ARI Receives: OF Starling Marte PIT Receives: RHP Brennan Malone, SS Liover Peguero — Pirates clear $11.5 million off the books for 2020, acquire two 19 year old prospects in dealing the longest tenured Pirate in Marte —
Pittsburgh Pirates
Rumors: Mets still in the mix for Starling Marte?
The New York Mets acquisition of Jake Marisnick hasn’t fully closed the door on the Mets considering a trade for Pirates CF Starling Marte, MLB Insider Jon Heyman reports. Marte, 31, is the primary trade chip new GM Ben Cherington has been exploring trades for. Marte is due $11.5 million this season and has a $12.5 million club option in 2021.
Pirates made official offer to Ben Cherington to be next GM on Thursday
In an person meeting on Thursday, the Pittsburgh Pirates officially offered Ben Cherington the General Manager position. Cherington a favorite from the start, and who was recommended by the search firm, is considered likely to accept the position. Barring a snap in final negotiations, the Post-Gazette’s Jason Mackey reports Cherington is likely to be introduced on Monday.
Whispers on GM Search and why it’s been a surprisingly coveted job
Latest Pirates Buzz The Pittsburgh Pirates search for a new General Manager is starting to reach the final stages and movement has the Pirates expecting to introduce a new General Manager before the end of next week. The Three finalists: Former Boston Red Sox GM Ben Cherington Milwaukee Brewers Assistant GM Matt Arnold Pirates Interim GM Kevan Graves Cherington has been a favorite among the search firm hired by the Pirates as Cherington has close ties to the firm which has raised some eyebrows. Cherington who will have another interview with the club on Thursday, has great interest in the job because of an understanding throughout the process that the incoming General Manager will have full say and power on day-to-day baseball decisions. The scuttlebutt in MLB circles is the Pirates hiring of Travis Williams as Team President was strictly for the business side of the organization, a message that’sRead More »
Travis Williams committed to a “refresh of entire operations”
The Pittsburgh Pirates officially named Travis Williams as the organization’s new Team President. “Travis’ leadership abilities, experience and passion for Pittsburgh sports makes him the ideal choice for this position,” said Bob Nutting, Pirates Chairman of the Board in a statement. “Travis was an integral part of the Penguins leadership team over the past decade of success. He has a keen understanding of Pittsburgh and appreciates how important our fans are. He will drive a culture of success within our organization.” Williams cited a commitment to a refresh of the entire baseball operations. “This is a homecoming for me, both personally and professionally. It is a tremendous opportunity to come back to a city and a team that I love. I am excited about working with Bob and the rest of the Pirates family to return this franchise to a winning tradition,” Williams said. “Today, we turn the page andRead More »
3-for-3: Pirates officially clean house in firing Neal Huntington
After Pirates owner Bob Nutting made it clear in a statement during the firing of manager Clint Hurdle that General Manager Neal Huntington was safe for next season and in the weeks after it appeared quite clear Huntington was safe in the obvious that he as the front-man in leading the manager search, which included a second round of interviews last week. Yet, Bob Nutting on the eve of hiring Travis Williams as the new Team President has shocked the industry in informing Huntington during a meeting on Sunday afternoon that Huntington was being let-go as General Manager with two years left on his contract. Nutting has shocked the baseball world and Pirates fan base in the fact he will eat over $10 million dollars for Hurdle and Huntington not to the work for him over the next two seasons. It was a strange 4 weeks in getting here butRead More »
Bob Nutting on firing Clint Hurdle
Statement from Pirates owner Bob Nutting “I have a great deal of appreciation for everything Clint has done for the Pittsburgh Pirates and our community. Clint is not only a great baseball man, he is a great family man. His leadership, inspiration, advice and friendship has helped make me a better person, as he has for so many others. It has been an honor to work with him for the past nine seasons. While we felt it was time to make a change at the managerial level, I strongly believe that Neal Huntington and the leadership team that he has assembled are the right people to continue to lead our baseball operations department. This has easily been the most difficult season of my tenure. Today we announced that we are parting ways with Clint, but make no mistake about it, this is by no means a statement that our shortcomingsRead More »
Pirates fire Clint Hurdle
The Pittsburgh Pirates have fired manager Clint Hurdle. Hurdle trying to run a power play earlier this week in saying he received assurances he would be back in 2020, now see’s him getting a pink slip and Neal Huntington keeping his job. “This has been a challenging season on many levels,” Huntington said in a statement of firing Hurdle. “We are committed to assessing and improving upon our operations at all levels in order to return postseason baseball to Pittsburgh.” The 62 year old Hurdle had run his course as manager after four straight seasons of missing the playoffs. Hired in November 2010, Hurdle and his staff posted a 735-720-1 record in nine seasons with the Pirates. Pittsburgh has made the postseason just three times in the last 24 seasons as Hurdle’s tenure will be remembered for that three year run in 2013-2015, especially the 2013 season where the wildcardRead More »
Felipe Vasquez arrested on child pornography charges
Pittsburgh Pirates closer Felipe Vasquez was arrested Tuesday morning on child pornography charges. Vasquez has been charged by Florida authorities with one count of computer pornography, solicitation of a child and providing obscene material to minors. Authorities also say other charges could be filed, too. Vasquez is accused of having a relationship with a 13 year old girl who is now 15 years old. Vasquez is in the process of being extradited to Florida.
More clubhouse drama for the Pirates in a nightmare season
If you want to talk about which coach in town has lost the room, look no further than Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. From players fighting coaches to players fighting players, More clubhouse drama has followed the Pirates into September, this time resulting in Kyle Crick having season ending surgery. Crick and star closer Felipe Vasquez got into a clubhouse fight Monday night that resulted in Crick needing finger surgery on Tuesday. It marks the second incident Crick has been involved in a clubhouse altercation. This summer Crick and bullpen coach Euclides Rojas were involved in an altercation that results in a suspension for Rojas. “The behavior exhibited by these two players last night is unacceptable of a Major League Player and will not be tolerated by the organization,” GM Neal Huntington said in a released statement during the middle of the Pirates – Giants game. There’s been evidence from anRead More »
Headlines
Fleury gets rocked in return to Pittsburgh
Marc Andre Fleury’s return to Pittsburgh didn’t just not go well, it was a downright disaster for the 2021 Vezina Trophy Winner. Pittsburgh scored 15 seconds into the game and the route was on as Fleury was pulled 11:25 into the first period after allowing 4 goals on 10 ...
Rumors: Juju Smith-Schuster likely out for the year
The Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reports Pittsburgh Steelers WR Juju Smith-Schuster suffered a likely season ending shoulder injury in Sunday’s 27-19 win over the Denver Broncos. Returning to Pittsburgh on a one year contract, Smith-Schuster faces an uncertain futu...