For Malkin, Hart of the matter

By Rob Rossi

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

http://triblive.com/sports/

June 17, 2012

Finally winning the Hart Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s most valuable player, an honor for which Vladimir Malkin’s youngest son has twice finished as runner-up, would “mean a lot.”

“But it is a lot of pressure,” the elder Malkin said through an interpreter. “Evgeni thinks if he wins MVP for the last year, he has to win it next year and the years after.”

Vladimir Malkin raised his right hand above his head and lowered his left hand to his chest. His eyes followed the top hand to the bottom.

“Very fast you can go from here to there,” he said.

The comeback story of Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, who in September told the Tribune-Review his “motivation was very good” to again be considered an elite player, could end Wednesday night in Las Vegas at the NHL Awards Show, where he is favored to win the Hart.

His reputation already has been restored, though.

“Evgeni is a unique player,” said Vladislav Tretiak, Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender for the former Soviet Union. “He cannot be compared to anyone.”

Awaiting history

Malkin, 25, is days from potentially joining Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr and Sidney Crosby as Penguins to have won the Hart Trophy.

His competition is New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist and Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos, but the MVP race was over long before the Penguins’ played their final regular-season game.

When Malkin tallied 13 points in the final seven games before the All-Star break, Jesse Spector of The Sporting News, and a Hart voter, had seen enough.

“If it was a horse race, it wasn’t quite the 1973 Belmont but only because the other guys raised their games,” said Spector, referring to Secretariat’s 31-length victory. “Malkin got to a stratospheric level and stayed there for pretty much the entire season.”

Actually, lost among strong goal-scoring starts by center Jordan Staal and winger James Neal and the seemingly endless wait for Crosby’s return was the early-season uneven play of Malkin, who in the second game aggravated a knee surgically repaired eight months earlier.

Malkin was at nine goals and 27 points after a home loss to Boston on Dec. 5, which marked the last game Crosby played until March. 15. Malkin registered 28 goals and 59 points over the next 40 games. He failed to post a point in only eight contests, and the Penguins went 26-13-1.

He had never looked stronger, Penguins coach Dan Bylsma suggested, not even during the 2009 playoff run to the Cup and Malkin’s postseason MVP. This was proof that a summer commitment to improved fitness had paid dividends.

“Other guys have rehabbed and not come close to being at their same level,” Bylsma said. “He got back and in less than 12 months was the best player in the world.”

One performance from a standout season truly stood out.

Jan. 15, at Tampa Bay: Malkin turned a natural hat trick in the third period to give the Penguins consecutive wins for the first time in nearly three weeks.

Two days earlier the Penguins had won at Florida to snap a six-game skid. They were rolling at Tampa Bay until the Lightning erased a three-goal lead.

“I think if we had lost that (Tampa Bay) game, it would have been devastating,” Bylsma said.

Penguins winger Pascal Dupuis recalled a tense feeling on the bench.

“He looked at us on the bench and basically, without saying a word, said, ‘Follow me, boys, and buckle up,’ ” Dupuis said. “You could just see that he was about to do something that only guys like him, the best players in the world, can do.”

Best in the world

The Penguins have fairly owned this category since 1988, when Lemieux won the franchise’s first Hart. A Hart win by Malkin will give the Penguins a fourth player chosen as league MVP. Their three honorees are already the most of the post-1967 expansion era.

Malkin finished this past season with 109 points — and a career-best 50 goals — to join Lemieux and Jagr as the only Penguins players to win multiple scoring championships.

A Penguins player has won the Art Ross Trophy 14 times, and Malkin is the only two-time scoring champion since the 2004-05 NHL lockout.

“The hardware he’s collected already is awesome, but maybe it gets taken for granted because the Penguins have had three other players do those things,” said Bob Grove, a Penguins broadcaster and the franchise historian.

Only 14 players have averaged at least 1.20 points per game during their career. Malkin, at 1.234, ranks 11th among that group. Players holding the second (Lemieux), fourth (Crosby), 12th (Jagr) and 13th (Alex Ovechkin) spots on that list have cast shadows that he cannot escape.

Malkin has offered more of his personality as his comfort with English, his third language, has improved since arriving here six years ago.

“I actually think he’s more comfortable in the shadows than most great players would be,” said Eddie Johnston, who has spent most of the past three decades with the organization in some capacity.

Neal, whose first 40-goal season came with Malkin as his center, described Malkin as a rarity among elite players.

“His competitive nature is to be the best player in the league, the best player on the ice,” Neal said. “But he also doesn’t care about being the big star or being on a billboard. He just wants to be himself.”

That means the same player who takes the first open seat on a charter bus after road games and quietly dives into an electronic book is also the practical joker who routinely targets teammate Matt Cooke. He commanded not a dollar less but also not a penny more than Crosby, behind whom he serves as first alternate captain for the Penguins — but Malkin also has consistently called the Penguins’ “Sid’s team.”

There is no simple read on Malkin, former teammate and NHL mentor Sergei Gonchar said.

Malkin could not be reached for comment. He has spent the past two weeks vacationing, his first significant time away from hockey-related activities in more than a year.

Nothing he has said suggests the Hart will complete him any more than the Ross, Conn Smythe or the MVP he won at World Championships for leading that tournament in scoring as Russia won gold.

Natalia Malkin, his mother, said she enjoys hearing her son mentioned “like Crosby, (as) maybe the best player.” However, she said nothing Evgeni Malkin accomplished this past season will leave him satisfied. Mama Malkin knows what her boy really wants isn’t stature or individual hardware but simply more pictures to hang on his walls.

“Even at home,” she said, “the only pictures up are of the Stanley Cup.”

Rob Rossi is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at rrossi@tribweb.com.

Appel’s decision is a no-brainer

By Joe Starkey

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

http://triblive.com/sports/

June 17, 2012

Sure, Mark Appel could reject the Pirates’ multi-million-dollar offer and try a different avenue to the major leagues.

The eighth overall pick could return to Stanford for his senior season. He’d only be banking on good health, great numbers and going top-five in what promises to be a deeper talent pool next year.

Much luck with that.

Another alternative would be to try his hand at independent baseball before re-entering the draft. I’m sure the Washington Wild Things would build a wonderful promotional campaign around Appel. (Free cider for everyone!)

Or he could do the obvious: Admit that agent (sorry, “adviser”) Scott Boras dropped the ball, accept $3 million or so from the Pirates and join the workforce.

By all accounts, Appel, a right-handed pitcher, is an intelligent and humble person. One would assume he is not given to avarice or ill-advised decisions. He might just have to put that $3 million in the bank and prove himself to the point where the big league checks start rolling in.

To that end, he should heed the words of third-round pick Jon Sandfort, who signed for $462,900 instead of going to college.

“If you look at the big picture, this draft is just chump change,” Sandfort told 93.7 “The Fan.” “It’s all about getting to the big leagues. That’s where you make the real money.”

Boras despises the new capped draft system. He undoubtedly had visions of Appel garnering a $7 million-plus bonus near the top of the draft or perhaps dropping to a team that would try to bust the system wide open.

He lost that bet because Appel, while widely projected to be the top pick, simply isn’t that electrifying of a prospect and was seen as a difficult sign. Much credit to the Pirates for taking the chance at No. 8.

Boras must know he has neither the leverage nor a player prized enough to attempt to destroy the system this time around.

Then again, if you remember the Pedro Alvarez fiasco, you’re ready for anything. You wouldn’t be surprised if Boras ordered Appel to sign his deal in evaporating ink.

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/1978297-74/appel-draft-million-pirates-boras-pick-starkey-sign-system-fan

Joe Starkey co-hosts a show 2 to 6 p.m. weekdays on 93.7 “The Fan.” His columns appear Thursdays and Sundays. He can be reached at jraystarkey@gmail.com.

Alvarez puts on a show

By Ron Cook
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
June 17, 2012

CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 16: Casey McGehee #14 celebrates with Pedro Alvarez #24 of the Pittsburgh Pirates after McGehee hit a two run home run during the ninth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on June 16, 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Pirates defeated the Indians 9-2. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

CLEVELAND- You want to know why the Pirates don't do the easy thing -- the popular thing -- and send third baseman Pedro Alvarez out to Class AAA Indianapolis?

It's not so much the two home runs that Alvarez crushed Saturday, although they were oh so tantalizing and showed the incredible power the man has. One went 376 feet, the other 401 feet. They were big parts of the 9-2 win against the Cleveland Indians, a much-needed win for the Pirates because it snapped a four-game losing streak and an appealing win because the team excelled at the plate, on the mound and in the field.

But there's much more to the Pirates' patience with Alvarez. Part of it is obvious. "We don't have anyone else who can do what he can do," manager Clint Hurdle said. But the other part of it might just blow you away. "In the 37 years I've been in baseball, I haven't been around too many guys who can hit it like he does," Hurdle said. "I'm talking about sound and swing and distance. The guys I've seen do it like that, I can count on one hand."

So Hurdle did, rattling off the names of Willie Mays Aikens, Josh Hamilton, Larry Walker and Jack Clark.

"I put Pedro in that group."

That's why the Pirates stick with Alvarez despite his hideous statistics. That's why Hurdle keeps running him out there nearly every day. It often isn't easy. Alvarez was hitting .118 in June before Saturday and was in a 1-for-19 slide. He hadn't hit a home run since May 27 and just one since May 3. His RBI in Baltimore Thursday night was his first of the month.

Pirates fans can't call the talk shows quickly enough to complain about Alvarez. They want him sent down, traded, released. Hurdle hasn't wavered with Alvarez, but he did show his frustration last week. He met with Alvarez privately Wednesday and then used his pregame radio show to call him out about his approach at the plate. Hurdle said it was the last time he was going to talk to Alvarez about that subject. It sounded very much as if he gave him a last-chance ultimatum.

Then, Alvarez goes out and hits two rockets against the Indians to provide the Pirates' first run and their final two runs.

Tantalizing is the only word to describe Alvarez's power and potential.


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/ron-cook/cook-alvarez-puts-on-a-show-640731/#ixzz1y3FMnNXs

Burnett Brings a Steady Presence to the Pirates

By TYLER KEPNER
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com
June 14, 2012

CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 16: Starting pitcher A.J. Burnett #34 of the Pittsburgh Pirates leaves the game during the seventh inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on June 16, 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio. Burnett picked up his 6th win in a row to improve to 7-2 on the season. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE — Outside it was pouring, a cold and sideways rainstorm that wiped out batting practice Tuesday at Camden Yards. Yet the pitchers still needed to throw, so A. J. Burnett dressed at his locker stall in the visitors’ clubhouse and got ready. While he did, he explained what he tells his younger teammates on the Pittsburgh Pirates.
       

“You’re not always going to have your A game, but you’ve got to figure out how to win,” Burnett said. “It doesn’t always work — I’ve been there — but don’t let anybody in the world know you’ve got your C game that day.”

      

This is the new Burnett, a wise old sage at 35, with collected wisdom as varied and vast as the tableau of tattoos across his body. He pitched a lot of A games over three seasons with the Yankees, and a lot of C games, too.

      

All of it helped make him who he is now: a steadying presence for a surprising contender, and a possible first-time All-Star with a 6-2 record. Who knew?

      

“I laugh at it too, sometimes,” Burnett said. “You look at my career, I’ve got a couple of rings, a couple of big games, and everybody thinks ...”

      

Thinks what, exactly? Burnett stopped in midthought when he saw James McDonald, 27, a fellow starter who had come looking for him. McDonald was soaked and shivering. He had been waiting in the rain for a throwing partner.

      

With that, Burnett slipped into a black-and-yellow Pirates pullover and grabbed a gray glove with his No. 34 stenciled on it. He razzed McDonald a little, and they headed off into the rain.

      

“When he first came in, he made everyone feel equal,” McDonald said. “He’s brought this team together and let guys know you can have fun while playing baseball.”

      

Burnett had the same influence on some younger Yankees teammates, too, notably Ivan Nova. For all his inconsistency on the mound, Burnett was well regarded as a teammate — remember the postgame pies? — and never hid from reporters’ questions.

      

Those qualities have been accentuated, and seem more widely appreciated, with the Pirates, a team that briefly held first place last July but finished below .500 for the 19th season in a row. The Yankees sent Burnett to Pittsburgh on the eve of spring training this year, acquiring a minor leaguer in return. They also included $13 million to help cover Burnett’s salaries through 2013.

      

It was an inglorious dumping, but Burnett knew it was coming. He was 34-35 with a 4.79 earned run average for the Yankees, who finally ran out of patience waiting for him to be the dominant force he was for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2008. They made the deal as Burnett was driving to Florida from his Maryland home.

      

Burnett said he had no regrets about his Yankees years. He made friends and was glad to have the experience of winning a World Series in New York. But the idea of joining the Pirates invigorated him, and the team.

      

“It was important for our guys to see a guy that’s brought in and it’s not a trading-deadline deal where you have a guy for two months,” Manager Clint Hurdle said. “We brought in a guy for two years. He can go ahead and unpack his bags. He’s going to be around, he can be involved, be engaged.”

      

Burnett quickly bonded with McDonald, taking him fishing in spring training and helping with the nuances of preparation — how to play catch with a purpose, how to focus in the hour before a start. McDonald is 5-2 with a 2.39 E.R.A.

      

While Burnett helped McDonald, catcher Rod Barajas, in turn, helped Burnett fit in. Barajas caught Burnett in that 2008 season, when he led the American League in strikeouts before signing with the Yankees.

      

Burnett had thrived with a personal catcher, Jose Molina, in his first year with the Yankees, and is similarly comfortable with Barajas.

      

“He knows me better than I know myself,” Burnett said. “I have the confidence right now to throw any pitch that he puts down, in any count.”

      

The pitch making the biggest difference, Barajas said, is the changeup. According to Fangraphs, Burnett threw it less than 4 percent of the time during his first two seasons in New York. He bumped that up to 10.8 percent last year, roughly the same rate as this season. But now the pitch is more effective.

      

On Sunday against Kansas City, Burnett took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and lasted into the eighth, earning a standing ovation from the crowd at PNC Park. Barajas said the changeup worked especially well that day. Its improvement has given Burnett another weapon to escape the big innings that often marred his Yankees starts.

      

“It’s a pitch that we’ll probably use just as much, maybe even more than the curveball,” Barajas said. “He’s definitely evolved. He’s not that same strikeout pitcher — although he can be one — but he’s learned that he can be more effective with his pitches if he locates better and mixes all his pitches.”

      

Burnett has always been proud of his curveball, a pitch with such a drastic break that it has made him the active leader in wild pitches. He threw 25 last season, the most in the majors in 18 years, but has only 3 as a Pirate.

      

Burnett said the pitch is behaving better because he is not overthrowing it. He said he was doing a better job, finally, of absorbing the lessons from “The Mental ABCs of Pitching,” by Harvey Dorfman, the definitive self-help guide for pitchers that was given to Burnett by a former Toronto teammate, Roy Halladay.

      

“I guess I’m in a better frame of mind when I’m on the mound,” Burnett said. “It comes back to what I used to tell you guys, that one-pitch-at-a-time philosophy. Nothing else enters my mind.”

      

His season pitching lines underscore that point. On May 3 in St. Louis, Burnett became the first pitcher in almost 94 years to allow at least 12 hits and 12 earned runs in fewer than three innings pitched. Yet the Pirates have won all seven of his starts since, with Burnett pitching well every time.

      

As for the St. Louis debacle, Burnett has no explanation, other than to say it reminded him of his start for the Yankees in Game 5 of the 2009 World Series, when the Phillies rocked him for six runs in two innings. In both games, Burnett said, every pitch seemed to be up and over the middle.

      

In the World Series, Burnett’s Game 5 dud somewhat obscured his Game 2 gem. Now, the St. Louis start hides how effective he has been. Without it, Burnett’s E.R.A. would be 1.96. With it, his E.R.A. is 3.61. Not that it matters to him.

      

“If they needed me to go four more innings and get it handed to me, I’d get it handed to me,” Burnett said. “I don’t care. I’m not worried about numbers at this point in my career. I’m worried about helping this team. That’s all that matters.”

Pirates hitters aren't pitching in

By Ron Cook
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
June 16, 2012

CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 15: Neil Walker #18 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a single during the first inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on June 15, 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

CLEVELAND- Pirates manager Clint Hurdle didn't like Garrett Jones' approach to his at-bat in the sixth inning Friday night at Progressive Field. Jones popped out to second base with a runner on third and one out. Hurdle didn't like Alex Presley's at-bat in the seventh. Presley flied out to left field with runners on second and third and two outs. Hurdle wasn't asked about Jose Tabata's at-bat in the fourth, but he couldn't have liked that, either. Tabata chased a breaking ball way out of the hitting zone for strike three with the bases loaded and two outs.

It's safe to say there was just one thing Hurdle liked about the Pirates' lame 2-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians, their fourth consecutive defeat.

That would be the pitching of James McDonald.

"Absolutely," Hurdle said. "I'll take that every night."

The Pirates surged to the top of the National League Central Division earlier this month behind the strength of their starting pitching. It was due to drop off -- and it did. Don't look now, but the Pirates trail the first-place Cincinnati Reds by four games. It's not all because of inept hitting, although that's the sorest spot with Hurdle. The starting pitchers have hit such a rough period that he talked before the game Friday afternoon for the first time of getting close to reaching down to the minors. For a Rudy Owens, perhaps? A Jeff Locke? A Justin Wilson? Even a Rick VandenHurk?

It's hard to blame Hurdle. Brad Lincoln has had two bad starts in a row. Erik Bedard was crushed by the Baltimore Orioles Thursday night and is 2-3 with a 6.39 earned run average in his past six starts. Kevin Correia was lousy against the Orioles Wednesday night and is 1-6 with a 4.43 ERA in his past nine starts. Even McDonald struggled in getting a no-decision in his previous start against the Kansas City Royals Saturday night. We'll give him that one tough start, just as we gave A.J. Burnett one when he got lit up for 12 runs May 2 in St. Louis. McDonald and Burnett have been remarkably consistent.

Still, the Pirates needed a good start from McDonald to have any chance against an Indians team that had just been swept in three games by the Reds. McDonald gave it to them, allowing just a run and three hits in six innings. He retired the final 10 batters he faced after the Indians' Carlos Santana cued a weak ground ball just inside the third-base bag for a double that drove in the first Cleveland run.


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/ron-cook/pirates-hitters-arent-pitching-in-640636/#ixzz1xxBkqCjp

Pirates fall to Baltimore's 2012 offense

By Gene Collier
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
June 15, 2012

BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 14: Starting pitcher Erik Bedard #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates walks to the dugout after being removed during the fourth inning against Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 14, 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE- With tall ships from around the world sailing into its harbor and a battery of commemorative historical exercises already underway, this city is celebrating the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812.

Contributing most conspicuously are the Baltimore Orioles, who, while they didn't exist until 142 years after the last shot was fired, chose this week to re-enact the kind of explosive assault rarely seen since the Battle of Baltimore itself, which begat the whole anthem deal, the Francis Scott Key poem that turned into the Star-Spangled Banner, inspired by the defense of Fort McKenry.

Uh, McHenry.

Unfortunately for your viewing displeasure, the repulsed British forces were played by the contemporary Pirates, whose pitching staff took more direct hits than most of 1812 Baltimore on land and sea.

Worse, it wasn't just that the Orioles scored 27 runs in this three-game series, that they ripped 44 hits including 13 doubles and seven homers; it was that all of it seemed to be coming off the bat of Steve Pearce.

And/or Matt Wieters.

And the rockets' red glare!

There likely are two more frustrating characters in the ever-active Pirates torture chamber than Pearce and Wieters, it's just very difficult to come up with them when you're trying to get your head around the spectacle of Pearce driving a three-run homer into the seats in left to make it 10-0 Baltimore.

In the fourth inning.

In parts of five seasons in the Pirates' organization, the local experts could not coax anything more than a .232 average out of Pearce before finally letting him leave as a free agent in November. He had six hits and seven RBI in this series.

Wieters represents only one of the most conspicuous drafting mistakes in Pirates history. A strapping, switch-hitting catcher with All-Star potential, he was available to the Pirates on the fourth pick of the '07 draft, but the management team in place at the time (clearly not the best management team in baseball), chose instead left-handed reliever Daniel Moskos.

Wieters has been to the All-Star game.

Moskos, the eminently signable Moskos, has been to Altoona. And, OK, to Indianapolis and even to Pittsburgh. For 31 games.

Oh say could you scream?!


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/gene-collier/collier-pirates-fall-to-baltimores-2012-offense-640447/#ixzz1xrCpP6zK

Introducing the newest MVP leader ... could it be Pirate Andrew McCutchen?

By Jon Heyman
Baseball Insider
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/jon-heyman/
June 12, 2012

CINCINNATI, OH - JUNE 6: Andrew McCutchen #22 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a three-run home run in the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on June 6, 2012 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Reds won the game 5-4. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

The Pirates' dynamic center fielder Andrew McCutchen may have just jumped to the top of the National League MVP race without anyone noticing.

McCutchen's brilliant start, and it is just that, needs more attention. That's about all he needs these days.

McCutchen certainly hasn't allowed the steep offensive struggles of almost all of his Pirates teammates throw him off his game, which has been nothing short of spectacular. He leads the Pirates in runs (32), hits (67), doubles (10), triples (3), home runs (11), RBI (36), walks (21, and stolen bases (11), as well as batting average (.325), on-base percentage (.388), slugging percentage (.563) and of course OPS (.951). The only two major categories he's behind in are at-bats (Neil Walker, 211) and strikeouts (Pedro Alvarez, 62).
"He's practically alone in the Pirates lineup,'' one scout with an American League team remarked.

That may be true. But as of late Sunday, hard as it is to believe the Pirates were tied for first in the N.L. Central with the Reds.

Since he's "practically alone'' and they are tied for first with the Reds, that should automatically make him an MVP candidate. The Dodgers' Matt Kemp and most prominently lately Joey Votto of the Reds have been mentioned far more as MVP candidates, and even the Giants' Melky Cabrera has, too. But McCutchen, only 25, needs a much closer look now.

With Kemp still out with a hamstring injury, a lot of folks are going to favor Votto, and that is understandable. But let's not disregard McCutchen's all-around game and ability to lift a far lesser team than the Reds to equal heights.

It's understandable why he's been overlooked so far. While McCutchen has made made an All-Star team, he's never even received a single MVP vote, not even a 10th-place vote in his impressive career. The Pirates, who seemed to have sneaked into a first-place tie by winning five straight series for the first time since the 1992 season, haven't had a winning season since their last MVP, Barry Bonds, left town after that '92 season.

McCutchen is, in fact, one of only four major leaguers with a double-double (10 homers, 10 stolen bases) so far, with the others being Ryan Braun, Hanley Ramirez and Jason Kipnis. He also doesn't have the benefit of anyone around him scaring anyone, so his double-double is perhaps more impressive than the others.

All 11 of McCutchen's homers have come since May 8, and he's hit more home runs than anyone in baseball in that period except Josh Hamilton, Jose Bautista and Alfonso Soriano, who each have 12.

When the Pirates signed him to a $52.5-million, six-year extension this spring, all his bosses took turns talking about what a fine young man he is (they occasionally mentioned his talent, too). Here's how manager Clint Hurdle summed up McCutchen via text: "Speed and power. Old school passion. Respect for the game. Tremendous work ethic.''

One other scout remarked that the perpetually upbeat Hurdle is making "chicken salad'' out of something far less than that so far in Pittsburgh. But Hurdle understands McCutchen is the key.

"Just watch him play,'' Hurdle said. "You'll figure it out.''

I may be a little slow. I wondered aloud in this space whether McCutchen was going to prove to be worth the $51.5-million, six-year deal the Pirates gave him this spring, suggesting he wasn't as good as Justin Upton or probably even Jay Bruce.

So I must concede I was a small part of McCutchen's under-rating and underpublicization. Consider this my 400-word mea culpa to one of the best of the game.

Tags: Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker, Pedro Alvarez, Pittsburgh Pirates, MLB

Solid pitching helping make Pirates contenders -- yes, really

By Tom Verducci
Inside Baseball
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/
More Columns Email Tom Verducci
June 12, 2012

BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 12: Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle looks on during an 8-6 loss to the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 12, 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

I have this crazy idea, an idea as crazy as believing in Charlie Brown, a balanced budget, the Cleveland Browns and pro soccer in America. I am starting to believe the Pittsburgh Pirates are an honest to goodness contender.

That's right: the Pirates. The team that hasn't had a winning season in Bryce Harper's lifetime, or since Bush the elder was president, Nolan Ryan was pitching and Barry Bonds was skinny. The team that in recent years passed up Zack Greinke, Prince Fielder, Jered Weaver, Clayton Kershaw, Tim Lincecum, Matt Wieters, Madison Bumgarner, Eric Hosmer and Buster Posey to take Bryan Bullington, Neil Walker, Brad Lincoln, Daniel Moskos and Pedro Alvarez with top-11 picks in the draft. The team that last year was in first place as late as July 25 and wound up with 90 losses. The team that has scored the fewest runs in baseball this year. The team that is the worst hitting team in franchise history (.224) except for the outfit that finished in 11th place in the American Association 128 years ago!

Today those Pirates are tied for first place with Cincinnati in the NL Central with more wins than any of the four 2011 NL playoff teams and the best record in baseball over the past two weeks (12-3). The Pirates are 30-21 since beginning the year 2-6.

It would be easy to dismiss the Pirates as a pretender waiting for the fall -- a reprise of their 2011 season. But Pittsburgh was doomed to fail last year because its pitching staff was a collection of soft-tossing pitchers whose low strikeout rate and high WHIP portended the collapse. This year looks very different. The Pirates are striking out 7.41 batters per nine innings, the highest rate in franchise history by a wide margin (7.00 from 1969). Their WHIP has improved from 15th in the league to fourth. In short, the Pirates now have pitchers with stuff.

A.J. Burnett has found refuge from the AL East with the JV lineups of the NL. Erik Bedard, another veteran happily sprung from the AL, has remained healthy. And James McDonald, courtesy of a wipeout slider discovered at the urging of catcher Rod Barajas in a morning spring training game, is a different pitcher. He just might become the greatest righthanded strikeout pitcher in Pirates history.
"At 10 am one morning in Clearwater he was trying out a pitch," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said, "and by 4 pm he knew he had a new weapon."

McDonald has struck out 73 batters in 75 1/3 innings. Kris Benson holds the record for strikeouts by a Pirates righthander with 184 in 2000 -- unless you want to go back to 1891, when the mound was 50 feet from home plate, and Mark "Fido" Baldwin whiffed 197 batters in 51 starts.

(Truth be told, the Pirates have a strangely poor record when it comes to strikeout pitchers. Bob Veale and Oliver Perez are their top strikeout pitchers of the modern era. Since 2005, they have finished 14, 10, 13, 15, 15, 16 and 16 in the 16-team National League in strikeouts.)

Still not convinced this is a different Pirates team from last year? Here are more reasons why Pittsburgh is not collapsing this time:

• The offense isn't as bad as the numbers suggest. The Pirates were historically awful in April and May, but have hit a respectable .257 in June. Neil Walker, Garrett Jones, Alex Presley and Clint Barmes all have awakened to give Andrew McCutchen some help. This is still a below-average offense, but Pittsburgh doesn't need as much firepower as most teams because . . .

• The Pirates have a strong homefield advantage. Runs are harder to come by in PNC Park than in any other major league park this season, with teams combining for slightly more than five runs per game. The park plays big in leftfield and left-centerfield, and Hurdle chuckles as opposing hitters try to jack balls over the rightfield wall, which is not as easy a task as it appears. The Pirates have played 18 games at home without hitting a home run, and are 9-9 in those games. They are 19-6 in home games decided by one or two runs.

"What we wanted to do was establish this place as a homefield advantage," Hurdle said, "and I can see that taking place."

Meanwhile, Pirates' attendance through 30 home dates is up 15 percent.

• Pittsburgh's bullpen is ridiculously good, sporting the lowest ERA in baseball (2.44). GM Neil Huntington, as if borrowing from the Tampa Bay model, built his 'pen on the cheap. Juan Cruz, 33, Jason Grilli, 35, Doug Slaten, 32, Chris Resop, 29, and closer Joel Hanrahan, 30, all bounced around with other teams before finding a home in Pittsburgh. Tony Watson, 27, Jared Hughes, 26, and Brad Lincoln, 27, are Pittsburgh draft choices who didn't quite cut it as starters but who have found success in the bullpen. (Lincoln will start Tuesday night in Baltimore in place of the injured Jeff Karstens.)

Grilli somehow is throwing the ball harder (94-96 mph) and striking batters out more frequently (14.6 per nine innings) than ever before in his well-traveled career. Grilli credited a vigorous offseason training routine under a personal trainer, a routine that included running in sand, steady work with a jump rope he called his "Rocky Balboa" rope, and the willpower to come back from a severe knee injury in 2010 when a loosened bone chip ripped open his quad muscle. "Dr. [Richard] Steadman told me it was the worst knee he saw," Grilli said. "He sees knees all the time I asked him if I would be able to pitch again, and he said, 'Possible, but not likely.' That was all I needed to hear. You tell me I can't do something, and I'm going to do it."

• Hurdle is proving my theory that many managers are better in their second job (i.e., Terry Francona, Charlie Manuel, Bruce Bochy, Joe Girardi, etc.). Hurdle has been masterful as this team makes the most out of having scored the fewest runs in the majors. His bullpen usage has been so sharp he has used pitchers three consecutive days only twice. He twice pulled McDonald from games for a pinch-hitter after just four innings -- and won both games. He has given Barmes and Alvarez three straight days out of the lineup as a "mental break" to snap a slump; each one came back swinging a hot bat.
The manager also has encouraged his players to run the bases aggressively. The Pirates are among the four best teams in the league at taking the extra base.

"I was there in Texas with Ron [Washington] when he stressed aggressive baserunning," said Hurdle, the former hitting coach. "Well, you have to live through that cutting-of-the-teeth period. Everybody now talks about how the Rangers run the bases, but back then we ran into a lot of outs, but that's part of changing the mindset. And we're in that cutting-the-teeth period now."

It's difficult to believe that any baseball team in this era could field a losing team 19 years in a row, especially when the Pirates picked no lower than fourth in six consecutive drafts (2006-11). Other than McCutchen, however, they don't have an impact player on the roster. In 2010 they gave a high school pitcher, second-round pick Stetson Allie, $2.25 million -- then after just 26 2/3 innings (with 37 walks) they gave up on him as a pitcher and converted him to third base. How do you give somebody $2.5 million to pitch and decide after 26 2/3 innings that he can't pitch?

With the eighth pick this year they were flabbergasted that Stanford pitcher Mark Appel was still on the board and, though they had no idea he would be sitting there, decided he was too good to pass up. They now are learning why teams passed on Appel: He's a difficult sign. The Pirates have a $6.6 million signing budget for their draft picks.

But the Pirates have the opportunity to start a new era of baseball in Pittsburgh -- just by giving Pittsburgh fans their first look at a pennant race in 20 years. The NL Central is an open door, what with the Astros and Cubs rebuilding and a major talent drain in the division due to the free agent departures of Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder, and significant injuries to Lance Berkman, Chris Carpenter, Jaime Garcia, Ryan Madson, Scott Rolen, Alex Gonzalez and Jonathan Lucroy. The division is so bad that the Pirates, Reds, Cardinals, Brewers, Astros and Cubs are 87-108 when they have to play outside it.

The NL Central champion has won an average of 93 games in the 16 full seasons since realignment, but this is starting to look like one of the five times when only 83-88 wins was enough to take the division. Pittsburgh may not be a playoff team just yet, but can the Pirates win 83 games -- a total that would have them playing meaningful games in September for the first time in a generation? Yes, they can.

The Pirates' front office crunched some numbers before the season began and calculated that the expanded postseason format this year (with the second wild card added to each league) improved their playoff chances by 13 percent. But it may be that the Pirates' best chance for hanging around a pennant race rests with all of their intradivisional games. Starting July 2, the Pirates will have 84 games remaining, or just slightly more than half their schedule. They will play about one-third of the second half of their schedule against two teams playing combined .383 baseball: the Astros and Cubs (27 of 84).

Pittsburgh does have a style that allows little room for error. The Pirates' offense is so bad that they must play close, low-scoring games consistently, a style that puts tremendous pressure on their bullpen. But in this run-depressed era of baseball -- especially in a pitcher's ballpark -- they have a fighting chance as long as their arms stay healthy. Maybe October in Pittsburgh still belongs to the Steelers alone, the way it has been for 19 years. But can baseball matter again in September in Pittsburgh? It actually seems possible this year.

The risk for the big reward: The Penguins should pay Crosby whatever he wants

By Ron Cook
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
June 12, 2012

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 20: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on against the Philadelphia Flyers in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Consol Energy Center on April 20, 2012 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Penguins general manager Ray Shero doesn't need my advice, your advice or anybody's advice. He's a smart man. He's very good at what he does. He gets it.

"What? Are we not going to pay Sidney Crosby?" Shero asked. "He'll tell us what he wants and we'll pay it."

That was in July 2010 when Crosby was, undisputedly, the best hockey player in the world. It was six months before he left the lineup for the first extended time because of concussion-like symptoms. He returned to play eight games in November 2011 before being out for another prolonged period because of more concussion-like symptoms that were attributed to a neck injury. Now, as a result, some consider him to be -- potentially -- damaged goods.

It doesn't matter.

The strategy has to be the same for the Penguins now as it was two years ago.

They need to pay Crosby whatever he wants for as long as he wants.

If you believe the speculation -- it has been ongoing for months because Crosby can become an unrestricted free agent after the 2012-13 season -- it could happen soon. CBC in Canada speculated over the weekend the Penguins and Crosby are close to a 10-year, $90 million deal. That doesn't seem quite right because of the money. It's foolish to think $90 million isn't a lot, but Crosby could do so much better on the open market. CBC's reasoning for him taking less here is that he's happy in Pittsburgh and wants to give Shero wiggle room to sign other players because he wants so badly to win multiple Stanley Cup titles. That's exactly what Crosby did with his previous contract for $8.7 million a year. I've never been one to hold it against any pro athlete for trying to get as much as he can. Careers are short and can end at any time. Crosby should realize that better than anyone. But if he's willing to take $9 million a year, that's great for the Penguins. It seems like a steal for the club, actually.


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/ron-cook/the-risk-for-the-big-reward-the-penguins-should-pay-crosby-whatever-he-wants-639947/#ixzz1xZbhVkh1

Burnett appreciation is equally mutual

By Ron Cook

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

June 11, 2012

    

 

PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 10: A.J. Burnett #34 of the Pittsburgh Pirates reacts to the fans after pitching into the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals during interleague play on June 10, 2012 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pirates defeated the Royals 3-2. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

 

We could start with the no-hitter that A.J. Burnett took into the sixth inning Sunday at PNC Park or the fact that he gave his team's tired bullpen a much-needed lift by pitching into the eighth or -- the bottom line -- the sizzling Pirates' 3-2 win against the Kansas City Royals, their 12th win in 15 games.

But why not get to the best part of the day right at the start?

After Pirates manager Clint Hurdle went to the mound and took the ball from Burnett in the eighth, the crowd of 25,752 stood as one and roared as Burnett started the long, slow walk toward the dugout. It was a chilling moment on a hot, late-spring afternoon. So was the one that followed. Burnett took off his cap and held it high to the crowd. "You appreciate me? I appreciate you!"

"I've had a couple like that in my career," Burnett said afterward. "My last start in Toronto and a couple in Yankee Stadium. You never forget them. You have to respond when you get those. It was unbelievable."

It also was symbolic of Burnett's relationship with Pittsburgh. Pirates fans, though punished over the years with one losing season after another, 19 in all, are knowledgeable and realize they have a real, live, breathing ace on their team. Burnett, after pitching in the mecca of baseball in New York for the Yankees, has found happiness, in of all places, a town that many players long have considered to be purgatory. Remember how pitcher Edwin Jackson turned down $30 million over three years in the winter to sign for one year and $11 million with the Washington Nationals? Remember how out-of-work All-Star Roy Oswalt wouldn't even take the Pirates' call to measure his interest in pitching for them?

Well, here comes Burnett, who says he loves the place.

How cool is that?


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/ron-cook/cook-burnett-appreciation-is-equally-mutual-639884/#ixzz1xUfAZIbF

Ron Cook: rcook@post-gazette.com. Ron Cook can be heard on the "Vinnie and Cook" show weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 93.7 The Fan.

From Pirates to D-Lee, with love

By Dejan Kovacevic
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

http://triblive.com/sports/
June 11, 2012

PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 10: Andrew McCutchen #22 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits an RBI double in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals during interleague play on June 10, 2012 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

TO: Derrek Lee

FROM: Your old friends

What’s up, D-Lee?

Remember us?

Hope all’s well out on your yacht or sun patio or wherever you are out there in Cali. We know how you love that coast.

Hey, just wanted to touch base … crazy thing … we’re, um, in FIRST PLACE.

No, really.

Been an amazing season.

And never better than Sunday: We beat the Royals, 3-2. A.J. Burnett took a no-no into the sixth, Cutch lasered a bomb to left — why do people keep pitching to him? — and the pen did its thing.

We’ve won four in a row. We’ve got the best record in the majors — 12-3 — since May 25. We swept an interleague series for the first time since 2001. We even drew 101,133 for the weekend, sunny skies at PNC, the whole deal.

You should’ve been here.

But you know what?

Don’t take this badly: We’re kind of glad you aren’t.

Sure, it was awesome how you came over from the Orioles at the trade deadline last July and hit .337. Looked like your prime. And defensively, nobody picks it at first like D-Lee. It was cool having a player of your caliber wearing our uniform, even if just for a couple months.

But what happened in the winter, man?

Neal Huntington personally visited you and your agent. Clint Hurdle called you so often you made it to speed-dial. A few of us called or texted, too.

Nothing.

Then, in December, the Pirates even put up the cash. (Doesn’t happen every day. Trust us.) They offered $7.25 million in arbitration. Guaranteed at age 36. And they would have gone higher!

Guess anything was better than the Pirates, huh?

Yeah, we know you’ve turned down a couple other teams, too. Read in the Milwaukee paper that the Brewers tried just last month. But we’ll still take this personally because a) you were with us last, and b) we’ll bet nobody’s offered anywhere close to what we put on the table.

Admit it, you thought we’d stink again.

Can’t say we blame you, to an extent. You got here five days after Jerry Meals made a call so atrocious he could work for the Nevada Boxing Commission. We’d just begun a 10-game losing streak and wound up 18-37 post-D-Lee.

We did stink. And, yeah, we’ve stunk for 19 years.

We also realize you weren’t alone in this. Edwin Jackson turned down our $30 million to take the Nationals’ $11 million. Roy Oswalt wouldn’t even take Neal’s calls!

But you’re different. You saw our pitching first-hand.

You saw James McDonald at his best down the stretch. You saw Joel Hanrahan striking out the world. You saw our depth. And you probably noticed in the offseason when management ponied up $17 million to get A.J. and Erik Bedard.

Even we didn’t think we’d pitch this well — our 3.25 ERA is third-best in the majors! — but there were enough signs.

We still don’t hit so well, you might have noticed. But we’ve got one of the game’s best young players — no, scratch “young” — in Andrew McCutchen. We’ve got Neil Walker, too, and … well, let’s just say you would have been a fine fit coming back in the cleanup spot.

We don’t need much. With this win, we’re 31-12 when we score two lousy runs.

Insane, right?

It’s because we’re all chipping in at least a little, like we did again yesterday. Hanrahan couldn’t go, so Jason Grilli stepped up for the save, then nearly threw his shoulder out of its socket celebrating.

We got a nice bounce-back from Juan Cruz, too. And instead of Cutch generating all the offense … OK, he did generate all the offense.

And A.J. … wow. Dude’s got two World Series rings, comes here at 35 years old and, instead of seeing us the way everyone’s seen us for so long, he saw a chance to do something special.

“Wouldn’t trade it for the world,” he told the Trib last week.

If A.J. leads this team into … well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves … let’s just say he’ll have achieved something no one else has in Major League Baseball in exactly 20 years.

We’ll be blunt: It’s nice to have players who want to be here, who want to win here.

Clint Barmes was our biggest free-agent signing this winter, and, yeah, it’s been a huge struggle. But he’s coming out of it, and no one here questions if he cares. Or if he believes in what this team can do.

Listen to what he said yesterday about bringing future free agents here: “If we’re playing winning baseball, if we turn it around … who wouldn’t want to play here? The city, the ballpark, the passion of the fans … it’s been fun to be part of it. Sometimes, it just takes one big year. Who’s to say free agents won’t be begging to come here?”

Right. Instead of the other way around.

Have a swell summer.

Sincerely,

THE FIRST-PLACE 2012 PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Steelers safety Troy Polamalu reflects on the simplistic approach of Jets QB Tim Tebow

By Jason Cole
http://sports.yahoo.com/
June 7, 2012

PITTSBURGH – The last time Steelers safety Troy Polamalu was on the field, he left amid a dizzying moment of loss, frenetic energy and striking religious symbolism. For a man who is extraordinarily religious himself, watching Tim Tebow beat the Steelers was an interesting, if somewhat painful, experience.

Ultimately, Polamalu is sincerely curious about Tebow as a person … and fascinated by the quarterback's ability.

Tebow, traded to the New York Jets in the offseason after leading the Denver Broncos to the playoffs and a stunning overtime win over Polamalu's Steelers, has a captivated audience watching to see how his career turns out. Polamalu is clearly among those observers.

"There were so many things about him that were like playing a veteran and so many things like playing a rookie," Polamalu said, succinctly and perfectly summarizing the dichotomy that is Tebow, the player.

Pittsburgh's defensive goal in any game is to attack the quarterback, using its frenetic 3-4 scheme to strike fear and confusion with a variety of blitzes. Consequently, what the Steelers did was create opportunity for Tebow. That opportunity was magnified because starting safety Ryan Clark wasn't there to protect the deep part of the field (backup Ryan Mundy made numerous coverage mistakes).

"When things break down, [Tebow] is a little like [Steelers quarterback] Ben [Roethlisberger]," Polamalu said, paying Tebow a huge compliment. Roethlisberger is the NFL's best improvisational quarterback. His combination of size, strength and ability to throw deep make Roethlisberger one of the most dangerous passers in the league when the X's and O's get scattered and it becomes a schoolyard game.

On the flipside of that high praise, Polamalu remains stunned at the simplicity of the offense Denver ran with Tebow and came away with one strong conclusion:

"You can't run that offense unless you have a great defense to go with it," said Polamalu, who remembers going through the playoff game thinking time after time …

"There's no way they're going to run that same route again," he said. "As a safety, part of your job is to eliminate certain routes that you don't think they're going to run. I would line up and say, 'They ran that the last time, there's no way they're going to run it again.' Then they did. The next time, 'There's no way they're going to run that again,' then they did.

"It was an incredibly simple offense that you just don't think can work in this league, but it worked for them with the kind of talent they had."

Polamalu alternates between admiring Tebow and understanding that there are great flaws in Tebow's game. A weakness for Tebow is quick, rhythm throws into tight spots. That's a problem because the NFL puts such a strong emphasis on that type of offense.
Polamalu and the rest of the football-loving world watched Denver's next playoff game as an extremely limited and vanilla New England Patriots defense made Tebow look like a high schooler about 500 feet in over his head.

"The Patriots sat back and did nothing on defense in that game," Polamula said. That's not a slap at the Patriots. It's an observation on strategy.

The Patriots played an extremely simple, disciplined game plan featuring a base, two-deep defense with soft coverage by the secondary. Up front, the Patriots almost never blitzed and didn't bring an extra pass rusher unless Tebow broke the pocket. On option running plays where Tebow served as a de facto running back, the Patriots played the most simplistic, fundamental football you could imagine.

It was the kind of defense that a competent, efficient passer should have lit up for big numbers. While the Broncos may not have beaten New England and its high-powered offense that day, the fact that Tebow was reduced to nothing was telling.

Against Pittsburgh, Tebow finished 10 of 21 for 316 yards with two touchdown passes. He also rushed 10 times for 50 yards and another score and was not sacked.

When that game ended on Tebow's 80-yard touchdown pass to DeMaryius Thomas, it was biblical stuff by sports standards. There's no way that Denver was supposed to beat Pittsburgh. Compared to the Broncos, David was almost a favorite in the battle with Goliath.

Against New England, Tebow was 9 of 26 for 136 yards, zero touchdowns, five carries for 13 yards and one lost fumble.

Anyone who thinks the Patriots' defense is that much better than the Steelers needs a brain scan.

But that's the rub. Against the Steelers' defense, which put a premium on pressuring the quarterback, Tebow was at his best.

Against a defense that should have allowed a quarterback to put up great numbers, however, Tebow was awful. In other words, Tebow is and was an enigma, comparable to a great player at certain moments.

And to a rookie at others.

Fleury deserves competition

By Joe Starkey
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
http://triblive.com/sports/
June 7, 2012

If the Penguins’ only rationale for giving Tomas Vokoun a $4 million contract had been to provide Marc-Andre Fleury a mentor and more rest, well, that wouldn’t have been good enough.

Fleury doesn’t need a mentor.

Contrary to popular belief, he doesn’t need more rest, either.

Fleury played in precisely 86 games in 2009 — including playoffs — and, if memory serves, looked pretty fresh in the last two games of the Stanley Cup Final. He’s only 27, a year older than fabulous Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick.

People are freaking out that Fleury played in 67 games this season? Quick played in 69. It doesn’t seem to have hampered him on the Kings’ run toward a championship.

So, yes, there was more to the Vokoun acquisition. You don’t bring in a goalie with No. 1 talent — his career save percentage (.917) is eight points higher than Fleury’s — and pay him $2 million a year to baby-sit.

You bring him in as a viable option in case your starter stinks in the playoffs again.

Three straight years is enough.

As a card-carrying member of The Fleury Apologist Society, I have defended the man since the moment he walked into the dressing room as an 18-year-old. My defense has been the same one I use for Ben Roethlisberger: Even if Fleury’s numbers are pedestrian, he finds a way to win and does his best work in the biggest games.

The latter simply isn’t true anymore.

How could the Penguins live with themselves if they were to watch Fleury flop again next spring without giving themselves an alternative?

Sorry, but Fleury cannot live off that terrific 2009 run forever. Yes, he has a Cup on his resume. So does Antti Niemi. So do J-S Giguere and Cam Ward. The Cup does not buy a goalie permanent playoff impunity.

Fleury is the starter, of course. General manager Ray Shero has said as much, and Fleury has earned that. He is coming off another excellent regular season. But these are his past three postseason save percentages:

2010: .891 (this was the year he kept giving up questionable early goals against Montreal, was pulled from Game 7 and was told in no uncertain terms to get his stuff together for 2011).

2011: .899 (this was the year he played well in Game 7 but with chances to clinch in Games 5 and 6 allowed eight goals on 35 shots).

2012: .834 (this was the year he was lit up like a pinball machine, allowing 26 goals in six games, tied for third-most all-time in a six-game series, behind only Arturs Irbe in 1995 and Gump Worsley in 1958. Worsley played without a mask).

I asked Shero on Tuesday if Vokoun provides the team a legitimate postseason option should Fleury falter again.

“Yeah,” Shero said. “It depends on how Tomas is playing, certainly, but with a guy like Vokoun, the last five or six years his save percentage is amongst the best in the league, and that’s playing lots of games.

“Internal competition is good. I hope it’s going to (bring out) the best in Marc. And the same thing with Tomas. He’s got a guy like Marc who’s going to push him for the net. That’s what we’re looking for.”

Sounds good to me. Given that kind of rationale, the acquisition makes all the sense in the world.

Shero said he first learned of Vokoun’s availability in a talk with agent Allan Walsh, who represents Vokoun and Fleury. The question they broached: “How can we help Marc-Andre get better?”

Some might say the best answer to that question would be to, you know, play defense, and those people would have a legitimate point.

Fleury has been far from the only reason for the Penguins’ early playoff departures. But he’s been a reason.

With the signing of Vokoun, the Penguins became just the fifth team in the NHL to have as much as $7 million invested in their goaltenders.

That’s a ton of money.

One way or another, they need a better return on their investment next spring.

Joe Starkey co-hosts a show 2 to 6 p.m. weekdays on 93.7 “The Fan.” His columns appear Thursdays and Sundays. He can be reached at jraystarkey@gmail.com.

Burnett fuel behind Pirates’ fire

By Dejan Kovacevic
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
http://triblive.com/sports/
June 6, 2012

CINCINNATI, OH - JUNE 5: A.J. Burnett #34 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches against the Cincinnati Reds during the game at Great American Ball Park on June 5, 2012 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Tyler Barrick/Getty Images)

CINCINNATI- Jeff Banister, the Pirates’ bench coach, has been forced to serve as manager only once this summer. That was May 2 in St. Louis, and cruel as fate can be, it was on that night that the team’s heart-and-soul, 27-year employee had to make what still stands as the season’s most compelling managerial decision.

It brings a cringe even now.

A.J. Burnett was getting crushed, his pitches flat and the Cardinals’ bats in flames.

“He had nothing,” Banister was recalling Tuesday in the visitors’ dugout at Great American Ball Park. “It was just boom, boom, boom.”

Clint Hurdle had been ejected for arguing, so Banister was in charge as the Cardinals took a 7-0 lead through two innings.

He sent Burnett back out for the third.

I’m guessing I wasn’t the only one watching back in Pittsburgh surprised by that.

But Charlie Morton had imploded after 41⁄3 innings the previous day, the bullpen was threadbare, and as Banister put it, “We had no choice. We needed A.J. to get us what he could.”

He did, but not for long. With Carlos Beltran’s second three-run home run off Burnett, Banister went to the mound with two outs in the third.

The Cardinals led, 12-0.

“I remember taking the ball from A.J.,” Banister said. “I let him know how much he means to us and … ”

Banister became visibly emotional for a moment.

“I didn’t know how he’d react. I didn’t want to turn and look.”

Some starters will go all Carlos Zambrano on the Gatorade cooler. Some will sulk in the clubhouse. Some will bite their lip all summer, bitter about blowing up their ERA.

Burnett quietly grabbed a cup of water, toweled off his hair a bit and sat on the bench.

At the end nearest Banister.

“A.J. wanted everyone to see he was OK,” Banister said. “He wanted everyone to see he supported us and that he was there for his teammates. He cheered us on all night.”

Banister shook his head.

“I can’t tell you what this player has meant to our club.”

I think he just did.

If not, this will: With Burnett’s five tough-it-out innings — three runs, five hits, eight strikeouts — in the Pirates’ 8-4 win over the first-place Reds last night, his ERA is 3.76. Subtract that St. Louis debacle, and it’s a Cy Young-level 1.89 over the other eight starts.

He’s also 5-2, with four wins in a row, and has dramatically upgraded his control with 96 strikeouts against 19 walks. A year ago with the Yankees, his 83 walks were second in the American League, his 25 wild pitches the most.

It’s been a terrific return for the two years and $13 million of Burnett’s contract the Pirates assumed this spring.

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/1899588-74/burnett-banister-pirates-dejankovacevic-joestarkey-tuesday-wanted-ball-boom-cardinals

Dejan Kovacevic is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at dkovacevic@tribweb.com.

Pittsburgh: Yes, Clevelanders, there's a lot to love about your sister city

By Eric Susyne and John Kappes                 
The Cleveland Plain Dealer
http://www.cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer
June 2, 2012

Except for two football Sundays a year, when the colors you wear can spell life or death, Pittsburgh and Cleveland are sister cities.

It's not the architecture. Pittsburgh has more of an East Coast feel to its neighborhoods than Cleveland -- more Queens than West Park.

It's because the two places are so complementary: We have the orchestra and an art museum full of Old Masters; they have Andy Warhol and an internationally celebrated festival of contemporary art every few years. We have the Heights and acres of Tudor homes; they have Shadyside and Squirrel Hill, where old money meets students with nothing going on but the rent.

A weekend by the Three Rivers can make for a great summer getaway. Just be warned: Unless you have a compass strapped to your wrist, abandon all hope of knowing where you are for your first two or three visits. This city of one-way streets, steep hills and detour-laden bridges can be an adventure to navigate.

But there is help. Here is our notebook from a warm May weekend.

Friday: shopping and strolling

After dropping into town via I-279 South and zigzagging onto the Boulevard of the Allies, we headed straight to Walnut Street in the Shadyside neighborhood, east of downtown, for a morning of boutique-hopping and a stylish alfresco lunch.

We parked in one of the public parking lots behind Walnut (beware the resident-only side streets with their pricey parking tickets) and immediately fortified ourselves with espresso drinks and croissants at the Coffee Tree. This airy, open-fronted coffeehouse is a perfect starting point to plot a Shadyside morning or afternoon.

Walnut Street is chock-a-block with a mix of local and national upper-end retailers. One favorite of ours is Toadflax, a chic shop full of exotic flowers, plants, antiques and tastefully curated items for the home.

We continued strolling on Walnut, popping into a branch of Williams-Sonoma, admiring women's designer shoes in the windows of several shops, picking up a jar of locally made cacciatore sauce at a gourmet grocer and sniffing heavy bars of French soap on display at Schiller's Pharmacy.

Imagine that, Cleveland: Strolling and shopping right in the city, not in a suburban mall.

Lunch was a pleasant outdoor affair at Girasole, Pittsburgh's answer to an Italian trattoria. Girasole is a favorite of Pittsburgh's "ladies (and gentlemen) who lunch."

If the weather is good, there is a tiny outdoor patio perfect for a long, lingering meal. We enjoyed a glass of wine and pasta dishes including spaghettini with littleneck clams. Girasole uses specially made pasta from Fede, a Pittsburgh-based company with a passion for Old World pasta-making. (We were strongly tempted to put in a mail order then and there.)

From Walnut Street, it was a short ride to South Highland Avenue, another Shadyside enclave, this one specializing in antiques, home furnishings and independent shops. We loved popping into River House Antiques and navigating the jampacked rooms -- yes, plural -- of authentic 18th- and 19th-century furniture, prints and paintings. (Just remember, as Debbie Harry once sang, that dreaming is free.)

On the other end of the aesthetic spectrum -- but nearby -- is Weisshouse, an ultra-contemporary Pittsburgh furniture store. Between the two, we always enjoy Penhollows, a locally owned gift/book/decor shop.

En route to our accommodations, we stopped on South Craig Street and headed for the Caliban Book Shop, a great example of the dwindling breed of independent, used-and-rare bookstores. You could easily spend an hour browsing the inventory of quality nonfiction, art or history titles. One of us was pried out long before that.

Friday night: charming digs and eats

Driving across town to the South Side, the historic neighborhood across the Monongahela River from downtown, we checked in at the Morning Glory Inn on Sarah Street. The Victorian-style bed-and-breakfast is a convenient and comfortable way to experience an evening on the South Side without having to drive.

The inn has open living-room areas on the ground and second floors, perfect for pre-dinner lounging. Rooms are decorated in period style, right down to the clawfoot tub with brass shower, but with extremely comfy foam mattresses. Rates range from $155 to $450 a night (the latter for a separate guest house). Note that it's often full on weekends from spring to fall for wedding parties, so book early.

A five-block-long walk from the Morning Glory took us to Dish Osteria. An unassuming door on 17th Street leads into one of the most charming restaurants in Pittsburgh.

We swore we were in a true Italian osteria (casual eatery), what with Dish's polished wood tables, muted lighting and authentic Sicilian menu and wine list. We enjoyed a perfect aperitivo (cocktail) at the atmospheric bar before moving to a table and savoring dishes such as carpaccio of tuna with shaved fennel and the lightest ricotta gnocchi imaginable.

We strolled back to the inn via East Carson Street, which is literally lined with bars catering to the 20-something crowd that streams in from across the bridges every weekend, chuckling at the "colorful" language (and high, high heels) of the revelers.

Saturday morning: a cultural beginning

Breakfast at the inn is leisurely and homemade; fresh fruit, juice, buttermilk waffles, good strong coffee and newspapers in a converted, fireplaced kitchen lent a good start to the morning.

Thinking we would have a more cultural and less retail-driven day, we started off at a Pittsburgh cultural institution: the Carnegie Museum of Art.

The Carnegie regularly hosts important special exhibitions such as the recently closed examination of artist/sculptor Maya Lin, along with owning a world-class permanent collection of painting and sculpture.

In the past, we've been lucky enough to be in town for the Carnegie International, a curated, cutting-edge show of contemporary art that the museum hosts every few years (next up in October 2013).
A visit here can be a full-morning event if you also visit the adjacent Carnegie Museum of Natural History, usually ringed in school buses.

Saturday afternoon: sushi and history

After the Sicilian food at dinner the previous night, we were craving sushi. One of Pittsburgh's best Japanese spots was a short drive away. Sushi Two in Shadyside features some of the freshest fish in town, along with reasonably priced specials, guaranteeing a steady lunchtime crowd.

We then made our way to another great Pittsburgh institution: the Frick Art & Historical Center on Reynolds Street, just east of Shadyside. Most people associate Frick with the Frick Collection in New York City; however, Pittsburgh was the home of Henry Clay Frick, the turn-of-the-20th-century industrialist millionaire. Unlike John D. Rockefeller and Cleveland, Frick and his money stayed put.
Within the compound are the Frick home (open for scheduled tours), an extensively manicured yard and gardens, a small yet impressive museum of 18th- and 19th-century European painting (including works by Rubens and Fragonard) and an impressive collection of vintage automobiles.

The latter is especially delightful, with examples ranging from horse-driven carriages to Frick's daughter Helen's sleek 1931 Model K Sport Phaeton Lincoln. She must have been a pistol.

A video presentation on the history of Pittsburgh's auto industry shows early cars being raised up the city's hills on a funicular. Even with modern roads, the traveler can sympathize.

In need of a lift of our own, we enjoyed afternoon tea at the Frick cafe, a lovely formal restaurant on the grounds. We drank special Russian tea and nibbled on homemade scones with jam and clotted cream in the open air on a gorgeous afternoon.

We made our way back to the Morning Glory Inn for some relaxation time before dinner. The New Orleans-style courtyard at dusk is the perfect setting for an evening drink -- we schlepped in our own mini bar -- in preparation for a night on the town.

Saturday night: elegant exploration

We called a taxi and ventured into the Strip District near downtown for dinner and drinks at Eleven Contemporary Kitchen on Smallman Street, an elegant starting point for exploring the area.
(Like Cleveland, Pittsburgh is not a big taxi town, so we had to call back and "remind" the dispatcher twice that we had a tough-to-get weekend reservation at the restaurant.)

The Strip District is a half-square-mile patch northeast of downtown Pittsburgh and a bustling zone of late-night restaurants and bars. Acclaimed television chef Lidia Bastianich, whose son is a business partner of uber-chef Mario Batali, has a restaurant here.

Eleven is definitely an upper-end, "Saturday night out" kind of place. We enjoyed exquisitely crafted martinis (made with Dolin Blanc vermouth and goat-cheese-stuffed olives) and entrees such as grilled swordfish with Italian sausage and mussels.

Back on the South Side, after a much nicer cab experience, we decided on a nightcap at the bar of Ibiza, a bustling, contemporary Spanish restaurant on East Carson catering to a more sophisticated and older clientele than most of the college or sports bars on the street.

We enjoyed the atmosphere and music -- and mused on how irrelevant the Cleveland vs. Pittsburgh debate has become, with each city now boasting great eateries, cultural institutions and unique finds.

Sunday: a favorite stop

Over breakfast at the inn, we navigated a path out of the city (which was more complex than usual, since a marathon had shut down most of the major thoroughfares -- and bridges -- in and out of town). Kudos to Google Maps on our Kindle Fire and the good advice of our evening taxi driver, who pointed us to the obscure but crucial Hot Metal Bridge.

Before leaving the city, we dropped into City Books, a rickety yet beloved bookstore run by a retired Pitt philosophy professor. This shop, nestled on East Carson not far from the Morning Glory, has always been a fond stop for us.

A big portion of our collection of rare art books has come from the shelves here. It's also fun to chat with the owner about the changes the city has seen over the years.

We're always a little worried that it might not be there whenever we return, but the owner manages to hold out and hold on. If it ever did close, it would be a big loss for anyone addicted to book culture.
Car packed, we made our way to Robinson Town Centre, a sprawling suburban mall that is famous for one thing that irks true Clevelanders (because we don't have it) -- a branch of Swedish retail giant Ikea. After an hour of looking at sofas, beds, kitchen implements and trash cans with elaborate, unpronounceable names, we left with tired feet and a $6.99 cheese knife.

By 4 p.m., we were back on the North Coast, where north is a lake and no one bothers with bridges. We said sister cities, after all, not twins.


Eric Susyne is a freelance writer in Cleveland Heights. John Kappes is arts and entertainment editor of The Plain Dealer.

48 hours in Pittsburgh

Miles from Cleveland: 133.
Main attractions: Museums (the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Andy Warhol Museum, the Mattress Factory Art Museum); schools (Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University); high-end shopping (see below); riding the hills on the funicular.
Don’t miss: Home-decor shop Toadflax (5500 Walnut St.; 412-621-2500) in Shadyside; City Books (1111 E. Carson St.; 412-481-7555) on the South Side.
Family-friendly attractions: The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh is a huge hit with the under-12 set (and their parents). The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, Carnegie Science Center and the National Aviary also earn high marks from residents and visitors alike.
Adult quotient/cool quotient: Although its blue-collar roots still show, a solid 6.5 out of 10 on both scales, with a growing dining scene as well as live music along East Carson Street on the South Side.
Shopping: Walnut Street in Shadyside has everything from a Sephora and a Benetton to a local shop selling Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik shoes.
Lodging: Victorian-style bed-and-breakfast Morning Glory Inn, with rooms from $155 (2119 Sarah St.; 412-431-1707 or gloryinn.com); the stately Omni William Penn Hotel, with rooms from about $200 (530 William Penn Place; 412-281-7100 or tinyurl.com/williampenn).
Dining: Favorites from this trip include Dish Osteria (128 S. 17th St.; 412-390-2012); Eleven Contemporary Kitchen (1150 Smallman St.; 412-201-5656); Girasole (733 Copeland St.; 412-682-2130).
Getting around: Some areas such as Walnut Street and the South Side are easily walkable, but this is a city of bridges, so a car or taxi remains essential.
Along the way: Robinson Town Centre (off I-376 at exit 59) for Swedish megastore Ikea (see ikea.com/us/en/store/pittsburgh).
Total cost for weekend: $850, including about $400 for accommodations and $350 for dining out.

Related topics: caliban book shop, carnegie museum of art, city books, dish osteria, eleven contemporary kitchen, frick art & historical center, girasole, morning glory inn, pittsburgh, river house antiques, toadflax