Author Archives: Craig W. Toth

Watching It Grow: The 1997 Pittsburgh Pirates

“The Freak Show” as they affectionately came to be known thanks to Pirates long time announcer, Greg Brown, have been the inspiration for a few segments on AT&T Sports Net (as well as the past incarnations of the same network), promotions at PNC Park and multiple articles over the past 20 plus years. Our ownContinue reading “Watching It Grow: The 1997 Pittsburgh Pirates”

Through The Prospect Port Hole: Shendrik Apostel

Merriam-Webster’s defines a freak of nature as a person or thing that is very unusual or abnormal. In many situations this could potentially be seen as a negative, except when it comes to sports. In the sports world a freak of nature or athletic freak has attention showered on them, is celebrated at times andContinue reading “Through The Prospect Port Hole: Shendrik Apostel”

The Seed is Planted: The 1985 Pittsburgh Pirates

Children are a finicky lot of characters to say the least. Their favorite foods change week to week, day to day and most times minute to minute, their favorite televisions ebb and flow along with the latest trends and they thrive off of instant gratification, as well as information at their fingertips. As a childContinue reading “The Seed is Planted: The 1985 Pittsburgh Pirates”

Just A Little Getaway: Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball and Me

We all have hobbies, interests, passions or activities that allow us to escape the “hustle and bustle” of daily life; bills, work and anything else that causes us stress and anxiety. For me the one constant “escape” in my life has been Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball. However, I never really looked at it that way becauseContinue reading “Just A Little Getaway: Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball and Me”

One Magical Night: The Pirates 2013 Wild Card Game

A lot has been written about this particular game over the past few days; especially after AT&T Sports Net’s airing of the game for all to see on Tuesday Night and the subsequent showing of the game on MLB’s #OpeningDayAtHome Thursday Morning on @MLB Las Mayores and Twitter. Hell, the Pirates even have a linkContinue reading “One Magical Night: The Pirates 2013 Wild Card Game”

Through the Prospect Porthole: Bear Bellomy

In my article yesterday I discussed the disparity that can often exist between natural talent and mental toughness, especially as it pertains to pitching prospects within the Pittsburgh Pirates Farm System. Former Bristol Pirates Pitching Coach Eric Minshall talked about the fact that many times players with natural talent have their growth stunted or theirContinue reading “Through the Prospect Porthole: Bear Bellomy”

The Inner Workings of Your Pittsburgh Pirates

In any good relationship there is a lot of give and take, talking through problems and many compromises along the way. Solid partnerships are very much the same. You play off of one another’s strengths, back each other’s play, celebrate when you profit and makes plans to pick up the pieces and rebuild if youContinue reading “The Inner Workings of Your Pittsburgh Pirates”