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  • The Ultimate One-Game Wonder Penguins Team

    This is one of my favorite projects I’ve done here on Fifth Avenue. Back when I was a writer for The Foreword, I did an article about seven one-game wonders in Pittsburgh sports history. In that list, there were two NHLers who played a single game for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Recently, because I’m a narcissist,…

  • Something’s Gotta Give With Colin Holderman

    Colin Holderman’s name lends itself very well to the role the Pirates like him to play. He slots in as the seventh/eighth inning guy, when the Pirates need somebody to come in and hold the game where it is, getting it to the eighth or ninth for one of Aroldis Chapman or David Bednar. It’s…

  • The Recent Rise Of Dennis Santana

    When he was claimed off waivers from the New York Yankees, Dennis Santana had fallen on some hard times. While wearing pinstripes, Santana had amassed a 6.26 ERA in 27.1 innings. His final outing for that club saw him pitch 1.1 innings and surrender 3 earned runs on as many hits, while also walking a…

  • Pirates Make Crafty Moves In Unusual Trade Deadline

    For the Pittsburgh Pirates, the trade deadline usually symbolizes the unofficial end of the season. Veterans on expiring deals are shopped and free agents who came to the team on one year deals are almost assuredly moved, while the eyes of the city shift increasingly over to what the Steelers are up to in training…

  • Allegenys Experience An Incredibly Streaky Season In 1888

    Allegheny City didn’t have an easy transition from the American Association to the National League. In their inaugural year in the NL, the Alleghenys went 55-69-1, which was only good for sixth place in the league. This had followed up an 80-57-3 season in the AA in 1886. So, in an effort to get the…

  • Why The Pirates Need To Call Up Nick Yorke As Soon As Possible

    The Pittsburgh Pirates have made a trade, and while it is far from the names that fans were hoping the team could go out and acquire, it actually is looking to be a pretty solid deal for the team out of the gate. Per Jeff Passan, the Pirates have sent right handed pitcher Quinn Preister…

  • Jared Triolo Is Collecting New Positions Like Pokémon Cards

    The ultra utility man for the Pittsburgh Pirates just added another part of the baseball field to his now extensive résumé. Jared Triolo has ben shifted all around the infield over the course of his professional baseball career. More traditionally used on the left side of the infield in previous years, Triolo at first shifted…

  • Trying To Find The Most “Realistic” Trade Target For The Pirates

    Rando Arozarena is gone. Traded to Seattle. Jazz Chisholm is gone. Traded to the Yankees. Brent Rooker and/or JJ Bleday are supposedly gone, with reports suggesting that Oakland is leaning towards keeping both of those men. So if you’re a Pittsburgh Pirates fan, and hoped that maybe this could be the year that general manager…

  • Revisiting Pirates Trades From Last Year: Rodolfo Castro For Bailey Falter

    I’ve been working on a mini-series the last few days, reviewing the trades that the Pirates made at this time last year. On Thursday, I talked about the Carlos Santana deal. Yesterday, I discussed the five-player deal that saw Rich Hill and Ji-Man Choi depart Pittsburgh. Today is a much more simple trade than yesterday:…

  • Revisiting Pirates Trades From Last Year: Rich Hill And Ji Man Choi For Alfonso Rivas, Jackson Wolf, and Estuar Suero

    Yesterday, I kicked off a mini-series by looking at Pirates trades from the trade deadline last year and evaluating them almost exactly a year later. I kicked things off with the Carlos Santana trade, which you can read about here. Next up is the biggest deal, at least asset wise, of Pittsburgh’s moves last deadline:…

  • Revisiting Pirates Trades From Last Year: Carlos Santana For Jhonny Severino

    In reviewing trades that the Pittsburgh Pirates made at the trade deadline last year, I decided to kick things off with the first trade of the flurry that general manager Ben Cherington made. The Pirates had entered the month of July just a few games under .500, but by July 27th, Pittsburgh was sitting at…

  • Martín’s Last Chance

    The Pirates are a very funny team. Sometimes, we won’t know who’s taking the mound for them until a few hours beforehand. Others, they have multiple game starters planned out in advance. Yesterday, the Bucs announced their starters for all three games against the St. Louis Cardinals, a home series that could prove to be…

  • Alleghenys Struggle After Jumping To National League In 1887

    History largely sees 1887 as the official start of Pittsburgh Pirates baseball. Even though the team was yet to be known as the Pirates, or even be recognized as Pittsburgh, this is the year that is seen as the beginning of this team. Why? Because 1887 saw the first year of baseball in the National…

  • Francisco Vicioso Is The *Ultimate* Underdog Story

    There was a tweet that dominated baseball discourse yesterday, and it wasn’t necessarily a positive one. EJNave on Twitter/X introduced us all to Francisco Vicioso, a pitcher who is currently in the Atlanta Braves system. Down in the Dominican Summer League, Vicioso is having a stat line for the ages. https://x.com/twitchejnave/status/1814751899557450077 Vicioso is straight up…

  • A Much Needed Change To A Pirates Rotation

    Last night, as the Pirates continued their Yinzerpalooza festivities, the team continued their winning ways and upped their winning streak to six games. The win was their second in a row against Philadelphia, claiming the series against the best team in baseball right now. Pirates pitching was absolutely dominant. Starter Luis Ortiz went a strong…

  • Ranking How Likely Pirates On One Year Contracts Are To Be Moved

    Unfortunately, given the trend the Pirates have made over the last few years, anyone who signs a one year contract in Pittsburgh is expected to be moved at the trade deadline. This season, however, with the Pirates still relevant this late into a season for the first time in years, things might be a little…

  • Predicting Which Pirates Will Improve Or Regress In The Second Half Of The Season

    With the second half of the season about to get underway, the Pittsburgh Pirates will be looking to stay in the playoff race after clawing their way back to .500, entering the All Star break at 48-48. The first (little more than) half of the season saw some members of the team really exceed expectations,…

  • Carroll, Barkley, Galvin, Morris Bring Success To The Allegheny In 1886

    It took four years and a lot of roster and personnel change, but the Alleghenys finally achieved a winning season in 1885, thanks largely to the purchase of nearly the entire Columbus Buckeyes team, which folded after the 1884 season. in the American Association. These Ohio transplants just barely eked out a 56-55 record, which…

  • The Horror Of A Skenes-Less Pirates Team

    Leadership of the Pittsburgh Pirates has been under fire for years, and rightfully so. From losing season after losing season from a cheaply constructed roster, to bad free agent signings, to draft misses in multiple years, the Pirates’ ownership and front office has been loathed by their fans for…well, I’ve lost count of how many…

  • Alleghenys Enlist Help From Ohio In 1885

    Things have not been going well in Allegheny City during their first three years in the American Association. Their ballparks are burning down and flooding, the team is rapidly approaching a double digit amount of managers, and the team is cycling through countless players trying to find any balance that worked. Not to mention, the…

  • Marco Gonzales Bends, But Doesn’t Break In Return

    When Marco Gonzales took the mound for the Pirates last night, it was the first time he had pitched for the team since mid-April. After an injury riddled 2023 season, the Pirates had acquired Gonzales via trade at an incredibly reduced rate, giving up cash and a player to be named later. The trade was…

  • The Pirates Made The Right Decision Pulling Paul Skenes When They Did

    Paul Skenes is the talk of Major League Baseball. On the heels of being the first player in major league history to be drafted and then be selected to the All Star Game the very next year, he put together another dominant game that saw him earn his sixth win of the season, strike out…

  • Presenting A Solution To Martín Pérez’s Struggles

    It’s been a very up and down season for veteran lefty Martín Pérez. After winning a World Series ring with the Rangers last season, Pérez signed a one year deal as a free agent with Pittsburgh. He joined the Pirates as a veteran in a rotation that was set to see an influx of youth…

  • Giving Out The Fifth Avenue Development Camp Awards

    The prospect tournament is one of my favorite things about the summer time. Not only because it’s hockey during the offseason, but because it’s a chance to see virtually every player the Penguins are hosting for their development camp. Sure, the practices and drills are great, but the tournament provides an opportunity to see these…

  • Team Black Dominates In Prospect Tournament

    The final day of the Penguins’ development camp featured a tournament between the three teams that have spent the last four days working out at the Lemieux Sports Complex up in Cranberry. It’s a great opportunity to see these young players in real in-game scenarios, even if the tournament games have some altered rules. Each…

  • David Bednar And Ryan Borucki Getting Work In Altoona

    There’s a bit more buzz than usual in Altoona surrounding the Curve, as major league pitchers David Bednar and Ryan Borucki are currently in town on rehab assignments. Both pitchers have been on the Injured List and are desperately needed back when they are healthy. Bednar, the team’s closer, as missed the last few weeks…

  • A Check In On Ben Heller

    There was some excitement when the Pirates first called up veteran arm Ben Heller back in early June. His stats at a glance weren’t all that impressive, but his underlying performance was actually quite solid, and when he was on his game, he was finding ways to carve up opponents at the Triple-A level. Signed…

  • Sights And Sounds: Development Camp – Monday

    In the third day of development camp for the Pittsburgh Penguins, all three groups got a skating drill in at the Lemieux Sports Complex. The morning started off with Group 3 (wearing gold jerseys) at 9AM, followed by Group 1 (wearing black jerseys) at 10AM, and then Group 2 (wearing white jerseys). Each group used…

  • This Feels Like A Season Killing Loss

    The Pirates were locked in a pitcher’s duel on a Sunday afternoon vs the New York Mets. After splitting the first two games of this four game stand, the Pirates sent Luis Ortiz to the mound to face off against New York’s Sean Manaea. Manaea, despite a rocky start that saw him issue multiple walks…

  • An Intro To Brent Honeywell Jr.

    As pitching injuries have mounted for the Pirates, moves are being made to bring in some new arms and relocate some others. For the time being, Luis Ortiz has a starting role once again, which prompted the Pirates to recall another reliever for the bullpen. That reliever is Brent Honeywell Jr., who had his contract…

  • Reflecting On One Year Of Fifth Avenue

    It’s impossible to believe that I’ve already been doing this for a year. One year ago today, I sat at the dining room table and clicked the glowing Launch button on a very hastily and poorly constructed website. With Mac Miller’s “Party On Fifth Ave” playing in the background, a place for me to continue…

  • Don’t Ever Tell Me That Pittsburgh Isn’t A Baseball Town

    In front of a sellout crowd for just the second time this season, the Pittsburgh Pirates put together their greatest showing in years in front of their home fans, putting up a 14-2 win over the visiting New York Mets. And that offense came from everybody, including players that have been much maligned by fans…

  • Too Much History: The Four Other Times The Pirates Hit Seven Home Runs

    Pirates fans picked the perfect time to record just the second sellout game of the season last night. Pittsburgh put together the very definition of an offensive clinic, routing the visiting New York Mets 14-2. Things got so bad for the Mets that they turned to backup catcher Luis Torrens to play pitcher and get…

  • Too Much History: Looking At The Last Time Two Pirates Had 5+ RBI In A Game

    The vibes were through the roof at and all around PNC Park after the Pirates destroyed the New York Mets 14-2. Pittsburgh tied a franchise high with seven home runs, which they have only ever accomplished on four other occasions in this team’s nearly century and a half history. It was a historical night in…

  • Martín Pérez A Huge Bright Spot In July 4th Loss

    What’s more American than a baseball game? On Independence Day in the United States, the Pittsburgh Pirates hosted the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park for a rubber match. After Oneil Cruz was the hero last night, winning it in walk-off fashion for the Pirates, Pittsburgh was desperately seeking a series win against not only…

  • Breaking Down The Penguins’ Development Camp Roster

    Yesterday, the Penguins released the rosters for their development camp, which kicks off Saturday and runs through Wednesday. The five day event will feature skating and practice sessions on days one through four, concluding with the tournament on the final day. All days are free and open for the public to attend. A detailed schedule…

  • Ondřej Kaše Is Hoping For An NHL Return. Here’s Why The Penguins Should Take A Flyer On Him

    After years of living in the flat cap world of the NHL, all of that pent up money and angst was finally released on July 1st of this year, as the salary cap resumed increasing and general managers across the league suddenly had more breathing room to work with. That resulted in over $1.1 billion…

  • A Recap Of An Underwhelming July 1st For The Penguins

    It was a boring morning in Pittsburgh, as teams around the National Hockey League made headlines and handed out hundreds of millions of dollars and the Penguins sat on their hands. But as the afternoon picked up, so did the news coming out of the press release department. However, none of these signings brought much…

  • Penguins Do What They Can In Reilly Smith Trade

    Last year, just a few short weeks after taking the open general manager job in Pittsburgh, Kyle Dubas made a deal with the defending Stanley Cup Champion Vegas Golden Knights, who were in cap hell amidst a summer of partying hard. Reilly Smith, who was accounting for $5 million against the salary cap, was a…

  • Have The Optics Of The Jake Guentzel Trade Changed?

    The Jake Guentzel trade from Pittsburgh to Carolina happened in three parts. First was the initial deal, that saw the Penguins acquire NHL forward Michael Bunting, as well as prospect forwards Ville Koivunen, Vasili Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius, and two conditional picks. Then, the second part, which tracked how well the Hurricanes did in their ensuing…

  • After A Historic June, Can Bryan Reynolds Survive An Impending July Collapse?

    Left fielder Bryan Reynolds just capped off another terrific June. In what is typically his best month of the major league season, the 29-year old slashed .330/.388/.604 in June of 2024, notching 6 home runs and 16 RBI as the second man up in the order. He also had the longest hitting streak in the…

  • Alleghenys Spiral Rapidly In 1884

    Despite what they might have hoped, the third season for the Allegheny City baseball club did not serve as a bounce back year. After going .500 in their first season, the Alleghenys fell apart in 1883, when they went through three managers, two ballparks, and a whole lot of losing streaks en route to a…

  • Initial Thoughts On The Kevin Hayes Trade

    The Penguins had an extremely busy early afternoon during the second round of the NHL Draft. Not only did Pittsburgh make two selections (defenseman Harrison Brunicke at 44th overall and forward Tanner Howe at 46th overall), the team made a trade which saw them add two assets and give up nothing to do so. On…

  • Former Pirate Drew Maggi Is Back With An MLB Organization

    There’s some news out of Detroit that involves an old Bucco and one of the best stories in baseball last season. The Tigers are expected to bring in veteran Drew Maggi to their farm system. Maggi’s Atlantic League team, the Staten Island FerryHawks, announced earlier today that his contract is set to be purchased by…

  • Pushing The Viktor Arvidsson Agenda

    I have been a fan of Viktor Arvidsson for a long time. I think he’s an underrated player and I love the way he plays the game. He’s a regular pickup for me in franchise mode in the NHL video games (which, for me, is an incredible sign of loyalty), and now the Pittsburgh Penguins…

  • The Revisionist History Surrounding Roansy Contreras

    Roansy Contereas is trying his best to rehab his baseball career on a new coast. After going through some hard times while wearing black and yellow, the Dominican native will now try to carve out a career for himself in the third major league franchise he has been a part of before his 25th birthday.…

  • Penguins Draft Pick Primer: Where Did Every Pick Go/Come From?

    It’s officially draft day in the National Hockey League. It snuck up on us rather quick after the Stanley Cup Playoffs was extended as long as it was, thanks to the lengthy travel and seven game series thriller. However, now here in Pittsburgh we can really see the team dig into their offseason. That will…

  • Instability Plagues The Alleghenys In 1883

    Year two of the ball club in Allegheny City saw a lot of changes. A majority of the team from the inaugural season did not return for 1883, meaning a revamped roster was forced to shoulder the hopes that this season could go better than the 39-39-1 record the inaugural team posted. In addition to…

  • Rowdy Tellez’s Few And Far Between Stolen Bases

    Last night, as the Pirates set up a rout of their NL Central rival Reds in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh’s Rowdy Tellez pulled off a very rare personal feat. During a 6-run first inning for the Bucs, Tellez stole a base for just the fourth time in his career. That stolen base, which Tellez snagged uncontested (which…

  • The Real Problem With Jack Suwinski

    Jack Suwinski has been a hot button topic around the Pittsburgh Pirates for a long, long time. Through his ups and downs and a multi year journey to try and find consistency at the plate, he has always been one of the most discussed players on the team. In recent weeks, however, the frustration that…

  • Talking Connor McDavid And The Conn Smythe Decision

    Florida Panthers fans rejoiced as the clock hits all zeros and the team in red threw off their gloves. After blowing a 3-0 series lead to the opposing Edmonton Oilers, the Panthers were able to claim Game 7 by a final score of 2-1 to win their first ever Stanley Cup. Fans eagerly awaited the…

  • Did The Pirates Make A Mistake Letting Miguel Andujar Go?

    Miguel Andujar’s time in baseball has been one wild ride. From the heights of being a Rookie of the Year finalist to being buried in the minor leagues just a few years later, Andujar’s career arc has been one of the most interesting stories in recent time. Andujar slashed .297/.328/.527 in his first full season…

  • A Frustrating Sunday Lineup Costs The Bucs A Series

    In rather frustrating fashion, the Pirates dropped their series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays by a final score of 3-1. After being blown out 10-3 in the series opener, the Pirates eked out a 4-3 win to set up a series clinching game to wrap up their City Connect weekend. However, with the series…

  • The Mlodzinski/Ortiz Concoction Is Ending At Just The Right Time

    The Pirates have had a unique way of handling some of their recent bullpen games. With injuries plaguing their starting rotation and a front office that would like to play it safe (as much as they can, anyways) with their two young aces in Jared Jones and Paul Skenes, the team has been forced into…

  • Jake Woodford Is Off To An Incredible Start In Indianapolis

    The pitching staff down in Indianapolis has seen a lot of changes in recent weeks. Call-ups and roster swaps with the big league club in Pittsburgh, veteran players being released and/or opting for free agency, and injuries have kicked off a massive shuffle of the Indians’ pitching, and in an effort to shore up the…

  • What Does Alex Nedeljkovic Returning Mean For Tristan Jarry?

    The Pittsburgh Penguins have just announced that they have re-signed goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to a two-year contract extension, worth an average annual value of $2.5 million. Nedeljkovic played 38 games for the Penguins last season, recording a 2.97 goals against average and a .902 save percentage and 1 shutout. Nedeljkovic started the season planted as…

  • Making The Case For A Joshua Palacios Recall

    The Pirate outfield is struggling. Aside from Bryan Reynolds, who cannot stop hitting in what is historically his best time of the year, Pittsburgh is struggling to get any real offense from anyone who plays the outfield. While in some cases (like Michael A. Taylor) offense has been sacrificed in exchange for elevated defensive play,…

  • How Good Would A Team Of All Traded-For Penguins Be?

    Over the past week, I’ve listed out an entire team of Pittsburgh Penguins players that the organization has recently traded for. The 12 most recent forwards, six most recent defenseman, and two most recent goalies (who at any point in their career played in the NHL) came together to form a rag tag team. And…

  • Bryan Reynolds Breaks Pitcher Duel As Pirates Claim Series From Reds

    On a 90+ degree day in a rubber match at PNC Park, the Pirates hosted the Reds in a series-deciding game between the NL Central rivals. The Pirates had won the opening game on Monday 4-1 before dropping last night’s affair in a much tighter 2-1 score. Pittsburgh called upon Mitch Keller to face off…

  • Baseball In Allegheny: The Very First Year

    Baseball has had a presence in Western Pennsylvania since shortly after the American Civil War. Several amateur teams, including the Enterprise, Xanthas, and Olympics regularly played in Union Park, on the North Side of Pittsburgh. Only back then, the North Side was actually its own separate city. It was known as Allegheny City up until…