There’s always a first time for everything and the first playoff appearance for the Pittsburgh Power is just around the corner. The Pittsburgh (15-3) will travel south to take on the Southern Division champion Orlando Predators (11-7) Sunday afternoon at 2 PM. Pittsburgh won an earlier meeting this season 62-61 in Orlando. Just one season removed from a 4-14 campaign, the Power turned things around on the arm of 2012 league MVP Tommy Grady. Grady finished a strong 2014 campaign with 4717 ... Read More
Archives for July 2014
What we learned from the MLB trade deadline
For baseball fans and the journalists who cover the game, the trade deadline is one of the biggest days of the season. It's a time to see what might happen to either make a team better for a playoff run, or how a team might build for the future. This was my first deadline working as a sports writer; coffee brewed, computer(s) on, Twitter feed constantly being refreshed — definitely a different feeling from some of the other deadlines I can remember from the past. Throughout you are hearing ... Read More
Pirates stay put at trade deadline
For the second-straight year, the Pirates didn't make any major moves at the trade deadline. Pirates GM Neal Huntington and the front office were in numerous talks with other teams as reports had them asking for the likes of Lester, Price, Lackey, Bonifacio and various bullpen arms. At the end of the day, however, the asking price was too high for them as the Pirates would have needed to let go a package deal that included the likes of Josh Bell, Tyler Glasnow, Jameson Taillon, Alan Hanson , ... Read More
Pirates claim RHP Angel Sanchez from White Sox
The Pirates made their first minor move of the trade deadline in claiming AA RHP Angel Sanchez from the White Sox. Sanchez has played between the Marlins, Rays and White Sox AA affiliates this season posting a combined 2-12 record with a 6.60 ERA while posting a 1.607 WHIP and striking out 54. To make room for Sanchez on the 40-man roster, the Pirates have designated RHP Josh Wall for assignment. Stay with PSN all day as the 4 PM trade deadline nears. Follow @TBerardi_OVA (Photo ... Read More
Cardinals trade for starters
In the Past 24 hours, the Cardinals have traded for two starting pitchers in Justin Masterson and John Lackey while the Pirates look for their first acquisition. Masterson was 4-6 with a 5.51 ERA in 19 starts for the Indians this year while posting a 1.653 WHIP and striking out 93. He hasn't made a start since July 7th due to a sore knee, but will start Saturday against the Brewers. Lackey was 11-7 with a 3.60 ERA in 21 starts for the Red Sox while posting a 1.231 WHIP and striking out ... Read More
Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Nick Spaling To Two-Year Deal, Avoiding Arbitration
Two down, one to go. The Pittsburgh Penguins entered this month with three restricted free agents to deal with: Simon Despres, Nick Spaling and Brandon Sutter. General manager Jim Rutherford agreed to contract terms with Despres two weeks ago, paying the defenseman $1.8 million over two years. That left Spaling and Sutter, with the former choosing to file for salary arbitration while the latter declined. Perhaps the threat of the arbitration process pushed things along regarding Spaling, ... Read More
Pittsburgh Pirates trade deadline predictions
As I sit here writing, Pittsburgh Pirates’ general manager Neal Huntington has around eight hours remaining to figure out exactly what he wants to do in order to shape this team for the stretch run. Any trade deadline is a great day for sports fans, but especially baseball’s trade deadline. It’s easy to say just pull the trigger and add a guy like Jon Lester, but put yourself in Huntington’s shoes for a minute. Do you mortgage parts of your future for a guy you are going to only have for ... Read More
Mental errors cost Pirates in 7-5 loss
A major baserunning gaffe and a wide-throw on a wild pitch proved costly as the Pirates fell to the Giants 7-5 on Wednesday afternoon. With the Pirates (57-50) ahead 5-4 with one out in the sixth inning and Travis Snider and Gaby Sanchez on second and third, Chris Stewart walked. Snider didn't realize first base was unoccupied and started walking towards third. The Giants realized what was happening and tagged out Snider for the second out. Sanchez saw the play unfold and tried to get into a ... Read More
Joe Greene’s number to be retired.
For only the second time in the history of the organization, the Pittsburgh Steelers will officially retire a jersey number to honor a Steeler great. Hall of Fame defensive lineman and the first pick of the Chuck Noll era in 1969, Joe Greene will join fellow Hall of Famer Ernie Stautner as the only Steelers to be granted this special honor, as his No. 75 will officially be retired. Greene, generally considered the cornerstone of the "Steel Curtain" defense and one of the greatest defensive ... Read More
Liriano quiets Giants in Pirates 3-1 win
The Pirates have pulled to within one game of the NL Central lead with a 3-1 victory over the Giants on Tuesday night. The Pirates (57-49) scored early for a second night in a row against Tim Hudson as they scored once in the first and twice in the second. Josh Harrison started things off with a lead-off home run to right . They got another big blast in the second from Travis Snider when he followed an Ike Davis single with a home run to right to extend the lead to 3-0. From there, Hudson ... Read More