Pittsburgh Pirates Fan Blog» GameSetMatch

LaRoche’s gem sets up Pirates’ late victory

GameSetMatch — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 19:06:30 +0000

The Pirates and the 20,235 vocal fans at PNC Park had much to like from this Memorial Day matinee, a 2-1 late victory against the Chicago Cubs …

Ross Ohlendorf pitched seven strong innings, charged with one undeserved run.

Garrett Jones homered and doubled.

Bobby Crosby’s pinch-hit RBI single scored Jones after the latter to break a 1-1 tie.

And Octavio Dotel closed it out with a strikeout for his 11th save and the official end of the team’s five-game losing streak.

Even the weather cooperated, with pockets of thunderstorms all over the county but somehow dodging the North Shore.

Nice day, right?

Well, forget it all and focus instead on what reliever Evan Meek called “the play that won this game,” a defensive gem by third baseman Andy LaRoche that might have been, in its own way, among the Pirates’ best this summer.

Click here to read the full article – By Dejan Kovacevic of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pirates parting ways with infielder Vazquez

GameSetMatch — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:26:35 +0000

The Pirates unconditionally released infielder Ramon Vazquez on Thursday. If he signs elsewhere, that team will be responsible for $400,000 of Vazquez’s salary, and the Pirates will be on the hook for the other $1.6 million. If Vazquez does not sign with anyone this year, the Pirates will have to pay his entire $2 million salary.

» Second baseman Aki Iwamura got his first hit in a Pirates uniform, singling in the third inning off Chad Billingsley.

» The Pirates started three bench players: Ryan Church in left field in place of Lastings Milledge, Delwyn Young in right field for Garrett Jones and Bobby Crosby at shortstop in place of Ronny Cedeno. Jones started at first base for Jeff Clement.

» John Raynor, a Rule 5 pickup from Florida, made his major-league debut as a pinch hitter in the ninth. He walked.

Click here to read the full article – By Karen Price of PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW

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Much-improved Bucs feeling competitive

GameSetMatch — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:36:52 +0000

Shortly after he was hired as the club’s general manager in September 2007, general manager Neal Huntington completed a thorough organizational assessment, after which he came to one concerning conclusion — the team didn’t have nearly enough depth.

Over the next two seasons, the latter of which ended Sunday, Huntington went about addressing — albeit often in a publicly unpopular manner — that lack of depth. The roster turnover this year alone has been both jarring and startling, though Huntington has, unquestionably, improved the overall organizational depth.

Regardless, that still leaves Pirates fans stirring, with one lingering question: Does any of this put Pittsburgh closer to winning again?

Click here to read the full article – By Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com

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Vazquez cleared to play if knee allows

GameSetMatch — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:33:05 +0000

At his own request, utility infielder Ramon Vazquez had an MRI done on his right knee on Monday in hopes of identifying the source of some recent pain.

The MRI revealed no surgical problems, and Vazquez has been cleared to play to tolerance. General manager Neal Huntington said that Vazquez’s symptoms and level of discomfort will dictate how much he plays as the Pirates finish out the season.

Vazquez said that the knee has been sore and bothering him while he runs for a while now. On Friday, though, it also began aching when he braced himself after hitting a foul ball during one of his four plate appearances. That was what most concerned Vazquez.

Click here to read the full article – By Jenifer Langosch of MLB,com

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Pirates to hold “Roberto Clemente Day of Giving” on Friday

GameSetMatch — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:07:14 +0000

The “Day of Giving” is designed to give fans a chance to give back to the community in a variety of ways, as well as recognize some of the organization’s players for their committment to giving back.

Paul Maholm will be recognized in a pregame on-field ceremony as the team’s Roberto Clemente Award nominee. Each club has selected one of its players to receive the team award, which recognizes both on-field success and off-the-field efforts in the community. Maholm has dedicated extensive time this season to working with the Gilda’s Club of Western Pennsylvania.

Minor League players in the Pirates’ farm system are also each required to dedicate a minimum of 10 hours each season to community work as part of the Pirates Community Commitment Program. The organization will hand out an award to one player from each Minor League affiliate who has especially been dedicated to this program. Those award recipients include: Larry Broadway (Indianapolis), Jason Delaney (Altoona), Josue Peley (West Va.), Jared Keel (Lynchburg), Mike Williams (State College), Bradley Clapp (GCL) and Gavi Nivar (Dominican Summer League).

Click here to read the full article – By Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com

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Pirates hope to find comfort on road

GameSetMatch — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:00:01 +0000

After a disappointing 1-5 homestand, the Pirates head back out on the road, which has not been much friendlier all season.

Since going 5-5 on a 10-game road trip back in May, the Pirates have won just eight of the team’s past 42 games away from PNC Park. In 18 road games since the All-Star break, the Pirates have only two victories.

Yes, it’s been that rough as of late.

Click here to read the full article – By Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com

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Agent: Doumit not benched for sulking

GameSetMatch — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:13:13 +0000

Matt Sosnick, an agent for Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit, said that his client was not benched last week for “dogging it” or sulking the over team’s multiple trades of veteran players for prospects.

Doumit was pulled in the fifth inning of the Pirates’ 8-6 loss Friday against the Brewers, and he was held out of the lineup in the team’s 7-3 loss on Saturday. While neither Doumit nor manager John Russell would publicly discuss the matter other than for Russell to say, “That’s between Ryan and myself,” general manager Neal Huntington confirmed that Doumit was benched for a “disciplinary issue.”

Click here to read the full article – By Ed Eagle of MLB.com

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Dave Parker Memorabilia

GameSetMatch — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:01:21 +0000

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Below are links to memorabilia available for Dave Parker.


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Vasquez back in new role for Pirates

GameSetMatch — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:52:28 +0000

Virgil Vasquez finds himself in a new role as he begins his second stint with the Pirates this season. With Pittsburgh already set with a six-man rotation, Vasquez is now a member of the bullpen.

“I have a different mentality,” Vasquez said. “You change your routine and you change your preparation. But the game’s the same.”

Manager John Russell said the Pirates will keep Vasquez out of the rotation for the time being, but added that he could make a spot start down the line if he is needed. Vasquez made his first ‘pen appearance in Tuesday’s 11-5 loss, giving up two earned runs via a two-run homer in the seventh inning but striking out two.

Click here to read the full article – By Steve Gartner of MLB.com

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Karstens on DL with lower back strain

GameSetMatch — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:08:53 +0000

The hope was that Jeff Karstens would be ready to pitch in the next day or two after returning from the bereavement list following his grandmother’s funeral. That hope was dashed when the Pirates placed the right-hander on the disabled list Wednesday, retroactive to Tuesday, with a lower back strain.

Karstens was still officially on the bereavement list, where he could have remained until Friday. He threw a side session Tuesday and the hope was that he’d be able to help out the bullpen shortly thereafter. But his back acted up, a problem that first surfaced when the Pirates were in Colorado from Aug. 11-13. Karstens pitched in the middle game of that series, allowing three runs in two innings.

Click here to read the full article – By Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com

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