Ever since Kris Letang suffered his stroke earlier in the season, there have been rumblings that he was going to try to return before the end of the season. At times, it seemed like false optimism, but according to TSN's Bob McKenzie, Ray Shero's press conference at 10:15 a.m. today is to announce that Letang will return to the ice tonight for the Pens. "@JoshYohe_Trib: Ray Shero to speak at 10:15 about "Penguins roster."" Expected he will announce Kris Letang will return to lineup ... Read More
Archives for April 2014
Pirates Slip Past Castro, Cubs
After finishing 2013 with an impressive 44-37 record away from PNC Park in the regular season, the Pirates (5-2) continued traveling well with a 7-6 victory at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night. Starter Charlie Morton (0-0) went six innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and a walk. He mostly struggled against one hitter, Cubs SS Starlin Castro, who hit two home runs and drove in four in his team's losing effort. Tony Watson (2-0) earned the win in relief, despite allowing a run that tied ... Read More
Pens rest stars; defeat Colorado 3-2
After a poor showing in Minnesota the night before, Dan Bylsma elected to sit many of his starters to give them a rest before the Stanley Cup playoffs. Instead of a similar result from Saturday's 4-0 loss to the Wild, the remaining Penguins played a highly competitive, defensive game that led to their 50th win of the season. Playing without Sidney Crosby, Chris Kunitz, Brooks Orpik and Olli Maatta, the Pens defeated the Avalanche 3-2 in a shootout on Sunday night. Brandon Sutter got the ... Read More
Volquez Outduels Wainwright in Pirates 2-1 Victory
Edinson Volquez matched Adam Wainwright pitch-for-pitch on Sunday afternoon as he allowed the Pirates to stick around with the Cardinals enough to pull out a 2-1 victory in the final game of the Pirates opening series homestand. Volquez was the sixth-straight Pirates starter to allow the lead-off hitter to reach base (Bonifacio 3 times, Carpenter 3 times) when Matt Carpenter singled into center. He followed by retiring the next 14 Cardinals before allowing a one-out single to ... Read More
The Experience of Gerrit Cole
Gerrit Cole is the future of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitching staff. The 22-year old righty showed massive improvement as the season progressed last year as he earned NL Rookie of the Month honors in September. He followed that month up by starting two games in the 2013 NLDS against the Cardinals where he went 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA. Usually, once a player makes the jump to the majors, he has to work on a few things in the offseason that he didn't in the minors. That wasn't the case for Cole as his ... Read More
Jameson Taillon to have Tommy John Surgery
Jameson Taillon has been diagnosed with an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. After seeking a second opinion that confirmed the original diagnosis and not receiving relief from his symptoms despite a period of rest, the decision was made to seek additional opinions. Based on multiple medical opinions and recommendations, Jameson has elected to have Tommy John surgery which will be performed Dr. David Altchek. Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington spoke with the ... Read More
Pirate of the Week: Pedro Alvarez
The Pittsburgh Pirates have had a solid start to their season with a few exciting games already this season. One of those games, the opening game of the series with the St. Louis Cardinals, a hitting clinic was put on by the Pirates as they scored 12 runs against their NL Central rivals. Leading the way was third baseman Pedro Alvarez. Alvarez put the Pirates on top in the bottom of the second with a solo blast in his first at-bat of the game. His next time up, leading off the bottom of ... Read More
Pirates Gameday 4/6: Lineups, Hurdle Talks Volquez’s Confidence
Good morning from PNC Park where today the Pirates (3-2) finish their opening homestand of the 2014 season in the rubber match of a 3-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals (3-2). Edinson Volquez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will take the hill for the Bucs and oppose Adam Wainwright (1-0, 0.00). It was Wainwright who denied the Pirates a NLCS birth in game 5 of last seasons NLDS. Hurdle's Quotes On Volquez's improvements -- "For those that have watched every outing from the start of spring training, ... Read More
Pirates Can’t Comeback From Liriano’s Rough Start, Fall 6-1
The St. Louis Cardinals jumped on Francisco Liriano early for three runs in the first and the Pirate offense couldn't repeat their 12-run barrage from a night ago in a 6-1 loss on Saturday night. Liriano started off his night allowing three straight hits --including a lead-off single by Matt Carpenter, who was the fifth player in-a-row to lead-off the game with a hit -- and five of the first seven Cardinals to reach base in route to a Pirates 3-0 hole after a half inning. "I tried to use ... Read More
Volquez Aims for Another Good Outing in Sunday Start
Edinson Volquez made positive strides ahead of his start on Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals with a scoreless relief appearance against the Cubs on Thurdsay. The righty that was signed via free agency over the offseason didn't have the spring that Pirate management and fans hoped as he posted a 0-3 record with a 9.64 ERA in 14 spring training innings. Volquez made his first official Pirates appearance in the seventh inning of Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Cubs. He threw two scoreless innings ... Read More