'Fort McKenry' Talks About Upcoming Pirates Season
KDKA-AM's Larry and John talk to Pirates catcher Mike "The Fort" McKenry on the upcoming season, live from Pirates Spring Training in Bradenton, Florida.
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KDKA-AM's Larry and John talk to Pirates catcher Mike "The Fort" McKenry on the upcoming season, live from Pirates Spring Training in Bradenton, Florida.
Despite 12 big league seasons on his resume, when Brandon Inge stepped to the plate Monday night in Port Charlotte, Fla., he did not know whether he would have a job today.
Shortly after breaking news about Pirates' roster moves, Michael Sanserino of the Post Gazette joined the Fan Morning Show to discuss who will be with the team when they travel North.
With less than a week before the Pirates break camp in anticipation for their April 1 home opener against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park, the club has one more known starting pitcher (three) than unknown starting pitchers (two).
It may be sunny and beautiful in Florida today, but the Pittsburgh Pirates are keeping a close eye on the fresh blanket of snow that has fallen on PNCPark.
A little over a week away from Opening Day and Pedro Alvarez is rocking a .143 batting average this spring. It's the exact same average Alvarez had 15 games into last regular season.
Pirates first baseman Garrett Jones, who has been out with a strained left oblique, is closer to returning to the line-up after a round of batting practice this morning.
For the second straight game, the Pirates bench came through in the late innings as the Bucs beat the Blue Jays, 5-4 in 10 innings.
After stints with the Phillies and, last season, the Diamondbacks, lefthander Mike Zagurski is trying to win a spot in the Pirates bullpen.
The Pirates' dormant offense finally came alive in the late innings and they walked off McKechnie Field with a 4-3 win over the Orioles, their third straight Grapefruit League win.
Pirates first baseman and out fielder Garrett Jones reports his strained left oblique is making progress.
Top pitching prospect Gerrit Cole may already be ticketed for AAA, but Cole is looking like he'll make that as difficult a decision as possible, pitching four mostly-efficient innings, allowing two hits, one walk and two runs on a home run to Ryan Flaherty in a 5-2 win over the Orioles in Sarasota.
The Pirates' McKechnie Field woes continued Saturday with a 5-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins in Bradenton, Fla., but presumptive ace A.J. Burnett took another step as he gets ready for his Opening Day start.
Heading into the weekend, most of the Pirates regulars are not among the leaders in plate appearances, but that is about to change.
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle had said that veteran Brandon Inge is "close" playing a position in Grapefruit League games and that'd be fine with Inge, who is recovered from shoulder surgery last September – well, almost.
Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Michael McKenry joins Vinnie & Cook on Sportsradio 93-7 The Fan for a spring training update.
Outfielder Travis Snider didn't pay immediate dividends, in fact he didn't do much at all after coming to the Pirates from Toronto last season.
James McDonald allowed just one hit over 4 shutout innings, but his teammates were shut out for the first 8 innings in a 4-2 loss to Tampa Bay at a sundrenched but chilly and windswept McKechnie Field Thursday afternoon.
Native New Englander Jeff Locke made up for a disappointing outing in a 16-6 loss to the Boston Red Sox last Friday by lasting his scheduled 4 innings, allowing 1 run on 3 hits and 2 walks as the Pirates beat up on the Boston bullpen, 9-3, in Fort Myers.
Together, they're considered the future of the Pittsburgh Pirates: Jameson Taillon, selected second overall in the 2010 MLB Draft, and Gerrit Cole, taken first overall in 2011. By May of next year, they could both be in the Pirates' starting rotation.
It was only against Team Spain (a collection of low-level minor-leaguers – if that), but Gerrit Cole flashed the stuff you'd expect to see from a number one overall draft pick by striking out the first six batters he faced before giving up a couple of seeing-eye singles in his third inning.
Pirates' prized pitching prospect Gerrit Cole had little trouble with Spain's entry into the World Baseball Classic. He struck out first 6 batters he faced.
Veteran Jeff Karstens was shut down early last season with a shoulder injury and, after returning from that, was hampered by late-season soreness in his hip.
Pirates Outfielder Travis Snider came into spring training this year as the likely candidate to win the starting job in left field come opening day, and it sounds like he came into spring training this year expecting an open competition.
Too many walks and not enough hits were the two problems for the Pirates as they dropped a 5-0 decision to the Phillies at McKechnie Field.
