Pirates/MLB category, Page 169
Pirates name Matt Fraizer minor league player of year, Adrian Florencio top pitcher
Matt Fraizer had one of the hottest bats in minor league baseball, to the point that the Pittsburgh Pirates promoted the 23-year-old outfielder from High-A Greensboro to Double-A Altoona in early August. After leading all Pirates minor leaguers with at least 350 plate appearances in batting average (.306), on-base percentage...
Pirates A to Z: David Bednar started season as hometown hero, finished as future closer
During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z: An alphabetical player-by-player look at the 40-man roster, from outfielder Anthony Alford to pitcher Miguel Yajure. Player: David Bednar Position: Pitcher Throws: Right Bats: Left Age: 27 Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 245 pounds 2021 MLB statistics: Bednar was 3-1 with...
Oneil Cruz named top slugger in system, as Pirates honor four minor leaguers with awards
Oneil Cruz made a splash in his two-game stint with the Pittsburgh Pirates, registering the hardest-hit ball in the Statcast era and hitting his first major league home run. The Pirates voted the 6-foot-7 shortstop, the No. 1 prospect in their farm system who posted a .970 OPS this season,...
Pirates A to Z: Lefty reliever Anthony Banda made positive impression on coaching staff
During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z: An alphabetical player-by-player look at the 40-man roster, from outfielder Anthony Alford to pitcher Miguel Yajure. Player: Anthony Banda Position: Pitcher Throws: Left Bats: Left Age: 28 Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 230 pounds 2021 MLB statistics: Banda was 2-2 with...
Pirates honor Triple-A pitching coach Joel Hanrahan, Greensboro staff with awards
After his first year as director of coaching and player development for the Pittsburgh Pirates, John Baker wanted to celebrate the success of the organization’s future with a tip of the cap to its past. “One thing I always try to do in this modern era of baseball,” Baker said,...
Pirates A to Z: Tanner Anderson’s lone relief appearance was appreciated for saving bullpen
During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z: An alphabetical player-by-player look at the 40-man roster, from outfielder Anthony Alford to pitcher Miguel Yajure. Player: Tanner Anderson Position: Relief pitcher Throws: Right Bats: Right Age: 28 Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 203 pounds 2021 MLB statistics: Anderson was 0-0...
Pirates A to Z: After whiffing early, outfielder Anthony Alford made most of 2nd chance
During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z: An alphabetical, player-by-player look at the 40-man roster, from outfielder Anthony Alford to pitcher Miguel Yajure. Player: Anthony Alford Position: Outfielder Throws: Right Bats: Right Age: 27 Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 215 pounds 2021 MLB statistics: Batted .233/.311/.406 with six...
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans are fixating on Mike Tomlin, frothing over NFL officiating and frustrated with Pirates … uniforms?
The Steelers may have a bye week. But “U mad, bro?” does not. This one has a lot of salty Steelers fans who are mad at coach Mike Tomlin, the officiating at the end of Sunday’s win over the Seattle Seahawks and media members for being too critical. I guess...
Josh Gibson Foundation announces Negro League Centennial celebration symposium
After several Negro League Centennial events were canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, the Josh Gibson Foundation has announced a slate of activities for later this month. A special symposium called “Why the Negro Leagues Mattered, and Still Do” will take place Oct. 29 from 7 to 9 p.m....
Members of ’71 champion Pirates recall ‘joyous time’ 50 years later
Dave Cash remembers the “moment in time” that took his breath away 50 years ago, as though it happened yesterday. On Sunday, Oct. 17, 1971, the Pittsburgh Pirates were clinging to a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning of the seventh game of the World Series at...
Steve Blass on retirement, hope for current Pirates, goofy minor league promos, and cow patty bingo
With seven years of minor league baseball under his belt, former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Steve Blass thought he had seen every possible goofy baseball promotion or fundraiser. Cow milking and greased pig catching while with the Kinston Eagles in 1962 leap to mind. “I lost horribly (at cow milking),” Blass...
Versatile Erik Gonzalez selects free agency after 3 seasons with Pirates
When Erik Gonzalez finished the 2020 season as the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting shortstop, he predicted big numbers if given a chance to play on an everyday basis. Gonzalez, however, lost the starting job to the hot-hitting Kevin Newman in spring training and didn’t deliver at the plate this past season...
Pirates fire 3B coach Joey Cora, parting ways with 2nd member of Derek Shelton’s staff
The Pittsburgh Pirates fired third-base coach Joey Cora after five seasons with the club. Cora, 57, who also coached infielders, is the second member of manager Derek Shelton’s coaching staff to be fired after the Pirates (61-101) finished in last place in the NL Central for the third consecutive season....
Bryan Reynolds has become Pirates’ best player but will they lock up center fielder long term?
Ben Cherington pointed to the way Bryan Reynolds runs the bases as a model for the Pittsburgh Pirates to follow, calling their 26-year-old center fielder “the best player on the team right now.” The Pirates general manager is hardly alone in his high praise for Reynolds, whose bounce-back season included...
Pirates prospects Endy Rodriguez, Adrian Florencio earn Low-A Southeast League honors
Two more Pittsburgh Pirates prospects earned honors Friday, when Endy Rodriguez was named MVP and right-hander Adrian Florencio the pitcher of the year in the Low-A Southeast League after leading the Bradenton Marauders to the league’s championship series. Rodriguez, 21, a catcher/first baseman/outfielder who was acquired from the New York...
Pirates prospect Quinn Priester named High-A East League pitcher of the year; Matt Fraizer named MVP
Greensboro Grasshoppers right-hander Quinn Priester, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ top pitching prospect who is ranked 49th overall by MLB Pipeline, was named High-A East League pitcher of the year. The 21-year-old Priester, the Pirates’ 2019 first-round pick, went 7-4 with a 3.04 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with 98 strikeouts and 39...
U mad, bro?: Steelers, Pirates, Ben Roethlisberger, Ben Cherington, Gerrit Cole feel fan wrath
With the state of affairs surrounding the Steelers of late, it’s a wonder how any other sports made the cut for this week’s “U mad, bro?” But with a 101-loss season and a smooth-talking general manager who just can’t seem to answer a question directly, the Pirates made the cut...
Former 1st-rounder Nick Gonzales among 7 Pirates prospects to play in Arizona Fall League
Seven Pittsburgh Pirates prospects, including 2020 first-round pick Nick Gonzales, will play for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League. Gonzales is one of 17 top-100 prospects who will play in the AFL. He will be joined by middle infielder Ji-hwan Bae, outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba and right-handed pitchers Bear...
Altoona Curve promotes Nate Bowen to general manager, as Derek Martin moves to advisor role
The Altoona Curve, the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, announced Wednesday the promotion of Nate Bowen to general manager. The 2022 season will mark Bowen’s 10th in the Curve’s front office. He spent the past three as assistant general manager to Derek Martin, who has accepted a job in...
Tim Benz: With MLB playoffs underway, Pirates’ roster is as far away as ever
If you spent any time in the Pittsburgh sports Twittersphere last Friday, you saw a lot of chatter about the eighth anniversary of the 2013 National League Wild Card Game. The Pirates’ first postseason game in Pittsburgh since 1992. PNC Park. Blackout. Johnny Cueto drops the ball on the pitcher’s...
Pirates GM Ben Cherington: Winning games best way to draw fans back to ballpark
When the Pittsburgh Pirates finished the season with an announced attendance of 859,498, it marked the first time since 1995 they failed to draw at least 1 million fans to their home stadium. Those figures came with a caveat, considering fans weren’t permitted to attend games in 2020, and the...
Oneil Cruz hits first career homer but Pirates lose season finale to Reds
The Pittsburgh Pirates played their finale on a day as dreary as their season, and watched their prospects of finally clinching a series sweep slip away in the same inning their manager was ejected. Derek Shelton was tossed for arguing an overturned call, so he wasn’t in the dugout to...
Pirates farm report for Oct. 3, 2021: Bligh Madris hits 2 doubles as Indianapolis loses season finale
INDIANAPOLIS (61-67) ended its season with an 8-3 loss to Nashville (Brewers). 1B Mason Martin (.240) and RF Bligh Madris (.272) each were 2 for 4. Madris smacked two doubles. LF Canaan Smith-Njigba (.095) and C Eli Wilson (.333) had RBIs. RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (0-1, 4.50) allowed two runs (one...
Pirates farm report for Oct. 2, 2021: Indy’s penultimate game rained out
INDIANAPOLIS (61-66) and Nashville (Brewers) were rained out. The game will not be made up. Indianapolis will play its season finale Sunday. Next: Sunday vs. Nashville, 1:35 p.m....
Top prospect Oneil Cruz sparks Pirates to 6-run rally, win against Reds in MLB debut
As a 6-foot-7 shortstop, Oneil Cruz often is the subject of tall tales. The Pittsburgh Pirates even speak of their top prospect in mythical terms, so it’s no wonder Ke’Bryan Hayes called Cruz a “unicorn” who can hit baseballs 600 feet with a single swing. Cruz didn’t deliver any majestic...
