Kevin Gorman stories, Page 141
Kevin Gorman: Pirates’ performance at PNC Park critical on and off the field
The Pittsburgh Pirates reached an important milestone Tuesday night with a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs, one that tends to be symbolic of (and necessary for) a successful season. They reached the .500 mark at PNC Park. Lost amid the hoopla over Adam Frazier’s four-double game Monday and seven...
Kevin Gorman: Pirates’ Josh Bell banking on potential payday in Home Run Derby
When Josh Bell bashed three home runs against the Chicago Cubs on Monday, it never occurred on the Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman that it happened on Bobby Bonilla Day. In what has become the longest running joke in Major League Baseball, the New York Mets pay the retired slugger a...
Kevin Gorman: Weighing the pros, cons of Penguins extending Mike Sullivan
On the opening day of NHL free agency, Jim Rutherford’s biggest revelation was about what the Pittsburgh Penguins will do with Mike Sullivan moving forward. Sullivan won the power struggle with Phil Kessel, as the Penguins chose their two-time Stanley Cup champion coach over the two-time Stanley Cup champion sniper....
Kevin Gorman: Penguins banking big on Jim Rutherford’s makeover moves
The Pittsburgh Penguins raised eyebrows around the NHL on Monday when they signed winger Brandon Tanev to a free-agent contract that was long in term and steep in price. General manager Jim Rutherford was blunt in his assessment of the price to pay to sign a bottom-six forward who had...
Kevin Gorman: Upcoming stretch a litmus test for Pirates
In one breath, Clint Hurdle called it one of the best wins he’s watched in nine years as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. In another, he downplayed the importance of one game. They overcame four deficits, including three-run margins in the ninth and 11th innings, before Kevin Newman’s full-count, bases-loaded...
Once cleared from concussion, Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli could do rehab assignment
As Francisco Cervelli awaits clearances to return from his sixth documented concussion, he made it clear playing catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates remains his preference. Cervelli has been out since May 26 after Joc Pederson’s broken bat hit him in the mask against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It marked the...
Kevin Gorman: On way to NBA, Cameron Johnson plans to give back to grassroots basketballVideo
The night before Cameron Johnson realized his wildest dreams, he reminisced about his roots. That a product of Western Pennsylvania is an NBA first-round draft pick is almost as much of an anomaly in the basketball world as a lottery pick with a master’s degree. Johnson is proud to be...
Kevin Gorman: The night Cameron Johnson cashed in his NBA lottery ticketVideo
On the night he was selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, Cameron Johnson reflected on a parked-car conversation and the reminder that followed. After Cameron had a rough high school game in his junior season at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Gil Johnson pulled into the...
WPIAL product Cameron Johnson picked 11th overall in NBA DraftVideo
When the phone call came from the Phoenix Suns, Cameron Johnson lowered his head and rubbed his eyes to wipe away the tears as family and friends celebrated around him. It was a celebratory scene at the Johnson family’s Moon Township home Thursday night when the 23-year-old sharpshooter was selected...
Q&A with Ray Searage: Pirates pitching coach discusses challenges, criticism
Ray Searage was the subject of my column this week for wearing a bull`s-eye for the Bucs. The Pittsburgh Pirates pitching coach has endured a rash of injuries to his starting rotation and bullpen and the criticism that comes with the club losing 20 of 29 games in one span....
WPIAL product Cameron Johnson ready to reward NBA team that takes chance on him
On the eve of the NBA Draft, Cameron Johnson was counting his blessings and crediting everyone who played a role the past five years in his development from borderline Division-I prospect to projected NBA first-round pick. “It’s a long ways from him signing with Pitt and a lot of people...
Kevin Gorman: How ex-WPIAL star Cameron Johnson rose to projected NBA 1st-rounder
Mike Rodriguez received the phone call from Pitt director of basketball operations Brian Regan on Easter Sunday in April 2014, with a favor to ask and only a 30-minute warning. Jamie Dixon was headed to Pittsburgh International Airport, and the former Panthers coach wanted to stop on his way to...
Kevin Gorman: Pirates missed the mark in Mitch Keller’s PNC Park debutVideo
As PNC Park debuts go, Mitch Keller’s lacked sizzle. Not to mention a victory. Keller was as much to blame for that as the Pittsburgh Pirates are, as both his major-league debut and second start were disappointing defeats at Cincinnati and Atlanta, respectively. The buildup you would expect for a...
Kevin Gorman: Ray Searage wears bull’s-eye as Pirates deal with pitching problemsVideo
Ray Searage hears the criticism. How could he not? The strength of the Pittsburgh Pirates was supposed to be the pitching staff, with a strong starting rotation and a loaded bullpen. Instead, the Pirates have dealt with disaster, as pitching became their biggest problem. A dozen pitchers have spent time...
Kevin Gorman: After being benched, Artie Burns shows accountability to Steelers
Artie Burns was answering questions about living up to the expectations of a first-round draft pick who was benched last season when a smile came across his face and his eyes lit up. Burns interrupted an interview to reach out and high-five his 4-year-old son, A.J., who arrived at his...
Kevin Gorman: Devin Bush wants to put Steelers ILB job on ‘lock, like his ponytail
Devin Bush has football in his blood and on his brain, as the rookie inside linebacker has impressed the Pittsburgh Steelers with his athleticism and his ability to absorb the playbook. But Bush believes it’s also in his hair. James Conner made waves with his modern-day mullet for the season...
Pirates trade Nick Kingham for cash 1 year after magical debut
Less than 14 months after a magical major league debut, the Pittsburgh Pirates traded pitcher Nick Kingham to the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday for cash considerations. Kingham, 26, who was out of minor league options, had been designated for assignment June 8. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound right-hander took a perfect...
Pitt names star-studded 12-member Hall of Fame class
Pitt announced a dozen athletes ranging from All-Americans to All-Pros will be welcomed to its Hall of Fame in 2019. The 12-member class will be inducted Sept. 20 at Petersen Events Center and introduced at Heinz Field when the Panthers play UCF on Sept. 21. Sam Clancy, men’s basketball: A...
Pirates sign seven more draft picks, including fifth-rounder Grant Ford
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed seven more draft picks on Wednesday, including fifth-rounder Grant Ford, a right-handed pitcher from Reno-Nevada. Also signing were Clemson catcher Kyle Willis (12th round), Georgia Tech outfielder Chase Murray (13th), The Masters University infielder Aaron Shackelford (14th), Rollins right-hander Garrett Leonard (15th), Minnesota catcher Eli Wilson...
Kevin Gorman: Steelers have to hope JuJu learned dos and don’ts from AB
To say JuJu Smith-Schuster learned from Antonio Brown is an understatement about the understudy of the NFL’s most prolific pass-catcher and social-media star of this decade. That Smith-Schuster embraces the opportunity to replace Brown as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ top player in both regards is only as valuable as how much...
Pirates recall Mitch Keller to start Wednesday’s game against Atlanta Braves
The Pittsburgh Pirates recalled top prospect Mitch Keller and will start the right-hander against the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night at SunTrust Park. It will mark Keller’s second start in the majors. In his debut, Keller allowed six runs in the first inning, including a grand slam, before throwing three...
JuJu Smith-Schuster says he learned from Antonio Brown’s Steelers exitVideo
JuJu Smith-Schuster said he was disappointed with how Antonio Brown’s tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers ended but said he wouldn’t describe their subsequent Twitter feud as hatred. The Steelers wide receiver exchanged words with Brown since the seven-time Pro Bowl and four-time All-Pro wideout was traded to the Oakland Raiders,...
Pirates plan to build top pick Quinn Priester ‘the right way’ in Bradenton
The Pirates gave Quinn Priester and his family the prototypical tour of Pittsburgh on Tuesday, from getting his first view inside PNC Park to a ride on the incline and lunch at Primanti Bros. On Wednesday, they put Priester on a plane. After signing their first-round pick, the Pirates sent...
Kevin Gorman: Penguins GM playing with poker face on trading Phil Kessel
Phil Kessel pulled a page out of the playbook of another Pittsburgh sports superstar, using his leverage like Antonio Brown to kill a trade before it could be finalized. Difference is, Jim Rutherford didn’t cave like Kevin Colbert. Where the Steelers general manager stayed true to his word about trading...
Pirates sign six more draft picks, including three first-day selections
One day after signing first-round pick Quinn Priester, the Pittsburgh Pirates came to terms with six more draft choices. The Pirates signed their second-round pick, Indiana outfielder Matt Gorski; Houston infielder Jared Triolo, their Comp B pick; and third-rounder Matt Frazier, an outfielder from Arizona. 2nd-rder Matt Gorski signs with...
