The latest news from PiratesDugout.com. Pittsburgh sports news and updates from the Steel City & The Insiders. Includes coverage from 2004 NFL Draft, Steelers, Panthers, Pirates, Penn State, and Notre Dame. http://pirates.scout.com/ http://media.scout.com/media/rss/scout.gif http://pirates.scout.com/ en-us Copyright © 2009 PiratesDugout.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved. This website is an unofficial and independent source of news and information, and is not affiliated with any school, team or league. gvb@ix.netcom.com info@scout.com Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:59:08 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss Scout.com RSS Engine v1.0 (Server:SUMMIT) 60 Jeff Clement fully understands he has yet to live up to the hype he generated as an amateur, setting the national high school record for career home runs in Marshalltown, Iowa, then becoming the all-time leader in homers as an All-America catcher at the University of Southern California. http://pirates.scout.com/2/921691.html The Sports Xchange http://pirates.scout.com/2/921691.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:01:00 GMT 0 234 Pittsburgh pirates Matt Capps’ rough 2009 season pales in comparison to what he has experienced in the early stages of the offseason. His 61-year-old father, Mike, died Oct. 22 from injuries suffered from a fall at his home in Douglasville, Ga. http://pirates.scout.com/2/919996.html The Sports Xchange http://pirates.scout.com/2/919996.html Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:16:00 GMT 0 234 Pittsburgh pirates Pirates third baseman Andy LaRoche termed the 2009 Pirates season an embarrassment and hopes to improve on his numbers - .258 batting average with 12 home runs and 64 RBI. He is also hoping that the young Pirates can take some steps forward as a team. PiratesDugout.com's George Von Benko spoke with LaRoche recently. http://pirates.scout.com/2/919220.html George Von Benko http://pirates.scout.com/2/919220.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:59:00 GMT 1 234 Pittsburgh pirates Kyle Morgan was selected in the 36th round of the 2008 draft out of the University of San Francisco. The 23-year old first baseman batted a combined .274 at State College and West Virginia with 12 home runs and 49 RBI in 63 games. PiratesDugout.com’s George Von Benko caught up with Morgan recently. http://pirates.scout.com/2/918450.html George Von Benko http://pirates.scout.com/2/918450.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:37:00 GMT 1 234 Pittsburgh pirates The Pirates had three players participate in the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars game on Saturday. http://pirates.scout.com/2/917745.html PiratesDugout.com http://pirates.scout.com/2/917745.html Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:12:00 GMT 0 234 Pittsburgh pirates The Pirates acquired right-hander Brett Lorin in a seven-player trade with Seattle. The 22-year old posted a 3-1 record with a 1.57 ERA at Class A West Virginia. Prior to the trade, he was 5-4 with 2.44 ERA at Class A Clinton. PiratesDugout.com’s George Von Benko caught up with Lorin recently. http://pirates.scout.com/2/916864.html George Von Benko http://pirates.scout.com/2/916864.html Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:37:00 GMT 1 234 Pittsburgh pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates announced they have acquired infielder Akinori Iwamura from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for right-handed pitcher Jesse Chavez. http://pirates.scout.com/2/916116.html PiratesDugout.com http://pirates.scout.com/2/916116.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:12:00 GMT 0 234 Pittsburgh pirates Right-hander Hunter Strickland was acquired from the Boston Red Sox in the Adam LaRoche trade. The 21-year old posted a 4-2 record at Class A West Virginia with a 3.77 ERA. Prior to that at Class A Greenville he was 5-4 with a 3.35 ERA. PiratesDugout.com’s George Von Benko spoke with Strickland recently. http://pirates.scout.com/2/915420.html George Von Benko http://pirates.scout.com/2/915420.html Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:16:00 GMT 1 234 Pittsburgh pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates announced that Carlos Garcia has been named First Base Coach for the Major League Club. http://pirates.scout.com/2/914771.html PiratesDugout.com http://pirates.scout.com/2/914771.html Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:32:00 GMT 0 234 Pittsburgh pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates announced that they have claimed left-handed pitcher Justin Thomas off waivers from the Seattle Mariners. http://pirates.scout.com/2/914523.html PiratesDugout.com http://pirates.scout.com/2/914523.html Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:54:00 GMT 0 234 Pittsburgh pirates Jeff Clement was acquired from the Seattle Mariners in a seven player trade in July. The 26-year old 1b/c batted .288 with Tacoma of the PCL, with 14 home runs and 68 RBI. At Triple A Indianapolis he hit .224 with seven home runs and 22 RBI. Clement missed the last few weeks of the season with a strained oblique muscle. PiratesDugout.com’s George Von Benko spoke with Clement recently. http://pirates.scout.com/2/913466.html George Von Benko http://pirates.scout.com/2/913466.html Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:16:00 GMT 1 234 Pittsburgh pirates Right-hander Ross Ohlendorf made great strides this season, and was the Pirates most consistent hurler the second half of the season.The 26-year old posted an 11-10 record with a 3.92 ERA before being shutdown at the end of the season because of corncern over the number of innings he had pitched. PiratesDugout.com's George Von Benko caught up with Ohlendorf at the end of the season. http://pirates.scout.com/2/912244.html George Von Benko http://pirates.scout.com/2/912244.html Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:15:00 GMT 1 234 Pittsburgh pirates The Pirates acquired right-hander Nate Adcock in a seven-player trade with Seattle. Adcock was 5-7 with a 5.29 ERA at Class A High Desert in the California League and posted a 3-2 mark at Lynchburg with a 5.25 ERA. He helped the Hillcats captured the Carolina League title. PiratesDugout.com’s George Von Benko spoke with Adcock recently. http://pirates.scout.com/2/911171.html George Von Benko http://pirates.scout.com/2/911171.html Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:59:00 GMT 1 234 Pittsburgh pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates announced that Ray Searage will join the Major League coaching staff for the 2010 season. http://pirates.scout.com/2/910123.html PiratesDugout.com http://pirates.scout.com/2/910123.html Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:30:00 GMT 0 234 Pittsburgh pirates Second baseman Shelby Ford went through a rough season in 2009. The 24-year old started the season at Triple A Indianapolis and batted .188 in 86 games, with four home runs and 27 RBI. After being demoted to Double A Altoona he hit .233 in 29 games, with two home runs and 17 RBI. PiratesDugout.com’s George Von Benko spoke with Ford about rebounding from a tough season. http://pirates.scout.com/2/909417.html George Von Benko http://pirates.scout.com/2/909417.html Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:56:00 GMT 1 234 Pittsburgh pirates Garrett Jones spent 11 seasons in the minor leagues, including five at the Class AAA level, before getting a chance to be a regular after being called up from Indianapolis on July 30. The outfielder/first baseman responded by hitting .293 with 21 home runs and 45 RBI. PiratesDugout.com's George Von Benko caught up with Jones as the season ended. http://pirates.scout.com/2/908295.html George Von Benko http://pirates.scout.com/2/908295.html Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:09:00 GMT 1 234 Pittsburgh pirates Justin Wilson was selected in the fifth round of the 2008 draft by the Pirates out of Fresno State. After being selected, Wilson led Fresno State to the NCAA National Championship. The 22-year old lefty missed the 2008 season after signing so late, and pitched at Lynchburg this season compiling a 6-8 record with a 4.50 ERA. PiratesDugout.com’s George Von Benko spoke with Wilson recently. http://pirates.scout.com/2/907492.html George Von Benko http://pirates.scout.com/2/907492.html Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:48:00 GMT 1 234 Pittsburgh pirates Few clubs have ever gone through a more complete makeover during a season than the Pirates in 2009. http://pirates.scout.com/2/906096.html The Sports Xchange http://pirates.scout.com/2/906096.html Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:31:00 GMT 0 234 Pittsburgh pirates Outfielder Lastings Milledge appears to be settling in with Pirates after coming over from Washington at the trade deadline. The 24-year old has compiled a .299 batting average with the Bucs with four home runs and 20 RBI. PiratesDugout.com's George Von Benko spoke with Milledge recently. http://pirates.scout.com/2/905395.html George Von Benko http://pirates.scout.com/2/905395.html Sat, 03 Oct 2009 12:13:00 GMT 1 234 Pittsburgh pirates The Pirates finish the season with a three-game series in Cincinnati starting Friday night. http://pirates.scout.com/2/905199.html The Sports Xchange http://pirates.scout.com/2/905199.html Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:02:00 GMT 0 234 Pittsburgh pirates