SLAP SHOTS

     Happy Pucks & Bucs Day! Great balls of fire, it's a great day for playoff hockey! Our Pittsburgh Penguins continue their 2nd round series tonight with the Capitals in DC. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Thursday night's Game 1 loss, 4-3 in OT, could have gone either way. The Pens played good enough to win, but bad enough to lose. They need to steal a win in Washington to even the series. Don't let the Caps dictate play. Play your game. Score early, score often, score BIG! 2)The Pens led the 1st game in shots, 45-35. But Caps G Braden Holtby, a Vezina Trophy finalist, turned away 42 shots from the Black-N-Gold. Keep on Holtby's case and in his face. Hit him with Goals, Goals, Goals! 3)Caps F TJ Oshie may be an Olympic hero but he has become a pest to the Pens, especially following Thursday's hat trick that included the game winner. Be mindful of Ovie and Oshie. Keep them out of the net and off the scoresheet. Hit 'em early, hit 'em often, hit 'em HARD! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Happy Bucs & Pucks Day! Hey, batter, batter, batter! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series with the Cincy Reds tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Bucs won the opener last night 4-1, their 5th win in a row. Get your kicks with win #6! 2)Cincy starts RH Alfredo Simon, 0-2, 16.39 ERA. Simon pitches like Chicken Alfredo against every team he faces but the Bucs. Continue to follow this season's formula by making him work. Hit him early, hit him often, hit him HARD; Hit, Run & Score! 3)The Buccos go with LH Francisco Liriano, 1-1, 4.64 ERA. Frankie continues to confound this season. He's been uncharacteristically wild. In 21 1/3 innings, he has given up 11 runs on 19 hits, 5 home runs and 17 walks. The free pass will always bite you in the a$$. Be filthy, Frankie! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Root, root, root for the home team! Our Pittsburgh Pirates return home to the friendly confines of PNC Park tonight when they open a 3-game series with the Cincy Reds. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Bucs have won 4 in a row. #5 would not be jive! 2)Meanwhile, Cincy has lost 4 straight. #5 would be great! 3)Opening weekend, the Buccos traveled to Cincy and were lucky to get out with 1 win in the 3 game set. It always seems like these guys have our number. They're 9-13 and just 1-8 on the road. You've got to beat the good teams and beat up the bad teams. Score early, score often, score BIG with a heavy load of Hit, Run & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

TAKEAWAYS

     It certainly is an exciting time to be a member of Black-N-Gold Nation. Our Pittsburgh Penguins faceoff against the Capitals in Washington DC. in the 2nd round of the Stanley Cup playoffs beginning tonight. Our Pittsburgh Steelers prepare to make their pick at #25 in the 1st round of the 2016 NFL Draft tonight, too. To get us ready for all the heart-stopping action, our Pittsburgh Pirates start our sports day with a matinee to close out their series in Colorado. With all this action going on, it gets the Black-N-Gold blood pumping. What better way to get you ready than with a brand-new edition of Takeaways. Today, Mrs. Black-N-Gold looks at some of the hot topics that has all of Black-N-Gold Nation talking.

PENGUINS

Tonight the puck drops for game 1 of our Pens 2nd round series with the Washington Capitals. Sid vs Ovie is being billed as the Main Event. But this match-up is much more than that. Both teams were among the league leaders in goals per game during the regular season. They also were in the Top 10 for goals against. During the playoffs both the Pens and Caps special teams were extra-special. They were ranked tops on the power play and were #1 and #2 on the PK. This will be the first time they've met since that fateful 7-game series back in 2009. You remember that, don't you? The year a new coach took over during the season and put the Pens on the path to the Stanley Cup. It seems destined to happen again this year. The Pens will have to storm Ovie's house to get to Lord Stanley. They have the right coach. They got hot at the right time. And they're just the team to do it. Let's Go Pens!!!

PIRATES

As Mrs. Black-N-Gold types these words, our Pirates are at 12-9, sitting in 2nd place in the NL Central, 3 games out. It's a familiar position for the Bucs. They had the same record at this time last year. And looking up at an opponent that is running away with the division (this year it's the Chicago Cubs at 15-5) gives them the uneasy feeling of deja vu. But something is a little, I don't know, different about the team this year. True, the pitching has been woeful pretty much from the get-go. Hopefully reinforcements will be here soon. But the offense? They lead the NL in hits with 218, batting average at .293, OBP at .379 and are 2nd in OPS at .821. Ok, so maybe they won't lead the league in home runs but thanks to the Atlanta Braves, they won't be worst in that category, either. Plus, CF Andrew McCutchen, one of the worst hitters in the Buccos lineup in the early going, is showing signs of breaking out of his early season doldrums. Mrs. Black-N-Gold always says that the Bucs go as Cutch goes. Yes, it looks like Mrs. Black-N-Gold is finally drinking the Kool-Aid that GM Neal Huntington mixed up back in the offseason. She's even down with OBP. Once they get 3B Jung Ho Kang back in the lineup and add some arms from Triple A, the Pirates can give the Cubs a run for their money. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

STEELERS

With the 25th pick in this year's draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers take.......Many members of Black-N-Gold Nation are waiting with bated breath to see who our Steelers take in the first round tonight. Will it be a shutdown corner that they desperately need? Or maybe a defensive lineman to add some depth to a thin unit? How about taking yet another linebacker? Mrs. Black-N-Gold isn't sure whose name will be called. All she knows is that all signs are pointing to the Steelers taking a player on the defensive side of the ball with their 1st pick . The majority of the players that visited the team's South Side facilities leading up to the draft were defensive players, mostly of the secondary nature. The Steelers haven't gone with a corner in the 1st round in almost 20 years, when they took Chad Scott back in 1997. Of course, GM Kevin Colber and Head Coach Mike Tomlin are being coy about what player they'll choose. They have led the media to believe that they're just fine with the likes of CBs Ross Cockrell and Senquez Golson, talking the 2 players up leading up to tonight's draft. However, most mock drafts aren't buying it, linking the Steelers to some of the best corners available at the bottom of the 1st round. Mrs. Black-N-Gold wants to see the Steelers draft corners and safeties early and often this year. It's a passing league. You need to have players who can cover the pass. Pick a winner. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Happy Pucks & Bucs Day! Lord Stanley, Lord Stanley, pass me the brandy; it's a great day for playoff hockey! Our Pittsburgh Penguins faceoff against the Washington Capitals tonight in DC for game #1 of their 2nd round series. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Caps finished the regular season with the NHL's best record, 56-18-8, 120 points, winning the President's Trophy. That doesn't mean squat come playoff time. You can keep the trophy. We want the Cup! 2)Someone told Mrs. Black-N-Gold the other day that this is a worrisome match-up for the Pens because the Caps are a big, hard-hitting team. You can't hit what you can't catch. Speed kills! 3)The Caps were 2nd in the league in goals per game at 3.0. The Pens were right behind them at #3 with 2.9. Break out the Goals, Goals, Goals! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

    Happy Bucs & Pucks Day! Rounding 3rd and heading for home! Our Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their series with the Rockies this afternoon in Colorado. These are your keys for today's game. 1)Following last night's 9-8 win in 12 innings, the Pirates have raised the Jolly Roger in 4 straight. #5 would be great! 2)During that winning streak, the Buccos have scored 36 runs. There's always room for more Hit, Run & Score! 3)The Bucs look to clean house today in Colorado as they go for the sweep. Break out the brooms! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds below! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue to ride that Rocky Mountain High tonight for game 3 of their 4 game set with the Colorado Rockies. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)LH Jon Niese will start for the Pirates. Niese is off to a 3-0 start for the 1st time in his career to go along with a 4.24 ERA. The Rockies will send RH Jon Gray to the hill. Gray is 0-0 with a 9.00 ERA. Another win for Niese would be nice! 2)In last night's 9-4 win, the Bucs broke out the bats blasting 5 bombs. CF Andrew McCutchen led the charge with 3 cannonballs. Chicks dig the long ball! 3)The Pirates have won 3 in a row . Get win #4, Hit, Run & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Extra! Extra! Stop the presses! Mrs. Black-N-Gold has all the news you can use this week, giving you the latest and greatest on our favorite Black-N-Gold Teams, our Pittsburgh Penguins, Pirates and Steelers. It's been an action-packed, fun-filled week and it promises to be even better this week. Mrs. Black-N-Gold takes a peek.

               
                                          THE BLACK-N-GOLD-NEWS 

PENGUINS

Our Penguins playoff series with the New York Rangers was in full swing last week. How's the playoff beard look? The Pens fell to NY at Consol last Saturday, 4-2, to even the series at 1 game each. On Sunday, the Pens shuffled the roster, sending the perpetually-moving F Tom Sestito back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. 

On Tuesday, the series shifted to Madison Square Garden and featured rookie Matt Murray in goal for the Black-N-Gold. Murray proceeded to earn his 1st NHL playoff victory in the 3-1 win. The Pens made another move when they sent G Tristan Jarry down to WB/S. 

Thursday night was another 1st for Murray. He recorded his 1st NHL playoff shutout, blanking the Blue Shirts 5-0. Congrats to the rook for his historic week!

This past Saturday afternoon, the series returned to Consol with the Pens up 3-1 in the series. Our boys closed it out in front of a raucous crowd in great fashion. They routed the Rangers 6-3 and knocked "King" Henrik Lundqvist off his throne and on his butt. 

We learned yesterday that the Pens will faceoff against the Washington Capitals in 2nd round action. The Caps have home-ice advantage in this round. No announcement has been made yet regarding dates for this series. What is known is that they won't play on Friday in DC. Justin Bieber has a concert scheduled at that venue. Suffice it to say, our Pens will be raring to go when the puck does drop on this series. We want the Cup! Let's Go Pens!!!

PIRATES

Former Pirates manager Jim Leyland made the news last week. It was announced that the former Bucco skipper would manage Team USA for the 2017 edition of the World Baseball Classic. Congrats, Skip!

Our Pirates opened their 3-game series at home against the Milwaukee Brewers last week with an 8-4 loss on Friday night. They followed that up with their 1st shutout of the season, a 5-0 blanking of the Brewers. The Bucs took the finale on Sunday, 9-3. Hey, 2 outta 3 ain't bad. 

The Buccos received some good news on 2 players that are on the DL. Both 3B Jung Ho Kang and RH Jared Hughes began their rehab assignments with Triple A Indy.

Meanwhile, the Pirates traveled out west, where they began a 3-game set with the San Diego Padres. The Bucs dropped the opener 5-4 They didn't fare any better the next night, losing 8-2. Our favorite Black-N-Gold baseball team was able to salvage the finale in San Diego, pounding the Pardres 11-1.

They made  roster moves this week, too. 1B/OF Mike Morse was released. The Pirates then called up 1B Jason Rogers and sent INF Cole Figueroa to Triple A Indy.

The Pirates continued their road trip when they began a 3-game set with the Arizona Diamondbacks. They took the opener on Friday night, 8-7. The Pirates dropped game 2, 7-1. Sunday's rubber game was a wild one. The Pirates edged the Diamondbacks in 13 innings 12-10.

The Pirates final series of the road trip, a 4-game set with the Colorado Rockies, got under way last night. The Bucs won the 1st game, routing the Rockies 6-1.

Right now the Pirates are 12-9, the same record at this time last year. They're in 2nd place in the NL Central behind the Chicago Cubs. Keep stacking Ws in the win column. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

STEELERS

Our Steelers made a roster move last week. They cut ties with the oft-injured, oft-ineffective CB Cortez Allen.

Not much else to report for our favorite Black-N-Gold football team. That will change soon enough. The NFL Draft begins on Thursday night. Will the Steelers address their needs in the secondary early? Will they find Big Ben's heir apparent? How about drafting yet another linebacker? Mrs. Black-N-Gold will make sure she keeps you up-to-date with all the Steelers news from the draft.

Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Bases are loaded and Casey's at bat! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue their road trip to the Mile High City tonight when they battle the Colorado Rockies. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With last night's 6-1 win, the Pirates have won 2 straight. If it's 3, it's for me! 2)The Pirates give the ball to RH Gerrit Cole, 1-2, 2.70 ERA. Hop aboard the Cole Train for a win! 3)Cole will face Rockies LH Jorge De La Rosa, 1-2, 9.87 ERA. Rock some more Hit, Run & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Spent the last year, Rocky Mountain way! Our Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road to Colorado tonight as they begin a 4-game set with the Rockies. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)It took the Bucs over 5 hours and 20 hits but they FINALLY defeated the DBags yesterday (last night) in 13 innings 12-10. They recorded season-highs for hits and runs. You gotta give us more Hit, Run & Score! 2)Pirates lefty Jeff Locke, 0-2, 7.24 ERA gets the start. Colorado will counter with RH Chad Bettis, 2-0, 3.33. Locke has not been able to "lock" down the opposition lately, He's another starter who gives up too many free passes, issuing 13 in 13 2/3 innings pitched. "Walk" may rhyme with "Locke" but this ain't Dr. Seuss. Lock up a win! 3)No doubt about it, the Pirates 'pen has been abysmal this season. Yesterday was another example as they almost gave away another game. The Buccos need the return of the Shark Tank instead of tanking the game. You got to know when to hold 'em! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Put me in, coach! Our Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their series in the desert this afternoon when they battle the Arizona Diamondbacks. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Pirates look to cook up some Arizona Meatloaf today with some snake meat. 2 outta 3 ain't bad! 2)In last night's 7-1 loss to the Diamondbacks, the Bucs were only able to muster 1 run and 3 hits off a pitcher with an 8.44 ERA. That just won't do. We need more Hit, Run & Score! 3)LH Francisco Liriano, 1-1 with a 4.11 ERA starts for the Buccos today. In 15 1/3 innings this season, Frankie has issued 14 walks. The free pass will always bite you in the a$$. Be filthy, Frankie! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Happy Bucs & Pucks Day! Play ball! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series in the desert tonight when they battle the Arizona Diamondbacks. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Last night en route to the Bucs 8-7 edging of the Diamondbacks, the Pirates pounded 3 homers. RF Gregory Polanco and SS Jordy Mercer cracked their 1st homers of the season. UTL Sean Rodriguez knocked home run #2. Chicks dig the long ball! 2)The Buccos let the D-Bags creep back into this one. That's why we always need more Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Pirates pitch RH Juan Nicasio, 2-1, 4.80 ERA. He faces Arizona RH Rubby De La Rosa, 1-3, 8.44 ERA. Win one for Juan! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Happy Pucks & Bucs Day! Lookout Loretta, it's a great day for playoff hockey! Our Pittsburgh Penguins return to their home ice at Consol Energy Center this afternoon to faceoff against the New York Rangers, up 3 games to 1 in this first-round series. It's a good day to finish the Rangers. These are your keys for today game. 1)Congrats to Pens rookie G Matt Murray. It's been a big week for Murray. He recorded his 1st NHL playoff victory and his 1st NHL playoff shutout all in the same week. He held NY scoreless in Thursday night's 5-0 win. Love the goose egg! 2)The Pens are the #1 scoring team during these NHL playoffs with a 3.75 goals per game average. It's all about the Goals, Goals, Goals! 3)The Pens special teams have been extra-special, too. The power play is ranked 2nd, going 7 for 19. The penalty kill has allowed the Rangers just 1 goal with the man-advantage in 16 tries. Special orders don't upset us! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     One, two, three strikes, you're out! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue their road trip out west tonight with a stop in the desert to open a 3-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates found the win column last night, scoring a season-high in an 11-1 victory. Gotta give us more Hit, Run & Score! 2)The Pirates will start LH Jon Niese, 2-0, 3.50 ERA. The Diamondbacks counter with LH Patrick Corbin, 1-1, 2.75 ERA. Another win for Niese would be nice! 3)Arizona has won 5 straight. Snake bit the snakes! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Happy Bucs & Pucks Day! Put me in coach! Our Pittsburgh Pirates close our their series in San Diego tonight versus the Padres. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pirates will start RH Gerrit Cole, 0-2, 4.22 ERA. He'll face San Diego RH James Shields, 0-2, 4.05 ERA. Hop aboard the Cole Train for a win! 2)The Pirates have not scored a single run in support of Cole this season. That just won't do. Break out the Hit, Run, & Score! 3)Following last night's 8-2 loss in San Diego, the Bucs fell to just 2-5 on the road. They're in danger of being swept by the Padres. Got to pack up that Jolly Roger for road trips. Raise the Jolly Roger! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Happy Pucks & Bucs Day! I'm in a New York state of mind! Our Pittsburgh Penguins look to go up 3 games to 1 tonight when they faceoff against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)In Tuesday night's 3-1 win, Pens rookie G Matt Murray remained cool, calm and collected en route to his 1st career playoff victory. Rangers G "King" Henrik Lundqvist? Not so much. Heavy is the head that wears the crown when the Penguins push you around. The King is dead. Long live the Pens! 2)Versus the Rangers this year, the Pens are 3-0 at MSG. Whose house? Pens house! 3)Our favorite Black-N-Gold hockey team needs to come out fast and furious with their guns a'blazin'. Fire up the Goals, Goals, Goals! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     You got a beat up glove, a home made bat, and a brand new pair of shoes! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue their trip out west tonight when they square off against the Padres in San Diego. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Yesterday, Mrs. Black-N-Gold read that the Pirates outfield is 1st in the NL with a .418 OBP, 2nd in BA at .311, 2nd in OPS with a .905 and 3rd slugging at .486. Outfield of Dreams! 2)Tonight LH Jeff Locke, 0-1, 2.53 ERA will face San Diego LH Drew Pomeranz, 1-1, 3.27. Lockedown a win! 3)In the opener, the Pirates were back to leaving Bucs on the pond, going 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position. They fell to the Padres 5-4. Gotta make sure you Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Happy Bucs & Pucks Day! The crack of the bat, the thrill of the hit! Our Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road for a 10-game road trip beginning tonight when they take on the San Diego Padres. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1) The Bucs have won 2 straight, scoring 14 runs in that span. We always need more Hit, Run, & Score! 2)In Sunday's 9-3 battering of the Brewers, the Buccos tied a season-high with 17 hits. Everyone loves a hit parade! 3)LH Francisco Liriano, 1-0, 2.45 ERA returns to the Pirates rotation after missing his last start with a hammy. He'll face San Diego RH Colin Rea, 0-1, 5.56 ERA. Be filthy, Frankie! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Happy Pucks & Bucs Day! If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere; it's a great day for playoff hockey! Our Pittsburgh Penguins continue their 1st round playoff series with the New York Rangers tonight in the Big Apple for game #3. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Our Pens are looking to rebound following Saturday's 4-2 loss and take a 2 games to 1 lead. Gimme a W! 2)We need to steal at least one win in NY. Take the crowd out of it. Score early, score often, score BIG! 3)Get in King Henrik's face and never back off. Hit him hard with the Goals, Goals, Goals! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

    I don't care if I ever get back! Our Pittsburgh Pirates finish up their homestand this afternoon when they battle the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Buccos look to mix up a batch of Milwaukee meatloaf today following last night's 5-0 blanking of the Brewers. 2 outta 3 ain't bad! 2)With last night's win, the Pirates halted a 4-game skid. Raise the Jolly Roger! 3)At 6-6, the Bucs have scored at least 4 runs in all of their wins. Let's see more Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Happy Bucs & Pucks Day! Root, root, root for the home team! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series tonight against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Milwaukee will start RH Taylor Jungmann, 0-1, 11.57 ERA. The kid is toting a high earned run average into the game. Score early, score often, score BIG with more Hit, Run & Score! 2)The Bucs will counter with LH Jon Niese, 1-0, 5.73 ERA. Niese earned his first win in Black-N-Gold this week. Another win for Niese would be nice! 3)The Pirates lost the opener to the Brewers last night 8-4. They've lost 4 straight. Things just aren't going great. We're due for a win. Gimme a W! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Happy Pucks & Bucs Day! Get in the fast lane, Grandma, it's a great day for playoff hockey! Our Pittsburgh Penguins faceoff for game #2 today in their first-round playoff series vs the NY Rangers at Consol Energy Center. These are your keys for today's game. 1)Up until their Game 1 routing of the Rangers, 5-2 on Wednesday, the Pens had scored just 1 goal in 7 of their last 8 playoff games. Love the Goals, Goals, Goals, baby! 2)Wednesday's win over the Rangers was the 4th straight  #5 would be great! 3)NY G Henrik Lundqvist is expected to start today after leaving Wednesday's game with an eye injury. Keep the heat in King Henrik's kitchen. Score early, score often, score BIG! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Start spreading the news because Mrs. Black-N-Gold has it for you! That's rights, Black-N-Gold Nation, it's time for that internet sensation. It's time for another edition of The Black-N-Gold News, spanning the globe to give you the latest information on our Pittsburgh Penguins, Pirates and Steelers.

                       
                                       THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

PENGUINS

Our Pens kept the PA turnpike busy again this week. Last Thursday, they re-called F Tom Sestito from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. 

Meanwhile, the Pens clinched home ice-advantage for the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last Thursday night. They defeated the Washington Capitals in OT by a score of 4-3. 

The Pens then had a meaningless Saturday matinee in Philly to play out the string. Philly, however, needed a win to continue their quest for a playoff spot. Before the game, the Pens called up F Kael Mouillierat from WB/S. The Pens lost to Philly 3-1 and lost G Matt Murray to an undisclosed injury in the process. Murray left the game with an apparent head injury and no timetable has been announced for his return. Get well soon, Matt!

The next day, the Pens re-assigned both Sestito and Mouillierat back to the Baby Pens. Before he even had a chance to pack his bags, they re-called Sestito along with G Tristan Jarry. 

It was also announced that the Pens would face the New York Rangers in first round action, playing the 1st 2 games at Consol Energy Center on Wednesday night and Saturday afternoon. 

The house was a' rockin' on Wednesday. Our favorite Black-N-Gold hockey team routed the Rangers in Game 1, 5-2. Little-used G Jeff Zatkoff shut down the Rangers and F Patric Hornqvist recorded his first career playoff hat trick. Game #2 is Saturday at 3. It would be good to see the Pens up 2-0. Let's Go Pens!!!

PIRATES

Our Pirates continue to get into the swing of things on the young season. Last Wednesday, they pounded the St Louie Cardinals, 5-1, to complete a sweep of their division rivals. Unfortunately, they haven't been able extend a winning streak over anyone else. 

The Bucs made some roster moves this week, too. They lost 1B/OF Jake Goebbert to Tampa Bay when he was claimed him off waivers. They also waived INF Pedro Florimon and RH John Holdzkom. 

An early-season trip to Cincy got off on the right foot on Friday. LF Starling Marte's grand slam brought the Buccos back for a 6-5 win. The rest of the series was pretty much a lost weekend for the Pirates, losers on Saturday 5-1 and Sunday 2-1. 

Our favorite Black-N-Gold baseball team then traveled to the Motor City for the start of a home-and-home series with the Tigers. The Pirates took the opener on Monday 7-4. They also announced that Holdzkom had been released. 

The Pirates have had nothing but bad news since. They fell to the Tigers on Tuesday 8-2. They were forced to start RH Ryan Vogelsong in Wednesday's game when LH Francisco Liriano was ruled out with a hamstring issue. On the bright side, this hammy isn't considered serious. Get well soon, Frankie. 

To help take Vogey's spot in the bullpen, the Pirates called up RH AJ Schugel from Triple A Indy. To make room, they designated 1B/OF Michael Morse for assignment. And INF Pedro Florimon accepted an assignment to Indy. None of that helped as the Bucs lost again to Detroit 7-3. 

Some good injury news for the Buccos: 3B Jung Ho Kang has been cleared to play with no restrictions. It's expected that Kang's next move will be a minor league rehab assignment before he re-joins the big league club. It can't come too soon. The Pirates continue to leave opportunities on the basepaths, losing again to the Tigers on Thursday afternoon 7-4. The Bucs made more roster moves, too. They placed LH Corey Luebke on the 15-day DL and re-called RH Rob Scahill from Indy. Following Thursday's game the team announced that RH Justin Masterson had agreed to terms on a minor league deal.

The Pirates need to right the ship as they've fallen from 4-0 to 5-5. They don't want to spiral into their usual early-season nosedive. They'll have another chance to Raise the Jolly Roger beginning tonight when the Milwaukee Brewers come to town. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

STEELERS

Our Steelers continue to have potential draft picks visit their South Side offices for interviews this week, leading up to the 2016 Draft, April 28-30. The Steelers and all other NFL teams are allowed up to 30 visits. There are too many names to list. Suffice it to say, the majority of the players to come to Pittsburgh have been on the defensive side of the ball. 

The Steelers preseason opponents were made public last week. Our favorite Black-N-Gold football team with play the Lions and Eagles in exhibition action at Heinz Field. They'll travel to New Orleans and Carolina for the road portion. 

A Steelers Hall of Fame wide receiver made headlines this week. Congratulations to Lynn Swann. #88 was named athletic director at his alma mater, USC. 

More scheduling news came out this week as the NFL released teams' regular season schedules. The Steelers schedule is below. 

Our Steelers get a crack at the Bungles the 2nd week of the season, minus Jagoff #1 Vontaze Burfict. They'll also face Tom Brady and the New England Patriots the week before the bye. They play on Thanksgiving night, Christmas and New Year's Day, too. And with 4 night games on the schedule Mrs. Black-N-Gold is going to have to map out so some nap time in advance. Right now she sees a 12-4 season for the Steelers. On we go the Super Bowl! Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Schlemeel, schlemazel! Our Pittsburgh Pirates open a 3-game set tonight against their NL Central rivals, the Milwaukee Brewers, at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With yesterday's 7-4 loss to the Tigers, the Pirates have lost 3 in a row to fall to 5-5. They're in danger of falling into their annual early-season funk. Yes, the season is a marathon, not a sprint. But Mrs. Black-N-Gold pointed out in her season preview the importance of a good start. You don't want to dig a hole so deep that you can't get out. Right the ship and Raise the Jolly Roger! 2)One of the reasons for the Bucs' woes has been the failure to take advantage of opportunities, leaving runs on the field. Yesterday, they were guilty of leaving 12 men on base. It's really quite simple what they need to do: Hit, Run & Score! 3)To make matters worse, the Buccos were just 5 for 16 with runners in scoring position. Don't leave those Bucs on the pond! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Let's play two! Our Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their home-and-home series with the Detroit Tigers with a Thursday afternoon matinee at PNC Park. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Tigers start their $100 million man, RH Jordan Zimmerman, 1-0, 0.00 ERA.The Bucs go with RH Gerrit Cole, 0-1, 5.79 ERA. Ride the Cole Train to a win! 2)The Bucs have dropped 2 in a row, allowing 15 runs in those games. You got to know when to hold 'em! 3)Right now the Pirates are 5-4. If you want more wins, you've got to Hit, Run & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Happy Pucks and Bucs Day! I'll meet you in the schoolyard, baby, for all the marbles; it's a great day for playoff hockey! Our Pittsburgh Penguins drop the puck tonight on their 1st round playoff series with the New York Rangers at Consol Energy Center. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Rangers have knocked the Pens out of the playoffs the last 2 years. However, the Pens have beaten the Rangers in 3 straight. We want more with win #4! 2)During the regular season, the Rangers were ranked 26th in the league in penalty kill. Time to man-up! 3)Both teams bring high-scoring offense to this game. New York was ranked 7th in goals per game at 2.8. The Pens were #3 with 2.9. It's all about the Goals, Goals, Goals, baby! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Happy Bucs and Pucks Day! Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks! Our Pittsburgh Pirates return to the friendly confines of PNC Park tonight for the Pittsburgh portion of their home-and-home series with the Detroit Tigers. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Bucs couldn't generate much offense in yesterday's 8-2 loss in Detroit. Please always remember and don't ever forget: Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Buccos could only muster 5 hits in the loss. They banged out a season-high 17 the day before. We need a hit parade! 2)LH Francisco Liriano was scheduled to start tonight but he's out with a hamstring and is listed as day-to-day. RH Ryan Vogelsong takes his spot. You'll recall, Vogelsong was none too pleased when he failed to make the rotation out of spring training. Well, Vogey, here's your chance to shine. Gimme a W! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Lord Stanley, Lord Stanley, pass me the brandy! The puck drops on the 1st round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for our Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow night at Consol Energy Center. Our Pens faceoff against their Metro division-rivals, the New York Rangers. You may recall that the Rangers knocked the Pens out of the playoffs the past 2 seasons. You may also recall that the Black-N-Gold has beaten the Rangers in 3 straight. Today Mrs. Black-N-Gold takes a look at this matchup by looking at 3 key elements for the Pens to beat New York.

1)HEALTH-It's no secret that the Pens have been bitten by the injury bug quite a bit this season. Even now, they have several players on the sidelines. However, some of those players may be, finally, starting to get healthy. Word is that G Marc-Andre Fleury returned to practice with the team yesterday. That's a very good thing considering G Matt Murray, who has done an excellent job filling in for the Flower, was injured in the regular season finale in Philly. Murray was not a participant in yesterday's practice and is considered day-to-day. C Evgeni Malkin has not practiced with the team but has been working with the puck by himself. D Olli Maatta has also been working out and returned to practice with the team yesterday. That is just a few of the Pens that are on the shelf. These players could make the most significant impact when they do return to the lineup.

2)HEAD-Some could argue that because the Pens have been knocked out of the playoffs the past 2 years by the Rangers, that New York is in the player's heads. But maybe the Pens are finally taking up space in New York's psyche. The Pens have won the last 3 contests. And who can forget King Henrik's meltdown of last month, when he had a hissy fit and was penalized for knocking the net out of place? Also, consider that many of the Pens that are on the current roster, weren't here for the last 2 playoff series (Hagelin, Schultz, Daley, Kessel, Cullen, Fehr, Bonino, Sheary, Kuhnhackl, et al). Yes, it looks like the Pens come into this series with a clear head.

3)HEART-This team has heart. In spades. Didn't most of us figure the Pens were dead in the water way back in December when they fired Mike Johnston and brought Coach Sully on board? Then Sully lost his first 4 games and it looked like the more things changed, the more they stayed the same. It turned out to be not so. The Pens went on a tear of major proportions. And they showed the guts and grit that is needed to raise Lord Stanley's Cup. They came from way, way back in the playoff picture to finish with the 2nd best record in the Eastern Conference, locking up home ice-advantage for the first round. How's that for having heart?

Yes, our Pittsburgh Penguins are heading onward and upward again. Back in January, Mrs. Black-N-Gold would have just settled for a trip to the playoffs. Now she sees our Pens settling for nothing short of a Stanley Cup. She's going to call it: Pens in 5. Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Rounding third and heading for home! Our Pittsburgh Pirates close out the Detroit-portion of this home-and-home series this afternoon when they try to tame the Tigers. These are your keys to today's game. 1)The Pirates plated 7 runs on 17 hits in yesterday's 7-4 win. We want more Hit, Run & Score! 2)The Bucs start RH Juan Nicasio, 1-0, 1.50 ERA. Nicasio looks to duplicate the success he enjoyed in his Pirates debut, going 6 innings and allowing just 2 hits, to St Louie in a 5-1 win. Win one for Juan! 3)The Tigers start RH Anibal Sanchez, 1-0, 3.60 ERA. Sanchez has lost 4 in a row against the Buccos. #5 would not be jive! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     You gotta lose your mind in Detroit, Rock City! Our Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road to Motown this afternoon when they take on the Detroit Tigers. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Pirates dropped 2 of 3 in Cincy over the weekend, including yesterday's 2-1 loss. In that contest, the Bucs left 14 men on base and spent the entire weekend wasting opportunities at the plate. They left 35 runners stranded in the 3-game set, going just 5 for 35 with runners in scoring position. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is still down with OBP but can do without the LOBs! 2)The Pirates have lost 2 in a row, scoring just 2 runs. We gotta have more Hit, Run & Score! 3)LH Jon Niese, 0-0, 7.20 ERA faces Detroit RH Justin Verlander, 0-0, 4.50 ERA. Niese looks to lower his earned run average while recording his first win in Black-N-Gold. A win for Niese would be nice! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     One, two, three strikes, you're out! Our Pittsburgh Pirates close out the series in Cincy this afternoon when they take on the Reds. These are your keys for today's game. 1)Following yesterday's 5-1 loss, the Bucs first of the season, the Pirates look to try some Cincy Meatloaf today. 2 outta 3 ain't bad! 2)The Buccos have been an unimpressive 4 for 21 with runners in scoring position in this series. Can't leave those Bucs on the pond. Bring 'em on home! 3)Reds RH Tim Melville makes his big-league debut this afternoon. He'll face Pirates LH Jeff Locke, making his first start of the season. We'll see if Locke's new delivery will help the Bucs "lock" down a win. The Pirates will need to score more than 1 run to do so. Yesterday was the first time they were held to under 4 runs in a game. We need more Hit, Run & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Happy Pucks & Bucs Day! Lord Stanley, Lord Stanley, it's a great day for hockey! Our Pittsburgh Penguins close out the regular season this afternoon with a trip to Philly to faceoff against the Flyers. These are your keys for today's game. 1)With Thursday's night 4-3 OT win in Washington, the Pens wrapped up home-ice for the 1st round of the playoffs. Congrats to Coach Sully and the Boys in Black-N-Gold. This game is meaningless for the Pens but not so much for Philly. They're still fighting for the last Wild Card spot. Should the Pens rest Sid, Tanger and some of the other guys? Mrs. Black-N-Gold doesn't know the answer. What she does know is that we still don't like them and they still don't like us. Wouldn't it be fun to knock Philly out of the playoffs no matter who's in our lineup? Mama said knock you out! 2)The Pens have won 14 of 15 and 8 straight. #9 would be fine! 3)During the Pens 8-0 run, they've notched 40 goals. Hit 'em with the Goals, Goals, Goals! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Happy Bucs & Pucks Day! Got kind of tired of packing and unpacking! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series in Cincy this afternoon as they battle the Reds. These are your keys for today's game. 1)RH Gerrit Cole will make his season debut today. Cole broke out in a big way last season, winning 19 games and making his first All-Star appearance right here in Cincy. All aboard the Cole Train for a win! 2)The Pirates came back last night, thanks to LF Starling Marte's first career granny, to win the opener 6-5. That has the Bucs out to a 4-0 start. Unfortunately, the Buccos showed reasons why they won't go 162-0. Going 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position, sloppy defense and shoddy baserunning are ways to play yourself right out of a game. Marte bailed them out with one swing. You've got to mind your fundamentals. The word mental is part of that for a reason. Keep your heads in the game! 3)Last night notwithstanding, the Pirates small ball approach seems to be working in the early goings. The Bucs are 2nd in MLB with a.390 on base percantage. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is down with OBP. But you gotta bring them home. Show us more Hit, Run, & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Baby, if you ever wondered, wondered whatever became of me! Our Pittsburgh Pirates take their show on the road tonight when they open a 3-game set with the Cincy Reds. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)With their sweep of St Louie, the Bucs began the season 3-0 for the first time since 2007. We want win #4. Hit, Run, & Score! 2)Face it, the Buccos were a bust against the NL Central's bottom-feeders last season, including Cincy. It was a real shot in the arm to get the season under way with the 3-game sweep of St Louie. Keep that mojo working. You gotta beat the good teams and beat up the bad teams! 3)It's also important that the Pirates have a good start to the year, as they typically get out of the gate slow. You gotta win in April to get to Buctober  Keep on BUCN! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Get in the fast lane, Grandma, the bingo game is ready to roll; it's a great day for hockey! Our Pittsburgh Penguins continue their road show tonight in the nation's capital when they faceoff against the Washington Capitals. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pens have won 12 of their last 13 and 7 straight. Win #8 would be great! 2)The Pens scored 5 unanswered goals to overcome a 3-0 deficit Tuesday night in Ottawa, defeating the Senators 5-3. Can't keep digging holes like that, especially come playoff time. Score early, score often, score BIG! 3)The Pens are 3rd in the league in goals per game at 3.0. They've scored 5 or more goals in their last 5 games. Love the Goals, Goals, Goals, baby! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

     Stop the presses, stop the presses! Mrs. Black-N-Gold is back And has she got news for you. Yes, Black-N-Gold Nation, it's time for another edition of that internet sensation, The Black-N-Gold News. Today she gives you all the latest info on our Pittsburgh Penguins, Pirates and Steelers. And away we go!


                                         THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS

PENGUINS

The March of the Penguins continued on into April this week as our favorite Black-N-Gold hockey team kept finding the win column. Unfortunately, it was not without a cost. The Pens lost F Bryan Rust to a lower-body injury last week. He is still out of the lineup as his status is day-to-day. Rusty's injury meant the often-traveled F Oskar Sundqvist made the trip down the PA turnpike once again from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

The Pens promptly defeated the Nashville Predators on Thursday night, 5-2.

Congrats to C Sidney Crosby. The Captain was named First Star of the Month in the NHL for the month of March. Slap me silly, Sidney!

Prior to the Pens game Saturday against the New York Islanders, it was announced the G Marc-Andre Fleury was out indefinitely due to a concussion. Flower suffered the injury in the win over Nashville. G Matt Murray was named the starter with Jeff Zatkoff backing up. Get well soon, Flower!

The Pens did have a player actually return from injury, if you can believe that. D Brian Dumoulin returned to the ice versus the Isles. The Pens celebrated with a 5-0 victory, clinching a playoff berth for the 10th consecutive season. The rookie Murray recorded his 1st NHL shutout. Congrats to Matt!

The Pens played their final regular season home game on Sunday afternoon. Who better to faceoff against than their intrastate rivals, the Philly Flyers. And what better way to end a fantastic weekend of Black-N-Gold sports than with a 6-2 shellacking of the Cryers. The Pens also notched their 10th straight 100 point season with this victory.

Murray has performed so well in Fleury's absence that he was named the NHL Third Star of the Week. Murray had a 3-0-0 record with a 1.95 GAA and .929 save percentage during that time. Congrats again, Matt!

The Pens are finishing up the regular season on the road. They took their road show to Ottawa last night. They scored 5 unanswered goals (Sid and F Carl Hagelin with 2 apiece) to comeback from down 3-0 to veto the Sens 5-3.

They'll close out the scheduled with a game in DC on Thursday and a visit to Philly on Saturday afternoon. 2 teams Pens fans love to hate. The Pens are 47-25-8 with 102 points. They're looking to secure home ice for the 1st round of the playoffs. Keep finding the net and finding the win column. Let's Go Pens!!!

PIRATES

Our Pirates began their quest for a 6th World Championship this week. But before Opening Day, they had to get their roster in order. They did so by putting Grapefruit League sensation, RH Juan Nicasio in the rotation. That meant RH Ryan Vogelsong moved to the bullpen. They also assigned more players to the minors: Cs Ed Easley and Jacob Stallings, RHs AJ Schugel and Jorge Rondon and LH Jim Fuller. That made room for LHs Corey Luebke and Kyle Lobstein to make the roster. One more move was made prior to the Pirates opener versus St Louie. INF Cole Figueroa was named to the 25-man roster.

Once all the details were hammered out, the Pirates went out and decked the Cards in front of a sellout crowd, 4-1. How did the Bucs celebrate Sunday's win? Why, the signed RF Gregory Polanco to a new deal, of course. El Coffee was signed to a 5-year contract extension that will kick in next season. There are also 2 club options, as well.

And to make everything official, the Buccos also officially placed 3B Jung Ho Kang on the 15-day DL. Kang is expected back sometime this month. Get well soon, Kang Show!

The Pirates took it to extra innings last night but it was worth the wait. SS Jordy Mercer's RBI single in the bottom of the 11th scored Polanco from 2nd to walk it off versus St Louie 6-5. They'll go for the sweep tomorrow night. RH Juan Nicasio will make his Black-N-Gold debut against RH Mike Leake. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

STEELERS

Those crickets you hear must be coming from our Steelers South Side facility as there's not much activity over there this time of year.

The Steelers did lose another free agent. FB Will Johnson signed with the New York Giants.

They also entertained a potential draft pick. Alabama DL A'Shawn Robinson came in for a visit. The Steelers will continue to visit with players that may have their name called by the Black-N-Gold in this month's draft. Pick a winner! Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Root, root, root for the home team! Our Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their homestand with the St Louie Cardinals tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)Bucco fans will see the long-awaited Pirates debut of Grapefruit League darling, RH Juan Nicasio. Nicasio made the Bucs rotation based on a sterling (no, not Starling) spring that consisted of 15 scoreless innings, 24 strikeouts and just 5 walks. Win one for Juan! 2)With last night's walk-off 6-5 win in the bottom of the 11th, the Bucs look for the sweep tonight. They've also scored 10 runs in their 1st 2 games. Give us more Hit, Run & Score! 3)In last night's victory, the Pirates held the Cards to just 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position. You got to know when to hold 'em! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

    Happy Pucks & Bucs Day! Let's go hunt moose on a Harley; it's a great day for hockey! Our Pittsburgh Penguins close out the regular season on the road beginning tonight with a trip to Ottawa to faceoff against the Senators. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)The Pens have won 6 straight. #7 would be great! 2)In their past 4 games, the Pens have scored an impressive 21 goals. Keep cranking the Goals, Goals, Goals! 3)The Pens will have a big opportunity to improve upon their #14 power play. The Sens penalty kill is ranked 29th in the league at 75.1%. Take advantage of the man-advantage! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Happy Bucs & Pucks Day! Play ball! Our Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series with their division rivals, the St Louie Cardinals tonight at PNC Park. These are your keys for tonight's game. 1)RH Michael Wacha will go for St Louie. Wacha posted a 17-7 record last season and has, typically, given the Buccos fits. Give 'em L! 2)The Pirates will counter with newly-acquired LH Jon Niese. A good way for Niese to impress the fan base is to come out strong against the Bucs division rivals. A W for Niese would be nice! 3)The Bucs look to find the win column again following Sunday's Opening Day 4-1 victory. We want more Hit, Run & Score! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Mrs. Black-N-Gold is smiling like a butcher's dog 'cause it's a great day for hockey! Happy Pucks & Bucs Day! Our Pittsburgh Penguins return home for their last regular season game at Consol Energy Center today to faceoff against the Philly Flyers. These are your keys for today's game. 1)The Pens have won 5 straight. #6 would be great! 2)During the Pens winning streak, they've scored 25 goals. Love the Goals, Goals, Goals, baby! 3)The Pens are 45-25-8 and have 98 points. They clinched a playoff berth for the 10th consecutive season. Philly is clinging to the 2nd Wild Card spot at 39-25-13 and 91 points. We don't like them and they don't like us. Mama said knock 'em out! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

   Take me out to the ball game! Happy Bucs & Pucks Day! Our Pittsburgh Pirates open the season this afternoon against their division rivals, the St Louie Cardinals, at PNC Park. These are your keys for today's game. 1)St Louie won the NL Central with a 100-62 record last season, the best in the bigs. The Pirates were #2 at 98-64. Deck the Cards! 2)The Pirates season did not start well last year. They started out 18-22. It's important to get out of the gate quickly this year. Remember to Hit, Run, & Score! 3)The Pirates 'pen was best in the majors after 7 innings, going 78-5 when they had the lead. Score early, score often, score BIG! Let's Go Bucs!!!!!

SLAP SHOTS

     Michael, Michael, motorcycle, it's a great day for hockey! Our Pittsburgh Penguins look to take a bite out of the Big Apple today when they faceoff against the New York Islanders. These are your keys for today's game. 1)Both teams are still jockeying for playoff positions. The Pens are 44-25-8 with 96 points. The Islanders aren't far behind at 42-25-9 and 93 points. Every game counts. Every point counts. Gimme 2 and gimme a W! 2)The Pens improved upon their 19th ranked power play in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Preds, going 2 of 4 with the man-advantage. They'll have work to do versus the Islanders. New York's penalty kill is 2nd in the league at 85.8%. Man-up! 3)The Pens offense has been clicking on all cylinders, of late. They're now 4th in the NHL in goals per game at 2.9. Crank up the Goals, Goals, Goals! Let's Go Pens!!!

THE BULLPEN

     Play ball! That cry will ring out Sunday afternoon at PNC Park when our Pittsburgh Baseball Club will open the 2016 versus their division rivals, the St Louie Cardinals. It's time, once again, for Mrs. Black-N-Gold's annual Pirates Preview. Mrs Black-N-Gold takes a swing 5 facets of the Buccos this season.

1)Outfield-This looks like the strongest unit for our Pirates. Anchored by All-Star CF Andrew McCutchen, his 2 corners look poised to elevate themselves to Cutch-like status. LF Starling Marte won his 1st Gold Glove last season and it could be just the beginning. He also got off to a hot start that saw him launch 19 cannonballs. However, the Marte Partay tailed off in the 2nd half. He needs to put it all together at the plate, including laying off balls of of the strike zone, as he continues to be one of the best left fielders in the game. It's time for RF Gregory Polanco to reach his much-heralded potential. El Coffee has exhibits signs of his prowess both on the field and at the plate. He didn't get off to a very good start but finished 2015 on an upswing. If both Marte and Polanco can put it all together in 2016 and Cutch remains one of the games best players, the Outfield of Dreams could become a reality.

2)Infield-The right side of the infield got a complete makeover this offseason. The Bucs are trading offense for defense as they moved Josh Harrison from 3B to 2B to replace the departed Neil Walker. And John Jaso and/or Mike Morse or Jason Rogers or David Freese will platoon at 1B. Jordy Mercer returns at SS while Freese mans the hot corner until Jung Ho Kang returns to the lineup. Left-handed-hitting Jaso expects to see the majority of the starts at 1st. Originally a catcher, Jaso is another 1st base project for the Pirates. Harrison welcomes the move to 2nd and reunites with Mercer to form a double play combo that first played together in the minors. If Freese can return to to the form he showed in his St Louie days, Kang won't need to hurry back from his knee injury. The Bucs will also need C Francisco Cervelli to prove that his 1st season in Black-N-Gold was no fluke. Cervelli should be well-motivated. This is his final year of arbitration before he hits the open market.

3)Rotation-RH Gerrit Cole and LH Francisco Liriano lead the way. After that? Breakout the duct tape and pray for alot of rain. LH Jon Niese, the return on the Walker trade from the Mets, has not looked impressive in his 1st spring training with the Bucs. Neither has free agent signee RH Ryan Vogelsong and LH Jeff Locke with his re-worked delivery. Who has looked impressive? RH Juan Nicasio. As Mrs. Black-N-Gold types this, Pirates GM Neal Huntington announced that Locke is a lock for the rotation. It's assumed that Niese will be the #3 starter behind Cole and Liriano. Either Nicasio or Vogelsong starts the season in the bullpen. Both Cole and Liriano fanned over 200 batters. They also were the workhorses of the rotation last season, as Cole pitched 208 innings and Liriano 186.2, respectively. The Pirates have to hope that Cole can improve upon his 19-win All-Star season of a year ago. They also have to hold their breath and hope that Liriano doesn't break down. Help is on the way in RHs Jameson Taillon and Tyler Glasnow. But when they'll get here is anyone's guess.

4)Bullpen-Right off the bat, the Bucs bullpen will be under duress. Reliable RH Jared Hughes is expected to start the season on the DL with a lat strain. The only pitchers to see more action than Hughes last season were LH Tony Watson and RH Mark Melancon. Those 2 have been automatic for the past 2 years. How long can that continue? RH Arquimedes Caminero has had a rough spring. And the Pirates are still searching for a 2nd left-hander for this bullpen. Hopefully, they'll find the necessary components to get to the back-end guys.

5)This season, the Pirates are eschewing power for on base percentage. They've used Jaso in the leadoff spot versus right-handers and Mercer atop the order against lefties. Neither is a speed-burner but both have good OBP splits. The Bucs have also toyed with putting their best hitter, Cutch, in the #2 spot in the order. They're hoping a return to small ball will return them to the postseason for a 4th straight season. The Bucs are expected to run more and use situational hitting to help with run production.

In an offseason that saw their division rivals, the Chicago Cubs, win the hearts of many pundits, the Pirates appear to be just an afterthought. Really, there are only about a half dozen teams in the NL that aren't expected to contend. It's important for the Pirates to get out of the get quickly and starting stacking wins. Slow starts have doomed this team in the past. They'll need to keep their wits about them on the basepaths and in the field. It's time to return to fundamentals. Don't run yourselves out of innings and don't give your opponents any opportunities. It's also important to remember that in order to win the division, you must beat your division rivals at home and on the road. You have to beat the good teams and beat up the bad teams.

In all honesty, the Pirates haven't looked all that great this spring. And championships aren't won in the winter or in spring training. However, Mrs. Black-N-Gold thinks there are too many question marks and not enough answers for our Buccos She sees this team winning 73-78 games. The problem is, she's worried that the next losing season will set the Pittsburgh Baseball Club on course for another 21 straight losing seasons. She prays to the baseball gods not to let that happen. Here's hoping the Pirates somehow, someway prove Mrs. Black-N-Gold wrong. Pirates over Jeff Banister's Rangers in the World Series. Stamp it. Let's Go Bucs!!!!!