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Pittsburgh

Author: mattbandi

What caused the second-half collapse in 2009?

The Pirates performed at a historically poor level after the trade deadline in 2009. Fans have criticized the front office for making few changes to that roster heading into the upcoming season. But GM Neal Huntington targeted the true weaknesses, and upgraded virtually all of them.

Dotel throws off mound

Pirates closer Octavio Dotel made the first step in returning from an oblique injury by throwing 31 pitches in a bullpen session on Tuesday.

Andrew McCutchen vs. Justin Upton: A contract analysis

Andrew McCutchen - Trev Stair, Flickr.comJustin Upton signed a six-year, $51.25 million contract extension with the Diamondbacks last week. Andrew McCutchen is at a similar career point as the Diamondbacks' young phenom, so it is reasonable for us to speculate how a potential McCutchen extension would compare to Upton's freshly signed deal.

A quarter-century as a Pirates fan

I have spent the past 25 years cheering on the Pirates. From the days of Rafael Belliard and Jose Lind to Jack Wilson and Andrew McCutchen, it has been mostly an experience of disappointment and heartbreak. But I would not trade the memories for anything in the world. Join me as I do my best to recap the past quarter-century.

Optimizing the Pirates’ lineup

Akinori IwamuraAdjustments to the batting order generally make very little difference over the course of 162 games. What matters is who is in the lineup, not the order in which they bat. That being said, every single run counts. Join me as I attempt to determine the Pirates ideal batting order for 2010.

Pirates plate discipline in 2009

Andy LaRochePatience is an issue that the Pirates have seemed to struggle with at the plate for years. Unfortunately, it did not get much better in 2009. A number of the team's hitters battled free-swinging tendencies, and the numbers confirm this.

Is Bob Nutting pocketing profits?

Bob Nutting announces the firing of Dave Littlefield - Andy Starnes, Post-GazetteIf you don’t trust Bob Nutting, that’s fine. I’m not sure I completely trust him myself. But let’s knock him for things we know for certain, not for commonly accepted “realities” that are unsubstantiated and, honestly, don’t make a whole lot of sense.

Mental toughness

In January, the Pirates hired Bernie Holliday away from West Point to be the team's mental health conditioning coordinator. He will begin working with the organization's minor league players. Read this interview with Holliday.

Hanrahan may return by opening day

The opening of spring training brought news of an elbow injury for Joel Hanrahan. However, an MRI and a subsequent trip to Dr. James Andrews left Hanrahan with some good news.

2010 Pittsburgh Sports Blog Championship

Two Pirate blogs square off in the finals.

Where is Jose Tabata’s power?

Jose Tabata shows a glimpse of his hidden power in today's batting practice session.

2009 vs 2010: The offense

Jeff Clement looks to improve the offense - Mark SobbaThe Pirates won only 62 games in 2009, meaning they will need a significant jump simply to sniff a .500 season. Where will that major improvement come from? Let’s find out. First, the offense.

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