To hear Chris Stewart tell it, his recently minted extension with the Pittsburgh Pirates is all about stability."Oh, it's huge. For me and my family," Stewart told me recently during a phone interview. "First off, it's knowing where we are going to be for more than a year. It's relieving for us."Surely it was relieving for the Pirates as well, who now have their 2016 catching corps locked up for the foreseeable future. After agreeing to terms with starting catcher Francisco Cervelli to avoid ... Read More
Is now the time for the Pirates to extend Polanco’s contract?
Within the last few years, the Pittsburgh Pirates have had a main priority of locking up star players to long-term contracts. Two of those players were two-thirds of an outfield that was recently ranked the best in baseball by ESPN. The next player on the list of players who may see an extension in the near future could be the Pirates young right fielder, Gregory Polanco. In March of 2012, star outfielder and former National League Most Valuable Player Andrew McCutchen signed a six-year, ... Read More
Will the National League’s top-heavy lean affect Pirates?
In case you missed it, many teams got better in the National League this offseason. A lot better. If we take an early look at the landscape as we stand in frigid January temperatures, we can see a caste system of sorts taking shape. There are the perennial contenders out west. The San Francisco Giants got considerably better than they did last year by bringing in Jeff Samardzjia, Johnny Cueto and Denard Span. The Los Angeles Dodgers took a huge hit in losing Zack Greinke to the Arizona ... Read More
Andrew McCutchen ranked as fourth-best CF by MLB Network
MLB Network kicked off its annual "Top Ten Right Now" series of programs by ranking the top 10 centerfielders and shortstops. To arrive at the rankings, the network uses a proprietary algorithm named "The Shredder." This program measures offensive and defensive input without emotion or bias, leading to an ideally objective ranking. To round out the discussion, host Brian Kenny is joined by a second analyst to allow for real-life human analysis as well. After ranking first for the 2015 ... Read More
Pirates ink extension with Chris Stewart
Several outlets have reported that the Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to terms on a contract extension with catcher Chris Stewart. Robert Murray of Baseball Essential was the first to relay the news via a tweet. Source: #Pirates signing Chris Stewart to a two-year deal. Has a team option for a third year. — Robert Murray (@RobertMurrayBBE) January 14, 2016 The move is a surprising one. With Elias Diaz major-league ready and Reese McGuire making steady progress through the team's ... Read More
ESPN ranks Pirates pitching in Top 10
ESPN's Buster Olney has put out his annual rankings of the top rotations and bullpens in baseball. Last year Olney predicted the Pittsburgh Pirates to win the World Series. This year he is equally bullish when it comes to the Pirates starting pitching staff and bullpen. For the starters, Olney has ranked the unit seventh overall (subscription required) in MLB. The New York Mets unsurprisingly were ranked first, followed by the Indians, Cardinals, Cubs, Giants and Dodgers The ranking be ... Read More
Pirates could find value in Latos or Masterson
If the Pittsburgh Pirates 2016 season were to begin tomorrow, their starting rotation would look a bit different from years past. With the loss of two starters this offseason, the Bucs have begun to rebuild their rotation. However, it might not hurt for the organization to work out a deal for one of two available right-handed arms. With the Departures of A.J. Burnett and Charlie Morton, the projected Pirates rotation includes returning starters Gerrit Cole, Francisco Liriano and Jeff Locke. ... Read More
First step toward spring training arrives as Pirates begin mini camp
The Pittsburgh Pirates begin their first steps toward the 2016 season as they open their annual mini-camp today in Bradenton, Florida. Joining the club will be new relief pitching acquisition Daniel Bard. Bard signed a minor-league deal with the team and will attend spring training. Bard made his name as a reliever for the Boston Red Sox. He had some effective years, most notably 2010 in which he posted a 1.93 ERA in 73 appearances. After an attempt to convert him into a starter in 2012 ... Read More
Pirates sign RP Trey Haley
A day after signing Neftali Feliz, the Pittsburgh Pirates have signed another bullpen arm in right-handed pitcher Trey Haley. The deal is for one-year according to a team release. Haley, a second-round pick in 2008, was a minor league free agent but was signed to a Major League contract, meaning he will likely compete for a spot with the Pirates, after spending 2014 in the Cleveland Indians minor league organization. In Double-A he threw 34 innings and put up a 2.38 ERA and a 10.1 K/9 ... Read More
Pirates DFA Tony Sanchez
In a move necessitated by the team’s acquisition of reliever Neftali Feliz, Tony Sanchez was designated for assignment today by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The move brings an end to a colorful time with the team besotted by off-the-field incidents and lackluster progression. If a rival MLB club does not claim Sanchez during the waiver period, he will remain in the Pirates’ system but will not be on their 40-man roster. Taken with the fourth overall pick of the 2009 MLB Entry Draft, Sanchez ... Read More