Bleacher Report - Articles by Zachary Weiss

Pittsburgh Pens Defeat Los Angeles Kings 4-1: A Personal Account

Zachary Weiss — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 06:42:03 -0400

With the hiring of new coach Dan Bylsma, the Pittsburgh Penguins have picked up the slack and have played with intensity and fire. With the Penguins continuing to win, I got very excited for a simple reason.

As a birthday present, I got to go to see the Penguins play the Los Angeles Kings Friday at Mellon Arena. I usually get to go to one Penguins game a year, and the Penguins have never lost a game when I show up (somebody get me season tickets). So with that said, I guaranteed a Penguins victory and headed off to the arena.

My seats were fairly high, as I sat in F28 but I had row A seats four and 5five. It seemed sort of secluded from the other seats and a five seat row which made it easier to move around.

While their wasn't that much room, I felt like a VIP, and also felt that my right knee cap (which had been affected by tendinitis for 10 weeks and will continue to have it for another month and a half) had something to rest on.

Before I got to my seat, we took a front row look at shoot around and it was really cool, and pounding the glass made me feel like a kid in a candy shop. After that, we got to our seat with 20 minutes to spare. I chatted with my seat neighbors and soon enough the game was under way.

I was certain the the Penguins would win, as the Kings are not that good and their best player statistically, Anze Kopitar had 60 points. The main person I was worried about on their team was No. 23 Dustin Brown.

Brown is very comparable to Chris Kunitz (who plays for the Penguins). While Kunitz is a little more noticeable offensively, Brown leads the National Hockey League (NHL) in hits so I certainly expected fireworks from him.

The Penguins seemed to dictate play despite being short-handed early in the period. My thoughts were confirmed when on the Penguins first power play of the game, Sidney Crosby took a back hand against Kings goalie Jonathan Quick and scored making it 1-0 Penguins.

The place went nuts and I more than joined in the cheering. A few minutes later, the place went nuts again, as Evgeni Malkin scored on a nice pass from Crosby. He had a wide open net, and soon chants of "MVP" followed. The Penguins had a 2-0 lead after the first period.

In the second period, the Penguins added two goals, one from Tyler Kennedy and another from Bill Guerin to get a 4-0 lead, a lead they kept at period's end. I then decided to leave my seat and walk around the arena.

My main mission was to buy a media guide, but just like the year before, I got lost. I walked around and found the steps for F which said that F28 was the way I was going, but the stairs only led me to F11-F20. I fell for this twice, and when I finally got back in my seat, I had missed 3 seconds of the period.

The third period confirmed my previous thoughts on Brown. Brown had a couple of tenacious hits within a little less than a minute of each other and I knew that I had properly done my homework. The Kings got another power play, and the Penguins had handled short-handed situations well but this time was different.

The Kings had a two man advantage that was helped when Craig Adams broke his stick and helplessly defended. A few seconds later, Michal Handzus scored for the Kings (the goal was originally given to Drew Doughty) to make it 4-1 and ruin Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury's chances of shutting out the Kings

My plan all along was to go for autographs after the game, so with two minutes left, I left Mellon Arena. The Penguins won the game 4-1 and Fleury made 24 of 25 saves. I met some of my friends outside the Arena and we chatted for a bit in the freezing cold while we waited for the Penguins to come out.

After a while, the Kings bus finally left, and Penguins started making their way out much to the joy of the Penguins faithful.

When I saw them driving away, I saw my chance. I brought an official Penguins puck from the early 90's to the game with me and was ready for some signatures. By this point, the tendinitis in my knee was flaring and I was really hurting so I knew it would take a lot to pull this off.

The first car I see is Petr Sykora and my friends and I run to him. Some how, I stay with them, and after one of my friends got a game used stick, I got my first ever Penguins autograph (I had gotten autographs from Peter Taglianetti, Ken Wregget and Phil Bourque but they were retired at that point as they signed over this past summer).

I was very excited as I gimped to the next car.

After this brief victory, we make the long run to Evgeni Malkin and at this point, my knee is on fire. I took my friend's advice and pushed and shoved my way through. At this point, Malkin had signed for two people, and I had done such a good job pushing and shoving that I had no competition to get the next autograph.

I saw Geno and surprisingly was not star struck, his parents were there and I saw Geno face to face. Unfortunately, he left after two autographs. I considered running after him, but with cops there and with my knee on fire, I figured that I could wait 365 days. I regret that decision immensely.

My friend who always gets autographs, saw me pushing and shoving my way through, which considering that I am a nice guy showed how close I was.

I didn't let this discourage me though, and I quickly recovered and ran to Hal Gill. He seemed very patient as I got to him just in time for him to sign my puck. I was the last person he signed for that night.

While it does sound mean and selfish, autographs are nice, but getting the last autograph from any body is even more special than just getting an autograph in general. It makes you feel important and makes others envy you for a few seconds.

This happened on Fan Appreciation Day at PNC Park last September when I made a last second decision to go for Pirate closer Matt Capp's autograph (I had him once already) and was the last person to get it. I was the last person to get his autograph that morning because I called him.

I felt really special and with getting the last Gill autograph helped me ignore the knee pain for just a few extra seconds.

The next person I got was backup goalie Mathieu Garon. He like previous autographs (except Malkin), didn't have that many people to sign for, but he seemed to have the least amount of people (Fleury starts a lot for the Penguins and Garon since coming to the Penguins has only started in goal twice winning and losing once).

He signed and again I was grateful.

The last player I got for the night was Jordan Staal. There was a crowd of people by him and my knee was in the worst shape of the night. This resorted me to standing by the rear view mirror of his car.

I moved up slowly, and Staal took my puck and signed it. He was very patient and easily could have been like Malkin and drove away. I can now see why so many people like Staal so much.

The last autograph of the night that I got did not come from a Penguins player. My friends ran into Mark Madden and I got an autograph on the Icetime program the Penguins hand out before the game to all fans. He was willing to talk with us and take some pictures with us which was very nice.

That is pretty much the end of this extensive Penguins experience. Hopefully, I will let you know in another 365 days how the next one goes. I am even more hopeful that I won't get lost in the Arena the next (and possibly last) time.

2009 Predictions Sure to Be Wrong

Zachary Weiss — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 12:24:48 -0500

Well many people have asked me, and these are my predictions for 2009:

1.Lions take Michael Crabtree with the first pick of the 2009 NFL Draft: Obviously the Lions learned a lot in the Matt Millen era, as they decide to draft the "electrifying" Crabtree of Texas Tech over Matt Stafford and Sam Bradford. After the draft Marinelli is fired and Millen is hired as the new head coach (how convenient).

2. Lions find their quarterback: Upon discovering that the Lions needed a franchise quarterback, Matt Millen decides to sign Mike Vick and tag him as their franchise player. "After Marinelli decided to draft another wide receiver, I immediately realized that I needed to be proactive about the situation and thus found Vick to be the man for the job," a jubilant Millen said. Vick was not available for comment as he was seeking advice from OJ Simpson.

3. Bengals franchise folds: You figured this had to be coming. Commissioner Roger Goodell found a way to arrest every Cincinnati Bengals player from the 52 man roster. With no team available to field, the Bengals were forced to throw in the towel and complicate the NFL even more.

4. Bonds signs a one day contract: The day before he was due in court, Barry Bonds was signed to a one game contract by, of all teams, the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates were looking for a way to attract fans to the ballpark and ultimately decided that perhaps signing Bonds could provide a winning season (i.e. 1992). Bonds was intentionally walked four times and the Pirates won the game.

5.Kobe/Shaq rap collaboration: After hearing Shaquille O'Neal rapping and asking him how his *** tastes, Kobe Bryant decided to take matters into his own hands. He approached Shaq, and asked if the two could form a rap group together. The two became a very popular rap duo and even released a hit record together. However, Kobe true to himself, let fame go to his head and became very self-centered and Shaq and Kobe broke up (again).

6. Oklahoma City Thunder make the NBA Finals: Despite having the worst uniforms in the league and a record to boot, the Oklahoma City Thunder were able to forge a rally and get into the NBA Finals. With team work and seven different head coaches, the Thunder did one thing right, give the ball to Kevin Durant. Durant's point per game total of 99.5 easily placed the Thunder in the NBA Finals. However, the team lost to the Stephon Marbury led New York Knicks 4-2 after Durant got injured in game five.

7. Michael Jordan comes out of retirement again: Tired of losing to Charles Barkley in golf, Michael Jordan decided to un-retire yet again (take that Brett Favre) and play for the Charlotte Bobcats. The combined attack of Emeka Okafor, Gerald Wallace and MJ, brought the Bobcats to the conference finals. The Bobcats won game six 101-92, however lost game seven after Jordan bailed on his team in favor of being the star of Happy Gilmore 2.

8. Tiger retires from competitive golf: Citing irreconcilable differences to the game of golf, Tiger Woods retired from golf immediately after winning the 2009 Masters (which was his first tournament since the 2008 U.S. Open). "I feel that I have done all that I can with the great sport of golf. I think at this stage of my life, I need to be with the people that need me the most; Elin and Sam," said a choked up Tiger.

My Top Pittsburgh Pirates Moments from the 2008 season

Zachary Weiss — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:10:08 -0500

So despite last season being another year of disappointment for the Buccos, I did not let that get in my way. Despite not being a season ticket holder and my age of 16 years young, I went to a grand total of 17 games last season. No at the field and off of it, there were a ton of fun moments. Here they are in terms of most memorable to least memorable:

1. Pirates Trivia Win: If you read one my previous entries, you recall me getting on Pirates Trivia. If you did not read the entry, I managed to leave my outfield seat and make my way on to the Riverwalk (similar to a beach's boardwalk with souvenir stands as well as concession stands and rest rooms), and ask if I could go on Pirates Trivia. Despite originally being an alternate and the promise of being on next season, the original person never showed up and I was on.

Pirates Trivia is one of the games that occurred after the bottom of the fourth inning. In the game, a single person has their name and is on jumbotron. A question is read to them with four possible choices and if you answer correctly, you get to choose between a Pirates jacket (valued at $160) or a mystery box which can be either good or bad. If you get the question incorrectly, you have a choice between a Pirates hat and the box.

After getting my question, I took only a couple of seconds to answer and after being told that I seemed confident, got the answer correct. I then instantly chose to gamble and picked the box. Inside the box was a signed Nate McLouth 2008 All-Star Jersey (valued at $260 at the time) as well as two Lexus Club tickets to Pirates Opening Day next year (valued at $160 to $210 a ticket).

The victory was even more satifying, because I had tried to get McLouth's autograph several times before. The most notable time, was right before a game, when after a picture it was just me and him. I called his name, and without saying that he had to go or apologizing, he ran back to the dugout.

Caption: This is the view in the Lexus Club. It is right in front of the park, your food is free. and you can see what it is like for a hitter to hit 90 mile per hour heat.

2. Autographs: As I mentioned, I did get Nate McLouth's autograph, but there were so many others that I got. This was my first year attempting to get autographs, and in large part it was a success. I will definitely be able to get more, as I will be sitting right where autographs are usually given. My autographs ranged from teams and eras, but I was happy to get each and everyone of them.

The fun started at the team's annual event called PirateFest. The annual event, is usually done as a way for players to say thanks to the fans. There are autograph signings, games and much fun every year. The autograph sessions were done in one area, and there was a line. Each signing involved a current Pirate, a former Pirate and a future Pirate.

I actually did get in line for a little bit, but after discovering how long the wait was (2 1/2 hours), I instantly left the line. Immediately afterwards, there was a Pirates Q&A session and I saw my chance. The session lasted around an hour and afterwards I was ready to do some back and forth running.

The first person I approached was Tom Gorzelanny and after congratulating him on his marriage and his good season I got his signature. I then proceeded to run back and forth repeatedly to get many more signatures. The signatures were Zach Duke, Xavier Nady, and Paul Maholm.

After the running, I got Bob Walk, Matt Morris (more on him later), Bob Friend and Ian Snell all seperately at the radio booth. I also got Matt Capps and Jack Wilson seperately at one of the stages.

Then during the summer, I attended the Parade of Champions, a part of Pittsburgh's 250 anniversary. The event featured champions in every sport and had a lot of different features. There were several autograph sessions during the day and one was extra special. In fact, it was so special that it was seperate from all of the other signers. I instantly got in line because of the person and because of how long the line was going to be. Any guesses who this person is?

If you said Bill Mazeroski, then you are correct. Mazeroski was great, and he was in town because he would in a couple days' time throw out the first pitch in the Pirates-Yankees game. I also was able to get signatures from Steve Blass, Kent Tekulve, John Candelaria and Bob Friend.

Bill Mazeroski

A week later, I got yet another great autograph. The Tampa Bay Rays were in town and it was Sunday. A key hint for autograph hunters who go to PNC Park is to either get seats by the team of your choice or go to the ballpark on Sunday. Sunday is the easiest day to access the players and interact with them. While I did miss Scott Kazmir and James Shields I did manage to get three autographs. I got former Pirate Al Reyes, Edwin Jackson (who is no longer on the team,) and the biggest one in Matt Garza.

Garza who earlier in the season has tossed a one hitter was a great autograph because he ended up becoming the ALCS MVP. I felt great to add him to my collection. The only in game autograph I got was from the Jolly Roger, one of the Pirates two mascots. He looked over my scorecard and then whipped out a sharpie and signed it. Before the season was over, I also got Freddy Sanchez, John Grabow, Sean Burnett, Ian Snell, Matt Capps, Jeff Karstens, and Tyler Yates.

Matt Garza

3. 4 Games In 4 Days: Despite not being a season ticket holder, I was able to attend four Pirates games in four days. While that may not sound like much, the way I did it would make it difficult for the average person. Considering that I am 16 and go to bed at 11, it made for an interesting sequence. The first three games were the Skyblasts and involved fireworks and a post-game concert.

As a footnote, the Pirates did lose all four games, but to me that did not matter. After each night of Skyblast I went to bed at 2 AM. The fourth game was at 1:35 so I barely got any sleep, and I did get a sunburn afterwards. By the end of all four games, I couldn't speak because I was yelling so loudly.

4. I Will Do Anything To Get On TV/Jumbotron: Whether it was being the section of the game, or being a complete idiot, I seemed to get on jumbotron quite a bit to get on TV or jumbotron. I played the National Anthem on my clarinet at the Pirates game with the rest of the band and did make it on jumbotron (check my Facebook Profile for proof). I did this despite going to the game the night before and yet again screaming for death and losing my voice.

During the game, I warned my bandmates that I will scream and sure enough when Freddy Sanchez got a hit, I screamed at the top of my lungs for him to go to third and then screamed for him to slide. A couple of my band mates looked at me as if they had seen a UFO. We all sat in the upper deck that day, and my friend later told me that he was watching the game, and that my scream was so loud, that he could actually hear it. How about that?

If you thought that was bad, then you are sorely mistaken. My same friend and I went to a separate game and I did Karaoke for the first time (if you want to see it, go on youtube and search Pirate Game Karaoke and I am the first result). It was an ok performance and I can't believe I did it and as you read my friend recorded it (I sang Don't Stop Believing by Journey).

If that wasn't bad enough I ended up dancing, and I can tell you honestly, that I am horrible and spastic dancer. Yet, common sense did not stop me from being a moron. My moves made no sense at all, and when my friend put them up on Youtube he edited them to make them look even stupider.

Caption: Me doing Karaoke (this could help you if you are looking for it on Youtube)

However, I was not done. After dancing during several inning breaks, I somehow did get on jumbotron and I proceeded to do the Soulja Boy Dance (and let me tell you I hit it spot on) and then did a couple other things (unfortunately my friend did not record it, I would have loved to see how it came out).

5. Sights and Sounds From The Pirates: PNC Park was full of great moments during thr 2008 season. One great moment was at the Pirates Q&A session at PirateFest. Nyjer Morgan was battling Nate McLouth and Chris Duffy for the centerfield job and a fan asked Nyjer to describe himself. He first started out talking about being from Walla Walla and his love for hockey.

That was when the magic occurred and he talked about his Caddy SGX: "She drives real smooth, so I called her Charlene." This magic was nearly topped by a fan by the name of Action. Action was sitting right in front of me during Pirates Deal or No Deal at PirateFest and freaked out over a Pirates t-shirt ("Ooo. Pirates....t-shirt").

He made me laugh even harder when he got on Pirates Trivia and took the box and won an autographed Matt Capps jersey.

If I had one vendor that I could buy from it would be the Lemonade Man. The Lemonade Man also known as Ken, is this skinny senior citizen who sells lemonade at all of the Pirate games. Ken has a constant routine that he has not changed for years that always works.

He screams (well sort of) Lemonade repeatedly and then if someone wants one, he says, "$4 for 1," and after he gives you the lemonade, he tells you to, "take it easy." Every time the Lemonade Man is at PNC Park he is definitely one of the most recognizable faces in the Park.

Ken the Lemonade Man

Another recognizable sight has to be the grounds crew. When there is a rain delay, the crew makes a huge mistake wearing these ugly looking yellow boots. I know you want to wear home team colors, but yellow? Come on, it looks like what a first grader wears on a rainy day. Next season, please pick another color (except pink).

6. The End Of a Career: When I got Matt Morris' autograph at PirateFest, I told him one thing, "watch out for that first inning," and he said "hey, that's right, I will." He then proceeded to pitch horribly and give up all kinds first inning runs and be taken out early further proving the fact that hitters hit more than .300 against Matt Morris in the first inning.

I actually got to see Matt Morris' last start as a Major Leaguer and oh was it ever bad. He gave up three runs in the first inning and only pitched 1 2/3 innings in the game. He actually was at right around 80 pitches when he was taken out. When he was released by the Pirates the next day, he retired and was owed $11 million. Way to go Mr. Littlefield.

Matt Morris

Five Pittsburgh Pirates Players Are Added to the 40-Man Roster

Zachary Weiss — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:51:48 -0500

After the recent events dealing with the Pirates, minor-league free agency, and the 40-man roster, the Pirates made additional moves, adding five players to the 40-man roster.

The first is Neil Walker. Walker was drafted by the Pirates in 2004, and since switched from being a catcher to a third baseman. While his average is not incredible, his power is a plus.

He spent the majority of last season in Double-A Altoona; however, he did spend time in Triple-A Indianapolis. Walker will have a definite shot although it is a long one, to be the starting third baseman, a position currently held by the underwhelming Andy LaRoche. If LaRoche is anything like what he was during his 2008 Pirates tenure, expect management to pull the plug and start Walker.

The second player, is Jose Tabata. Tabata has been followed very closely since he came over as a part of the Xavier Nady/Damaso Marte deal. He was considered the Yankees No. 2 prospect, and provided instant impact in the minor leagues.

He hit .359 in his short minor-league tenure. Tabata also has a realistic chance of being the lineup this season, as Nate McLouth seems to be the only safe lock in the outfield. With Brandon Moss injured and Nyjer Morgan ineffective, players such as Steve Pearce, Andrew McCutchen, and Tabata will definitely have their chances.

He is currently playing in the Venezuelan Winter League.

The third player added was Steve Lerud. Lerud is a catcher, which is something the Pirates need to have at this point. With Ronny Paulino being a fluke, no one knowing what to expect from Robinzon Diaz and Raul Chavez's lack of offense, Lerud is a great addition to the 40-man roster. He was acquired in one of the many trades to the Cleveland Indians. He is a part of the Arizona Fall League.

The fourth player added was Jeff Sues. Sues is the Pirates 2008 minor league Pitcher of the Year. He was a part of the Arizona Fall League and as a pitcher fits right into the Pirates' needs.

With Joe Kerrigan as the new Pirates pitching coach, he will be extremely pleased to have a fresh arm in the bullpen. Pitching was a huge problem for the Pirates last season, and with many bullpen spots very much up for grabs, Sues will have a legitimate chance to become a Major League reliever.

The last player added was Ronald Uviedo. While I don't know much about Uviedo, you have to think that he was brought up specifically to help out the bullpen.

In 2007, Uviedo posted a 2-0 record for the Pirates and their State College affiliate. Overall, he posted a 2-0 record with a 4.41 ERA in 28 games while giving up 28 hits in 34.2 innings pitched.

Seven of the 17 runs he gave up that year were because of home runs. In an average nine inning game, Uviedo would be on pace to strike out just over 10 batters while holding his opponents to a .222 batting average. He was 3-1 with an ERA of 3.01 in 2008 for Hickory. He is currently pitching in the Venezuelan Winter League.

So there you have it—more Pirates action. It will be interesting to see how these moves pan out, and it is almost certain that there is still much more to come.

Pirates on the Rise?: Past Failures Admitted and New Coaches Added

Zachary Weiss — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 08:13:48 -0500

Despite the fact that the Pirates did not have a breakout season this year, they have had a lot going on lately, and for that reason, this article had to be written.

1. The Pirates Have a New Pitching Coach

The Pirates hired Joe Kerrigan to be their new pitching coach, replacing Jeff Andrews. I feel as though it was the right hire. Once Andrews was fired, I instantly thought that we should sign Kerrigan because of the experience he provides.

He was the pitching coach when Pedro Martinez won two of his three CY Young Awards. He also was the pitching coach for the Philadelphia Phillies and the bench coach for the New York Yankees.

If that resume doesn't show you that he knows how to win, then you may also want to know that he was a broadcaster for the World Champion Phillies (the job he left to be in Pittsburgh). Kerrigan brings experience to the table as a pitching coach and I am excited to see what he can do for the Pirates.

2. Four Players Taken Off of the 40-Man Roster

Very recently, the Pirates dropped four pitchers from their 40-man roster. These pitchers are John Van Benschoten (whom many call JVB), Marino Salas, Yoslan Herrera (who was known as the Pinata) and Ronald Belisario. Although it may seem like no big deal, it truly shows that this new Pirates management, under Neal Huntington and Frank Coonelly, knows what they are doing.

All four of these pitchers seemed to be over matched on a consistent basis, and thus were taken off of the 40-man roster. Once you are taken off the 40-man roster, you are instantly placed in the Minor League (which was not really a problem for Belisario because he had no major league experience anyways) and cannot make the Major Leagues (unless, of course, you are placed back on the 40-man roster).

John Van Benschoten is a perfect example of an overmatched Pirates'. Based on his work the past couple of seasons, he showed the Pirates he was a lifetime Triple-A pitcher at best. While he seemed to dominate at Triple-A, he ultimately failed as long as he was wearing a Pirates' uniform.

Whether he was designated as a starter or a reliever, JVB struggled immensely. Through 2008, his Major League record was 2-13 with an ERA of 9.20.

Marino Salas also never really panned out in a Pirates' uniform. Salas, if you recall, was a part of the trade that sent Salomon Torres to the Milwaukee Brewers. Salas proved his worth in his first relief appearance against the St. Louis Cardinals as he escaped a bases-loaded jam (none of the runners on base were his responsibility) without allowing a run.

However, after that appearance, it never seemed to click for Salas. He was seemingly given one last chance as one of the many September call-ups for the Pirates, but only appeared in one game during the month of September.

Whether that was because of his ability or how many other players the Pirates players had on the roster at the time is tough to call, but it was very apparent that he fell out of the organization's favor and thus was given the heave-ho to the minors. While Salas did have a 1-0 record in the Majors, his ERA was 8.47.

Yoslan "the Pinata" Herrera is a true wild card. He is known as the Cuban defector that Dave Littlefield (who is now with the Cubs somehow) signed. Herrera was in Double-A throughout the remainder of Littlefield's tenure with the Pirates, and afterwards slowly climbed the ranks.

With injuries and ineffectiveness of Pirates pitching as well as Herrera's dominance in Triple-A, he was called up. Herrera, in short, seemed to be very much like Rick Ankiel when pitching.

With Herrera, you never knew where the ball would be hit to and also if the pitch would even land in the catcher's mitt. Herrera was fairly ineffective as a Pirate pitcher, and was optioned back to Double-A in early August. Herrera was not one of the September call-ups. In a Pirates' uniform, Herrera finished with a record of 1-1 with an ERA of 9.75.

It is hard to write much about Ronald Belisario mainly because he never made it out of Double-A. He was drafted in 2000 by the Florida Marlins never made it out of Single-A (except for a very brief stint in 2004). He was a part of the 2007 Florida Marlins' 40-man roster, but never appeared in a game. He was a part of the Pirates' 40-man roster and pitched in Double-A Altoona the whole season. He allowed 30 runs in 57 innings (4.74).

With this shakeup, the Pirates have four spaces left on the 40-man roster, they are likely to use the moves to put Tom Gorzelanny and Phil Dumatrait back on the roster. They also probably plan to sign some free agents or sign some Rule-Five draft picks to contracts, and therefore need the extra space for future purposes.

3. Perry Hill Is the Answer at First Base

The Pirates have hired Perry Hill as their first base coach. This signing completes the 2009 Pirates' coaching staff. Lou Frazier was the previous first base coach, but was fired for what was seemingly a lack of experience. Hill, who also will serve as the infield instructor, has twenty-three years of coaching experience, and is highly regarded for this.

His 14 years of major-league experience include time with the Texas Rangers, Montreal Expos (now known as the Washington Nationals), Florida Marlins, and Detroit Tigers.

4. The End of an Era

Many Pirates' fans will remember the name Chris Duffy for a variety of reasons. Many remember the speed he possessed but many more remembered how he was seemingly always injured.

Last season Duffy who was coming off of an injury, was invited to Spring Training to participate in the center field battle between himself, Nate McLouth and Nyjer Morgan (as we all know, McLouth won the job).

Between Spring Training and the end of the season, a lot has happened. Duffy was out for an extended period of time in the minors, damaging his value to the Pirates. Also, the trade deadline did not help Duffy at all.

With Steve Pearce, Nyjer Morgan and Andrew McCutchen already ahead of him in the depth chart, Jose Tabata was acquired from the Yankees, and Duffy sank further and further from the depth chart. For these reasons, the 2006 opening day center fielder filed for minor-league free agency and expressed no interest in rejoining the Pirates.

Recently Duffy was assigned to Mexico to play winter ball, but left after three games because he did not want to be there. Because Chris Duffy was on the 40-man roster, a spot needed to be filled, and it was filled by Evan Meek.

Meek would have been a part of the Rule-Five draft had he not been on the 40-man roster. Franquelis Osoria, Melvin Dorta, Luis Ordaz, Luis Cruz, Matt Kata, Miguel Perez and Carlos Maldonato also filed for Minor League free agency.

5. Nate McLouth Wins a Gold Glove

Although many berate the criteria for a player to win a Gold Glove, Nate McLouth is not one to complain. He was one of three National League outfielders to win a Gold Glove award.

The award, McLouth’s first, came in a year in which he made only $10,000 more than the minimum amount a player makes and also when he was the only starter to have to fight for his job in spring training.

McLouth may best be known this year for his throw in the All Star game to Russell Martin to keep the National League in the game. McLouth made only one error all season and didn’t even think the award was a possibility for him.

Many think McLouth is one of the worst center fielders in the major leagues and gets to every ball he can.

The other two National League outfielders to receive the award were Carlos Beltran and Shane Victorino.

6. Frank Coonelly Opens Up to Fans

If you remember in a previous entry I wrote, you will see that I named Pirates' Management the MVP of the 2008 season. Well, a recent meeting between team President Frank Coonelly and fans at Primanti Brother’s restaurant, in Pittsburgh, really showed why. He admitted to the fans in attendance, that they did not trade well in the Boston Red Sox trade.

This is the trade if you recall, that sent Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Jason Bayto the Red Sox while we acquired Craig Hanson, Andy LaRoche, Brandon Moss, and Bryan Morris. He specifically singled out Brandon Moss out when he said this because of the injury Moss experienced (knee) during the season.

He also stated that Adam LaRoche, must start the year out hot, and if not then management will look for change. LaRoche, no matter what he has tried, has always been a slow starter undergoing slumps in April and May every year.

These two statements prove that Coonelly and General Manager Neal Huntington know what they're doing with the Pirates, in contrast to previous management. If they continue to do what they do, Pittsburgh will be experiencing winning seasons, for years to come.

A Disgruntled Pirates Fan's 2009 Season Promotions

Zachary Weiss — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:34:36 -0400

It is a well known fact that the Pirates have been without a winning season for sixteen years. I understand people's frustrations, and because of that here are what I'm sure their promotion list would be:

1. Jim Tracy Day: If you can sign an autograph faster than Jim Tracy's time of 10 minutes (Usain Bolt beware), you win free outfield box seats.

2. Matt Morris Day: Matt Morris is placed on the field along with the first 1,000 fans. The fans get one hour to boo Morris and pelt him with whatever they please.

3. Dave Littlefield Appreciation Day: Everyone gets a bag to put over their head.

4. Neil Diamond Bobble head Day: The Pirates ran out of players to bobble head, so they put Neil Diamond in a Pirates jersey and call it a bobble head.

5. Free Primanti Bro's food: Why not get a chance to eat all of the food you can handle in Pittsburgh's favorite place to eat (doctors and barf bags not included)?

6. Pirates Cap: Sounds innocent enough, unless you put black and blue coloring with a Pirates logo on it.

7. John Russell impersonation day: Anyone who can talk as low as John Russell can deserves a free Lexus Club Seat.

8. Pirates Pitcher Tryouts day: Just like when Vince Papale got to try out and then play for the Eagles, you the fan, can try out to be a Pittsburgh Pirate. The winner gets a one year $1,000,000 contract and becomes the fifth starter.

9. Nyjer Morgan over slides the base yet again bobble head: Yes that's right, Subway will sponsor a bobble head where Nyjer Morgan in fact overslides the designated base.

10. Jeff Karstans T-Shirt Jersey: He pitched a near no-no, but since then has nothing but horrible just ask the 12,741 who saw one of his starts in which a four run second inning gave him the loss.

11. Adam LaRoche vs Ryan Doumit Day: The two face off in a 40 yard dash and the first 5,000 fans will go on the field and find out who is the slowest Buccos runner.

12. Select an Ian Snell Pitch Day: All you need to do is predict whether Ian Snell will throw fastball or change up the only two pitches he has left in his repertoire. If you win you are allowed access to the game, if not don't worry, you get Steelers tickets.

13. Back to Reality Day: The Indianapolis Indians, the Pirates triple-A team, will play the Pirates to determine who the actual Major League team is.

14. Fan Appreciation Day: Team finishes with 100 losses and the crowd instantly leaves Pittsburgh en route to Canada.

2008 Pirates Awards Part 1

Zachary Weiss — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:47:43 -0400

Here's what I'll do: I'll make this in an award-like fashion, there will be a few nominees followed by the winner.

Team MVP:

1. Nate McLouth, McLouth leads the Pirates in almost every offensive category. His job was the only one in question at the beginning of the season, and he has been about as close to consistent as the Pirates have had in the past 16 years.

2. Paul Maholm: Easily the best of the pitchers this year, Maholm, previously labeled inconsistent, has been the exact opposite this season. In almost all of his starts, he has made it to at least the sixth inning, something that definitely helps the Pirates win.

3. Pirates Management: It was hard to gauge what management would do coming into the season, especially because of the recent failures of Dave Littlefield and Cam Bonifay.

All Neal Huntington and Frank Coonelly did was trade for pitching at the deadline by selling high, acquire veteran locker room leaders, and actually give the team a chance to talk about realistic future plans for the first time in 16 years.

The Winner: This is a tough one, but I have to go with Pirates management.

By doing what they did at the trade deadline, they ensure future success. Because of previous management, we cannot contend in the next two to three years, but that isn't the current management's fault.

They got solid pitching talent in Jeff Karstans, Daniel McCutchen, Bryan Morris, and Ross Ohlendorf among others. It is clear that Brandon Moss will succeed as a Pirate, at least offensively anyway, once he figures out left/right field, he will be good to go.

LVP (Least Valuable Player):

1. Matt Morris: What else is there to say except that he is no longer a big league pitcher. He was a baffling acquisition during last year's trade deadline and he was not worth the money he was being paid, just to be a locker room leader.

2. Tom Gorzelanny: Just not the same pitcher he was last year. Gorzelanny struggled with control and weight all year—he did not take the Pirate's accountability theme to heart.

3. Ian Snell: He just struggled with control all season. I think he hid an injury, and he isn't the same pitcher as last year either. He needs to add another pitch or at least improve his location with his pitches.

4. Adam LaRoche: Despite his stellar second half, he is a rally killer. He strikes out way too much, and he leaves way too many on base.

The "Winner": Matt Morris. When you are being paid that much money, pitching 1 & 2/3 innings is not an option. All in all, the Matt Morris experiment was yet another smashing failure for past Pirate management.

Most Improved Player:

1. Nate McLouth: In his first year as starter, he showed why he became the starter in the first place. If Pirates management puts Nate in one place in the lineup (preferably lead off), he can really showcase his talent.

2. Ryan Doumit: Doumit was doing really well last year before an injury hit him, but this year, He is at it once again. He lost weight during the off season, and calls a good game behind the plate. Yet, he needs to work on hitting to the opposite field.

3. Paul Maholm: Maholm is the Pirate's most consistent starter. He is not afraid of pitching any pitch in any count.

The Winner:Nate McLouth. McLouth has taken a step in the right direction both offensively and defensively.

Moment of the Year:

1. Nate McLouth's two-run home run to beat the Yankees: In a sell out game, Nate McLouth blasted a two-run home run to giving the Pirates the edge, 4-2—a lead they never would relinquish.

2. Jason Michael's Home run to beat the Cardinals: In a see-saw battle heading in to the bottom of the ninth, Jason Michaels delivered a two-run homer to defeat the Cardinals and make Steve Blass scream, something I thought was never possible.

3. The Pirates Extra Inning Record: I had to include this as a choice: Whether it was opening day against the Braves, or a game against the Cardinals, the Pirates had the best record in the league in extra inning games—something worth noting. This Pirates team showed a fire that fans have not seen in a long time.

The Winner:This is also a very hard one, but I am going with the Jason Michaels home run. Given the circumstances, this game looked like yet another loss, but when Kyle McClellan, Jason Isringhausen, and others failed to close the door, the Pirates got right back into the game.

In the tenth inning after Raul Chavez (the last Pirates hitter on the bench) walked, Michaels hit the home run and the crowd went bonkers.

Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow!!

Corey Hart: What a Joke

Zachary Weiss — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:40:46 -0400

It has been a while since I have written an article, so I thought I would get back on the horn today. I was at the Pirates-Brewers game at PNC Park on August 30, and couldn't help but notice Corey Hart.

My seats were fairly close to where Corey Hart was playing, and I noticed on a couple of occasions, that Corey Hart was taking out his cellphone.

As a baseball player, cellphones, first and foremost are not allowed onto any baseball field, at anytime. Also, I understand that there is a break in the action, but just because you are winning and there is a pitching change, does not mean that you can update who is in your " fave five" or who called you.

Baseball has been known America's Pasttime, but when a player like Corey Hart takes out a cellphone, he is disrespecting not only the Pirates and the Brewers, but also baseball and its fans.

With the cellphone in such plain view, I am surprised the Brewers or Major League Baseball didn't take action by fining or suspending Hart for his own stupidity. Although I am a small voice, it is truly ridiculous to have your phone out in the middle of an important baseball game which your team needs to win in order to stay on top of the Wild Card standings.

Major League Baseball: Wild Week Overshadows Tiger Woods

Zachary Weiss — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 10:45:00 -0400

When I think about the week in sports, two things really pop in my head. The first thing was Tiger Woods' amazing U.S. Open win.

Forget Kirk Gibson and forget the Miracle on Ice for a second; Tiger was playing on one knee, knew that whether he played or not, he would miss the rest of the golf season, and also ignored everyone to play for the U.S. Open "in his backyard."

His win over Rocco Mediate was not pretty by any means, but it was probably his most satisfying win of all time.

While Tiger's win and injury news should have been the story of the week, it wasn't. Major League Baseball was very much like a three-ring circus this week. Let revisit all that occurred:

1. Willie Randolph is informed early in the morning by Mets GM Omar Minaya that he is no longer the Mets skipper.

This was not surprising, as it should have happened sooner (maybe during the offseason after the Mets blew the division?) but for me, the timing was awful. The Mets are not going to be a threat this year because of their struggles, so why not fire him during the All-Star break or the offseason?

New York puts too much pressure on their players and managers.

2. John McLaren is fired in Seattle.

Was I surprised by his firing? Absolutely not. I had said that he would be the next manager after Randolph to be fired.

Seattle was plain and simple playing for the first pick of next year's draft. Ichiro was struggling, Sexson and Beltre haven't panned out, and Seattle might be wondering what happened to Erik Bedard.

McLaren shouldn't have been fired this soon, but in a sense he got what he wanted. Who can forget the, "I'm sick of losing" press conference?

3. John Gibbons is fired in Toronto.

Gibbons managed to be a .500 manager while running for the Blue Jays, but obviously that wasn't good enough.

Their signings of AJ Burnett, Frank Thomas, BJ Ryan, and others didn't make the Blue Jays the team they thought they would be, and last place wasn't going to satisfy the team any more. For that, Gibbons was given the heave-ho in favor of former Blue Jays skipper Cito Gaston.

The firing of Gibbons leaves us with three managers fired in one week. That is unheard of! But wait there's more...

4. Carlos Zambrano is injured.

I had a feeling this would happen sometime soon. Zambrano is the heart and soul of the Chicago Cubs. When he pitches well, the Cubs go on winning streaks. When he pitches poorly, the team starts losing games.

Zambrano is a fireball when he takes the mound and is not afraid to show you his emotions. Zambrano will miss his next start. The Cubs got really lucky, but it will be interesting to see how they hold up in the next week.

The Cubs were already without Alfonso Soriano, and if they had lost Zambrano, that would have been the dagger to end their World Series hopes.

5. Curt Schilling is out for the season.

I loved Curt Schilling as a pitcher. He was clutch in the playoffs and it is a shame to hear that he is out for the season. I think this latest injury will end his career. It is up in the air if he becomes a Hall of Famer. If he retires, he will be in the same eligibility class as players like Craig Biggio, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds.

6. J.P. Ricciardi can't shut his mouth.

Ricciardi, the Blue Jays general manager, responds to a caller's question on his radio show by saying that Reds slugger Adam Dunn is "a lifetime .230, .240 hitter that strikes out a ton and hits home runs."

Ricciardi also questioned Dunn's passion for baseball. Ricciardi is just the latest idiot to make a bad remark on the radio, and it is hard to believe his apologies.

This week has had one hit after another in baseball. Though it should be Tiger's week, it has not even come close. Baseball tries to get all the attention by firing three managers in four days, and it is sickening. Baseball is becoming a drawn-out soap opera, and I am sure Bud Selig is not going to like what he's about to see.