Kevin Gorman stories, Page 126
Pirates catcher Jacob Stallings has concerns about coronavirus risks behind the plate
Jacob Stallings was reminded a few weeks ago that, as the catcher, he will be in close quarters with the umpire standing over his shoulder and every opposing hitter who comes to the batter’s box, in addition to his own Pittsburgh Pirates teammates every game he plays during the covid-19...
Pirates reveal outfielder Socrates Brito, reliever Blake Cederlind tested positive for covid-19
Pirates manager Derek Shelton on Sunday said two players, outfielder Socrates Brito and relief pitcher Blake Cederlind, tested positive for covid-19 and gave their consent to be identified. Shelton stressed he must respect the privacy of players and staff members but believes it is an important step in spreading awareness...
‘Burgh’s Best to Wear It, No. 57: John Smiley still holds distinction as a Pirates pitcher
The Tribune-Review sports staff is conducting a daily countdown of the best players in Pittsburgh pro and college sports history to wear each jersey number. No. 57: John Smiley Nearly three decades later, his name remains synonymous with an accomplishment that hasn’t been duplicated since by a Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher....
Pirates among MLB teams with positive tests for covid, manager Derek Shelton confirms
The Pittsburgh Pirates are among the 19 major league teams that have had positive tests for covid-19, manager Derek Shelton confirmed Saturday. MLB teams provided tests at the start of training camp this week after a nearly four-month shutdown of the sport. Of the 3,185 tests administered across the league,...
Josh Bell embraces role as a powerful voice for the Pirates
As the lone returning All-Star for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Josh Bell was expected to become the new face of the franchise. With his willingness to use his public platform, Bell has shed his soft-spoken image to become one of the biggest and boldest voices for the Pirates in speaking out...
After tweaking his throwing motion, Josh Bell prefers starting at first base over DH role
Josh Bell spent the offseason streamlining his throwing motion, switching to a sidearm release, in an effort to show the All-Star first baseman belongs on the field as an everyday position player. When MLB added a universal designated hitter for the shortened season this summer, Bell became an obvious candidate...
Joe Musgrove taking next step as anchor of Pirates pitching staff, eyes Opening Day start
Joe Musgrove started his second training camp the same way he ended the first in mid-March, with the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander taking the mound to throw a five-inning simulated game. That was where the similarities ended, as the Pirates opened their summer camp Friday at PNC Park instead of LECOM...
Derek Shelton jokes about managing to get Pirates in first place, tips hand on opener
Derek Shelton has yet to manage his first major-league game, but that didn’t stop the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie skipper from making a joke about navigating an MLB season shortened by the coronavirus crisis. And he migh have tipped his hand about Opening Day, as well. In a guest appearance on...
Pirates lock up entire draft class, signing pitchers Carmen Mlodzinski, Jared Jones, Nick Garcia
The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed their entire 2020 draft class, locking up right-handed pitchers Carmen Mlodzinski, Jared Jones and Nick Garcia, the team announced Thursday. Jim Callis of Baseball America reported Mlodzinski, a competitive-balance round pick, signed for a $2.05 million bonus, which was less than the slot value for...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Pirates ready to follow protocol, play ball as camp starts at PNC Park
This will be a baseball season of so many firsts, especially with the Pittsburgh Pirates having a new team president, general manager and field manager preparing for a 60-game regular season with the universal designated hitter and an extra-innings rule. But their first focus is on a second edition of...
Pirates manager Derek Shelton took time to ‘listen to our players’ about social justice issues
Derek Shelton waited two decades to become a major league manager, only to have his Pittsburgh Pirates managerial debut delayed by the coronavirus crisis. As the Pirates are about to embark on a second spring training — this one dubbed by MLB as Summer Camp — Shelton was asked to...
Pirates manager Derek Shelton ‘fired up’ to see baseball activity at PNC Park as players report
It’s not quite baseball in a bubble, but Derek Shelton on Wednesday got his first chance to watch players work out at PNC Park as Pittsburgh Pirates manager. As Pirates players are in the process of reporting for summer camp, the three-week preparation period for the 60-game regular season, Shelton...
Pirates’ 2019 first-round pick Quinn Priester promises to make most of his summer in limbo
On the eve of the Pittsburgh Pirates reporting to PNC Park for Summer Camp to train for the 2020 season, Quinn Priester was driving to Wisconsin for a Fourth of July weekend getaway. When the Pirates didn’t include their 2019 first-round pick and top-five prospect on the 60-man roster Sunday...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Taking a look at the top position battles for Pirates training camp
When Ben Cherington submitted the 60-man training camp roster to MLB, the Pittsburgh Pirates general manager turned in only 59 names because of the late development of reliever Edgar Santana’s suspension. In truth, the Pirates actually have 38 players competing for a job on the 30-man Opening Day roster that...
Pirates include top position prospects Ke’Bryan Hayes, Cole Tucker on training camp rosterVideo
The Pittsburgh Pirates set their 60-man roster for the shortened season Sunday afternoon, despite a surprise suspension, and notable names were missing from the major league roster and taxi squad. The 39 players who will report to training camp starting Wednesday at PNC Park included top position prospects in third...
How Logan Hofmann defied odds and bet on himself to become Pirates’ 5th-round pick
Logan Hofmann never wanted to be known as the short pitcher from the small town, but as a 5-foot-9 right-hander who was raised in Muenster, Saskatchewan (population: 430), he proudly owns it. Well, mostly. “I’m listed at 5-10,” Hofmann said, “because it looks a little better on the roster.” His...
Pirates continuing restructuring, laying off 15 members of baseball operations department
The Pittsburgh Pirates had another round of layoffs on Friday, this time letting go 15 members of the baseball operations staff in a restructuring of the department, a source confirmed to the Tribune-Review. The employees were informed they would not be involved in the organizational plans following this season, so...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Predicting the Pirates’ 30-man roster and taxi squad
If you listened to Derek Shelton’s weekly appearance on 93.7 FM, the Pittsburgh Pirates manager dropped a bit of a bombshell when he discussed potential designated hitters. Oh, Shelton has warned us before that he has no plans to designate one player as DH, as much as that might be...
MLB rule changes give new Pirates manager Derek Shelton flexibility with pitching staff, DH
Now that MLB has decided to play a 60-game season featuring regional matchups, new Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton is switching his strategy from a marathon to a sprint and preparing for rule changes. Shelton believes that benefits him, given the Pirates will be playing opponents from the NL Central...
Pirates let go more than 2 dozen employees in restructuring of business operations
In a move made to restructure the business operations of the organization under new leadership, the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday laid off more than two dozen employees, including select department heads, a source told the Tribune-Review. The decision to make staff changes came just two days after MLB and its...
Pirates to use Altoona Curve stadium as alternate training facility
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Thursday that Peoples Natural Gas Field, home of their Double-A affiliate, the Altoona Curve, will be used an alternate training facility this season. “The Pirates organization is appreciative of the longstanding relationship we have had for over two decades with the Altoona Curve,” Pirates general manager...
Taking the mound takes Pirates pitcher Jameson Taillon’s mind off MLB negotiationsVideo
For someone sidelined this season, Jameson Taillon had a baseball-filled Tuesday — a day that will go down for its monumental moments. Taillon threw off the mound for the first time in his recovery from a second Tommy John surgery, firing 15 fastballs after making mechanical changes to shorten his...
Signing with Pirates, seeing PNC Park for 1st time ‘jaw-dropping’ for top pick Nick Gonzales
Nick Gonzales knew that the number he wore at New Mexico State wasn’t a consideration for the Pittsburgh Pirates, going so far as to remove images of himself wearing a Pirates jersey with No. 21 out of respect for the late Hall of Fame right fielder Roberto Clemente. “I kind...
Pirates ‘excited to return to play baseball,’ expect every player to report to training campVideo
The Pittsburgh Pirates expect every player projected to be on their 30-man roster for MLB’s 60-game season to report by July 1 to training camp — which new manager Derek Shelton has nicknamed “The Deuce” — and plan to use “every square inch” of PNC Park. That was the biggest...
Oddsmakers set over/under for Pirates’ wins at 25½ in shortened season
Based on MLB’s 60-game regular season, the oddsmakers at BetOnline.ag set the over-under at 25½ wins for the Pittsburgh Pirates, projecting a last-place finish in the NL Central. With the shortened season, the oddsmakers expect many teams to have the same records. The teams projected to have the best records...
