Baseball: Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are finally trending in the right direction. After spending several seasons at the bottom of the league, they seemingly took a step forward in 2023. It was an essential assessment year for much of Pittsburgh's young talent. They've identified several foundational roster pieces to build around, and it appears the organization…

It's that time of the year again, that time when we share our predictions for the Pittsburgh Pirates and their upcoming season. Last year, the Pirates went 76-86, a sizable 14-win improvement from 2022. The season was a rollercoaster, but they made a statement in the end. They're getting better, and I think they'll only go up from here. So with…

Baseball is back! The Pittsburgh Pirates begin their Grapefruit League slate on Saturday with a trip to Fort Meyers to face the Minnesota Twins. It's just over a month until the regular season commences when they head across the state to Miami for an opening day matchup against the Marlins. With over a month left, some players have their places…

BRADENTON, Fla. - Jason Delay knows the odds are stacked against him to make the Pittsburgh Pirates as one of two catchers on the Opening Day roster. One spot is reserved for Yasmani Grandal, a 12-year veteran and two-time All-Star who last week signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with another $1 million in incentives. Delay is competing for…

Reaching the NCAA Tournament is a significant accomplishment for any team in college basketball. Not every path to the Big Dance is created equal, though. The at-large selection process includes finding a balance across results, metrics, and the eye test. As each season progresses, bracketology looks into which teams have the best odds at making…

Can the White Sox find a spark this weekend against the Cubs All-time Sports Illustrated baseball preview issue cover MLB trade rumors: Will Johnny Cueto, Sonny Gray be traded Fantasy baseball pitcher rankings, lineup advice for Saturday's MLB Rosenthal: If Team USA will be handcuffed by pitching restrictions Game 159: Reds @ Pirates (1:35 EDT).…

Seton Hall is red hot and knocking off Top 25 teams on the regular now. Kadary Richmond and Al-Amir Dawes combined for 44 points and Dre Davis made a huge shot in the final seconds as The Hall upset No. 7 Marquette, 78-75, at Prudential Center for their second straight win over a Top 25 opponent and their fifth win in six games. Seton Hall is now…

Happy 2024 everyone! 2024 will be a very important one for the current front office and coaching staff of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Without at least a winning season in 2024, there will likely be sweeping changes throughout the organization. With a losing season in 2024, Ben Cherington will have 5 losing seasons in as many as general manager of the…

The North Dakota State Bison have won four of their first seven contests in 2023-24, though two of those four victories have come against the sub-Division I teams. Last week, they beat Wisconsin-Stout 101-72 and lost at Grand Canyon 86-71. The Bison blew a 13-point first-half lead against Grand Canyon. They were outscored 51-31 in the second half…

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane will fly out to Greenville to meet the East Carolina Pirates in AAC play this weekend from Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on ESPN+. The Tulsa/ECU series dates back to their time in Conference USA, and both programs have taken eight matchups apiece. You're welcome to read our Tulsa vs East Carolina Prediction. Tulsa fell to 3-8…

Braxton Ashcraft could take a similar route as Carmen Mlodzinski did. While he was primarily a starting pitcher for most of his minor league career, Ashcraft could move to the bullpen this upcoming season. If he does, look for Ashcraft to take his talents to the next level in 2024. Ashcraft pitched 52.2 innings last season in Bradenton through…

East Carolina University's football team (2-8, American Athletic Conference) beat Florida Atlantic University (FAU) 22-7 (4-6, 3-3 AAC) on Nov. 11 in Boca Raton, Florida. The win snaps the Pirates five game losing streak. FAU was a touchdown favorite to win against ECU in pregame odds throughout the week. ECU also managed to defeat their first FBS…

VERMILLION - At least one area school, possibly two, will win a South Dakota state high school football championship this week in the DakotaDome. Seven state championship games are scheduled for Thursday through Saturday. The list of games included the Class 9B championship game between second-seeded Faulkton Area (10-1) and top-seeded Avon (9-2)…

When the San Diego Padres (37-41) and Pittsburgh Pirates (35-42) match up at PNC Park on Tuesday, June 27, Reiss Knehr will get the call for the Padres, while the Pirates will send Rich Hill to the mound. The game will start at 7:05 PM ET. The favored Padres have -145 moneyline odds against the underdog Pirates, who are listed at+120. The total is…

Much has been made about Whitehall moving Friday night's Division 4 district football finals game against Big Rapids to the synthetic turf at Holton's Red Devil Stadium. Less has been made about North Muskegon's midweek decision to move its Division 7 district championship game against Lawton to the turf of Oakridge's Russell A. Erickson Stadium on…

These longtime AAC members couldn't be in more polar opposite positions at the moment. The Tulane Green Wave (7-1, 4-0 AAC) are the class of the conference. Tulane is unscathed in conference play and strolls into Greenville, NC with a ranking beside its name from both the Associated Press and College Football Playoff committee. The Green Wave are…

The 2023 MHSAA football playoffs have arrived. Coaches have referred to it as "the second season." Every game in a season matters, but this is the time of year that gets me the most fired up. It's a five-week race to the state championship. Division 4 top-ranked Whitehall has been eagerly awaiting this opportunity. The Vikings had a legitimate shot…

GREENVILLE, N.C. - Fifth-year East Carolina Head Football Coach addressed members of the media Tuesday morning prior to Saturday's American Athletic Conference contest at UTSA. The following are selected comments: Opening Statement "New week, new opponent. Getting ready to start practicing and preparing for UT San Antonio. Very impressed with a…

Sunday's game between the Cincinnati Reds (79-77) and Pittsburgh Pirates (74-81) squaring off at Great American Ball Park has a projected final score of 6-4 (according to our computer prediction) in favor of the Reds, so it should be a competitive matchup. The game will start at 1:40 PM ET on September 24. The Reds will give the nod to Brandon…

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Shohei Ohtani's line drive left his bat at a sizzling 113 mph, but only a 19-degree launch angle. Hugging the ground like an airplane trying to fly below the radar, it streaked all the way over the center-field fence. "I don't know if I've seen a ball hit like that, except a golf ball, maybe," Angels manager Phil Nevin said.…

Here is the one of the only pitchers who led Pirate minor league starters in another rate statistic whose name isn't Braxton Ashcraft. That's fellow 2022 draft class member J.P. Massey. Massey had a lot of ups and downs during the 2023 season but overall was a promising year after coming off a rough final season in college. Massey's season started…

Two teams in desperate need of a win will meet head-to-head on Saturday inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, as the East Carolina Pirates host the Charlotte 49ers. It will be the first meeting between the two programs in football. Both squads enter at 1-5 overall, and 0-2 in American Athletic Conference play. On paper, ECU is the favorite in the matchup.…

The SMU Mustangs will play the East Carolina Pirates in an AAC game on Thursday night at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenview, North Carolina. SMU has alternated wins and losses through their first five games, while East Carolina is still looking for their first win against a FBS program. The SMU Mustangs are 3-2 (1-0) this season after they defeated…

Jose Hernandez was the Pirates' Rule 5 pick from last off-season. Hernandez's season started strong, but he folded down the line. However, he is a hard-throwing lefty with decent stuff, which will always get a pitcher a second look. However, will that second look be on Opening Day, or will he have to re-earn his promotion to the majors next…

The Connecticut Huskies will head down to Houston to meet the Rice Owls in non-conference play this weekend from Rice Stadium on ESPNU. This will mark the first time these two programs face off. UConn comes in at 0-5 after falling to Utah State in Storrs, 34-33. The Huskies were a blocked extra point away from completing the comeback, and they'll…

East Carolina opens American Athletic Conference play at Rice on Saturday in Houston, Texas. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT) inside Rice Stadium, with the game set to be televised on ESPN+. ECU comes in at 1-3 overall. This will be the first conference game in 2023 under fifth-year head coach Mike Houston. The Pirates defeated Gardner-Webb…

Kyle Schwarber and the Philadelphia Phillies will take on Luis Ortiz and the Pittsburgh Pirates in a game filled with player props. Schwarber, who leads the Phillies in home runs and RBI, looks to bounce back after a hitless performance in the previous game. With impressive stats against the Pirates, Schwarber is expected to have a significant…

It's the first-ever meeting for the Rice Owls (2-2, 0-1 AAC) and East Carolina Pirates (1-3, 0-0 AAC) as American Athletic Conference opponents. The geographically distant schools formerly shared membership in Conference USA throughout the 2000s and they'll reunite again on the soil of Rice Stadium. It's also the first AAC matchup in the venue's…

East Carolina will head to Rice for its conference opener looking to continue the momentum it has following its first win of the season, a 44-0 shellacking of FCS foe Gardner-Webb this past Saturday inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. But the Pirates will have to make it two in a row by winning as an underdog. Rice opened as a 4.5-point favorite on…

Spencer Steer and the Cincinnati Reds (79-77) will square off with Bryan Reynolds and the Pittsburgh Pirates (74-81) at Great American Ball Park on Sunday, September 24. First pitch is scheduled for 1:40 PM ET. Bookmakers list the Reds as -155 moneyline favorites, while giving the underdog Pirates+125 moneyline odds to win. The game's total is…

In search of its first win of 2023, East Carolina's football team opened as a two touchdown favorite over Gardner-Webb on Saturday, ahead of the team's matchup against the Runnin' Bulldogs from the FCS ranks. The line initially opened at 13.5 in favor of ECU on FanDuel, and has since gone up to 14.5. The line was not released until late in the week…

The Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates will meet on Friday at Great American Ball Park, at 6:40 PM ET, with Spencer Steer and Ke'Bryan Hayes among those expected to deliver at the plate. The Reds are favored in this one, at -165, while the underdog Pirates have+140 odds to upset. The over/under is 9.5 runs for the matchup (with -110 odds to go…

Cody Bellinger's Chicago Cubs (78-72) and Bryan Reynolds' Pittsburgh Pirates (70-80) will match up in the series opener on Tuesday, September 19 at Wrigley Field. The matchup will begin at 7:40 PM ET. The Cubs are listed as -175 moneyline favorites for this matchup with the Pirates (+145). A 9-run total has been set in the contest. Date: Tuesday,…

Sunday's contest that pits the Pittsburgh Pirates (69-80) versus the New York Yankees (76-73) at PNC Park is expected to be a competitive matchup based on our computer prediction, which projects a final score of 6-4 in favor of the Pirates. Game time is at 1:35 PM ET on September 17. The Yankees will give the nod to Carlos Rodon (3-5, 6.14 ERA),…

After handling business in Week 1, the Michigan Wolverines return to the Big House this weekend to take on the UNLV Rebels. Staff members gathered'round yet again to answer some questions heading into Week 2 on this week's Maize n Brew Roundtable. Michigan whooped ECU, 30-3, at the Big House to open the season. It was a bit underwhelming outside of…

Wednesday's contest between the Pittsburgh Pirates (67-78) and Washington Nationals (65-80) matching up at PNC Park has a projected final score of 6-4 (based on our computer prediction) in favor of the Pirates, so it should be a tight matchup. The game will begin at 6:35 PM ET on September 13. The Pirates will call on Colin Selby (2-1) versus the…

The Pittsburgh Pirates (67-78) will look to Bryan Reynolds when they host Lane Thomas and the Washington Nationals (65-80) at PNC Park on Wednesday, September 13. The first pitch will be thrown at 6:35 PM ET. Oddsmakers list the Pirates as -145 moneyline favorites, while giving the underdog Nationals+120 moneyline odds. The over/under for the game…

Sunday's contest between the Atlanta Braves (92-49) and Pittsburgh Pirates (66-76) matching up at Truist Park has a projected final score of 6-4 (based on our computer prediction) in favor of the Braves, who is listed as a slight favorite by our model. The game will start at 1:35 PM ET on September 10. This contest's pitching matchup is set, as the…

The Atlanta Braves (92-49) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (66-76) will match up in the series rubber match on Sunday, September 10 at Truist Park, with Allan Winans getting the ball for the Braves and Luis Ortiz taking the mound for the Pirates. The first pitch will be thrown at 1:35 PM ET. The Braves are favored in this one, at -275, while the…

The game of the week in the area is the Serra-Long Beach Poly meeting, but that isn't the only good matchup on Friday's schedule. Can Palos Verdes remain undefeated as it takes on Edison? Can Leuzinger avoid the penalties it had last week and defeat Loyola? Here are our previews and predictions for Friday's top games. FRIDAY'S TOP GAMES Games start…

The final month of the 2023 season is nearly upon us. When September hits, Major League rosters will expand to 28 players. The Pittsburgh Pirates will likely call-up at least one notable prospect. However, I want to make a prediction on who will get called up once the Pirates (and all teams for that matter) get their two extra roster spots, and…

The largest football stadium opens its doors Labor Day weekend for the first time since last November. The Big House has played host to some excellent football over the past two years, as Michigan has rattled off 15 consecutive victories in Ann Arbor. Coming off consecutive Big Ten championships and College Football Playoff appearances, the…

East Carolina's football team faces tall odds heading into season opener against No. 2 Michigan, with a current spread of 35.5 points in favor of the Wolverines, with the total set at 51.5, according to VegasInsider.com. Kickoff is set for 12 noon ET on Saturday in Ann Arbor, with the television broadcast to be streamed on Peacock. The line opened…

A couple of hot hitters, Nico Hoerner and Bryan Reynolds, will try to keep it going when the Chicago Cubs face the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday at 7:15 PM ET, at PNC Park. The Cubs are favored in this one, at -130, while the underdog Pirates have+110 odds to win. The over/under is 9.5 runs for the game. Date: Saturday, August 26, 2023 Time: 7:15…

Sonny Gray will take the hill for the Minnesota Twins (64-59) on Saturday, August 19 versus the Pittsburgh Pirates (54-68), who will answer with Mitch Keller. The first pitch will be thrown at 7:10 PM ET at Target Field. The Twins are -175 moneyline favorites for this matchup with the Pirates (+145). The over/under for the contest is set at 8.5…

Northern 3A Last year the North had twelve teams in the region. This year there are only 8. NIAA realignment has taken four of the larger schools and placed them into the 4A as a 5A league was created in the North. The eight remaining 3A northern teams include Churchill County, Elko, Fernley, Lowry, South Tahoe, Sparks, Spring Creek and…

The Pittsburgh Pirates will take on the New York Mets in the first game of a three-game series on Monday, August14. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET from Citi Field. Rookie Quinn Priester (2-1, 8.75 ERA) gets the ball for the Pirates, while Carlos Carrasco (3-6, 6.42 ERA) looks to get back on track for the Mets. New York enters as -135…

In the series opener on Monday, August 14, Pete Alonso and the New York Mets (53-65) take on Bryan Reynolds and the Pittsburgh Pirates (53-65). The first pitch will be thrown at 7:10 PM ET at Citi Field. The Mets have been listed as -135 moneyline favorites for this matchup against the Pirates (+115). The total is 9.5 runs for this game (with -105…

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Shohei Ohtani's line drive left his bat at a sizzling 113 mph, but only a 19-degree launch angle. Hugging the ground like an airplane trying to fly below the radar, it streaked all the way over the center-field fence. "I don't know if I've seen a ball hit like that, except a golf ball, maybe," Angels manager Phil Nevin said.…

Under coach Mike Houston, East Carolina has put together consecutive winning seasons for the first time since the Pirates had three straight above.500 campaigns from 2012-2014. Keeping that streak intact will be challenging. East Carolina went 8-5 last season, 4-4 in the American Athletic Conference, tying for sixth place. The Pirates defeated…