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What Would a Starling Marte Contract Extension Mean to the Pirates?

Unless you consider a fifth-starter reclamation job and a handful of wait-and-see organizational promotions exhilarating, it’s been an awfully quiet offseason for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Not so for the Atlanta Braves, who earlier... More of this article »
Image for Pirates’ Liriano, Cole to Provide a Genuine Top of the Rotation

Pirates’ Liriano, Cole to Provide a Genuine Top of the Rotation

Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced that Francisco Liriano would be the team’s Opening Day starter for the 2014 season. “[Liriano] is another guy that models the behavior we want to instill in others,” Bucs manager Clint... More of this article »
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Pirates, Burnett Pass on Qualifying Offer Deadline

Monday’s 5 PM deadline to issue qualifying offers to pending free agents passed without an offer being made to Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher A.J. Burnett. Pittsburgh has a number of veteran players set to hit free agency... More of this article »
Image for Pirates Pitching Situation is Unstable and Unsustainable

Pirates Pitching Situation is Unstable and Unsustainable

The Pittsburgh Pirates pitching staff, to put it one way, is running on fossil fuels. Before long, the whole party’s going to crash. The Pirates are currently 10-9 despite playing one of the most challenging early-season schedules... More of this article »
Image for Pittsburgh Pirates: Assessing An Improving Farm System

Pittsburgh Pirates: Assessing An Improving Farm System

ESPN’s Keith Law recently released his list of the best farm systems in Major League Baseball (paywall), a list paced by the St. Louis Cardinals, Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays. Ever the rebuilding franchise, the Pittsburgh... More of this article »
Image for Chicago Cubs: Theo Epstein’s Patient Approach to Rebuilding

Chicago Cubs: Theo Epstein’s Patient Approach to Rebuilding

After two World Series titles raised the expectations of the Boston Red Sox and their wunderkind GM Theo Epstein, the Red Sox Way, as it’s sometimes called, abandoned its steady approach to organizational depth in favor of win-now,... More of this article »
Image for Pirates 2013 Opening Day Payroll to Grow, But Not Really

Pirates 2013 Opening Day Payroll to Grow, But Not Really

 The Pirates have the 9th-highest local viewership of MLB’s 30 teams The Pittsburgh Pirates project to have a 2013 Opening Day payroll somewhere around $65 million, according to Pirates Prospects. While that would classify... More of this article »
Image for After Trading Hanrahan, Pirates Should Now Deal Garrett Jones

After Trading Hanrahan, Pirates Should Now Deal Garrett Jones

Pirates need to make a move on Jones, and soon The Pittsburgh Pirates just completed a 6-player trade with the Red Sox that sent P Joel Hanrahan and prospect infielder Brock Holt to Boston in exchange for OF/1B Jerry Sands, P Mark... More of this article »
Image for Marlins Trades Reaffirm MLB’s Laissez-Faire Indifference

Marlins Trades Reaffirm MLB’s Laissez-Faire Indifference

“The damage to the Marlins’ ‘brand’ is impossible to calculate.” Baseball, often derided for it’s uncapped, laissez-faire player market that rewards deep pockets like the Yankees and Dodgers, is... More of this article »
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5 Things the Tigers Must to Do Win the World Series

Many predicted the Tigers would reach the World Series. It’s how they got there that no one saw coming. The Detroit Tigers reached the postseason with an 88-74 regular season record, posting the fewest wins of any division champion... More of this article »
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What Happened to the Pittsburgh Pirates?

Pirates – There are still two games left to lose Twelve wins. For the promises of the currently expiring five-year plan and its big-money draft picks, prospect-raking trades and hopeless free agent acquisitions, the Pirates... More of this article »
Image for Pirates’ Low Payroll, Improved Record Signal Small-Market Success

Pirates’ Low Payroll, Improved Record Signal Small-Market Success

(Heather Culligan @ flickr) Whether or not the Pirates reach the postseason, their 2012 campaign will likely end as proof that GM Neal Huntington’s five-year plan has gone exactly according to plan—that is, following the formula... More of this article »
Image for Pirates – Rodriguez, Snider, Sanchez – Since the Trades

Pirates – Rodriguez, Snider, Sanchez – Since the Trades

Snider is hitting .325 through 14 games with Pittsburgh (Krustation @ flickr) Pittsburgh didn’t make the salary splash some may have wanted at the 2012 trade deadline, one they entered as bona fide buyers for the first time in... More of this article »
Image for Nationals, Pirates and MLB Draft Spending Leaders Climbing Standings

Nationals, Pirates and MLB Draft Spending Leaders Climbing Standings

The Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates, two clubs that many expected to improve but few figured would contend, have made their marks on the MLB standings this season. The NL-East leading Nationals have the second-most wins... More of this article »
Image for Pirates Lose Series – Not Season, in Cincinnati

Pirates Lose Series – Not Season, in Cincinnati

Neil Walker had a two-run home run in Pittsburgh’s 6-2 win over the MLB-leading Reds Sunday (Keith Allison – flickr) The Pittsburgh Pirates dropped two of three in Cincinnati over the weekend in what must have been considered... More of this article »
Image for Andrew McCutchen Named NL Player of the Month for July

Andrew McCutchen Named NL Player of the Month for July

McCutchen leads all MLB players with a .373 batting average (Keith Allison – flickr) Pittsburgh Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen has been named National League Player of the Month for July, the second straight month in which he’s... More of this article »
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MLB Trade Deadline Analysis: Grading the NL Central Moves

Dempster, after turning down a move to the Braves, accepted an eleventh-hour trade to the Texas Rangers Tuesday (andysternberg / flickr) The NL Central has become a three-horse race with gap ever-widening between the Reds, Pirates... More of this article »
Image for Pirates Trade Analysis – Snider for Lincoln Low-Risk, High-Reward

Pirates Trade Analysis – Snider for Lincoln Low-Risk, High-Reward

Snider addresses a glaring hole in the lineup for the Pirates (Krustation / flickr) The Pirates traded RHP Brad Lincoln to the Toronto Blue Jays late Wednesday night, acquiring OF Travis Snider to address the lack of power in right... More of this article »
Image for Pirates’ Correia Seeks Trade After Bullpen Demotion

Pirates’ Correia Seeks Trade After Bullpen Demotion

Correia has asked for a trade (Keith Allison / flickr) Pittsburgh has been one of the most active teams in the trade market, even if they’ve only completed one meaningful deal so far. After acquiring LHP Wandy Rodriguez from... More of this article »
Image for Andrew McCutchen, Chris Sale and MLB’s Biggest Salary Bargains

Andrew McCutchen, Chris Sale and MLB’s Biggest Salary Bargains

Baseball players get paid. Period. North America’s only major team sport to operate without a salary cap has often been derided for the uneven playing field created by its lack of payroll parity, but you’ll hear no complaints... More of this article »
Image for Pirates Recall OF Starling Marte from AAA Indianapolis

Pirates Recall OF Starling Marte from AAA Indianapolis

Pirates fans will finally see the organization’s prized outfield prospect make his debut (RJ Schmidt / flickr) Pittsburgh called up corner outfielder Starling Marte Wednesday afternoon, ending months of speculation as to when... More of this article »
Image for Pedro Alvarez Beginning to Meet Pirates’ Early Expectations

Pedro Alvarez Beginning to Meet Pirates’ Early Expectations

Pedro Alvarez is becoming the power threat Pittsburgh hoped it had drafted in 2008 (Image jmd1280 / flickr) The Pittsburgh Pirates’ renaissance has had many faces. Andrew McCutchen’s MVP emergence. A.J. Burnett‘s... More of this article »
Image for Pirates, Huntington Not Likely to Overpay for Justin Upton

Pirates, Huntington Not Likely to Overpay for Justin Upton

The idea of bringing Arizona OF Justin Upton to Pittsburgh has many in baseball imagining a Pirates’ outfield that includes a former MVP candidate in Upton (fourth in 2011 NL MVP voting) and the prohibitive favorite to win 2012... More of this article »
Image for MLB Trades Affected by Expanded Postseason – Compensatory Picks

MLB Trades Affected by Expanded Postseason – Compensatory Picks

Justin Upton has surprisingly become the center of MLB trade rumors, but will the cost of a former MVP candidate scare GMs? (SD Dirk – flickr) At just past the halfway point of the MLB season and with the July 31 trade deadline... More of this article »
Image for Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen Headlines NL Midseason MVP Candidates

Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen Headlines NL Midseason MVP Candidates

McCutchen leads MLB with a .367 batting average (photo Keith Allison / flickr) The MLB season kicked off its second half Friday and two of the National League’s top MVP hopefuls squared off in the Milwaukee Brewers’ 10-7... More of this article »
Image for Pirates 2012 First Round Pick Appel Turns Down $3.8 Million Offer

Pirates 2012 First Round Pick Appel Turns Down $3.8 Million Offer

The 5:00 PM deadline for 2012 MLB draft selections to sign contracts passed Friday afternoon and Stanford RHP Mark Appel declined to sign his tender with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The number-eight overall draft pick and Scott Boras ‘advisee’... More of this article »
Image for Philadelphia Phillies 2012 Midseason Grades

Philadelphia Phillies 2012 Midseason Grades

After adding free agent closer Jonathan Papelbon to what projected to be baseball’s best pitching staff last offseason, Philadelphia looked set to extend its run of five straight division titles in 2012 in a weak NL East. Injuries,... More of this article »