Blogs

BRADENTON, Fla. — Spent the morning and early afternoon at Pirate City with the team’s prospects, more of which you can find in tomorrow’s column. In the interim, here’s my video interview No. 1 overall pick Gerrit Cole … httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuqFi1d3P0w Again, there will be more in the column.

. Brief and to the Point … >> I’ll be spending the morning on US Airways planes on the way to Bradenton. Not remotely looking forward to the trip itself or the locale, but very, very much looking forward to being around the ball club for 10 days. Been too long. >> I wouldn’t necessarily [...]

. Looking ahead to first pitch … Game: Pirates (3-6) vs. Philadelphia Phillies, Grapefruit League Time: 1:05 p.m. Site: McKechnie Field, Bradenton, Fla. Radio: 93.7 The Fan Here is the live box score. Rob Biertempfel is packed up and ready to come home.

. Brief and to the Point … >> My Monday column makes the case for Evgeni Malkin as MVP. And it does so without breaking a sweat. Your views on this are welcome. >> The Penguins’ blowout of Boston yesterday has to come with a whole bucket of salt. The Bruins very clearly were a [...]

. Looking ahead to first pitch … Game: Pirates (3-5) vs. Tampa Bay Rays, Grapefruit League Time: 1:05 p.m. Site: Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte, Fla. Radio: 93.7 The Fan Here is the live box score. Rob Biertempfel has just a couple days to go. Not that he’s counting.

. Looking ahead to faceoff … Game: Penguins (41-21-5) vs. Boston Bruins (40-24-3) Time: 12:38 p.m. Site: Consol Energy Center TV, radio: NBC, 105.9 The X Here is the official live summary. Updates are on our Penguins page. Beat writer Josh Yohe will have unwelcome company.

. Looking ahead to first pitch … Game: Pirates (3-4) vs. Minnesota Twins, Grapefruit League Time: 1:05 p.m. Site: McKechnie Field, Bradenton, Fla. TV, radio: Root Sports, MLB.com Here is the live box score. Rob Biertempfel will do no Root-ing in the press box.

. Looking ahead to faceoff … Game: Penguins (40-21-5) vs. Florida Panthers (31-23-12) Time: 7:08 p.m. Site: Consol Energy Center TV, radio: Root Sports, 105.9 The X Here is the official live summary. Updates are on our Penguins page. Beat writer Josh Yohe has been writing symptom-free for days.

. Looking ahead to first pitch … Game: Pirates (2-4) vs. Boston Red Sox, Grapefruit League Time: 7:05 p.m. Site: City of Palms Park, Fort Myers, Fla. Radio: MLB.com Here is the live box score. Rob Biertempfel is dodging bullets.

. Brief and to the Point … >> My Friday column, aimed entirely at generating additional street-level newspaper sales and cheap online page views, is about Duquesne basketball. I get a lot of the eye-roll responses from readers when I take topics like these, and even something Pitt-related. I understand that, but part of covering [...]