Introducing "The Hot Button"

I'm pleased to announce that effective immediately, I'm writing a second weekly feature for 93.7 The Fan, and the debut installment is available right here. It's called "The Hot Button", and it's basically a pumped-up version of our weekly Paris Hilton-hosted polls, but with more of my opinions and takes on topics beyond Pittsburgh sports.

In our first run, I take a look at several controversial topics in the sports world, including an extended look at the courtship of LeBron James, Carlos Zambrano's well-publicized  and controversial dinner with Ozzie Guillen, the NFL going to an 18-game schedule, Stephen Strasburg's All-Star credentials, and how the loss of Willie Colon might affect the Steelers in 2010. 

Much like in the MH version, you can vote in online polls, and as always, you can also tell me how wrong I am in the comments section.

The Hot Button [93.7 The Fan]

Pens Free Agency Update

We're getting really close to the start of free agency in the NHL, and the clock is ticking for Ray Shero. How's that plan to re-stock the defense going?

"Gonchar would agree to a 3yr, $15 mil ext to stay in Pitt. Pens are stuck on 2 yrs max. Open market he could get $6 mil per year," said Darren Dreger of TSN on Twitter earlier today.

So it seems that player and team are at somewhat of an impasse - a familiar theme among the Penguins and their defensemen, as indicated by the failure to close the deal with freshly-acquired  Dan "Union Yes" Hamhuis. It looks more and more like Hamhuis will in fact go to free agency, partly because he's come this far, partly because he was the Nashville NHLPA player rep, and his hitting the open market will be in the best interest of his union brothers. Whether or not it was worth Shero giving a third-round pick for the opportunity to talk to him for a few days in advance of this period is going to be hotly debated based on what happens in the coming days.

The PG's Dave Molinari does not paint an especially inspiring picture of the situation either,  saying of Gonchar and Hamhuis, "...neither seems particularly close to accepting a contract."

Molinari also adds that the Pens are staying in touch with D Jordan Leopold and D Mark Eaton, and notes that both could move into more prominent spots if Hamhuis and/or Gonchar do not sign.
 
Whatever the case, the Pens are going to have some combination of available money and roster holes. Since it's not looking promising that one will take care of the other, it appears that unrestricted free agency will become an incredibly important (and interesting) time of year for the Pens, and if you're anything like me, you're really looking forward to seeing what happens next.  

For more on Pens free agency: 

Penguins: No progress in Hamhuis talks [PG] 

Interview with voice of the Predators, Pete Weber [93.7 The Fan]

Darren Dreger [Twitter]

On your mark...get set... [Mark Madden/WXDX]
Shero must keep options open [Rob Rossi/Trib]

Penn State Writer Accuses Pitt of Dirty Recruiting

I don't subscribe to the Penn State site "Blue and White Illustrated", but it certainly sounds like they recently posted some interesting reading. 

In an article penned by Phil Grosz for the site, the writer basically accuses Pitt of capitalizing on the recent health problems of Joe Paterno for the purpose of recruiting, especially in the recent case of DT Marquise Wright. 

Says Grosz:

It now appears that Penn State's recruiting competition, particularly Pitt, has seized on that opportunity to place doubt in players' minds like Wright, DB/WR Brandon Phelps from Demascus (Md.) who committed to Virginia, and quite possibly Rivals250 members DE Shawn Oakman from Lansdowne (Pa.) Pennwood and CB Kyshoen Jarrett from East Stroudsburg (Pa.) South.

It seems Pitt in particular has been successful in placing doubt in prospects' minds about Paterno's health and has convinced a number of prospective recruits that both teams aru e recruiting that the Nittany Lions' program is in a downward spiral.

There's no way Grosz knows exactly what Pitt is telling recruits, so this comes across as rather speculative. But if we're going to speculate, why single out Pitt? Just because they're having some success in New Jersey? 

If Penn State has concerns that people are using Paterno's health issues against them, that hardly would qualify as breaking news. Paterno's been "old", at least by coaching standards, for a long time. I have zero connections with college recruiting, but wouldn't any kid making such an important choice wonder about the head of the program's well-being? That just seems to be common sense.

If Pitt (or any other school) is starting conversations with, "...well, Joe hasn't been in the best of health lately...", then that's not the way I would want to make my initial pitch to a player. And I highly doubt that Penn State is the first thing mentioned when he tries to lure a kid to Pitt.

But facts are facts. Penn State's coach is going to be 84 years old in a few months, and he did miss several appearances in May and June. If they want to eliminate that as a potential negative in recruiting, they are free to make any move they please. It's fine that they choose to stick with Paterno, for a variety of reasons, but they must also be aware that they're leaving the door open for stories like this in the process. 

There's another way Penn State can settle their alleged beef with the Panthers, but until they're ready to meet them on the gridiron, I guess we'll have to settle for internet arrow-slinging between the schools' fans.

For more: KDKA Pittsburgh Sports Insider and Blue and White Illustrated (pay site)

Lilly, Soriano End Bucs' Win Streak at One

So much for the Pirates' uncanny hold over the Cubs this year - it did them little good on Tuesday night in a 3-1 loss at Chicago on Tuesday night.

The Battlin' Bucs, who were somehow 8-2 against the Cubs in 2010 entering this contest, could muster just one run, a fifth-inning Ryan Doumit solo shot, across the plate on Tuesday. Doumit also doubled, and Garrett Jones added two hits as well; but once again, timely hitting with men on base was not the Pirates' strong suit.

Of course, the Cubs weren't much better, going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position - but if the other team scores one run and Alfonso Soriano hits two solo homers, you win. It's that simple, and that's exactly what happened for Chicago, which also got seven strong innings from perennial Pirate-killer Ted Lilly to aid their cause.

Jeff Karstens (2-3) allowed three runs (two earned) and seven hits in six innings for the Pirates, striking out two and walking one. If you take away those mistakes to Soriano, he has a pretty good night, but unfortunately, they counted.

The series goes to a rubber match on Wednesday, as old friend Tom Gorzelanny (2-5, 3.41) takes on Brad Lincoln (0-2, 6.00) at 2:20 p.m. at Wrigley. It's old Pirate pitching prospect against new Pirate pitching prospect - how's that for drama?

Flozell Adams is in Pittsburgh

OT Flozell "The Hotel" Adams, a five-time Pro Bowler who goes 6'7", 338 pounds, is in Pittsburgh as we speak and could be the replacement for Willie Colon, says Mark Kaboly of the Trib.

Adams, 35, started all 16 games for Dallas last year and was released this past offseason. He was due a $2.5 million roster bonus in April and base salary of $5 million in 2010. Adams was a second-round pick of the Cowboys in the 1998 draft out of Michigan State and had the longest tenure of any Dallas player at the time of his release.

Adams had some colorful moments in 2009, as he was fined $50,000 for an altercation with Justin Tuck in December and a hat trick of fines in consecutive weeks to start the season. If he does indeed become a Steeler, he won't be a very popular one among their opponents.

Two Steelers Have Surgery Tomorrow

Not only will OT Willie Colon have season-ending Achilles surgery on Wednesday, but the Steelers also announced that rookie OT Chris Scott, the team's fifth-round draft choice, will also have surgery tomorrow to repair a foot injury he suffered while working out at the University of Tennessee. It is unknown how long Scott will be out of commission, but it doesn't sound great.

To recap the offseason, that's two players (Sweed, Colon) out for the season, one (Roethlisberger) suspended for 4-6 games, another one (Holmes) who misbehaved his way out of town, and a rookie who got hurt working out. Whoever is working that Steeler voodoo doll is doing one heck of a job.

As far as replacements for Colon go, Ed Bouchette feels that newly-acquired Jonathan Scott, who was signed in the offseason from Buffalo, will take Colon's place in the lineup. Scott started eight games for the Bills last season and will be reunited with incoming line coach Sean Kugler, who coached Scott in Buffalo. Bouchette also names Trai Essex, Ramon Foster, and Kraig Urbik as potential replacements for Colon.

Decide the Fate of "THE" Limas Sweed Jersey

Let me take you back to October 19, 2008...I'm doing a Steelers-Bengals recap, and in the random notes section, I decide to throw this line in:

Limas Sweed sighting! One catch, 11 yards. Hey, you've gotta start somewhere. By the way, I was at Wal-Mart on Saturday and I saw a guy wearing a Limas Sweed jersey. I'd love to see the line of thinking behind that purchase.

For the Steeler Fan Who Has It All: Bid on a Dove Hunt with Bubby Brister!

Yes, you read that correctly: there is an online auction running right now with a $1,000 minimum bid for the opportunity to go dove hunting with former Steeler QB Bubby Brister and former NFL wildman Bill Romanowski. I must say, these charity auction experiences sure are getting creative.

This two-day dove hunt will take place September 10-11, 2010 at the Buckin’ B Ranch in Wellington, Texas, with funds benefiting Camp Patriot, an organization that takes disabled veterans on outdoor adventures.

The winner of the auction gets travel to and from the event, plus lodging and dinner at the ranch, a brand new pair of Justin J-Max Workboots, and a football signed by both the Bubster and Romo. 

Willie Colon Expected to Miss the Season

If the word of NFL.com is worth anything (and I think it's pretty safe to say that it is), RT Willie Colon tore his Achilles' tendon and will miss the entire 2010 season. 

Especially considering the team's re-commitment to the run in 2010, this is a very significant blow.  But where does the team go from here?

Adam Caplan of Scout.com, who broke the story this morning, lists Flozell Adams, Mike Gandy, Levi Jones, and Damion McIntosh as the best available UFA tackles on the market. He also names newly-signed Jonathan Scott, Tony Hills, and Trai Essex as internal replacements, and also floats the possibility of a switch from the left side to the right side for Max Starks.

Whatever happens, this is another very formidable obstacle for a team that absolutely, positively did not need one.

Casey Hampton's Point Breeze Home Burglarized

The Steelers' nightmare offseason, fresh off the news of Willie Colon's injury, just had another story drop out of the sky with the news that Casey Hampton's Point Breeze home has been burglarized. Says the Trib:

"Phone lines to Hampton's home were cut and the internal alarm keypad was ripped from the wall, police said. Three large, flat-screen televisions were stolen along with two expensive watches, police said, and the home was ransacked."

The robbery occurred sometime between June 21 and June 24, and was discovered by an assistant employed by Hampton to keep watch over the home. Hampton returned to his native Texas in May. 

This sounds like a pretty high-stakes heist, as stealing bulky items like large flat-screen TVs would seem to indicate thieves who didn't fear getting caught. An investigation by the Pittsburgh police is ongoing, and I will be very interested to hear what kind of details they are able to dig up.

----

If you're interested in another recent Casey Hampton story, check out this one from the Trib yesterday about his relationship (as well as other Steelers') with cancer patient Heather Miller. If this doesn't touch you, you might want to check your pulse.

Prepare Yourself For Bad News About Willie Colon

Willie Colon has had an offseason he rather forget about, and that just got worse with the news that he just left the Steelers' practice facility on crutches. The fear is that Colon injured his Achilles, and if that's the case, you can scratch him from the lineup in 2010, says Scott Brown of the Trib.

The Steelers just issued a release on the situation, in the words of Kevin Colbert: “It is confirmed that offensive tackle Willie Colon has suffered an Achilles injury while working out today. He is still undergoing further evaluations by Steelers’ medical personnel and we will not have anything more to release at this time.”

It doesn't sound good, especially for a team with little depth at the position and little room for incidents like this.  Let's just say that I'm not tremendously optimistic that this story will have a happy ending for the Steelers or Colon.

Weekend Newsmakers

 This week, I'll be tinkering with a few different styles of posts, for a variety of reasons. 

 Today, I'm injecting a bit more of my personal opinions into recaps of the big stories of the weekend.

ROSS OHLENDORF gave up just two hits and two unearned runs over six innings of work, but it still wasn't enough to gain his first win of the season in a 3-2 Pirates loss at Oakland. Ohlendorf's botched pickoff move and failure to back up third base on an overthrow resulted in one of the three Oakland runs. Evan Meek gave up an eighth-inning home run to Kurt Suzuki, two pitches after Jason Jaramillo dropped a Suzuzki pop foul. Lastings Milledge hit his first home run of the season for the Bucs, who outhit the A's 8-3 in the loss. It was the 17th straight road loss for the Pirates, who are now 25-50 and 4-19 in the month of June. The Bucs finished interleague play at a ghastly 2-13.

My take: The Pirates seem to find new ways to lose every day, and this one ended on Jose Tabata's sizzling grounder hitting Pedro Alvarez on his way to second base.  Ugh. Ohlendorf pitched well, but his mental gaffes loomed very large; you can't take any plays off in this league and expect to win. As for Jaramillo, what else can you say? If he makes that catch, Suzuki doesn't homer and the game goes into the ninth tied. It's the little things, the "should-be-routine" plays, that make this team so frustrating to watch. On the positive side, there's only 87 more Pirate games left in 2010.

SERGEI GONCHAR and his pending free agency is a hot topic around Pittsburgh, and Rob Rossi took a look at the thinking that the Penguins might opt to beef up their blue line and not upgrade their wingers.

My take: Most everyone (myself included) had the Penguins and Gonchar parting ways this offseason. But if they can actually sign both Gonchar and newly-acquired Dan Hamhuis (or two other high-end defensemen), all of a sudden, an area of weakness becomes an area of great strength for the team. That won't help the winger situation, but then again, not much out there can help it right now.

BEAU BENNETT became the newest member of the Pittsburgh Penguins when he was chosen with their first-round draft pick on Friday night. The 18-year-old California native played for the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League last season and led the BCHL in scoring with 120 points on 41 goals and 79 assists in 56 games. He's committed to the University of Denver for the fall, so you won't be seeing him in a Penguin jersey anytime soon.

My take: I'd call this a "high-risk, high-reward" pick for the Pens, a gamble you're willing to make when you're picking 20th. There has to be some patience involved with Bennett, but if he can eventually grow into the young scoring winger that this team so desperately needs, it could be a home run of a pick.


HINES WARD stirred the pot a bit on a recent appearance on the NFL Network's NFL Total Access, when he made these comments about Ben Roethlisberger's tumultuous offseason:

“A lot of players really don’t know the situation, other than what we hear in the news or the media,” Ward explained. “I think when he addresses the whole team going into training camp, we can all put it behind us and move forward.”

My take: It's not the first time that Ward and Roethlisberger have not been on the same page, with Ben's public wish for a tall receiver and Hines' questioning of Roethlisberger's injury in 2009 as two of the most memorable examples. But if Roethlisberger can address the situation in a way that will not affect his ongoing legal dispute in Nevada, he should do so sooner rather than later so the team can move on.

The 10 Most Disliked People in Pittsburgh Sports

As most of you know, Forbes.com recently compiled a list of the nation's most disliked people in sports, a list that placed Ben Roethlisberger at #3. Personally, I thought the list was pretty lame, considering that Michael Vick, who barely registers a blip on the radar screen these days, was #1, and Al Davis, who may or may not still be alive, was #2. 

Naturally, I decided to seize the opportunity and create a debate with my own spin, namely the 10 most disliked people in Pittsburgh sports. As I stated in the article, it's a pretty vague topic that could go in a number of different directions, so I tried to narrow the scope to come to my top 10. I'm sure it will create much debate, because it's a pure opinion piece with no right or wrong answer, but that's what makes it a unique topic.

For the on-air debate, you can hear Seibel and Starkey dissect the list with me coming up at 3:20 on The Fan today. You can listen at 93.7 FM on your dial and online at The Fan website.

The 10 Most Disliked People in Pittsburgh Sports [93.7 The Fan]

Pitt Basketball Team Headed to Ireland

The Pitt men's hoops team is going on a little field trip in about a month, one that will take them all the way to Ireland.

NCAA men's basketball programs are allowed one foreign tour every four years and permits 10 practice days prior to the date of departure, so the Panthers will depart on July 29 and return to the Burgh on August 9. The Panthers' last tour outside the U.S. came in 2004, when they traveled to Toronto.

Pitt will play a total of six games while overseas, including two contests in Cork at Neptune Stadium (July 31 and Aug. 1), two in Dublin at the Dublin City University (Aug. 3 and Aug. 4), two in Belfast, Northern Ireland at the Odyssey Arena (Aug. 6 and Aug. 7). Included in those games will be an exhibition against Australia's oldest and most respected basketball club, the Melbourne Tigers, on August 6 in Belfast.

And if you're talking Pittsburgh and Ireland, Dan Rooney would naturally enter into the discussion. The Steelers' owner will meet with the team on August 2 for a reception as part of their tour, which I think is pretty cool:

"As a lifelong Pittsburgher, it will be very special for me personally to host the Pitt Basketball team here in Dublin during its tour to Ireland," Rooney said in a statement. "Coach Dixon, his staff and players will also visit the UPMC Children's Hospital here in Dublin as well as spend time with the Peace Players, who have used the game of basketball as a vehicle toward achieving peace and understanding in Belfast and universally. It is an honor to represent President Obama and the American people here in Ireland. It will be such a pleasure having these fine young men from Pittsburgh and all of their traveling party be a part of all things `Irish.'"

All in all, it sounds like a pretty interesting trip for the Panthers, giving their players a unique overseas experience while playing some decidedly uncommon opponents. I think it will be a tremendous plus for the program.

The Pitt team began the first of their 10 allotted practices for the trip today.  The only absentee is senior center Gary McGhee, who is currently attending the three-day Amar'e Stoudamire Skills Academy Camp in Chicago, running through Saturday. 

Pitt Basketball Team Will Travel to Ireland for 12-day, Six-game Tour [PittsburghPanthers.com]

Pitt hoops team heading to Ireland [Trib]

Rangers Walk Off with Sweep of Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates lost their third in a row, this one in heartbreaking fashion, to the Texas Rangers last night by a 6-5 final.

That's 14 road losses in a row and 15 losses in their last 17 games for the Battlin' Bucs, who are now 25-47 and dead last in the NL Central, 15 games back of St. Louis. That's a .347 winning percentage, which puts them on pace for 56 wins in a 162-game season. Only the Baltimore Orioles, at 20-52/.278, are worse.

Jeff Karstens, who apparently is the Pirates' new ace, kept the Rangers in check for the better part of the night, giving up three runs in 5 1/3 innings. But in the end, it was Vladimir Guerrero's RBI single off the freshly-recalled Steven Jackson with two outs in the ninth that would do the Pirates in, giving the Rangers a three-game sweep of the series.

The Pirates displayed some internal strife during the sixth inning, when coach Gary Varsho, Lastings Milledge, and Bobby Crosby got into a heated discussion over a botched hit-and-run - Milledge was thrown out at second and Crosby didn't swing. Varsho and Milledge had to eventually be separated, and Milledge said something to Crosby as they took the field in the next inning. 

The sad part is that the Bucs actually hit the ball well, with 14 hits on the night. Five players in the lineup had multiple hits, while Jose Tabata and Garrett Jones had three each. Pedro Alvarez added a double and 2 RBI, and Crosby continued his hot week with two hits. On the down side, four players struck out multiple times, and four players left three or more runners on base. So to say the Pirates blew a few opportunities would be a fair statement.

The Bucs try to set their problems aside and get back on the right track tonight in Oakland, as Brad Lincoln (0-1, 6.50) takes on Ben Sheets (2-7, 4.95) at 10:07 Eastern.The A's have lost seven of eight and have scored only 20 runs in those games, so this might be an interesting matchup.

A few Pirate notes:

-P Daniel Moskos and OF Alex Presley were both promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis yesterday after standout 2010 seasons so far with Double-A Altoona. 

Moskos, the Curve's closer, has 17 saves and 30 strikeouts in 31 innings, while allowing just five earned runs and nine walks. His fastball has been closed as high as 96 mph. 

Presley was leading the Eastern League with a .350 batting average and seven triples through 67 games, with 13 doubles, six homers and 47 RBIs to boot. Prior to this season, Presley spent two seasons at the high-A level.

-On Tuesday, P Chris Jakubauskas pitched in his first game since being struck on the head by a line drive in late April. He walked one and struck out five in three innings of work for the GCL Pirates, allowing four earned runs and six hits.

-Aki Iwamura will officially report to Indianapolis today and split time playing 2B and 3B, according to Neal Huntington.

-Daniel McCutchen will start for the Pirates on Saturday vs. the A's, but that will not be official until after tonight's game, allowing the Bucs to use an 8-man bullpen. In three starts with the Bucs earlier this season, McCutchen allowed 18 earned runs on 19 hits in 12 innings. At Indy, he was 4-5 with a 3.86 ERA in 10 games. 

-Peter Gammons appeared with Seibel and Starkey on Thursday and named Buck Showalter and Eric Wedge as managerial candidates for the Pirates. He also weighed in on the team's recent PR nightmares and the debate over Stephen Strasburg and the All-Star Game.

Steven Jackson, Justin Thomas to Get the Call

RHP Steven Jackson (shown above, clearly with a scratch and not a pick) and LHP Justin Thomas will replace the holes created on the Pirates' roster by Zach Duke's trip to the DL and Dana Eveland's DFA status, per Jennifer Langosch of MLB.com. 

Jackson had a cup of coffee with the Bucs earlier this season, and has allowed 10 earned runs on 34 hits and 11 walks in 31 innings with Indianapolis in Triple-A in 2010. He has not allowed a run in his last 10 appearances for Indy.

Thomas, 26, was last seen in the majors in 2008, with an 0-1 record and 6.75 ERA in eight relief appearances with the Seattle Mariners. At Indy this season, Thomas is 3-0 with a 1.30 ERA in 24 relief appearances.

What's still not settled is the minor detail that the Pirates have no starting pitcher for Saturday, given that both of these guys are relievers. Langosch named Daniel McCutchen and Charlie Morton as candidates, however I simply can't see anyone but McCutchen landing that start. 

Jackson, Thomas join Bucs [By Gosh, It's Langosch]

Mondesi's House Turns Four

I just wanted to make a very minor mention of this, since it's probably of little interest to anyone but myself. But today is actually somewhat of an anniversary, since Mondesi's House was born four years ago on this day with the first-ever post, The 10 Worst McClatchy/Nutting Pirates Moves. Imagine that...I was so frustrated with the Pirates four summers ago that it served as the inspiration for a blog. With that being the case, I'd imagine a number of Pirate blogs got started after last night's game.

Things have changed a bit over the years, but it's been a truly enjoyable experience, covering the ups and downs of Pittsburgh sports and meeting a world of people with similar interests (and a similar sense of humor) along the way.

 

Sometimes, running the site can be a challenge due to time constraints, but all-in-all, it's a labor of love. My hope has always been to create something that's unique, user-friendly, and regularly updated, a place that a fan of any Pittsburgh team could enjoy. That was the goal then and will continue to be the standard for the future.

Mondesi's House would be nothing without the feedback, emails, comments, and contributions from the readers, for without your support the site would not exist. As always, the door is open for your thoughts on Mondesi's House and its direction (mondesishouse@gmail.com or @mondesishouse on Twitter). I'd like to thank all of you for making the past four years so much fun, and I promise that the best is yet to come.

Pirates Exercise Control to Cut Dana Eveland

Dana Eveland, we hardly knew ye.

The journeyman pitcher signed by the Pirates on June 1, who arrived with the absolutely unforgettable Neal Huntington intro of "this acquisition is a potential upgrade for our current rotation with the upside of years of control," has been shown the door by the team after just three appearances.

Last night's appearance, in which Eveland surrendered six runs and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings, was apparently the one that sent the Pirates over the edge, as Eveland blamed rust and the Texas heat for the poor showing:

"Yeah, it's 11 days, and I was definitely a little rusty," he said. And I got worn out a little in the heat. There were a couple of PFP grounders where my legs just went to Jell-O, and I didn't have them after that," said Eveland.

Good to hear that he was staying in shape during his time off. Regardless, Eveland exits with one start, an 8.38 ERA, 15 hits allowed, 9 2/3 innings pitched, and a sure spot in a future list of failed Pirates transactions.

So what next for the Pirates? What struggling pitcher is out there, begging to be controlled for the next few years? That's a question I don't have the answer for, but I do know that the team is going to have two roster spots to fill, as Zach Duke went to the DL yesterday. The good news is that I doubt the warm bodies they bring in could pitch much worse.

Pirates cut recently acquired pitcher [PG]
NEAL HUNTINGTON WITH QUOTE OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE [MH]

Not a Good Night for Pittsburgh

As the headline implies, last night did not go the way we would've hoped for the various Pittsburgh sports storylines that were in play. 

In Vegas, Sidney Crosby sat by while Henrik Sedin took the Hart Trophy and Alex Ovechkin won the Ted Lindsay Award. Meanwhile, Jordan Staal finished not first, not second, but third for the Selke Award, which was won yet again by Pavel Datsyuk. True, Sid did get a trophy named after Mark Messier as a consolation prize, but that wasn't what we were hoping for. 1-for-4 on the evening was far below our expectations. 

Sadly, 1-for-4 would've looked good for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who self-destructed in a 13-3 loss to the Texas Rangers last night. 

Paul Maholm pitched so bad that he apologized on Twitter, as he should've for anyone who actually had to watch it. One inning, seven hits, seven runs, four walks, and 55 pitches after he started, the Bucs would be in a hole that they could never get out of in their wildest offensive dreams. Even with the rest of the game to battle back, you knew the way this game was trending. The Pirates are a team that struggles to score three runs, let alone seven (or more). What happened next should be a surprise to no one.

Dana Eveland was called upon to stop the bleeding, and if you consider six more runs over 2 2/3 "stopping the bleeding", then I guess he did the job. The good news is that the Pirates have him under control for a few more years of this. Sorry, I had to say that.

Thankfully, a combo pack of four Pirate relievers shut down the Rangers the rest of the way, but the game had been decided long before they entered the picture. The meager Bucco offense managed just six hits and three runs, paced once again by Bobby Crosby. The shortstop is 8 for his last 11 and picked up two more hits last night, including a double. 

Delwyn Young had the only other extra-base hit, a double, and the Pirates struck out a total of 12 times on the night. Combine no pitching and no hitting and you get 10-runned like it was a Little League game. Unfortunately, they didn't stop this one in time. 

The three-game set wraps up tonight, as Jeff Karstens (2-2, 4.72) takes on the Rangers' Scott Feldman (5-6, 5.16) at 8:05 in Texas. Considering they've been outscored 19-6 so far, we might be best served to plead for mercy from Nolan Ryan's boys before the game starts tonight.

Maholm's career-worst start dooms Pirates, 13-3 [PG]
Crosby loses out on Hart Trophy, Lindsay Award [PG]

Surprise, Kids! It's Big Ben!

Campers at the Ben Roethlisberger Mike Tomlin Football Camp were in for a surprise on Wednesday, as a certain quarterback and his trademark backwards hat dropped in for a visit. 

Yes, Ben Roethlisberger made a guest appearance at the camp that used to bear his name on the last day of the event, which was held over a three-day span this week at Mars HS. Tomlin agreed to take over the camp after Roethlisberger's Milledgeville mess, a generous act considering this is usually the time of year between OTAs and camp when coaches can actually take some time off.

Roethlisberger was all smiles as he described his experience with the campers on Wednesday:

"One kid – he dropped a pass," Roethlisberger added, "but he was excited because he got to at least attempt to catch it.  To see the smile on some of the kids' faces when they catch touchdowns and they're high-fiving and – it just it brings joy to your life!" 

Naturally, the cynic in most of us will wonder about the sincerity of statements like that, but I'm not going to knock a guy for putting smiles on a few kids' faces and attempting to mend fences with the community. These are exactly the types of opportunities Roethlisberger needs to grasp if he truly wants to change the way he is perceived not only in Pittsburgh, but around the country. And if doing so truly brings joy to his life, then it's all the better.

Roethlisberger Surprises Kids At Camp Tomlin [KDKA]

Steelers' Mike Tomlin steps in for Ben Roethlisberger at youth camp [USA Today]

Today's Headlines

Today's headlines bring you another Pirate loss, news on the fired pierogi, the NHL Awards (and Hall of Fame inductions), Aki Iwamura, Mick Williams, and much more.

Tuesday at the Polls

Lots of really interesting questions to cover this week, and there's no sense wasting any more time than I've already wasted with this sentence. Let's get into it:

Pens Re-Sign Matt Cooke to Three-Year Deal

Forward/Professional Instigator Matt Cooke, 31, is going to stay with the Pittsburgh Penguins, reaching terms on a three-year deal worth $1.8 million annually.

It's a bit of a surprise move, considering that Ray Shero normally doesn't sign players 30 or older to deals of this length. That being said, the price is probably right, the guy scored 30 points on the third line, he raises his game in the playoffs, and his agitation of the opposition can be invaluable (as long as it's not putting a target on his teammates' backs). Plus, I certainly don't mind seeing the Pens keep at least a few of their own free agents from one year to the next.

Last season, Cooke had 15 goals, 15 assists, and this controversial hit on Marc Savard. He chipped in with four playoff goals in 2010 and won a ring with the team in 2009.

Cooke agrees to three-year contract with Penguins [PG]

Email your feedback, questions, and tips Mondesishouse@gmail.com 

Today's Headlines

 

Today's headlines feature an update on the pierogi story that won't die, a Pirate controversy, props for Sid, dislike for Ben, Huntington on the record, Madden on Roethlisberger, and much, much more after the jump

Cleveland: Always the Elixir for Whatever Ails Pittsburgh

If there was ever a town that could understand what the Pirates are going through, it's Cleveland, Ohio. As they struggle right now to maintain any shred of self-respect they have left to try and woo LeBron James, their city was probably a little bit distracted from a weekend series featuring two teams with a combined record of 51-86.

Pirates' PR Nightmare Continues with Pierogi Dismissal

Let's recap this week for the Pittsburgh Pirates: they called up uberprospect Pedro Alvarez with all the excitement of the Baltimore Colts moving in the middle of the night; they announced extended contracts to their manager and GM, moves that were made in the offseason and hidden from the public all season; they're in the midst of a 12-game losing streak, closing in on yet another franchise record for ineptitude; and now comes the latest: they've fired one of their pierogies.

What if the Pirates’ Nucleus Doesn’t Work Out? A History Lesson in Failed Youth Movements

At long last, the future is now for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Alvarez. Walker. Tabata. McCutchen. Lincoln. First-round draft picks and highly coveted prospects all, their mere presence hopefully enough to interest even the casual Pirate fan. But is there any guarantee that this rebuilding plan will be different than some of the others we’ve seen over the years, including those right here in Pittsburgh?

That’s a question I’ll try to answer in today's column for 93.7 The Fan, as I look at similarly-hyped rebuilding efforts that have fallen flat across the world of sports. If you think this is a phenomenon exclusive to Pittsburgh, you might want to check this out.

For the discussion portion of this piece, I'll be chatting with Gregg Giannotti on Friday night at 7:40 p.m. You can listen at 93.7 on your dial and online at The Fan website.

What if the Pirates’ Nucleus Doesn’t Work Out? A History Lesson in Failed Youth Movements [93.7 The Fan]

Today's Headlines

Today's headlines feature another Pirates loss, Big East roses, a former Pitt Panther hosting a local basketball camp, Gammons on the Bucs, a Pedro-Palooza recap, and much more after the jump...

Huntington, Russell Get Extended

Sometimes, when a team looks like it's at its worst, that's a perfect time for management to step in and show their support. It happened with the Steelers and Bill Cowher. It happened with Pitt and the Wannstache. And it happened today with the Pirates and both Neal Huntington and John Russell, who were both secretly extended in the offseason, it was announced today by Frank Coonelly:

"We did so because we believed that they were successfully implementing the organization's vision of building a baseball organization that could compete for championships on a consistent basis," Coonelly said. "We understood that returning this once-proud organization to championship baseball would not happen overnight and that the progress that we were making towards reaching our goal made such extensions appropriate. Despite our very disappointing play at the major-league level thus far this year, we remain convinced that we are making progress towards our goal. We demand performance at all levels of the organization and will continue to hold each and every person in the organization accountable for that performance."

"All of us are extremely disappointed and frustrated by the club's results on the field thus far this year," Coonelly said. "While we have made tremendous progress towards executing our long-term vision of building an organization that acquires and develops talented players who will form a core that can consistently compete for championships, we have, collectively, fallen far short of our shorter term goal of playing winning baseball at the major-league level in 2010. We expected that this club would perform much better than it has to date. With the significant changes that have been made to the roster recently, we still expect that the club will perform much better during the rest of the season. While it has been painfully obvious that several players have not performed up to expectations, we have been and continue on a daily basis to analyze all of the reasons that we have performed so poorly and how we can get the club turned around immediately."

The Buccos currently have the worst record in the NL, they've lost 10 straight, and during the Huntington/Russell marriage they have the worst record in the majors. But even a jaded Pirate fan like myself would not believe that a such a massive organizational turnaround would've been complete by now. By making these executive changes a few years ago, the Pirates basically committed to flushing the system and starting over, and that takes time. I really don't think it would've done any good to can Huntington at this point, because I'm not interested in hitting the franchise reset button yet again, especially after the 2010 draft. So I'm on board with keeping him, despite some very questionable moves at the major-league level which have already been discussed at great length on this site and many others.

As for Russell, I'm very split on his future. On one hand, the guy has been asked to make chicken salad out of chicken crap for the majority (if not all of) his time here. Those are tough circumstances for any skipper. On the other hand, he's got very little in the personality department, he's shown a knack for very curious moves/lineups, he inspires hope in no way, shape or form among fans, and I'm not sure if there are many players who've improved under his watch. Basically, I don't know what he adds to the equation, and that gets complicated when asking who's really dictating playing time, Russell or Huntington. If you paralyze a manager's decision making, that doesn't say much for the manager. Is this really the guy who we want to see mold this crucial next generation of Pirates? In management's eyes, it appears that the answer is yes.

Pirates extended Huntington, Russell contracts in winter [PG]

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Pirates' Big Night Ends With 6 Errors, 5 Hits In 7-2 Loss

Once, just once, it would be really enjoyable to have anything related to the Pirates work out the way it's supposed to. It happened for the lousy Washington Nationals last week with the debut of Stephen Strasburg, which saw the rookie strike out 14 in front of a rocking full house, so it's not completely impossible. But after nights like tonight, you've got to wonder if it is, in fact, impossible.

Mike Yeo Headed to Houston

Pittsburghers high off the buzz of finding out that Pedro Alvarez will be joining the Pirates now have another bit of news they've awaited for a long time: Penguin assistant Mike Yeo is headed out of town. 

The team didn't fire him, he's actually taking a new gig as the head coach of the Houston Aeros, AHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild. Ironically, he would be replacing former Penguin head coach Kevin Constantine, who Houston fired last month.

While the Penguins did win a Stanley Cup with Yeo on the payroll, I'd put his moving on in the same class as former Pitt football OC Matt Cavanaugh taking an assistant coaching job with the New York Jets last year: it's probably the best-case scenario for everyone involved. 

Yeo has been with the Pens' organization since the 1999-00 season, when he was a player with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. 19 games into the season, Yeo suffered a career-ending knee injury and subsequently accepted an offer to become Glenn Patrick's assistant, remaining in that position when Michel Therrien replaced Patrick in 2003 and following Therrien to Pittsburgh in 2005.

Yeo was a constant target for fans unhappy with the performance of his power-play unit, which was ranked 20th in both the 2008-09 and 2009-10 regular seasons, despite the presence of world-class talent. Whether or not he can develop young talent in the minors is another issue altogether, one that's Minnesota's concern and not ours.

It will be interesting to see who fills the vacancy on Dan Bylsma's staff. An emailer just told me he'd rather trust Pedro Alvarez overseeing the power play than Yeo, but I'm guessing that's probably not going to happen.
 
Houston Chronicle: Wild to hire Yeo as AHL coach- 06-15-10 [Empty Netters]

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PIRATES DROP 9TH IN A ROW, ALVAREZ COMING UP

Well, so much for my grand plan that Brad Lincoln starting at PNC Park might sell some tickets. But the paid attendance of only 12,000 and change was only one of the problems faced by the Pirates on Tuesday night, as they lost for the ninth consecutive game, this time by a 6-4 count to the Chicago White Sox.

Lincoln went six innings, allowing six hits, five earned runs, three walks, and two hit batters, while exactly maintaining his lofty 7.50 ERA (which is still better than Charlie Morton's, by the way) and picking up the first loss of his MLB career.

Spotted a rare 2-0 first inning lead, Lincoln was ultimately done in by two Sox, namely Gordon Beckham and Alexei Ramirez, who combined for four hits and four of the five RBI given up by the rookie pitcher. On two occasions, Lincoln walked the leadoff batter and allowed them to score, something that he's going to have to clean up in the future. But I can't be too tough on the guy, as I feel he's clearly got the talent and is a work in progress.

The top-heavy Pirate offense got three hits and three steals from Andrew McCutchen, two hits from Neil Walker and Ryan Doumit, and two RBI from Garrett Jones, but the timeliness just wasn't there, and once again, nor was the quantity. This is not a team that's built for comebacks, which they were incapable of from the sixth inning on, ultimately struggling against hard-throwing Sox closer Bobby Jenks to end the game.
Tuesday was also the PNC Park debut of Jose Tabata, who was 0-for-4 with a walk while batting in his usual leadoff spot. As for Pedro Alvarez, he has yet to materialize in a Pirate uniform, as he is still patiently marinating in Indianapolis.

Wait...breaking news....PEDRO IS MAKING HIS DEBUT ON WEDNESDAY! That means someone has to go. Well, this day's going to get a lot more interesting.

And speaking of rumors, Fox is saying that the Bucco brass is discussing the immediate future of John Russell, which I am very skeptical of. For one, I can't see the Nuttings paying two managers at once. They would use a coupon to get 50 cents off a manager's salary if such a thing existed. And what's the point of firing Russell now? Unless the new manager is bringing A-Rod and Albert Pujols with him, the Pirates are still going to struggle mightily to win games, no matter who is filling out the lineup card.

For what it's worth, Fox lists "long-term" replacement candidates as former Indians manager Eric Wedge (who worked with Neal Huntington in Cleveland) and St. Louis bench coach Jose Oquendo, and "interim candidates" as bench coach Gary Varsho, Triple-A manager Frank Kremblas, and Double-A manager Matt Walbeck. I'm sure they'll make all the difference.

The Pirates, now 23-41 and the baseball equivalent of a leaky boat that's taking on water fast, meet up with the White Sox again on Wednesday night at PNC. Come early enough and you just might witness Dejuan Blair throwing out the first pitch.

Alvarez called up by Pirates [PG]

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Today's Headlines

Pedro Alvarez could very well be making his MLB debut this week, a thought that was not ruled out by Neal Huntington when asked about it on his weekly radio show:

"No, I won't rule it out," Huntington said Sunday on his weekly radio show. "Our [initial] feel was closer to the end of the month, but Pedro has responded well to the challenge of these other two guys going up," a reference to the Jose Tabata-Brad Lincoln callups last week that prompted an Alvarez homer-triple-double performance. "It's something we've got to talk about more internally. Sometimes, players can push those timetables forward because of adjustments they make."

Alvarez is hitting .285 with 13 HR and 52 RBI for the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis, and certainly has all the signs of someone who is ready. It also couldn't hurt the Pirates' box-office, which could definitely use a boost with an offensively-challenged team that's otherwise 23-40 and 1-9 in their last 10. [PG]

Brad Lincoln (0-0, 7.50 ERA) makes his first home start on Tuesday night against the Chicago White Sox and Freddy Garcia (6-3, 4.82) at 7:05 p.m.

Lincoln's presence should also help sell a few tickets, because people aren't going to be turning out for the offense in this one. The Sox are the Majors' worst-hitting team at night (.235), with the Pirates closely behind at .236. [ESPN]

The 1960 Pirates will be celebrated during this weekend's series against the Cleveland Indians, which features giveaways tied in to the occasion and appearances by a number of the players, including Joe Christopher, ElRoy Face, Bob Friend, Joe Gibbon, Dick Groat, Vernon Law, Bill Mazeroski, Bob Oldis, Dick Schofield, Bob Skinner, Bill Virdon, George Witt, and Joe Brown (former GM). The Maz canvas wraps that will be handed out on Friday actually look pretty nice. [By Gosh, it's Langosch]




Vince Young was in a well-publicized fight at a strip club over the weekend, and James Walker wonders if that could potentially affect his status for the Steelers-Titans tilt in Week 2. If not this, I'm virtually certain he'll do something else suspension-worthy between now and then. [ESPN AFC North Blog]

The Pitt Panthers: Big Ten bound? Not according to Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz, who explained why to Seibel and Starkey on Monday. [93.7 The Fan]

Alison Riske, a 19-year-old from Peters Twp. who turned down a scholarship to Vanderbilt to turn pro, upset 3-seed Yanina Wickmayer 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 in the WRTA AEGON Classic last weekend, but ultimately fell to Maria Sharapova on Saturday. Riske is currently the 13th highest ranked American player in the world and should leap into the top-10 this week. [ESPN]

D Steve Wagner was re-signed by the Penguins to a one-year, two-way contract on Monday.

Wagner came over in a February deal that sent D Nate Guenin to the Blues. In 20 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Wagner scored seven points (1 G/6 A) and had an even plus/minus last season.  [Empty Netters]

Mark Madden, like many others, has had enough of the ever-present vuvuzelas at this year's World Cup. Let's hope the Pirates are taking notes: this is not a good idea for a future giveaway.  [Mark Madden/WXDX]

Comedian Billy Gardell is hosting a live Comedy Central Special TV Taping at the Byham Theatre on Friday, July 23rd. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Saturday, June 19th at noon. [PghArts.org]

John Phillips takes a shot at predicting how the college conference carousel will end up, with Pitt and WVU headed to the ACC.

That's looking more and more like the way this could play out, and I'd be perfectly happy with that scenario. [93.7 The Fan]

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Monday at the Polls

It's Monday, and there's very little going on outside of the daily Pirates loss and the Penguins' mass toilet flush. So let's turn it over to Paris for some poll questions to liven things up a bit.

Online Surveys & Market Research

Online Surveys & Market Research

Online Surveys & Market Research

Online Surveys & Market Research

Online Surveys & Market Research

Online Surveys & Market Research

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