PIRATES CONTINUE STRANGE OWNERSHIP OF CUBS

They scored two runs. They went to battle with a less-than-intimidating 3-4-5 of Andy LaRoche (.248), Garrett Jones (.261), and Ryan Church (.204), a trio that's hit a combined 10 home runs - less than eight individual players in the NL. (And by the way, fun sidenote: I just realized that Jose Bautista, Ty Wigginton, and Jose Guillen have combined for 40, yes 40, home runs this season.) But somehow, some way, the Pittsburgh Pirates won their sixth game over the Chicago Cubs in seven opportunities this season, by the final score of 2-1. And as usual, it wasn't easy.

Ross Ohlendorf, who has been the victim of poor run support throughout the season, allowed only three hits and one run over seven innings, that one run coming as a result of an left fielder (Church) who doesn't understand the words "I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it!" when screamed by his center fielder. 

For his efforts on the mound, Mr. Wonderful walked away with a no-decision and continues to search for his first victory of 2010, despite giving up two runs or less in four of six starts. Maybe he can throw a perfect game to get a W. They seem to be quite prevalent these days.

Ironically, it was the aforementioned Jones that supplied the bulk of the Pirate offense on Monday, hitting a solo shot in the sixth and scoring the winning run in the eighth after a double to right. 

Neil Walker, one of the few Pirates who is hitting, had another two hits and upped his average to .321 since being recalled from Indy. Walker's had at least two hits in four of his seven games for the Bucs in 2010, and thankfully has replaced the dreadful Aki Iwamura for the foreseeable future as the regular 2B. 

The light-hitting Bobby Crosby capped off the Pirate "attack" with the eventual game-winning pinch hit in the eighth, scoring Jones. Like most Pirate wins, it wasn't  exactly pretty; but at this point, we'll take 'em if and when we can get 'em. 

The two teams lock horns again at PNC on Tuesday at 7:05, as Ted Lilly (3.63, 1-4) meets Jeff Karstens (4.78, 1-1). Offense, as always, will be optional.

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TODAY'S HEADLINES

Today's headlines include news on the Pirates' struggles, Joe Starkey's Aki Iwamura Song,  Big Ben's psychological evaluation, Sidney Crosby's rich new Reebok deal, Ron Cook on the future of John Russell, and more...

AT THE FAN: THE PROS AND CONS OF TRADING A SUPERSTAR

The future of Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh has been a hot topic of late. But what kind of return should the Penguins expect if they ever deal him? 

I'm not proposing any deals for Malkin in this article, because I'm firmly in the camp that the Pens should keep him. What I'm doing with this piece is taking a look at some of the bigger trades of superstars in recent history across all four major team sports. Why did they happen? What happened to the team that traded the superstar? What happened to the team that acquired the superstar?

After looking at some of these deals, it certainly makes you think twice about the future of Geno in a Pens uniform. Ultimately, you will be the judge, as we have the ever-present poll wrapping up the article.

For the discussion portion of this argument, I'll be hashing it out with Seibel and Starkey at 3:20 today. It's 93.7 on your dial and 937thefan.cbslocal.com on your browser.

The Pros and Cons of Trading a Superstar [93.7 The Fan]

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ROETHLISBERGER CLEARED TO REJOIN STEELERS

Beginning next week, Ben Roethlisberger can return to team activities with the Steelers, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said on Thursday. Roethlisberger will be permitted to play in preseason games and is still facing a suspension for 4-6 games at the start of the 2010 season, with the length to be reviewed in the future by Goodell. He will not be permitted to practice or work out with the team during the regular-season suspension.

The league issued a brief statement on Goodell's latest decision:

"Based on the reports and recommendations of our medical experts, commissioner Goodell advised the Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger [Thursday] that he is cleared to return to team activities beginning next week. The commissioner will continue to monitor Roethlisberger's progress as he begins the next phase of his recommended plan and will meet with Roethlisberger again at the appropriate time. There has been no decision on any modification to the length of Roethlisberger's suspension. In his April 21 disciplinary decision, commissioner Goodell announced that Roethlisberger is suspended without pay for the first six games of the regular season. The commissioner said he would review Roethlisberger's progress prior to the start of the regular season and consider whether to reduce the suspension to four games. Failure to cooperate and follow his plan could result in a longer suspension."

The reinstatement to his team is the latest in the overall rehabilitation of Roethlisberger and his image, which got some good PR courtesy of ex-girlfriend Natalie Gulbis earlier in the week after the pair golfed at Oakmont:

"He's a great guy. I've known him for four years. He has always been fantastic to me, and we've been friends since before he even started playing for the Steelers," Gulbis told WPXI's Rich Walsh. "I'll continue to cheer for him and the Steelers."

People are vouching for him again, the stories from his past are slowly dying down, plenty of other scandals have knocked him from the headlines, the legal front has been quiet, and we're a few months closer to actual football. We're definitely at a new point in the Roethlisberger scandal lifeline, but he still faces a tremendously long road to travel in restoring his name and image, if they can ever be restored.

Steelers' Roethlisberger can rejoin workouts next week [PG]

Golfer Natalie Gulbis Talks Ex-Boyfriend Roethlisberger Before Oakmont Practice [WPXI]

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WINTER CLASSIC COMING TO THE BURGH

Many people thought this would happen, and today, it will become a reality: the 2011 Winter Classic is officially coming to Pittsburgh, with the opponent being the Washington Capitals. The matchup will be formally announced by Gary Bettman at a press conference today in Chicago.

Critics will point to the Penguins' presence in the game in 2008 as overexposure; but network suits and league officials surely realize that a contest featuring their top three stars in chilly conditions on New Year's Day could be a ratings bonanza and an overwhelming financial success. It's simply too good a proposition to pass up, critics or not.

From another angle, this is a huge boom for the city of Pittsburgh, which again gets a three-hour commercial in front of a national audience, as well as the numerous benefits to area hotels, bars, and restaurants that will be significantly busier than usual. 

The Winter Classic, which has been played in Edmonton (2003, as The Heritage Classic), Buffalo (2008), Chicago (2009) and Boston (2010) will add a second game this year, with Montreal traveling to Calgary sometime in February for a meeting at McMahon Stadium. So the complaints of Pittsburgh getting a second invitation to the Classic will likely be dulled a bit with the inclusion of a separate game for Canada.

The announcement is a bit of great news for the city, the team, and Penguin fans in the wake of a disappointing end to their 2009-10 season. On top of everything else, I'm guessing it will become one of the hottest tickets in the history of Pittsburgh sports, so even the "freelance ticket brokers" will be celebrating even more than usual on New Year's Day.

NHL bringing Winter Classic to Heinz Field [PG]

NHL TO ANNOUNCE OUTDOOR GAMES IN PITTSBURGH, CALGARY ON FRIDAY [TSN.ca]

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CHARLIE MORTON'S GREAT STUFF HIT HARD YET AGAIN

Charlie Morton's Great Stuff was pounded yet again in an embarrassing 8-2 Pirate loss to Cincinnati last night, in which the struggling pitcher with a supposedly high upside yielded eight hits, three walks and seven runs in two innings of work. After last night's start, Morton's record fell to 1-9 with a 9.35 ERA, with a .342 opponents' batting average and 12 home runs allowed. When he doesn't pitch, the Pirates are 19-18.

Of course, the Pirates' answer to this is to stick with Morton, who does not appear to be going anywhere in the near future. Said the always-electric John Russell of his troubled hurler:

"We talked," Russell said of his meeting with Morton. "He's worked really hard and, unfortunately, tonight was a night where nothing really paid off for him. We'll re-evaluate it and see where we are. It was a step back, and we've got to see what we can do to go forward again."

Will Morton stay in the rotation?

"As of now, yeah."

Could he ever go to the bullpen?

"No. He's going to be a starter, no matter what."

Try not to hurt your head from banging it against the wall - if you still care, that is.

On the other side of the ball, the Pirate offense continued to stink, but hey, Aki Iwamura got his first RBI in a month! Other than that development, Jeff Clement had three hits, and Ronny Cedeno had two doubles. The 3-4-5 hitters combined to go 1-for-10, and Neil Walker cooled off considerably with an 0-for-5, 4 left-on-base performance. It was your typical, bland output from the Bucs' bats.

As Joe Starkey proclaimed yesterday, the Pirates trotted out one of their worst lineups of all time on Thursday: Cedeno, Walker, McCutchen, Jones, Church, LaRoche, Clement, Jaramillo, and Morton. Considering that one of those players is hitting above .260, it's hard to argue with that viewpoint.

A new series for the Bucs starts up tonight, as Zach Duke (3-4, 4.47) faces Derek Lowe (6-4, 5.30) and the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field, with gametime set for 7:35.

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THURSDAY AT THE POLLS

We've got many a hot-button issue to tackle this week, so as Paris' t-shirt says, it's time to Vote or Die!

PIRATES REMAIN OFFENSIVELY CHALLENGED

Former Pirate Bronson Arroyo and three relievers combined to shut out his old team on six hits last night, resulting in a 4-0 win for the NL Central-leading Cincinnati Reds. It was the 11th game in which the Pirates scored one or zero runs, and was the seventh time in this young season that they've been blanked.

The few positives? At least Neil Walker is playing well, with two hits the night after knocking in his first run. And Aki Iwamura had an infield single, which is newsworthy in its own right. The negatives? Other than the fact that the team had no runs, six hits, no extra-base hits, and one runner reach third base against Arroyo, the Pirates' 3-4-5 batters went a combined 1-for-11. But rather than harp on the heart of the lineup, let's give the entire team the credit they deserve for this latest example of an offensive implosion.

On the pitching end, Mr. Wonderful was tagged for eight hits and three runs in six innings, which actually lowered his ERA to 5.11. Ohlendorf is still looking for his first victory, and when you combine his numbers with Charlie Morton, the Pirates are 2-12 this season in games they've started - not good, considering they make up 40% of the staff. 

But it's worth mentioning that in Morton's nine starts, the Pirates' high run total was four, against the Cubs on May 5. Here is his run support, in reverse order: 2, 2, 0, 4, 2, 2, 3, 1, 0, and 1. And for Ohlendorf: 0, 0, 3, 1, and 4. Not coincidentally, the Pirates' two wins came in both instances when they scored four runs. So you've got four shutouts, three one-run games, and four two-runs games in "support" of these two pitchers. Which tells me that if you're named Ohlendorf or Morton, even allowing just one run results in a 67% chance of losing, based on your 2010 offensive numbers. Although they're not great pitchers, those are incredibly tough odds. 

After this depressing recap, attention now shifts to tonight's game, where the Reds toss out a pitcher named Johnny Cueto who merely one-hit the Bucs in a 9-0 Cincy win on May 11. His opponent? The aforementioned Morton, who should probably plan on throwing a shutout if he wants any shot at a W tonight.

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TODAY'S HEADLINES

Doumit's heroics do it again, JoePa talks Pitt-Penn State, Goodell reviews Ben, Twin Towers at Kiski, a Penguin UFA update and much more on tap today:

NEMACOLIN WOODLANDS RESORT "BEST GOLF TRIP STORY" FINAL FIVE

We're down to the five finalists for the Mondesi's House/Nemacolin Woodlands Resort "Best Golf Trip Story" Contest, as selected by a panel of judges from the resort. At this point, it's your turn to be the judge - so as always, vote responsibly.

UPDATED: BIG BEN'S WEBSITE SELLING...FLYERS CHAMP GEAR?

I was previously unaware of this, but apparently the Big Ben website has some sort of virtual store that has over 50,000 items offered for sale from all sorts of fields. I'm guessing that these items are shipped by a third party and Ben is not sitting around in a warehouse filled with sporting goods packing boxes this summer; but nonetheless, an emailer named D.J. came up with an interesting find today among the offerings: Philadelphia Flyer Eastern Conference Champions gear. 

That's right, a wide variety of t-shirts and hats celebrating the team Pittsburgh loves to hate can be found for sale via the website of the quarterback the city will find itself welcoming back at some point in the near future. I'm 99.999% sure that Ben doesn't even realize his site is selling this stuff, but then again, it's not as if he's sensitive to this rivalry.

UPDATE:

*I failed to mention this detail earlier, but the method that our reader (D.J.) found out about this was a direct email sent by the Big Ben website, which means they were pushing this product above and beyond the 50,000 other items they sell. You know, to target the all the Steeler/Roethlisberger fans who want to celebrate the Flyers' victory...or maybe all the Philadelphia fans that buy their gear through a Pittsburgh QB's website. The target audience is kinda lost on me in this instance. Oh, and here's the pic that was sent with the email. After seeing this, I'd have to agree that this would be a pretty bizarre solicitation to receive from Ben's site.

Philadelphia Flyers Pro Gear [BigBen7.com]

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REDS TAKE 4TH STRAIGHT AGAINST BUCS

A five-run fourth inning by the Cincinnati Reds did in the Pittsburgh Pirates last night at The Great American Ball Park, culminating in a 7-5 Reds win that was their fourth straight against the Pirates.

Plus-sized Reds pitcher Aaron Harang yielded five runs as he worked into the seventh, but he was matched run-for-run by the Bucs' Brian Burres, who allowed five runs, five hits, and four walks over 3 2/3 innings. 

The aforementioned fourth inning broke things open for the Reds, and was highlighted by the 6'7" Harang chugging all the way from first to score on an Orlando Cabrera double. Cabrera and teammate Drew Stubbs each had three hits on the night, with Stubbs hitting an insurance home run in the fifth against Jeff Karstens.

The Bucco bats actually managed double-digit hits, with Delwyn Young's three double and Ronny Cedeno's home run leading the way. Ryan Doumit also had two hits for Pittsburgh after his big game on Sunday, giving the catcher five hits in his last nine ABs. 1B Steve Pearce left the game after spraining his ankle chasing down an errant throw from Young, and his status should be known today.

The two teams with reverse records (Pirates 19-26, Reds 26-19) meet up tonight for the second in their four-game set. Paul Maholm (4.50, 3-4) does battle with the impressive young Mike Leake (2.91, 4-0), with the first pitch slated for 7:10.

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LESSER OF TWO EVILS: HOSSA OR THE FLYERS?

Regardless of the outcome, this Stanley Cup is bound to leave some Pittsburghers disappointed. In one corner sits hockey mercenary Marian Hossa, trying to win with his third team in as many years. In the other corner sits the Philadelphia Flyers, arguably the most hated opponent in Pittsburgh sports. Gotta put this one to a vote.

Online Surveys & Market Research

Online Surveys & Market Research

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TODAY'S HEADLINES

Lots to catch up on, including the Czech Republic/Russia championship game, the possible end of the road for Jack Wilson, Peter Gammons talkin' Bucs, and a trio of bizarre local arrests, along with much more...

DOUMIT'S WALK-OFF SINKS BRAVES

Ryan Doumit was the hero on Sunday with a two-out, 10th-inning home run off of Takashi Saito, giving the Pittsburgh Pirates a dramatic 3-2 victory over the hated Atlanta Braves at PNC Park. It was Doumit's third hit of the day, fourth homer of the season, and first career "walk-off" dinger.

The offensively-challenged Buccos only scored five runs this weekend, which was apparently still good enough for one win in three tries against Atlanta. Prior to Sunday's game, the red-hot Braves had won 10 of their past 12 contests.

As of this writing, the 19-25 Pirates hold the 23rd-best record in MLB despite a mind-blowing run differential of -109. For those of you scoring at home, the next closest is Houston at -73...four games worse than the Pirates at 15-29.

In addition to Doumit's noteworthy performance, the Pirates offense also got two hits from 2B Aki Iwamura, who was battling a little 0-for-34 slump - the longest Pirate hitless streak since Mark Smith went 0-for-38 between 1997 and 1998.  Among non-struggling Bucs, Andrew McCutchen tripled and reached base three times for Pittsburgh.

On the mound, Zach Duke allowed a mere one unearned run over seven innings, just days after shutting down the Phillies for one run on Tuesday night (although it's worth noting that Jason Heyward sat out on Sunday). In the pen, Evan Meek blew his third save of the season in the eighth inning, allowing a solo shot to former Pirate Eric Hinske, his second in as many days. Brendan Donnelly and Octavio Dotel each threw an inning of hitless relief, with Dotel picking up his second win in the process.

The Bucs will play a game a day for the next 10 days, with four in a row coming up at Cincinnati. Brian Burress (4.91, 2-1) and Aaron Harang (6.02, 2-5) take the hill tomorrow night at 7:10.

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PIRATES LOSE...BUT IT WAS CLOSE!

The Pittsburgh Pirates finally "lost" close, falling to the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 last night at PNC. Somehow, this qualifies as a positive, given that 15 of the Bucs' 23 losses this season have come by five runs or more. But to me, they all count the same. Just like a win is a win, a loss is a loss.

This particular "L" falls under the "blown leads" category, as the Bucs went up 3-0 in the first on a two-run triple by Steve Pearce and an RBI double by Andy LaRoche. But the Pirates would squander later opportunities with baserunning that would make Little Leaguers blush, a hallmark of any John Russell-coached team.

Paul Maholm allowed four hits, four runs, and three walks in his seven innings of work, whiffing seven Brewers. He absorbed the loss, dropping his record to 3-4 on the year. Milwaukee pitcher Chris Narveson surrendered seven hits and three runs to Bucco batters, upping his mark to 4-1.

The game had a 25-minute delay in the top of the second after ump John Hirschbeck was plunked with a Narveson pitch that Brewers catcher Gregg Zaun failed to catch. Hirschbeck left the game with concussion-like symptoms, and it continued with a three-man crew. Not to blame the delay, but Maholm was coincidentally touched for two runs in that frame after going 1-2-3 through the Brew Crew in the first.

The Pirates certainly had their chances to pull this one out, especially with the Brewers using a new closer (Carlos Villaneuva) in place of the looking-like-he's-totally-finished Trevor Hoffman, who was 5-for-10 in save opportunities this year.  But with the tying run on and one out in the ninth, Delwyn Young grounded into a double play, ending the game and ending any opportunity to gain the nickname, "Mr. Clutch".

Tonight, the Atlanta Braves come into town, and the pitching matchup pits Ross Ohlendorf (0-1, 3.00) against Tim Hudson (4-1, 2.41). Gametime is set for 7:05 at PNC, but you might want to arrive early and get a glimpse of Jason Heyward in BP.

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PIRATESREPORT.COM REMOVES PENGUIN STORY

It's been mentioned by a few of you in the comments section, but a controversial column entitled, "Like Bucs, Penguins Still Have Work To Be Done" has now been removed from the Nutting-owned Piratesreport.com website. However, it is still available for viewing through the wonders of Google's cache feature.

The author, Paul Ladewski, made comparisons of Bryan Bullington to Marc-Andre Fleury, among many other low blows at the Penguins' expense. The PG's Bob Smizik really brought Ladewski's story to light yesterday, and questions whether it was meant to be funny or was merely a case of a writer pleasing their boss to the point of extreme.

If Ladewski's aim was to get people talking about Pirates Report at any cost, mission accomplished. But the removal of the article, especially considering who owns the site, definitely raises a ton of questions.

Like Bucs, Penguins Still Have Work To Be Done [cached/PiratesReport.com]

`Pirates Report' editor rips Penguins [Bob Smizik Blog]

UPDATE:

Here's a nice JPEG of the article

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AT THE FAN: THE MOST INTERESTING "WHAT IFS" IN PITTSBURGH SPORTS HISTORY

I logged a lot of hours on this week's article for 93.7 The Fan, as I looked at some of the most pivotal moments in Pittsburgh sports history and how they could've turned out (drafts, games, etc.). I'm not a huge "what if" kind of guy, but once I got rolling, I  actually dug up some really interesting info.

For the on-air discussion, I'll be hashing it out with Alexander, Burton and Colony on The Fan Morning Show at 8:40 a.m. on Thursday. If you don't have a radio handy, you can always listen online at The Fan's website.

The Most Interesting “What Ifs” in Pittsburgh Sports [93.7 The Fan]

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MONDESI'S HOUSE INTERVIEW: KDKA'S BOB POMPEANI

One of the most spirited topics in Mondesi's House history quickly came to the surface a few months ago, shortly after the longtime face of KDKA Sports, Bob Pompeani, made this comment about bloggers via Twitter: