It’s probably not fair to ask the franchise that has provided a total of 4 seasons where they finished over .500 since 1992 to step up and do the heavy lifting for a down period in Pittsburgh Sports, but here we are.
Tag Archives: MLB
Know Your Enemy – Chicago Cubs 2024 & Beyond
The Cubs had a bit of a surprising rise in 2023. Not to say that they were expected to be
“bad.” That certainly was not the expectation. They did manage to exceed most prognostications and in so doing, they have accelerated their “rebuild” quite a bit.
My Trip to Bradenton, it Just Felt Different
March is an incredibly busy time for me. Oh, yeah it’s Spring Training and there’s certainly lots to cover on here and on my show, but in my real job, it’s crunch time, so finding a way to slip off to Florida doesn’t happen for me as often as I’d like. This year we were able to make it happen, and man, it’s been too long.
Five Pirates Thoughts at Five – Decision Time Looms
This week I’m going to write up a nice story about my trip to Bradenton. I have a bunch of pictures I took with my big lens, and stories to tell about the experience, but for this edition of 5 thoughts, let’s just keep it about some of the very real choices this team has to make and soon.
Pirates Add Michael Taylor and Domingo German
The Pirates made two additions on Friday to improve the team and overall depth. Let’s talk about both, and let’s not hide from any of the issues that come with them.
Termarr, Or Not Termarr
3-13-24 – By Michael Castrignano – @412DoublePlay on X It’s official. Termarr Johnson will NOT start the season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Most reasonable fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates had no expectations that Johnson would not just make the 40-man roster but also leapfrog himself right onto the 26-man with zero at-bats above A+ ball. He’s very talentedContinue reading “Termarr, Or Not Termarr”
5 Takeaways From Spring Training
3-12-24 – By Michael Castrignano – @412DoublePlay on X We’ve seen some extreme highs and lows (mostly lows) for the Pirates over the years but, in Spring Training, anything is possible. The team currently LEADS all of MLB in home runs (31) after finishing 28th over the 2023 season (159). The old cliches and platitudes are present,Continue reading “5 Takeaways From Spring Training”
Five Pirates Thoughts at Five – On Our Way to Bradenton!
It’s my last piece before heading down to Bradenton for Spring Training, so yes, this is a very Spring Training heavy piece.
Oneil Cruz Keeps Eliminating Reasons to Think He Won’t Succeed
Oneil Cruz has been slow walked back into action this Spring, that much is clear, but he’s also made the most of his opportunities and I’d contend, removed almost all doubt he’s healthy, strong, and more important, ready to face MLB pitching.
Time to Turn the Clocks Forward on the Pirates
We were discussing what the Pirates would do if they got a month or two into the season and Marco just isn’t cutting it. A certainly reasonable supposition right? None of us hope that’s the outcome of course, but when you already feel something is likely, or even fairly plausible, it’s good to explore it.
Steel City Pirates 