Spring Training The Ramp Up For Long Baseball Season
While it might seem like fun in the southern sun, the ramping up of Spring Training is the preparation for an endurance run like no other in professional sports.
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While it might seem like fun in the southern sun, the ramping up of Spring Training is the preparation for an endurance run like no other in professional sports.
The "KDKA Morning News" is in Bradenton this week broadcasting from McKechnie Field - the Spring Training home of the Pittsburgh Pirates - getting you ready for the 2015 season.
He is under Pirates control, including a team option in 2021 and following a second half where he hit .348 following a stint on the disabled list, Starling Marte may be ready to break through and prove this Pirates outfield can, indeed, be compared to the 1992 group.
Pirates GM Neal Huntington has had a knack for finding bullpen help from unusual places, lefty Bobby LaFromboise is another in that group.
Pittsburgh Pirates Broadcaster John Wehner joined "The Cook and Poni Show" Monday morning from Bradenton.
Vance Worley and Gerrit Cole became the first Pirates pitchers to complete 5 innings as the Bucs beat the Phillies, 6-5, in Bradenton and the Twins, 4-2 in Fort Myers. But the news of the day was the revelation that catcher Tony Sanchez "is on the club," according to manager Clint Hurdle.
In his weekly "VESLA 360 Injury Report" exclusively here on 937thefan.com, former Pittsburgh Pirates trainer Frank Velasquez takes a look at some injuries the Pirates are dealing with in spring training.
To hear him say it, the experience in the Dominican Winter League was not a pleasant one for Pirates catcher Tony Sanchez, but the things he learned there have helped him make the big league club out of spring training.
Pedro Alvarez had three hits, including an RBI double and a two-run homer, as a Pittsburgh Pirates' split squad beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-5 Friday.
Francisco Cervelli homered twice off Kyle Gibson on Friday, leading a Pittsburgh Pirates split squad to a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
Covering Spring Training the last 2 weeks it finally dawned on me. It's gonna drive me to drinkin' ... to try to write a new song about my buddy Brad Lincoln.
Some good and some not-so-good in Sarasota which makes Thursday's 6-4 loss to the Orioles a typical Grapefruit League game.
Chris Tillman allowed one run in four innings and Adam Jones hit his first home run of the spring in the Baltimore Orioles' 6-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.
Going into the 2015 season, outfielder Jaff Decker wasn't given much of a chance – at least by most Pirates fans - of winning the final roster spot. But, a little over halfway through Spring Training, Decker may now be the favorite to go north.
The crowd of 9,018 is a McKechnie Field record.
Tony Sanchez, Starling Marte and Willy Garcia homered, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates past the Detroit Tigers 8-7 Wednesday night.
Francisco Liriano says he was a little surprised that Clint Hurdle named him Opening Day starter.
In the past, Josh Harrison has needed to win a spot – even a spot on the bench - during Spring Training. But, after finally nailing down a starting position at third base by finishing second in the National League with a .315 average, Harrison is still competing as if his job is on the line.
Some news after the Pirates dreadfully long 13-7 loss to the Astros at McKechnie Field. Manager Clint Hurdle said the starting rotation will be Francisco Liriano, Gerrit Cole, AJ Burnett, then either Vance Worley or Jeff Locke followed by Charlie Morton.
Chris Carter was 3 for 3 with two doubles and four RBIs to break out of a spring-training slump and lift the Houston Astros over the Pittsburgh Pirates 13-7 Tuesday.
It wasn't that long ago that there were plenty of jobs available during Pirates Spring Training; not so this spring.
Once again, lefthander Jeff Locke finds himself in a battle for a spot in the Pirates' rotation. But, this time, he is battling from a much different perspective.
