Pittsburgh Pirates

Final: Royals 5, Mets 4, 14 innings

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by • Game previews •

MATT
Looking ahead to first pitch …

Game: New York Mets (90-72) vs. Kansas City Royals (95-67), World Series Game 1, 8:07 p.m., Kauffman Stadium

Pitchers: RHP Matt Harvey (13-8, 2.71) vs. RHP Edinson Volquez (13-9, 3.55)

TV, radio: FOX (national), ESPN Radio (WBGG-AM, 970AM)

Online: Gameday | Multimedia | Media notes

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Pirates add reliever Jorge Rondon via waivers

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by • Coverage •

MATT
The Pirates claimed right-handed reliever Jorge Rondon off waivers from the Orioles, the team announced Tuesday morning.

Rondon, 27, appeared in 10 MLB games last season, allowing 26 runs (21 earned) in 14 1/3 innings for a 13.19 ERA. The 6-foot-1 Venezuelan started the year in the Rockies organization before being claimed by Baltimore in May.

Prior to this season, Rondon pitched in one major-league game, for the Cardinals in 2014. He was signed by St. Louis as an amateur free agent in 2006. Rondon has appeared in 150 Triple-A games, all in relief, putting up a 2.84 ERA.

This addition leaves two open spots on the Pirates’ 40-man roster.

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Dri Archer is brought down on a kick return by the Chiefs' Jamell Fleming Sunday in Kansas City. -- GETTY

Dri Archer is brought down on a kick return by the Chiefs' Jamell Fleming Sunday in Kansas City. -- GETTY

Tuesday Takes: Hey, about those bad drafts …

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by • Columns • , , , , , ,

DEJAN
Brief and to the Point …

• While no one was looking, the Steelers’ Dri Archer climbed to No. 5 on the NFL’s list of most productive kick returners, thanks in part to a career-best 38-yard return early in Sunday’s game. He’s averaging 26.7 yards, this despite still not having broken the big one.

TueTakes

While everyone was looking, Landry Jones showed well enough the past two weeks to finally be considered a legit backup quarterback moving forward.

Those two players have been cited as often as anyone by those critical of Kevin Colbert’s recent drafts. And to an extent, any such criticism remains fair. Better players at positions of greater need were taken.

But I’ll say this: If they’re all the ammo anyone has left, it isn’t much.

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Live Qs at 5: Football fun, plus all the rest

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by • Live Qs at 5 • , , ,

MATT
It’ll be an outstanding week at Heinz Field, as Pitt welcomes North Carolina on Thursday night and the Steelers host the undefeated Bengals on Sunday afternoon. But let’s mix in some baseball and hockey with all the football.

LiveQsAt5_10-5-2
Here’s how it works: Enter one question in the comments below. I’ll go through and answer as many as possible!

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Podcast: DK on ESPN Pittsburgh with Todd

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by • Podcasts • , ,

DEJAN
Here’s the podcast of my weekly appearance on ESPN Pittsburgh with David Todd, this edition covering Steelers, Penguins and a bit of Pirates:

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Snider, Ishikawa declare free agency

43

by • Coverage •

MATT
Rather than being outrighted to Class AAA Indianapolis, Travis Ishikawa and Travis Snider declared free agency Friday, according to the Pirates.

The transactions, posted in tandem with the outrighting of right-handed pitcher Deolis Guerra, don’t necessarily mean that Snider or Ishikawa won’t return to the Pirates, but they couldn’t have exercised their right to free agency without the team allowing it.

The 27-year-old Snider has one additional arbitration year left. He made $2.1 million last season, which he split between the Orioles and Pirates, who traded him to Baltimore last offseason for pitching prospects Stephen Tarpley and Steven Brault.

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Live Qs at 5: Your turn at the grill

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by • Live Qs at 5 • , ,

DEJAN
Welcome to another Live Qs at 5, the forum where you do the grilling.

LiveQsAt5_10-5-2
Here’s how it works: Enter one question below. I’ll go through and answer as many as possible. When it’s done, all that will be left are the questions that were used, my replies and any follow-ups that the original questioner has. This way, it’s easier for readers to go through it all.

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Orioles claim Worley off waivers from Pirates

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by • Coverage •

MATT
The Orioles announced Tuesday afternoon they have claimed right-hander Vance Worley off waivers from the Pirates.

Worley, 28, pitched parts of the past two seasons with the Pirates. Although he ended his Pittsburgh tenure as a long reliever, 25 of his 41 appearances with the team were starts.

A third-round draft pick of the Phillies in 2008, Worley joined the the Pirates after a terrible 2013 with the Twins, for whom he posted a 7.21 ERA and a 5.53 FIP. He improved those metrics to 2.85 and 3.44, respectively, in 17 starts for the Pirates in 2014.

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The Cardinals' Patrick Peterson swats away this Michael Vick pass intended for Antonio Brown Sunday. -- GETTY

The Cardinals' Patrick Peterson swats away this Michael Vick pass intended for Antonio Brown Sunday. -- GETTY

Tuesday Takes: Thumbs down for AB the baby

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by • Columns • , , , ,

DEJAN
Brief and to the Point …

• Mike Tomlin and the Steelers have described Antonio Brown as a leader without peer. I’ve echoed that occasionally, having witnessed his extraordinary work ethic in addition to how he pushes his fellow wide receivers to match it.

But two weeks now of his relentless petulance have altered that for me. His pouting, gesturing and complaining to the coaches about not getting the ball, all while the team has been otherwise battling for two tight wins … those are the acts of a child, not a leader.

TueTakes
Want the ball, AB?

OK, put away the pacifier and start creating actual separation the way No. 10 did time after time Sunday in the victory over the Cardinals. Martavis Bryant saw a couple of bad balls, too, but he kept making plays.

Then again, hey, maybe that’s the real problem here.

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Live Qs at 5: Let’s talk … whatever you want

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by • Live Qs at 5 • , , ,

MATT
It’s the Live Qs at 5, back for another week! I’m fresh from Steelers and Pitt coverage on the South Side, so feel free to mix in football with baseball, hockey, analytics and whatever else.

LiveQsAt5_10-5-2
Here’s how it works: Enter one question below, as always. I’ll go through and answer as many as possible. When it’s done, all that will be left are the questions that were used so it’s easier for readers to go through it.

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Live Qs at 5: Go ahead, ask (almost) anything

by • Live Qs at 5 • , ,

DEJAN
Welcome to another Live Qs at 5, one that will be conducted entirely in the comments.

LiveQsAt5_10-5-2
Here’s how it works: Enter one question below, as always. I’ll go through and answer as many as possible. When it’s done, all that will be left are the questions that were used so it’s easier for readers to go through it.

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Keith Butler is in his first year as the Steelers' defensive coordinator. -- GETTY

Keith Butler is in his first year as the Steelers' defensive coordinator. -- GETTY

Friday Insider: Steelers loud, proud of Butler

by • Friday Insider • , ,

DEJAN
It’s gone from a whisper to a roar.

Not so long ago, it was completely uncool inside the Steelers’ locker room to diminish in any way anything related to Dick LeBeau. He was the living legend, the architect of two Super Bowl defenses and the zone blitz, and he was so beloved that the mere mention of his name once caused James Harrison to break up on national TV.

Turner'sWell, here’s what’s up these days: The Steelers’ defense now ranks seventh in the NFL in points allowed per game at 19.0, way up from 18th and 23.0 last season. It now ranks fourth with 16 sacks, way up from 26th and a total of 33 last season. It’s hitting harder. It’s hurrying the quarterback more. It’s getting hands on the football.

It’s getting actual interceptions and actual returns, for crying out loud …

photo pick6_2_zpsdksfjewf.gif

And it’s funny how no one really seems inclined to keep quiet about it anymore.

“It’s night and day,” Mike Mitchell was telling me Thursday at the team’s South Side HQ. “There’s so much more cohesiveness, so much more awareness of what’s happening around us and why … I can’t even put that into words.”

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