The new World War II Veterans Memorial on the North Shore, near Heinz Field. -- DAVE DiCELLO

The new World War II Veterans Memorial on the North Shore, near Heinz Field. -- DAVE DiCELLO

DiCello: In remembrance

by • Photos •

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

On this day when we renew our vow to never forget, here’s a capture from our Dave DiCello of the World War II Memorial on the North Shore, completed in late 2013.

Monday planner: Going back to Cali

by • Site stuff •

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

A look at the week ahead on the site …

Monday: Memorial Day will open with a fitting image from our Dave DiCello. He’ll take ownership of Monday mornings around here from this point forward, hopefully offering an uplifting start to your work week. Tonight at PNC Park, Josh Yohe will cover the Pirates-Marlins series opener.

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Tuesday: Tuesday 10 Qs go live at 9 a.m. After that, I’ll head over to the South Side for the opening of the Steelers’ OTAs. At night, Josh will be back at PNC Park.

Wednesday: Morning Java video gets us going. Josh will truly begin earning that nine-figure paycheck on this day, as he’ll do double-duty, going right from OTAs to PNC Park for the Pirates-Marlins matinee. At 4:30 p.m., I’ll appear on 105.9 the X with Mark Madden. And right after that, I’ll board a plane bound for California, where I’ll cover all seven games of the Pirates’ trip through San Diego and San Francisco. While I’m airborne, Matt Gajtka will cover Riverhounds vs. Tampa Bay at Highmark Stadium.

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Francisco Liriano takes the field Sunday at PNC Park on his way to 12 strikeouts. -- JARED WICKERHAM / GETTY

Francisco Liriano takes the field Sunday at PNC Park on his way to 12 strikeouts. -- JARED WICKERHAM / GETTY

Column: The big three rise up to a promise

by • Columns •

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

Gerrit Cole called it.

It was part prediction, part promise, probably part throwaway line, but the man still essentially foresaw this whole wonderful weekend sweep of the Mets, confidence and cockiness included. What’s more, he did so way back in February, barely a week into the Pirates’ spring training in Bradenton.

Stop reading and click this video, paying particular attention to our exchange at 1:15:

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Josh Harrison lashes a two-run double to right in the fourth inning. -- JARED WICKERHAM / GETTY

Josh Harrison lashes a two-run double to right in the fourth inning. -- JARED WICKERHAM / GETTY

Coverage: J-Hay, A.J. revivals well underway

by • Coverage •

BY JOSH YOHE

Before A.J. Burnett put the finishing touches on another gem, and before Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez hit the signature bombs in the Pirates’ 8-2 rout of the Mets on Saturday, there was Josh Harrison’s first at-bat.

It told the story. And right now, Harrison might be this team’s most important story.

Matt Harvey’s first pitch of the afternoon was a hanging slider, and Harrison pounced on it, driving a single to left. He raced hard around first base, thinking about taking second. Harrison thought better of it, using an aggressive but intelligent approach.

Then he stole second base. It was the kind of aggressive baseball Clint Hurdle likes to see.

It was the Harrison everyone saw in 2014. He appears to be all the way back.

“He’s got a skill set that’s in a good place,” Hurdle said after the game. “He’s got confidence that’s in a good place.”

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Benstonium: Kang-nam Style

by • Videos • ,

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

Without further ado, without any hesitation here or on the basepaths, from our partners at Benstonium, the world premier of … oh, just watch.

Saturday site stuff: Still more upgrades on way

by • Site stuff •

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

A weekly look at what’s new, what’s coming on our site …

• The home page redesign was completed this week, largely through the work of our site manager Jordan Saunders. We now have a featured post that stays atop the page until another important piece displaces it. We also have the rotating carousel of other recent featured posts for easy access. And down the left side, we’ve added a simple, functional index for all our contents and business stuff.

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That’s only the beginning of the upgrading, though: On the app, we’ll soon make it easier for readers to access and enjoy our videos, podcasts and photos. On tablets, we’ll be right-sizing our content to work with whatever screen you use. And in comments, we’ll add likes, an editing function and special designations around the avatars of Lunatic subscribers.

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Gerrit Cole receives a standing ovation at PNC Park after being lifted in the ninth inning. -- GETTY

Gerrit Cole receives a standing ovation at PNC Park after being lifted in the ninth inning. -- GETTY

Coverage: Cole doesn’t exactly lack fuel

by • Coverage •

BY JOSH YOHE

Gerrit Cole seemed annoyed with himself for not converting his first career complete game.

It seems that such an event is only a matter of time.

He delivered a masterful performance Friday night at PNC Park, striking out 10 and falling two outs shy of the finish line in the Pirates’ 4-1 win over the Mets. The only run was unearned.

Clint Hurdle acknowledged that this might have been his starter’s finest performance.

“Close to it,” he said. “Complete command, from start to finish. That was a good shot in the arm for us.”

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Russell Martin is off to a .297 start playing for the Blue Jays in his native Canada. -- GETTY

Russell Martin is off to a .297 start playing for the Blue Jays in his native Canada. -- GETTY

Friday Insider: RIP to post-Russell Pirates?

by • Friday Insider • , ,

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

Roundup of a lot of randomness from a lot of time around our teams …

• Russell Martin revived the Pirates, then killed them.

There’s more to the tale, of course, not least of which is that three-quarters of Major League Baseball’s 2015 season remains. But that was the consensus this week of two intensely knowledgeable men inside the game I’ve known for many years, one of them a big-time National League executive and the other a long-time American League scout.

Turner's

It’s not about Martin’s defense, at least not nearly as much as had been feared.

It’s not even about Martin’s ability to get the most from a pitching staff, including his much-trumpeted-by-the-advanced-stats-pack gift for influencing strike calls with how he caught the ball. If anything, the Pirates’ top starters all look better than a year ago.

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Brian Dozier reacts after batter

Brian Dozier reacts after batter's interference quashes and Andrew McCutchen steal in the 10th. -- GETTY

Column: Isolating blame on Marte? Seriously?

by • Columns •

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

This, Josh Harrison evidently had decided, would be the pivoting point.

As in the pivoting point.

Oh, it wasn’t much. Just a flare into PNC Park’s right field grass, one that led off the Pirates’ sixth inning with the Twins up by two runs Wednesday night. But it took only a glance at J-Hay reaching first, spinning back toward the home dugout and clapping demonstratively, and it was clear he either hoped or even fully expected that this little hit would be the one to finally, fully light the collective fire around here.

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Lebo Moloto celebrates scoring the Riverhounds

Lebo Moloto celebrates scoring the Riverhounds' second goal, a minute after their first. -- LIZ BERIE / RIVERHOUNDS

Coverage: Defense marks Open Cup opener

by • Coverage •

By Matt Gajtka
The Riverhounds earned the result they were seeking in more ways than one Wednesday night, trouncing the Premier Development League’s West Virginia Chaos, 3-0, in second-round U.S. Open Cup play at Highmark Stadium.

Not only did they advance to host the NASL’s Tampa Bay Rowdies next Wednesday, but they also earned their first shutout in nine matches, with defense being a growing point of emphasis in recent weeks.

“Give credit to the guys in the back for that,” Riverhounds coach Mark Steffens said. “They really got behind the ball well. It’s easy to take games like this lightly. We told them, don’t be that pro team that loses to a PDL team.”

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Cam Heyward, Maurkice Pouncey. -- GETTY

Cam Heyward, Maurkice Pouncey. -- GETTY

Feature: Heyward, Pouncey begin the ushering

by • Features •

BY JOSH YOHE

The offensive linemen invited to the Steelers’ recent rookie camp — most were undrafted free agents, many of whom don’t have a prayer of making the 53-man roster — were treated to dinner at the Capital Grille recently by Maurkice Pouncey.

“It just seemed like the right thing to do,” the All-Pro center explained today.

Pouncey and Cam Heyward were chosen by the team to meet with the media at the South Side headquarters, and that decision, however random, seemed right. Those two represent a new era, and the students have become the teachers. The Steelers Way never really changes, as people inside the organization have attested for generations, because it is passed from one generation to the next.

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Morning Java: Cubs, Patriots, Rangers, oh, my

by • Videos • , , ,

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC AND JOSH YOHE

The Morning Java feature is back and sunnier than ever, as at least the backdrop on this edition should illustrate.

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