-
Bingos And Breakouts: Five Thoughts On Steelers vs Browns, Week 6
The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to roll while the rest of their division continues to crumble. Now at 4-1, the Steelers are the only team to have a winning record in the AFC North, and have taken the first of six opportunities to widen their lead against their rival teams with a 23-9 win against Cleveland…
-
To Tender Or Not To Tender: A Look At The Arbitration List For The Pirates
A few days ago, Matt Swartz and MLB Trade Rumors released their projected salaries for arbitration eligible players this year. They aren’t official numbers, but at the very least, they provide a good baseline to go off heading into the offseason, which is especially crucial for the Pittsburgh Pirates and general manager Ben Cherington. The…
-
Justin Brazeau And The Recent History Of Odd First Goal Scorers
With all due respect to Justin Brazeau, I do not think many of us had him as the first goal scorer for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2025-26. And I am absolutely certain that no one had him scoring the first two goals of the season for the Penguins. After all, Brazeau went into the game…
-
Benjamin Kindel And Harrison Brunicke Mark Third Duo Of Penguin Teenage Debuts
When Benjamin Kindel and Harrison Brunicke stepped on the ice at Madison Square Garden last night, they etched themselves into Penguins history forever. Per Penguins PR, the duo was just the third pair of teenage teammates to make their NHL debuts together. Oddly enough, each duo included one forward and one defenseman. Their stories in…
-
Previewing The 2025-26 Pittsburgh Penguins Season
This Pittsburgh Penguins season is going to be weird, man. A lot has changed since the last time we saw the Penguins take the ice in a game that counted. They revamped nearly their entire coaching staff, including their first change at head coach in ten years. Dan Muse, a first time head coach in…
-
So Long, Solak: A Retrospective On One Of The Most Random Pirates In Recent Time
Nick Solak has one of the more interesting careers in recent baseball memory. After playing 253 games over parts of four big league seasons with the Texas Rangers, Solak tumbled out of a consistent job and found himself on a dizzying carousel of minor league teams. It was odd to see Solak struggle to grab…
-
What Ever Happened To The Draft Pick The Penguins Sent To Vegas In The Expansion Draft?
Last week, the Pittsburgh Penguins did something unlike anything we’ve ever seen in the NHL. The team signed goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to a wink-wink professional try out, where the future Hall of Famer played one period in the team’s September 27th preseason game vs the Columbus Blue Jackets. With a packed house behind him, Fleury…
-
Five Stats That Lead To Questions For The Pirates In 2026
The Pittsburgh Pirates look like a rudderless ship right now. In a year where they finished 71-91 despite their star ace, Paul Skenes, putting up one of the best pitching seasons of all time, the team has decided to make no major changes regarding their approach. Semi-new manager Don Kelly is staying. Overdue general manager…
-
How The Penguins Should Deploy Ville Koivunen This Year
In a year of Pittsburgh Penguins hockey that is going to be weird and wonky, one player that I am super excited to watch is Ville Kouvinen. Ever since the Penguins acquired Koivunen in that Jake Guentzel trade about a year and a half ago, I have been incredibly high on the kid. The fantastic…
-
Bringing Back Ben Cherington Is A Fatal Mistake For Pirates
Paul Skenes is in line to win the NL Cy Young award this season. It will mark just the latest achievement in the 23-year-old phenom’s short, but illustrious pro career. After winning NL Rookie of the Year last season, starting two straight All-Star Games, and leading baseball in WAR, ERA, strikeouts, and WHIP, winning a…
-
Luck Of The Irish: Five Thoughts On Steelers vs Vikings, Week 4
Come on, you knew it could never be that easy. Raise your hand if you thought, that when the Pittsburgh Steelers were up 24-6 in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings, that this game would go quietly into the Ireland night. Put your hand down, you’re lying. That’s just not how the Steelers play…
-
Le Retour De La Fleur: A Night Unlike Any Other
Saturday night was truly a one-of-a-kind moment. The kind of night that I’m honestly not sure I can put into words. But, that’s kind of what I do here, so, I’m going to try my best. Lines formed hours before the 5:30pm door open time. The lines and pandemonium inside the building’s PensGear store for…
-
Presenting The Finalists For Most Random Pirate Of 2025
Yeah, Paul Skenes is probably going to win the NL Cy Young, but let’s get to the award that really matters. Who will be crowned the Most Random Pirate of 2025? While games played isn’t always a direct indicator of a player’s “randomness,” it certainly helps if they didn’t play a lot. After all, the…
-
Training Camp Transcripts: Valtteri Puustinen
A lot has changed since the last time we saw the Penguins take the ice. There’s a new head coach, a new surrounding staff, and a new goal for the organization heading into this season. And even though the goal might not be to win the Stanley Cup this season, there is still a lot…
-
Game Of His Life: Michael Pérez
“Game Of His Life” tells the story of Pittsburgh athletes who may not have had the most illustrious, Hall of Fame level careers, but had one absolutely amazing game. In today’s edition, Michael Pérez. I’ll be honest, in some of these editions, I maybe am stretching the definition of “Game Of His Life” just a…
-
Training Camp Transcripts: Tristan Broz
A lot has changed since the last time we saw the Penguins take the ice. There’s a new head coach, a new surrounding staff, and a new goal for the organization heading into this season. And even though the goal might not be to win the Stanley Cup this season, there is still a lot…
-
Foxborough Fumble Fest: Five Thoughts On Steelers vs Patriots, Week 3
This one feels much more like a Patriots loss than it does a Steelers win. New England outplayed Pittsburgh in almost all areas offensively. They had 368 yards to Pittsburgh’s 202, and nearly doubled them both on the ground and through the air. But the Patriots just could not get out of their own way.…
-
Training Camp Transcripts: Filip Hallander
A lot has changed since the last time we saw the Penguins take the ice. There’s a new head coach, a new surrounding staff, and a new goal for the organization heading into this season. And even though the goal might not be to win the Stanley Cup this season, there is still a lot…
-
Training Camp Transcripts: Sam Poulin
A lot has changed since the last time we saw the Penguins take the ice. There’s a new head coach, a new surrounding staff, and a new goal for the organization heading into this season. And even though the goal might not be to win the Stanley Cup this season, there is still a lot…
-
The Recent History Of Odd Kick Returners For The Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back Kaleb Johnson has had a brutal week. In the days after his mistake handling a kickoff that led to a game-changing touchdown for the Seattle Seahawks, the Iowa product has been blasted in the media for his miscue. In my own personal opinion, Johnson’s blunder reflects poorly on the coaching…
-
Kaleb Johnson’s Kick Return Blunder Reflects Poorly On More Than Just Him
Special teams was the ultimate killer in Pittsburgh’s Week 2, home opener loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Yes, their defense was shredded once again, and the offense stalled out as quarterback Aaron Rodgers looked much less impressive than his season debut. But, it was a mishap on a kickoff that swung momentum entirely in Seattle’s…
-
Hawk-Eyed: Five Thoughts On Steelers vs Seahawks, Week 2
After Week 1, it felt like we had a lot of answers regarding the Steelers. After Week 2, it seems like we have just as many questions, if not more. The offense looked much more reminiscent of the unit we’ve seen over the last four years or so, and the vaunted defense broke down for…
-
Training Camp Transcripts: Rafael Harvey-Pinard
A lot has changed since the last time we saw the Penguins take the ice. There’s a new head coach, a new surrounding staff, and a new goal for the organization heading into this season. And even though the goal might not be to win the Stanley Cup this season, there is still a lot…
-
The Decision On Whether To Trade Sidney Crosby Is At Least A Season Away. Here’s Why
There’s a hectic energy surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins right now, as the organization seems clouded with uncertainty at all angles. At the very top, their turbulent ownership troubles are taking another turn. Fenway Sports Group, who purchased the Penguins from Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle back in 2021, is poised to sell to someone else.…
-
My Sleeper Pick For A Pirates Pitching Trade
Since the Pittsburgh Pirates made a change at manager, the team is 52-55 on the year. Don Kelly has gotten what he can out of a roster that has some bright spots, but certainly still needs work in the upcoming winter. In my opinion, at or just around .500 is where this Pirates team should…
-
Three Players To Watch For In High-A Greensboro’s Playoff Run
For the tenth year in a row, there won’t be any postseason baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates. But, there is postseason action happening within the organization. Two of their minor league affiliates, High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona, qualified for their respective playoffs. While Altoona doesn’t start their run until next week, the Grasshoppers start their…
-
Air Traffic Control: Five Thoughts On Steelers vs Jets, Week 1
It feels good to be back. After a busy, yet long offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers that saw them remodel both sides of the ball, they finally got to see what all the pieces looked like put together when they walked into MetLife Stadium on Sunday. This game pitted both quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers and Justin…
-
Crazy Eights: Corliss Waitman
When quarterback Aaron Rodgers first signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there was intrigue over what jersey number he would wear. For 18 years in Green Bay, Rodgers wore No. 12. But that number has a rich history in Pittsburgh with the Steelers. While not being officially retired by the organization, no one has worn No.…
-
Revisiting The 2022 Steelers Draft Class
If I told you before the 2022 draft that the Steelers would take two quarterbacks in this draft and that they would combine for three Super Bowl rings in their first three years in the league, you would have been ecstatic. You might have wondered why they decided to take two, but you would have…
-
Crazy Eights: Kenny Pickett
When quarterback Aaron Rodgers first signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there was intrigue over what jersey number he would wear. For 18 years in Green Bay, Rodgers wore No. 12. But that number has a rich history in Pittsburgh with the Steelers. While not being officially retired by the organization, no one has worn No.…
-
Five Steelers You Probably Forgot Were Team Captains
Over the three-day Labor Day weekend, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced their team captains for the 2025 season. On the offensive side of the ball, new Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers gets the nod. Defensively, linebacker TJ Watt and defensive tackle Cam Heyward take the honors. And on special teams, leader and backup safety Miles Killebrew serves.…
-
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: A Disasterclass In Ben Cherington’s Management
Late last week, the Pittsburgh Pirates made headlines when they placed shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa on outright waivers. Outright waivers are a little bit different than designating a player for assignment, so I cracked open the ol’ MLB glossary to give you the specifics, if you wish to read. When a player is placed on outright…
-
The City Of Pittsburgh Is Counting On The Steelers
The “City of Champions” as it was once known, has done anything but lived up to its reputation in recent years. Since the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2017, the big three in Pittsburgh have combined for one series win and 12 total playoff games. Ironically, the Penguins own all of those wins, claiming…
-
Discussing The Logjam Of Depth Forwards For The Penguins
It’s been a long and mostly quiet summer for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Some of the major trades that we expected to see haven’t happened…yet, although there’s still some time before the season starts. However, training camp is just a few weeks away, and there’s a lot of unknowns when it comes to the 2025-26 Penguins…
-
Game Of His Life: Andre Jackson
“Game Of His Life” tells the story of Pittsburgh athletes who may not have had the most illustrious, Hall of Fame level careers, but had one absolutely amazing game. In today’s edition, Andre Jackson. Andre Jackson didn’t have a prolonged major league career. Despite pitching in parts of three big league seasons and suiting up…
-
Alright, Fine, Let’s Discuss The Andrew Heaney Thing
On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates made a flurry of roster moves. Ronny Simon is headed back to Triple-A, Dauri Moreta is up from Indianapolis, and Oneil Cruz is back on the roster after a rehab assignment in Double-A Altoona. But the move that got people talking was the team’s decision to designate lefty Andrew Heaney…
-
Nick Yorke Should Be Nearing A Big League Call-Up
One of the batting prospects that Pittsburgh Pirates fans know pretty well is Nick Yorke. Acquired by trade last August in a deal that sent pitcher Quinn Priester to Boston, Yorke was in the midst of an incredible batting season between Double-A and Triple-A. He looked like the rare diamond-in-the-rough trade that general manager Ben…
-
Colin Holderman’s Last Stand
Colin Holderman hasn’t had it easy in…well, a while. After pitching to an All Star level for the first half of 2024, he completely fell off a cliff in the second half, and he has yet to find his way back. Holderman landed on the Injured List back in mid-May, missing about a month before…
-
Is Jared Triolo Starting To Turn A Corner?
While pitching was a bit part of the story in Pittsburgh as the Pirates beat the visiting Colorado Rockies on Saturday, shortstop Jared Triolo also played a big role. Batting leadoff for just the second time all season, Triolo had a heck of a game for the Pirates at PNC Park. Big Tree went 2-for-4,…
-
How Should The Pirates Handle Bubba Chandler For The Rest Of The Season?
The moment so many of us have been waiting for in Pittsburgh finally happened Friday night, when the top pitching prospect in all of baseball finally made his Major League Baseball debut for the Pirates. Finally taking to a major league mound, Bubba Chandler tossed four scoreless innings, holding his opponents to only two hits…
-
Ok, So…Should The Pirates Try To Re-Sign Tommy Pham?
Tommy Pham is one of the more interesting Pirates of our time. A man who was hailed as the marquee offseason signing by a deeply unpopular general manager in Ben Cherington, Pham didn’t have it easy when he came to Pittsburgh. There was a lot riding on his shoulders, probably more than even Pham at…
-
Johan Oviedo Looks Much Better In Bounce Back Big League Start
This was the major league return that we all wanted to see from Johan Oviedo. As the Pittsburgh Pirates took two of three from the visiting Toronto Blue Jays, the story line from the series finale was the pitching performance of Oviedo, who threw five strong innings en route to a 2-1 Pirates victory. Just…
-
Crazy Eights: Karl Joseph
When quarterback Aaron Rodgers first signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there was intrigue over what jersey number he would wear. For 18 years in Green Bay, Rodgers wore No. 12. But that number has a rich history in Pittsburgh with the Steelers. While not being officially retired by the organization, no one has worn No.…
-
Why Now Is Actually A Good Time To Bring Colin Holderman Back
On Friday, the Pirates recalled two pitchers in a bullpen swap, bringing up lefty Evan Sisk to replace the DFA’d lefty Ryan Borucki, and righty Colin Holderman to replace the optioned right-hander Cam Sanders. For Holderman, the rough journey of the last year and change culminates with one more appearance at the major league level.…
-
Crazy Eights: Melvin Ingram
When quarterback Aaron Rodgers first signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there was intrigue over what jersey number he would wear. For 18 years in Green Bay, Rodgers wore No. 12. But that number has a rich history in Pittsburgh with the Steelers. While not being officially retired by the organization, no one has worn No.…
-
Pirates Should Explore Moving Andrew Heaney To The Bullpen
Andrew Heaney hasn’t had it easy in Pittsburgh this year. The one-year free agent signing back in the winter struggled again Monday night as the Pirates lost 7-1. The left-hander surrendered nine hits, five earned runs, and a pair of home runs, only lasting four innings and throwing 90 pitches. It was the latest in…
-
Is It Time To Move On From Alexander Canario?
Alexander Canario did not start the season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he was their first in-season addition. The Pirates acquired Canario from New York after the Mets designated him for assignment. For Canario, it was his third MLB organization in a matter of months. After the Chicago Cubs traded him to New York, also…
-
Could Braxton Ashcraft Grow Into A Starter’s Role In Pittsburgh?
Braxton Ashcraft has blossomed big league arm since receiving his late-May promotion, even if his workload has changed since he came up to Pittsburgh. Used mostly as a reliever in the big leagues, it was the first time Ashcraft had been routinely brought out from the bullpen in his professional career. On the farm, Ashcraft…
-
Crazy Eights: Josh Scobee
When quarterback Aaron Rodgers first signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there was intrigue over what jersey number he would wear. For 18 years in Green Bay, Rodgers wore No. 12. But that number has a rich history in Pittsburgh with the Steelers. While not being officially retired by the organization, no one has worn No.…
-
Talking Rafael Flores And How He Impacts The Catching Position
The trade deadline was an almost complete disaster for the Pittsburgh Pirates and general manager Ben Cherington. Whether it was seemingly panic-trading closer David Bednar, selling off starter Bailey Falter for almost no reason, or keeping three of the pending free agents past the deadline, an already unpopular Cherington drew even more ire from an…
-
Don’t Read Too Much Into Johan Oviedo’s Rough Rteurn To Major Leagues
Before Monday night’s home game vs the San Francisco Giants, the Pittsburgh Pirates officially ended the rehab assignment of right-handed starter Johan Oviedo and reinstated him from the 60-Day IL. Oviedo pitched 177.2 innings for the Pirates in 2023, putting up a 4.31 ERA, 1.373 WHIP, and 1.90 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The righty was expected to…
-
Crazy Eights: Tommy Maddox
When quarterback Aaron Rodgers first signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there was intrigue over what jersey number he would wear. For 18 years in Green Bay, Rodgers wore No. 12. But that number has a rich history in Pittsburgh with the Steelers. While not being officially retired by the organization, no one has worn No.…
-
Was There A Market For Andrew Heaney?
The Andrew Heaney era in Pittsburgh will live on. Well, for a little bit longer, at least. The 34-year-old starter who was expected to be on the move on Thursday’s trade deadline ended up staying put in Pittsburgh, to the surprise of a many fans. In his first start post-deadline, Heaney went 3.1 innings in…
-
The Trade Deadline Was An Utter Disaster For The Pirates
Thursday was a defining moment for general manager Ben Cherington and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Amidst another disappointing season and several attractive trade assets to work with, Cherington had the pressure on him to try and turn around the ever-worsening negative reputation he has garnered in this town. Instead, his work at the MLB trade deadline…
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Fifth Avenue Sports 