Blogs

HOUSTON — The Pirates will not act as witnesses tomorrow when arbitrator Shyam Das begins hearing arguments in a grievance field by the players’ union against Major League Baseball. Neither Pirates president Frank Coonelly nor general manager Neal Huntington will be in New York for the meeting with Das. However, both expect to be called [...]

HOUSTON — Jack Wilson has a hairline fracture in his right index finger and probably is done for the year. Wilson was injured nine days ago while trying to field a ground ball. X-rays initially did not show any damage, but a break was detected when he was re-examined Sunday. If the injury heals quickly, [...]

SAN FRANCISCO — Five batters were hit by pitches this afternoon at AT&T Park. The first four were Pirates. So, which team’s pitcher was on the receiving end of a warning from home plate umpire Angel Campos? If you said the Pirates, you get a gold star. Craig Hansen, who’s control has been erratic at [...]

SAN FRANCISCO — Pirates center fielder Nate McLouth left today’s game against the San Francisco Giants with a cut over his left eyebrow. With the bases loaded and none out in the fourth inning, San Francisco’s Pablo Sandoval hit a blooper to center field. As McLouth tried to make a diving catch, the ball bounced [...]

SAN FRANCISCO — Pirates center fielder Nate McLouth left today’s game against the San Francisco Giants with an apparent injury to his left eye. With the bases loaded and none out in the fourth inning, San Francisco’s Pablo Sandoval hit a blooper to center field. As McLouth tried to make a diving catch, the ball [...]

SAN FRANCISCO — Catcher Robinzon Dias went hitless in one game for the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this season. This afternoon, he will make his first appearance as the Pirates’ catcher. Diaz, 24, arrived in the Jose Bautista trade. Diaz had a sit-down with bench coach Gary Varsho to go over the Giants’ hitters and [...]

SAN FRANCISCO — I’m not really much of a replay guy, at least not in baseball. I like the element of human error. And with four umps on the field, it shouldn’t be that hard to get a call right. And sometimes even a video replay is not conclusive. So, why tinker with tradition? And [...]

SAN FRANCISCO — The Pirates have won 14 of their past 16 games against the Giants, including the past seven in a row here at AT&T Park. In that 16-game span, the Pirates’ team ERA is 3.04. Tonight, Paul Maholm will be gunning for the Pirates’ third straight shutout at AT&T. Zach Duke blanked the [...]

SAN FRANCISCO — Ryan Doumit flied out in the ninth inning tonight, ending his streak of seven at-bats with a hit. Later in the inning, though, Brandon Moss’s fly ball to center drove in Nate McLouth from third base. It was the Pirates’ fourth sacrifice fly in the game, equaling their franchise record (1988, 2007).

SAN FRANCISCO — A minute ago, Ryan Doumit dropped a single into left field, making him 4 for 4 in tonight’s game against the Giants. That extends Doumit’s hit streak to seven at-bats, going back to Wednesday’s game against the Reds. Doumit is the first Pirates player to do it since Freddy Sanchez in May [...]