers in the Pirates' 5-2 win. The Pirates had a splashing-good time in Miller Park. When the Locke Ness Monster was back in dry dock, the Shark Tank took ... Read More