THE BULLPEN

     On the road again! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series in Cincy tonight against the Reds. Mrs. Black-N-Gold and Brother Black-N-Gold will be hitting the road this morning to cheer our Buccos on tonight. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates go for 2 in a row following last night's comeback 5-4 win. Raise the Jolly Roger! 2)RH Gerrit Cole, 14-4, 2.24 ERA is on the mound for the Bucs. The Reds send RH Raisel Iglesias, 1-3, 5.53 ERA to the hill. Cole continues to lead the Majors with 14 wins. All aboard the Cole Train for a win! 3)The Pirates finished the month of July with an MLB-best record of 17-9. We want more. Don't forget the Hit, Run & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Baseball fever, catch it! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their road show in Cincy tonight as they battle the Reds. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Last night the Pirates suffered their latest loss at the hands of the Reds, 15-5. Cincy has beaten out Buccos in 8 of the last 10 meetings. Turn this ship around and raise the Jolly Roger! 2)Cincy has won 3 straight. Don't give them #4. Go out and Hit, Run & Score! 3)The Pirates will start LH Jeff Locke, 5-6, 4.15 ERA. Cincy goes with RH Michael Lorenzen, 3-5, 4.58 ERA. Need I remind you that typically the Pirates make mediocre pitchers like Lorenzen look like the second coming of Cy Young. Locke down a win! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Baby if you've ever wondered, wondered whatever became of me! Your Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road to Cincinnati as they open a 4-game series tonight versus the Reds. 1)The Pirates have won 3 in a row. Give us #4 with some Hit, Run, & Score! 2)In their 2-game sweep of the Twins, the Bucs battered Minnesota for 18 runs. They face a Cincy team that has given them fits all season. Hit 'em early, hit 'em often, hit 'em HARD! 3)Two Cincy thorns in the Pirates side have been OF Billy Hamilton and RH Aroldis Chapman. You don't want to let Hamilton on the basepaths as he'll run all over you. You don't want to give Cincy a lead or they'll bring in Chapman to slam the door. Beat these Reds Black-N-Blue! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

      Look out kid, you're gonna get hit! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their 2-game set with the Twins today in Minnesota. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Bucs look to take 2 in a row from the Twins following last night's 8-7, come-from-behind win. Twin killing! 2)The Pirates have won 4 of their last 5. Keep the drive alive and give us more with plenty of Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Buccos will send LH Francisco Liriano, 6-6, 2.91 ERA to the bump. Minnesota has RH Ervin Santana, 2-0, 2.60 ERA on the mound. Frankie has a chance to exact some revenge as his former team thumped him back in May. It helps that Frankie is 2-0 with a 1.95 ERA over his last 5 starts. Be filthy, Frankie! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Let's go crazy, let's get nuts! Your Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road to Minnesota tonight as they open a 2-game series with the Twins. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates have RH Charlie Morton on the mound. He has a 6-4 mark with a 4.59 ERA. In Morton's first 5 starts of the season, he posted a 1.62 ERA. In his last 6 he carries a 7.76 ERA. We need Morton to get back to being Ground Chuck. Grind 'em up! 2)The Twins trot out RH Mike Pelfrey, 5-7, 3.94 ERA. Pelfrey faced the Bucs back on May 20 and over 6 innings allowed just 1 run. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD with a big stick of Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Twins visited the Buccos back in May and took the 2-game series. It's payback time! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Extra, extra, read all about it! Mrs. Black-N-Gold has been gathering the latest information all week on your favorite Black-N-Gold teams, the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins to bring you the newest edition of the internet sensation that's sweeping Black-N-Gold Nation, The Black-N-Gold News.


                            THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

The Pirates-Our Pirates started the week in the win column as they notched a 10-7 win Monday night over the KC Royals. Congrats to RH Mark Melancon who nailed down his 100th career save in the victory. While we're at it, congratulations to Altoona RH Tyler Glasnow, Eastern League Pitcher of the Week. Meanwhile, our Buccos received some bad news on the injury front and had to make some roster moves in the process. SS Jordy Mercer was diagnosed with a contusion of the lower leg and  sprained MCL. Jordy was placed on the 15-day DL and is expected to miss approximately 6 weeks. The Bucs transferred OF/1B Corey Hart to the 60-day DL to make room for INF Brent Morel as he was called up. Tuesday saw the Pirates fall to KC 3-1. Wednesday brought more roster moves. INF Pedro Florimon was promoted from Indy, RH Wilfredo Boscan was sent back down and Bradenton LH Jayson Aquino was DFA'd to make room on the 40-man roster for Pedro-lite. The Pirates promptly went out and lost to KC again, 5-1, losing the series to the defending AL Champs. Thursday brought better news for the Bucs as they traded Indy RH Yhonathan Barrios to Milwaukee for 3B Aramis Ramirez. Welcome back, ARam! The Bucs then went out and exacted some revenge on the Washington Gnats as they took the 1st game of the 4-game set, 7-3. Friday saw the Pirates winning ways continue. They swatted the Gnats again, this time 7-5. On Saturday, as Ramirez joined the team in Pittsburgh, Morel was DFA'd. The Pirates then lost to Washington 9-3. Sunday saw the Buccos take the series as they raised the Jolly Roger in a 3-1 win. RH Gerrit Cole became the 1st 14-game winner in the Majors. RH Mark Melancon picked up save #32, also an MLB-best. Two schedule changes were announced this week as the boys of summer return to ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball twice in August. They'll play the Dodgers on August 9 and San Fran on August 23. The Pirates are off tomorrow as they travel to Minnesota where they begin a 2-game set with the Twins on Tuesday. Keep an eye out, too. The trade deadline is July 31 and GM Neal Huntington may not be done dealing. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

The Steelers-The week began with a visit to Western Pennsylvania from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Speaking at a local luncheon, the Commish was asked about Patriots QB Tom Brady's appeal of his 4-game suspension (still no date on that one) and the possibility of Pittsburgh hosting a Super Bowl (anything is possible, especially when he's speaking to businessmen that would reap the benefits of such an endeavor). Meanwhile, our Steelers made some key signings this week as they locked up both Head Coach Mike Tomlin and GM Kevin Colbert to new deals. Both run through 2018. A schedule change was made for the August 23 preseason game against Green Bay as it is now a 1:00 game. On Saturday, players arrived in Latrobe as the Steelers prepared for the 50th edition of training camp at St. Vincent College. 5 players were place on the PUP list-OL Mike Adams (back), QB Bruce Gradkowski (shoulder), C Maurkice Pouncey (foot), LB Shawn Lemon (Achilles) and CB Senquez Golson (shoulder). Yesterday was the team's first practice and was open to the public. They prepare for their preseason opener August 9 against the Minny Vikes in the HOF game. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

The Penguins-Our Pens continue to quietly go about their business this offseason but did announce some front office moves this week. The Pens announced they've hired CMU grad Sam Ventura as an analytics consultant. Looks like the boys of winter are getting into the sabermetrics game. The Pens also released a statement that assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald has left the team to accept the same position with the NJ Devils. Many in the organization were not surprised that Fitzgerald left Pittsburgh as he now joins former Pens GM Ray Shero in Jersey. As long as Fitz's business doesn't interfere with ours, we wish him well. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks! Your Pittsburgh Pirates close out their series this afternoon with the Washington Gnats at PNC Park. These are your keys for today's game. 1)With last night's 9-3 loss, the Bucs look to get back in the win column and take the series today. Raise the Jolly Roger! 2)Washington will start RH Joe Ross, 2-2, 2.70 ERA. Ross go the better of the Buccos back on June 19, allowing 1 run in 7 1/3 innings of a 4-1 win over the Pirates. Score early, score often score BIG with a big can o' Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Pirates counter with RH Gerrit Cole, 13-4, 2.31 ERA. In his last 11 starts, Cole is 8-2 with a 2.25 ERA. A victory today would make him the first Pirate since Dock Ellis to record 14 wins before the month of August. All aboard the Cole Train for a win! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     One, two, three strikes, you're out! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series with the Washington Gnats tonight on the North Shore at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)For the 2nd night in a row, the Pirates powered their way to a win, 7-5, thanks to another 3 cannonballs into the Pittsburgh skyline. Chicks dig the long ball! 2)The Gnats will go with LH Gio Gonzalez, 7-4, 3.93 ERA. The Bucs send Batman, RH AJ Burnett to the bump. AJ rocks a record of 8-3 and a 2.44 ERA. Get AJ the W! 3)Tonight is the debut Part II for 3B Aramis Ramirez as he's back in Black-N-Gold. Welcome ARam back in a big way. Break out the Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     The crack of the bat, the thrill of the hit! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series against the Washington Gnats tonight at the friendly confines of PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates found the win column last night as they raised the Jolly Roger over a 7-3 win. That victory was powered by 13 hits, 3 of them home runs. There's always room for more Hit, Run, & Score! 2)Tonight Washington will start RH Max Scherzer, 10-8, 2.09 ERA. You may have heard of Scherzer. A few weeks back Jose Tabata and his elbow broke up a perfect game in DC against our Buccos. Well, the Bucs don't have Tabata on the team now but they did pull off a big trade yesterday as they brought back 3B Aramis Ramirez to the place where it all began for him. Welcome back, ARam. It's payback time, ram it to the Gnats! 3)The Pirates will go with lefty Jeff Locke, 5-6, 4.01 ERA. Locke down a win! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Root, root, root for the home team! Your Pittsburgh Pirates are back home as they open a 4-game set tonight with the Washington Gnats at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Following last night's 5-1 loss at KC, the Pirates have only 1 win since the All-Star break, losing 5 of 6. The Bucs managed must 1 run 4 times during that stretch. If you want more, you'd better Hit, Run, & Score! 2)The good news is their back home, where they have the 3rd best record in the Majors, 32-16. There's no place like home! 3)The Gnats will start RH Doug Fister, 3-5, 4.30 ERA. The Pirates counter with LH Francisco Liriano, 5-6, 2.98 ERA. Give 'em L and be filthy, Frankie! Let's Go Bucs!!!!! 

THE BULLPEN

     Rounding third and heading for home! Your Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their road trip tonight in KC as they battle the Royals. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)It was another comedy of errors last night as 2 Pirates miscues opened the floodgates to a 3-1 loss to KC. Gerrit Cole was pitching a scoreless game in the 8th, then the errors started. Once you give KC a lead, their bullpen comes in and shuts you down. Got to make some Kansas City Meatloaf tonight and take 2 outta 3. Score early, score often, score BIG! 2)The Pirates send RH Charlie Morton, 6-3, 4.34 ERA, to the mound.  The Buccos need to bring their gloves and field their best-fielding team to help out the ground ball pitcher Morton. Errors add up to losses. Flash the leather! 3)He'll face former Bucs RH Edinson Volquez, 8-5, 3.28 ERA. Eddy is winless in his last 4. Give him the ol' Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Gonna be stand on the corner, 12th Street & Main with my Kansas City baby & a bottle o' Kansas City wine! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series in KC against the AL Champion Royals tonight. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Your Pittsburgh Pirates found the win column in KC with last night's 10-7 beat down of the Royals. The Bucs also blasted 17 hits, 7 for extra bases. We want more Hit, Run, & Score! 2)The Pirates will start RH Gerrit Cole, 13-3, 2.30 ERA. KC will go with LH Jason Vargas, 5-2, 4.10 ERA. All aboard the Cole Train for a win! 3)KC has the best record in the AL at 55-36. Since May 9, the Pirates are 41-22, best in the Majors. To be the best, you've go to beat the best! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     To quote the great American poets Steely Dan, "I've got the news". Mrs. Black-N-Gold brings you the all the news on your Pittsburgh Pirates, Steelers and Penguins with the latest installment of The Black-N-Gold News.


                             THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

The Pirates-As our Pirates were basking in the series win over St Louie last weekend, the team split for the All-Star break. RH Wilfred Boscan was optioned back to Triple A Indy on Monday only to be re-called when OF Gorkys Hernandez (shoulder) was placed on the DL yesterday. Some of our Buccos saw action in Tuesday's All-Star Game in Cincy. CF Andrew McCutchen started and went 1 for 3 including a 6th inning homer. RH Gerrit Cole worked a scoreless inning giving up 1 walk and striking out All-Star MVP Mike Trout. RH Mark Melancon pitched an inning, striking out 2 and surrendering a homer to Brian Dozier. On Thursday, the Pirates placed OF Jose Tabata on the inactive list. It must not have been for long as he returned to Indy's lineup yesterday. The Bucs returned to action on Friday in Milwaukee as they opened a 3-game set. OF Jaff Decker was called up from Indy to join the team. It didn't help much as the Bucs were swept at Miller Park. RH Vance Worley was forced to start Saturday's game as LH Francisco Liriano was a late scratch due to neck stiffness. Talk about adding injury to insult, SS Jordy Mercer left Sunday's loss as he collided with Milwaukee OF Carlos Gomez on a potential double play ball. The extent of Mercer's injury is not yet known. Mercer could be on the shelf for a spell as the Bucs are expected to call-up 3B Brent Morel. Meanwhile, the Pirates try to right the ship tonight at KC as they begin a 3-game series with the Royals. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

The Steelers-With the start of training camp quickly approaching the big news this week for our Steelers is that they signed DE Cam Hayward to a 6 year contract, good through 2020. Big things are expected of Cam as he continues to take on a leadership role with the young defense and as the defensive line will be called upon to rush the quarterback more under DC Keith Butler. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

The Penguins-Our Pens made news early in the week, signing W Bobby Farnham to a 1-year, 2-way deal. As they opened their prospect development camp, the Pens announced that Andy O'Brien was named Director of Sports Science & Performance and Andreas Huppi was anointed Sports Message Therapist. Will these moves help the Pens with the rash of injuries they've suffered the past few years? One noticeable absence during camp was C Oskar Sundqvist. He is expected to be ready for training camp where he will make a push to crack the Pens 4th line. The Pens also agreed to a 1-year deal with RFA F Beau Bennett. Considering his injury history, Bennett may benefit from the new hires to the training staff. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     I'm going to Kansas City. Kansas City here I come! You're Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road to KC tonight as they begin a 3-game series against the defending AL Champion Royals. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Following yesterday's 6-1 loss the Pirates try to shake off their lost weekend in Milwaukee where they lost 3 straight. We don't want loss #4. Hit, Run & Score! 2)The Buccos bring RH AJ Burnett, 7-3, 2.11 ERA, to the bump. KC starts RH Yordano Ventura, 4-6, 4.73 ERA. KC has a mean bullpen. The Bucs can't afford to get behind early and let KC go to their 'pen. Score early, score often, score BIG! 3)KC has the best mark in the AL at 55-35 and are on a 10-2 run. Give them a Royal beating! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Baseball fever, catch it! Your Pittsburgh Pirates close out their series in Milwaukee this afternoon as they battle the Brewers. These are your keys for today's game. 1)It was the great American philosopher Jerry Reed that once said "When you're hot, you're hot. And when you're not, you're not". Your Pittsburgh Pirates are definitely "not". Following last night's 8-5 loss in Milwaukee, the Bucs have dropped their last 2 to start the 2nd half of the season and in the process have lost 2 games to St Louie in the standings. Did someone forget to pack the offense and the Jolly Roger for this road trip? Thanks to 2 Milwaukee errors and a wild pitch, the Bucs were staked to a 3-0 lead in the top of the 1st last night with bases full of Bucs and no one out. However, they managed to run themselves right out of a big inning and didn't score again until the 7th, when the game was well out of reach. Today's game plan should really be quite simple. Score early, score often, score BIG with lots and lots of Hit, Run, & Score! 2)The ineptitude of the offense wasn't all to blame. Miscues and mistakes in the field have contributed to this awful showing, too. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is now going to take a page from her Steelers handbook. Put the D back in the Defense! 3)The road doesn't get any easier for our Buccos. Tomorrow they head to KC to play the defending AL Champs then come back home for a 4-game series with the Gnats. Right the ship and raise the Jolly Roger! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Give us any chance, we'll take it. Read us any rule, we'll break it! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series tonight in Milwaukee as they battle the Brewers. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates limped out of the gate for the 2nd half of the season, managing just 1 run on 3 hits in last night's 4-1 loss. This shouldn't happen. The Brewers are a bad team. You've got to beat the good teams and beat up the bad teams. Give 'em the ol' Hit, Run, & Score! 2)The Pirates send lefty Francisco Lirano, 5-6, 2.98 ERA, to the mound. Milwaukee has the worst batting average in the Majors versus southpaws at .222. On the road, Frankie has held opponents to a .174 batting average, best in the NL. Be filthy, Frankie! 3)Milwaukee will start RH Jimmy Nelson 6-9, 4.21 ERA. This season, Nelson is 2-1 with a 1.00 ERA against the Bucs. Look, it's not like this kid is a Cy Young winner or anything. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Tonight is the return of your Pittsburgh Pirates and one day closer to the trade deadline, sports fans. Today, Mrs. Black-N-Gold looks at some pitchers who have been mentioned as potential trade targets for our Buccos. Two of the targets will be starters and two will be relievers.

1)LH Oliver Perez-Word is the Pirates were scouting the Arizona lefty reliever. Long before he made the jump to the bullpen, Ollie began his career as a starter in Pittsburgh. After he left, he was able to successfully make the switch to reliever and become a lefty specialist. Since the jury is still out on Antonio Bastardo, Mrs. Black-N-Gold feels this could be a good pick-up for the Bucs. If the price isn't too steep.

2)RH Brad Ziegler-While the Pirates were scouting Perez in Arizona, they were also getting a look at the righty Ziegler. Ziegler will remind Pirates fans of another former Bucco reliever, Kent Tekulve. Not because he's a shutdown closer, but because he throws sidearm like Teke did. At 35, he's up there in pitcher's years. Mrs. Black-N-Gold isn't so sure about this one.

3)RH Aaron Harang-The Pirates were rumoured to be interested in the Philly right-hander. However, he went on the DL in early July with plantar fasciitis and hasn't won a game since 5/14 against the Pirates. At 4-11 and 37 years old, Mrs. Black-N-Gold thinks the Pirates would whiff on this free-agent-to-be.

4)RH Dan Haren-The Pirates reportedly were scouting the veteran Miami RH. Two reasons why Mrs. Black-N-Gold isn't down with this one. #1 Haren is typically a fly ball pitcher. The Pirates love to induce groundballs at PNC Park. #2 When Haren was traded from the Dodgers to the Marlins in the offseason, he threatened to retire. Any player that wants to take his ball and go home because of sour grapes over a trade doesn't sound very much like a team player. Pass.

     True, the Pirates need some rotation and bullpen depth. But at what price? GM Neal Huntington may be content to keep the hand he was dealt, at least until after the non-waiver trade deadline ends. Maybe NH will find another John Holdzkom-type somewhere in the bushes. Until he does, Mrs. Black-N-Gold is hoping the Pirates pitchers can continue to steer this ship in the direction of a World Series. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Shlemiel, schlemazel! Your Pittsburgh Pirates are back in action tonight as they begin a 3-game series in Milwaukee versus the Brewers. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Prior to the All-Star break, the Bucs were on a tear, going 8-2 in their last 10. Meanwhile, Milwaukee is a measely 16-28 at home. Trouble is brewing for the Brewers! 2)RH Charlie Morton, 6-2, 4.15 ERA, is on the mound for the Buccos. The Brewers put RH Mike Fiers, 4-7, 3.96 ERA, on the bump. Grind 'em up, Ground Chuck! 3)The Pirates need to keep the momentum going into the second half of the season. St Louie has a fairly easy schedule ahead of them so the Pirates have to keep the pressure on. Raising the Jolly Roger in Miller Park is a good start. Give 'em a big mug o' Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Well, sports fans, the MLB non-waiver trade deadline is fast approaching. With our Pittsburgh Pirates just 2.5 games out in the NL Central, there are rumblings from both the fans and the media regarding possible trade targets. As always, Bucs GM Neal Huntington is not tipping his hand as we near July 31. Will NH pull the trigger on a blockbuster trade for our Buccos this year? Or will he continue to make low-cost, minor tweaks to his team's roster? No doubt about it, although the Pirates have the 2nd best record in the NL (behind NL Central-leading St Louie), they definitely have some holes to fill. Today, Mrs. Black-N-Gold looks at 4 position players linked to the Black-N-Gold and will give you her take.

1)OF Ben Revere-Speedy Philly outfielder has had his name tied to Pittsburgh, of late. He plays  CF in Philly but don't expect him to unseat Andrew McCutchen. He also wouldn't supplant RF Gregory Polanco, who has come on lately. Since he's a lefty bat, he couldn't platoon with Polanco, either. The Pirates have shown their commitment to Polanco when they traded away Travis Snider and by their refusal to demote him when he has struggled. This one makes no sense to Mrs. Black-N-Gold.

2)OF Jeff Francoeur-Another OF Philly is looking to unload. This 31 year old never seemed to live up to his potential, only reaching the 20 homer mark once in his career, back in 2011. He is a right-handed bat, so there is an opportunity to platoon. And he does have a cannon for an arm as witnessed by the Pirates earlier this season. Still, Mrs. Black-N-Gold isn't feeling it.

3)OF Justin Upton-When the Upton name was thrown up, Mrs. Black-N-Gold had to make sure the name she heard was the Upton that can hit. Not the other one. It is! Justin is a right-handed hitting free-agent-to-be who was named to his 3rd All-Star Game this year. With 14 homers, his bat could add some welcome pop to the Pirates. The only thing is, both Uptons have a reputation as head cases. If the price is right, and he could be on his best behavior, Upton could be a welcome addition to the Bucs roster.

4)OF Marlon Byrd-Does the name sound familiar? It should as Byrd has already done a stint in Pittsburgh back in '13. He bats right handed and brings power to the lineup. He has also fit in with this locker room and helped them to the postseason in the past. He does stand to earn big bonus money if he reaches 500 PAs but if he platoons with Polanco in right, that figure can be managed. He would just have to be willing to come back as a role player. If Marlon is down with that, than Mrs. Black-N-Gold says "Bryd is the word".

     There you have it, Pirates fans. 4 position players that may be seen wearing Black-N-Gold at a ballpark near you. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is well aware that the Pirates could use some first base help, as well. Unfortunately, the market has been pretty dry on that front. Tune in tomorrow as Mrs. Black-N-Gold will open up The Bullpen doors and discuss 4 pitchers that are potential trade targets for our Bucccos. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Yesterday, Mrs. Black-N-Gold heaped praise on 3 Pirates that she feels helped the team tremendously during their first half success this season. Now it's time to look at the other end of the spectrum, the 3 Pirates who need to step up their game and help the Pirates get to not only the NL Central title but the World Series, too. Let the roasting begin.

1)Pedro Alvarez-If ever that was a player that needs to improve on this Pirates team, it is El Toro. Now before, the Pedro apologists start saying "But Mrs. Black-N-Gold, Pedro has been driving in runs", let's not forget the main reason he was the #2 overall pick in the first place. We all know Pedro wasn't drafted for his glove. He proved that last season (more on that later). Pedro is supposed to be a home run hitter, not just a threat. What he's turned into is a platoon, singles hitter. He rarely hits lefties or long balls. And this whole "Daydro" thing is kind of funny until you think about how sad it really is. The guy can only hit homers in the daytime? Ok, "only" is an exaggeration but it certainly seems that way. And he doesn't make up for his lack of productivity with his glove, oh no. After throwing away the 3rd base job last season, Pedro was moved across the diamond to 1st in an effort to get him back to hitting home runs. No such luck. Petey was one of the few productive Pirates during their NLCS clash with the St Louie Cardinals a few years back. He also tied for the league lead in home runs a few years ago. It's time to stop leaving in the past, Petey. Let's see what ya got!

2)Jordy Mercer-Big things were expected of Jordy this season. Fans were eagerly anticipating the Mercer from the 2nd half of 2014, not the 1st. Sorry about that, Jordy fans. Mercer got off to a horrendous start and lost his shortstop job to Jung Ho Kang for a spell. But Manager Clint Hurdle had faith. Jordy looked to reward his coach with a brief renaissance but has fallen back to earth as of late. Besides that, Jordy was being held as the better defensive shortstop over Kang. True, he does flash the leather, on occasion. However, he made 2 critical errors during the recent St Louie series on double play balls. Have Mercer, Mrs. Black-N-Gold hopes Jordy stays above the Mendoza Line as we see a return to last season's 2nd half form.

3)Front Office-Yes, the Front Office doesn't play on the field but what they do comes into play. For the past few years, GM Neal Huntington has played it relatively safe. He'd wait until to pick up table scraps that other teams didn't want. Sometimes it worked (Marlon Byrd). Most times it didn't (Derek Lee, Ryan Ludwick, Justin Morneau). NH prefers to hold onto his precious minor leaguers and owner Bob Nutting's cash. This year, it's time to put up or shut up. The Pirates said this is one of their best benches in years. Apart from backup catcher Chis Stewart and Korean import, Kang, the bench is woeful. The likes of Gorkys Hernandez, Steve Lombardozzi and Corey Hart do not strike fear in the hearts of opposing pitchers. How about a big righthanded bat that can play 1B or OF? There's always room for a good arm in the bullpen, too.  It's time for the Bucs to spend the bucks (or the picks) and get some quality help to help this team make a serious run.

Tomorrow, Mrs. Black-N-Gold will look a little more closely at potential trade targets and tells you what she thinks. Until then, Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Well, our Pittsburgh Pirates are enjoying a well-deserved break, following back-to-back walk-off wins in extra innings over NL Central-leading St Louie. Ok, not all of our Buccos are on a break. CF Andrew McCutchen, and RHs AJ Burnett, Gerrit Cole and Mark Melancon are all enjoying the sights and sounds of Cincinnati as they prepare for the All-Star Game tonight. As we all take a breather, let's look back at 3 key players who helped lead the Bucs to the 2nd best record in the NL at 53-35. Then, , tomorrow we'll take a look at 3 players that need to step it up as we head into the 2nd half.

1)AJ Burnett-No doubt about it, AJ, in his return to Pittsburgh for his final season, has been the talk of the town. During the offseason, the talk was whether or not AJ could bounce back from a horrendous season in Philly last year, leading the league in losses as well as other various, not-so-impressive categories. Another question was if he'd be able to mend fences with Manager Clint Hurdle after their dust-up during the 2013 NLCS, when Gerrit Cole was tagged to start Game 5, instead of AJ. Well, those questions and many others have been answered, in spades. Not only has AJ made his first All-Star Game, his numbers have shown drastic improvement across the board. His 7-3 mark doesn't do him justice as lack of run support hindered Batman early in the season. And AJ has been a model citizen, continuing to mentor the youngsters on the staff. He also keeps the locker room loose, giving deserving Buccos teammates a whipped cream pie to the face following a win.

2)Gerrit Cole-As the first 13-game winner in MLB this season at 13-3, the Cole Train is definitely on the right track. There were concerns about Cole following last year's injury-marred season. But a new training regimen, dedicated to maintaining his health, has helped boost the former #1 pick to his first All-Star nod. Cole has taken charge of the pitching staff, leading by example as he puts the brakes on the rare Pirates losing streak. He has the stuff to face a team's best hitter and send him straight back to the bench.

3)Francisco Cervelli-Pirates fans were worried sick when the Bucs lost out on the Russell Martin Sweepstakes. But as quickly as Martin signed with Toronto, the Buccos re-loaded with another former Yankees backstop. There were all kinds of question marks when Frankie C. arrived in Da 'Burgh. Chief among them where the issues regarding his health. Frankie had an injury-riddled career that kept him in the trainer's room more than the lineup. But Frankie has performed like the Energizer Bunny this season with his energy. He's also wound up like a Timex watch in that he "takes a licking and keeps on ticking". Apparently, Frankie rubbed some folks in New York the wrong way with his enthusiastic attitude. Not so in Pittsburgh where everyone from the coaches, to the pitching staff, to his teammates, to the fans all love Frankie C. And with his batting average hovering around .300, it looks like there's more good things to come. Like the song says "That's Amore".

Don't forget to catch Mrs. Black-N-Gold again tomorrow when she gives you 3 Pirates that need to kick their game up a notch if the Pirates are to overtake St Louie for the NL Central title. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

    To quote Bob Seger, "Have you heard the news? It's all over town". If not, Mrs. Black-N-Gold has it right here for you with the latest on our Pirates, Steelers and Penguins. That's right, Black-N-Gold fans. It's the newest edition of The Black-N-Gold News.



                                               THE BLACK-GOLD-NEWS


The Pirates-Last week a promising Pirates minor leaguer received another dose of bad news regarding his health. RH Jameson Taillon, trying to get his career back on track following last season's Tommy John surgery, had to undergo surgery for a hernia. Taillon is expected to miss up to 2 months, thus bringing his 2015 season to another early finish. Some more moves occurred down on the farm as the Pirates traded LH Clayton Richard from Triple A Indy to the Chicago Cubs for cash. Why did the Buccos trade Richard away to a division rival, you ask? There was a clause in the southpaw's contract that he either had to be added to the Bucs 25-man roster by a certain date or be traded to a team that was willing to put him on their roster.

Last Friday the Bucs returned to the friendly confines of PNC Park for a homestand that would take them into the All-Star break. They dropped the rain-delayed opener to the Cleveland Indians 5-2. On Saturday they celebrated Independence Day with a gem of a game from lefty Jeff Locke as they blanked Cleveland 1-0. The Pirates took the series the next day with a 5-3 victory. In that game, LF Starling Marte left with left side discomfort and would not return to the lineup until Saturday night.


Some more roster shuffling took place as they claimed 1B/OF Travis Ishikawa off waivers from the San Fran Giants. On Monday, the Pirates placed 3B Josh Harrison on the 15-day DL with torn thumb ligaments. JHay had surgery later in the week and is expected out for approximately 7 weeks.



4 Pirates were named to the NL All-Star squad as NL manager Bruce Bochy shaped up his roster. Congrats to CF Andrew McCutchen, RH Mark Melancon, and, making their 1st All-Star appearances, RHs AJ Burnett and Gerrit Cole. Another Pirate received recognition this week as Triple A RH Angel Sanchez was named International League Pitcher of the Week.


All that and the Pirates managed to go out and take the first game of their series with San Diego as they edged the Padres 2-1. They also took the next two games, giving the Bucs their 10th series sweep of the season, best in the Majors.


Thursday night saw more rain as the Buccos began a 4-game showdown with NL Central-leading St Louie. The Cards took the opener 4-1. The Bucs bounced back on Friday with a 5-2 win and reached more milestones in the process. Cole Train became just the 2nd Pirates pitcher with at least 13 wins at the break as he picked up his MLB-best 13th victory. Mark the Shark broke a club record by converting his 27th straight save. Saturday night's game was one for the ages, an instant classic. The Pirates won the dogfight 6-5 in 14 innings thanks to Cutch's 2-run walk off homer. Cutch extended his career-best 18 game-hitting streak with the game winner.

Before the finale Sunday the Pirates called up RH Wilfredo Boscan from Triple A Indy and sent INF Steve Lombardozzi back to Indy.

The finale was a fight to the finish on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. Our Pirates scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 10th to walk off with a 6-5 win, taking 3 of 4 from St Louie. Don't look know but the Bucs are 2.5 out in the NL Central.

Enjoy the break, Buccos. You've earned it. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

Steelers-Not much doing for our Steelers this week as they continue to prepare for the start of training camp on July 25. There was a release that RB Jerome Bettis will have his brother John Bettis III present him at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony on August 8. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is sure there won't be a dry eye in the place as the Black-N-Gold welcomes another of their own to Canton. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

Penguins-Our Penguins were relatively quiet this week, too. They're probably still buzzing from the big Phil Kessel deal they pulled off last week. They did manage to lock up one of their restricted free agents as they signed D Brian Dumoulin to a 2 year deal. Dumoulin is regarded as one of the big 3 bright young defensemen the Pens have on their team along with Olli Maatta and Derrick Pouliot. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Batter up! Your Pittsburgh Pirates close out their series with the St Louie Cardinals tonight at PNC Park on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)My, oh my! The Pirates have won 2 straight following last night's nail-biting walk-off victory thanks to CF Andrew McCutchen's 2-run homer in the bottom of the 14th. With that heroic home run, Cutch was able to extend his hitting streak to a career-best 18 games. Keep on CUTCHN and keep on BUCN! 2)It's a battle of lefties this evening. St Louie starts southpaw Tim Cooney, 0-0, 3.95 ERA. The Pirates will send lefty Francisco Liriano, 5-6, 2.99 ERA, to the hill. The Bucs ERA of 2.63 is the first time since 1968 that Pirates pitchers have posted an ERA under 3 at the All-Star break. Be filthy, Frankie and give 'em L! 3)At 3.5 games back of St Louie in the NL Central, this is our Buccos last chance to stick it to St Louie before the break. In last night's game, the Bucs not only had to battle their NL Central rivals, but the umps as well. Hit 'em early, hit 'em often, hit 'em HARD with a heavy load of Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Take me out to the ballgame! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series with the St Louie Cardinals tonight at the friendly confines of PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)
RH John Lackey, 7-5, 3.09 ERA, starts for St Louie. The Buccos counter with All-Star RH AJ Burnett, 7-3, 1.99 ERA. AJ's 1.28 ERA at home is the best in the NL. In all 8 of his home starts, he's allowed just 2 runs or less. Send AJ to ASG with another W! 2)Timely hitting in last night's 5-2 win helped the Bucs tie this series at 2. It's time for more hitting. Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Pirates remain one of baseball's hottest teams, going 8-2 in their last 10. Keep putting runs on the board and Ws in the win column. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     The crack of the bat, the thrill of the hit! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series with the St Louie Cardinals tonight at PNC Park with game 2 of this big division showdown. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates look to right the ship and get back in the win column following last night's series-opening 4-1 loss. Miscues and mistakes contributed mightily to that loss. Also, you can't scratch out just 5 hits and 1 run and expect to come out a winner. We need more Hit, Run, & Score! 2)St Louie will start RH Lance Lynn, 6-4, 2.53 ERA. RH Gerrit Cole, 12-3, 2.28 ERA, looks to get the Bucs back on the winning track and become just the 2nd pitcher in Pirates history with 13 wins before the All-Star break. In his last 9 starts, Cole is 7-1. All aboard the Cole Train for a win! 3)Mrs. Black-N-Gold saw the naysayers come out on the internet last night when the Buccos fell to St Louie. You need to remember that back in may when St Louie came to town, they took for the first game of the series but it was our Pirates that took the series. Raise the Jolly Roger! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     I don't care if I ever get back! Your Pittsburgh Pirates open a HUGE 4-game set with the St Louie Cardinals tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Mrs. Black-N-Gold doesn't have to remind Pirates fans what this series means to our Buccos. We've had this series circled on the schedule since day 1. The Pirates go into this set riding a 5-game winning streak. Keep on BUCN! 2)With last night's come-from-behind 5-2 win over San Diego, the Pirates lead the Majors with 10 series sweeps. How sweep it is! 3)St Louie is big brother to little brother Pittsburgh. It's time to punch back. Take advantage of opportunities. Don't leave Bucs on the pond. Score early, score often, score BIG. Deck the Cards with plenty of Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     We want a pitcher, not a belly-itcher! Your Pittsburgh Pirates close out their series with the San Diego Padres tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Padres are 3-7 in their last 10, losing 4 in a row. In their last 10, the Bucs are 8-2. They've taken the first 2 games of this series and have won 4 straight overall. Time to clean house! 2)San Diego starts RH Andrew Cashner, 3-9, 4.06 ERA. The Buccos have RH Charlie Morton, 6-2, 4.30 ERA, on the bump. Grind 'em up, Ground Chuck! 3)With last night's 3-2 victory, the Pirates keep finding ways to win. Keep it in the win column with more Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Take me out to the ballgame! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series vs the San Diego Padres tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Following last night's 2-1 walk-off win, the Pirates have won 3 straight. #4 would be great! 2)San Diego starts RH Tyson Ross, 5-7, 3.63 ERA. The Pirates counter with LH Francisco Liriano, 5-6, 2.99 ERA. Be filthy, Frankie. Give 'em L! 3)San Diego has lost 3 in a row. Give them #4 and some Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their homestand as tonight as they battle the San Diego Padres at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)San Diego starts RH James Shields, 7-3, 4.14 ERA. The Bucs put RH AJ Burnett, 7-3, 2.05 ERA on the bump. AJ continues a push to make his first-ever ASG. Get AJ the W! 2)The Pirates have won 7 of their last 9. #8 would be great! 3)The Padres have won 16 of 19 in Pittsburgh. The Bucs need to stay in the win column to hang with St Louie. Score early, score often, score BIG with a heavy dose of Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Root, root, root for the home team! Your Pittsburgh Pirates close out their turnpike series with the Cleveland Indians this afternoon at PNC Park. These are your keys for today's game. 1)Following yesterday's 1-0 win over Cleveland, it's time for some home cookin'. Cook up some Black-N-Gold Meatloaf. 2 outta 3 ain't bad! 2)The Tribe trots out RH Danny Salazar, 7-3, 3.80 ERA. The Pirates counter with RH Gerrit Cole, 11-3, 2.20 ERA. Cole tries again to be the Majors first 12-game winner. Hop aboard the Cole Train for a win! 3)After collecting 49 hits in their sweep of Detroit, the Pirates have only managed 9 hits in their first 2 games of this series. Mrs. Black-N-Gold can't say much more. Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Firecracker, firecracker, boom, boom, boom! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their turnpike series with the Cleveland Indians this afternoon at PNC Park. These are your keys for today's game. 1)In last night's series-opening 5-2 loss, the Pirates only managed to scratch out 3 hits. What happened to the offensive explosion that was in Detroit? Get back in the win column with more Hit, Run, & Score! 2)The Indians will start rookie RH Cody Anderson, 1-0, 0.57 ERA. The Bucs have battered rookie starters this season, averaging 5.07 runs. Trounce the Tribe! 3)The Pirates will send LH Jeff Locke, 4-4, 4.55 ERA to the hill. In each of Locke's last 4 starts, he's allowed 2 earned runs or less. Locke down a win! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Stop the presses! Stop the presses! It's been a busy week for our favorite Black-N-Gold teams, the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins. No need to worry if you missed anything. Mrs. Black-N-Gold has you covered with the latest edition of The Black-N-Gold News.


                                               THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

Pirates-Our Buccos were off on Monday but they did make a minor league roster move. They promoted INF Gift Ngoepe and RH Jeff Inam to Triple A Indy. On Tuesday the Bucs were back in action as they began a 3-game series in Detroit. It took them 14 innings but they tamed the Tigers 5-4. Wednesday night the Pirates continued their winning ways, dumping Detroit 9-3. Yesterday afternoon, they completed the sweep, trouncing the Tigers 8-4. That was the Pirates 9th sweep of the season, an MLB-best. This weekend the Bucs look to set off some of their own fireworks for the 4th as they open a 3-game set with their turnpike rivals, the Cleveland Indians, starting tonight. This homestand will run up to the All-Star break. The Pirates are now 6 games in back of NL Central-leading St Louie. Keep firing off those cannonballs and raising the Jolly Roger. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

Steelers-Our Steelers made a little noise this week. They announced that they've applied to host Super Bowl LVII in 2023. Wouldn't a Super Bowl in the 'Burgh be cool? It would be even cooler if our Steelers were playing in the Big Game. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

Penguins-Lots and lots of news on our Penguins. On Monday, they signed RFA D Ian Cole to a 3-year contract. They also offered qualifying offers to 5 other RFAs, including W Beau Bennett. Wednesday was the really big day for the Pens and the NHL as the free agency period began. Our Pens lost many players when the free agent window opened. G Thomas Greiss signed with the Isles, D Taylor Chorney went to Washington, RW Blake Comeau signed with Colorado, D Paul Martin to the Sharks, RW Steve Downie to the Coyotes, F Jayson Megna went to the Rangers and W Daniel Winnik signed with Toronto. The Pens got in on the action by signing former Washington D Steve Olesky. They also signed Russian F Sergei Plotnikov to a 1-year entry level contract. There was something else they Pens did this week.... Oh, yeah, they traded for RW Phil Kessel. They traded RW Kasperi Kapanen, D Scott Harrington, C Nick Spaling and a 1st round and 3rd round pick in 2016 to get Kessel's services. In return they not only received Kessel, they also got F Tyler Biggs, D Tim Erixon and a 2nd round pick for 2016. Could this move for Kessel be the one that finally brings the Cup back to the 'Burgh? Mrs. Black-N-Gold certainly hopes so. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Baby you're a firework! Your Pittsburgh Pirates return to the friendly confines of PNC Park tonight as they battle the Cleveland Indians. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Bucs are back in town as they completed the sweep of Detroit. Our Pirates have won 3 straight. #4 would be great! 2)During the trouncing of the Tigers, the Pirates scored 22 total runs on 49 hits, 17 for extra bases. Keep the explosion going. Fire up a big keg of Hit, Run, & Score! 3)Cleveland starts RH Trevor Bauer, 6-5, 3.96 ERA. The Pirates counter with RH Charlie Morton, 6- 1, 4.28 ERA. The Tribe roll into Pittsburgh riding a 4-game winning streak. Crush Cleveland. Grind 'em up, Ground Chuck! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Rounding third and heading for home! Your Pittsburgh Pirates have one more throwdown in Motown as they close out their series with the Detroit Tigers. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The hits just keep on coming as the Pirates beat the Tigers for the second night in a row, 9-3. They pounded out a season-high 21 hits, including 4 homers 2 of them by 2B Neil Walker. Keep that hit parade moving with more Hit, Run, & Score! 2)Today is a battle of lefthanders as the Pirates go with Francisco Liriano, 4-6, 3.21 ERA. The Tigers counter with Kyle Ryan, 1-1, 4.56 ERA. Frankie boasts a .189 batting average against, second best in the Majors. Be Filthy, Frankie and tame those Tigers! 3)The Pirates have won 2 straight over Detroit. If it's 3, it's for me! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     It's zee Wango, zee Tango! Your Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series with the Detroit Tigers tonight in the Motor City. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates pulled out a 5-4 win in 14 innings over Detroit last night, banging out 15 hits. Every starter collected at least 1 hit. Keep the hit parade going! 2)The Bucs will send RH AJ Burnett, 6-3, 2.01 ERA, to the bump. The Tigers will trot out RH Alfredo Simon, 7-4, 3.57 ERA. In Simon's last 2 starts, he's pitched a combined 9 innings, surrendering 12 earned runs. Feast on some Chicken Alfredo with a side of Hit, Run, & Score! 3)When the Buccos and Kitties faced off in their season-opening series in Pittsburgh, Detroit got the better of the set, winning 2 of 3. Take the series. It's payback time! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!