Pittsburgh Pirates

Podcast: Josh on 970 ESPN

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by • Podcasts • , ,

JOSH
Here’s the podcast of my weekly appearance on 970 ESPN Pittsburgh with David Todd. We talked Pirates from front to finish.

Android app users, click here.

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Five Qs at 5: Malkin, Adams, Steelers receivers

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by • Five Qs at 5 • , ,

JOSH
It’s happy hour, which means it’s time for five answers to your questions. Away we go …

Five Qs at 5-2

Dave: Josh, the recent Geno Smith incident brought this to mind. Can you tell me the real reason that Evgeni Malkin jacked up Craig Adams last year in practice? Was Adams just not a well liked guy in the room?

JY: Many in the organization immediately tried to downplay this situation by saying things like, “That kind of stuff happens in hockey all the time. It was just a scuffle.”

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Column: Pirates’ defense past breaking point

Gregory Polanco misplays this looping liner by Yadier Molina into an RBI triple Wednesday night. -- GETTY

Column: Pirates’ defense past breaking point

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by • Columns •

DEJAN
ST. LOUIS — Gerrit Cole didn’t break a blessed thing.

Didn’t drive his fist into some drywall. Didn’t fling a chair. Didn’t even follow standard psycho-pitcher protocol and take a bat to the poor tub of Gatorade.

Talk about off-the-charts poise, huh?

“I don’t know. Maybe I’ve just got a good poker face,” the Pirates’ ace and erstwhile Cy Young candidate was telling me late Wednesday night in the otherwise silent Busch Stadium visiting clubhouse, this after yet another gift-wrapped, bow-on-top outcome was handed to the Cardinals by a 4-2 count.

Cole actually allowed for the smallest of smiles as he spoke that, too.

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Matt’s Stats: Trade market left Pirates behind?

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by • Features • ,

MATT
The act of seeking out information that confirms our beliefs, while ignoring data that doesn’t, is known as confirmation bias.

This way of thinking comes into play in all areas of human endeavor. Some might call it narrow-minded, others would say it keeps things simple. Regardless of labels, I believe that at least trying to fight confirmation bias can lead to interesting discoveries.

Matts Stats

My preconceived notions came into play while absorbing the coverage of this year’s MLB trade deadline frenzy. How important is dealing for additional talent when trying to make a run at a championship? I’ve long suspected that trade acquisitions, while initially exciting, are ultimately overblown.

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Five Qs at 5: Cutch, clutch, kicker, Crosby

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by • Five Qs at 5 • , ,

MATT
Round 2 … let’s dance.

Five Qs at 5-2

Brian: How does Jung Ho Kang rate as a rookie of the year candidate?

MG: JHK is no longer Pittsburgh’s little secret. Not only have analytically-minded outlets like FanGraphs and Beyond the Box Score produced features on the Korean rookie this week, but MLB Network and ESPN also recently brought up his name on this very topic.

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Podcast: DK on 105.9 the X

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DEJAN
ST. LOUIS — Here’s the podcast of my weekly appearance on 105.9 the X with Mark Madden, this one mostly on Pirates-Cardinals but also a touch of Steelers at the end:

Android app users, click here.

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Column: Blame abounds, but issue Centralized

Jason Heyward avoids Pedro Alvarez's tag with slick baserunning for an infield single Tuesday. -- GETTY

Column: Blame abounds, but issue Centralized

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by • Columns •

DEJAN
ST. LOUIS — This was Jeff Locke’s fault.

Ten times this season, he’s failed to put forth more than a five-inning start, and his latest shortfall was the Pirates’ latest downfall to the Cardinals, 4-3, Tuesday at Busch Stadium.

Forget that he blew a lead after his teammates had impressively begun pounding Carlos Martinez, or that he was tagged for seven hits and three walks, or that two of the latter opened St. Louis’ pivotal three-run fifth inning.

Just look at 40 of his 88 pitches being balls. Almost half.

Sorry, but that’s unacceptable.

Whatever one thinks of Locke in general, that’s not prepared or poised enough. And there’s nowhere that finger should point but squarely at the pitcher, as he clearly grasped afterward:

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Five Qs at 5: Kang, Boykin, TV ratings, Jackets

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by • Five Qs at 5 • , ,

DEJAN
If it’s Monday, it’s my turn again, so here we go …

Five Qs at 5-2

JeffAbe57: With all the questions about what happens when Jordy Mercer and Josh Harrison return, how is it not obvious that Aramis Ramirez sits? He has been an absolute ZERO in all phases since his return to the Bucs. Jung Ho Kang has to play every day. You absolutely can’t sit Kang under any circumstance.

DK: You actually can. And the Pirates will. And they’ll be right.

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Awakened Pirates offense reaches new heights

Andrew McCutchen lines a two-run single in the Pirates' monster seventh inning. -- JARED WICKERHAM / GETTY

Awakened Pirates offense reaches new heights

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by • Coverage •

MATT
It hadn’t happened this century, so emphatic was the only way to go.

With a national TV audience watching, the Pirates again put their most captivating qualities on display, overwhelming the Dodgers, 13-6, on the strength of a force-of-nature nine-run seventh inning Sunday night at PNC Park.

The Pirates set up their first home sweep of Los Angeles since 1999 with two one-run victories, but the finale’s first 90 minutes had the look of a blowout  … for the visitors.

The Dodgers nabbed a 5-1 lead through five innings against an eminently hittable Charlie Morton, subduing the 18th home sellout crowd of the season. Nevertheless, the uprising began in the fifth with Andrew McCutchen‘s towering two-run blast off Alex Wood and culminated with the offense’s largest single-frame outburst in two years.

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Hurdle’s formula for success simple as 7-8-9

Mark Melancon exults after his 35th save Saturday night at PNC Park. -- JARED WICKERHAM / GETTY

Hurdle’s formula for success simple as 7-8-9

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by • Coverage •

DEJAN
Joakim Soria has now pitched five times for the Pirates since being acquired from the Tigers: July 31, and the 2nd, 5th, 7th and 8th of this month.

Tony Watson and Mark Melancon’s past five appearances: July 31, and the 2nd, 5th, 7th and 8th of this month.

Coincidence?

“Ha! Not a chance!” Clint Hurdle was telling me after his team’s 6-5 victory over the Dodgers Saturday night at PNC Park. “Other than the one time we needed to use Soria because Melancon was ejected, they’re going right in a row, just like that.”

Meaning 7-8-9.

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