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Pirates parting ways with infielder Vazquez

GameSetMatch — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:27:13 +0000

The Pirates unconditionally released infielder Ramon Vazquez on Thursday. If he signs elsewhere, that team will be responsible for $400,000 of Vazquez’s salary, and the Pirates will be on the hook for the other $1.6 million. If Vazquez does not sign with anyone this year, the Pirates will have to pay his entire $2 million salary.

» Second baseman Aki Iwamura got his first hit in a Pirates uniform, singling in the third inning off Chad Billingsley.

» The Pirates started three bench players: Ryan Church in left field in place of Lastings Milledge, Delwyn Young in right field for Garrett Jones and Bobby Crosby at shortstop in place of Ronny Cedeno. Jones started at first base for Jeff Clement.

» John Raynor, a Rule 5 pickup from Florida, made his major-league debut as a pinch hitter in the ninth. He walked.

Click here to read the full article – By Karen Price of PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW

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Steelers’ Moore proving more and more valuable

rsanrel — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:19:49 +0000

Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Ham telephoned yesterday on another matter. Eventually, the conversation turned to his old team. Who doesn’t sit up and listen when one of the NFL’s all-time greats talks about the Steelers? Without prompting, Ham brought up “that little No. 21.” He gushed about third-down back Mewelde Moore.

“He’s a guy who’s really stood out for me because he’s such a productive player,” Ham said. “When they need plays made out of the backfield, he makes them. He just does all the right things out there.”

Turns out Ham isn’t the only member of the Moore fan club.

It’s a sizable group inside the Steelers’ locker room.

“This guy is a professional,” coach Mike Tomlin said.

“A rare cat,” offensive coordinator Bruce Arians called Moore because of his “unique skill set” — his ability to block blitzing linebackers and beat linebackers, safeties and even the occasional cornerback on pass routes.

“The Chain Mover, we call him,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said.

It’s hard to say Moore is the most reliable player on a team that has tight end Heath Miller and defensive end Aaron Smith, whose performances always seem to be somewhere between terrific and extraordinary. But he would be in the top five. Earlier in the season, when some NFL scouts were knocking starting running back Willie Parker for losing a step and backup Rashard Mendenhall for being a No. 1 draft bust, they said Moore is too important on third downs and in the two-minute offense for the Steelers to use him in the featured role even if he might be their best runner.

Want a guy to pick up that blitzer looking to knock Roethlisberger into next week? Moore is your man. “He’s so good at it that I don’t ever have to worry about his guy because I know he’s going to block him,” Roethlisberger said.

Need a man to catch a 9-yard pass on third-and-8? Moore is the guy, at least when wide receiver Hines Ward and Miller are covered. Five of his 11 catches this season have gone for first downs, including the third-and-4 play he turned into a 19-yard touchdown against the San Diego Chargers Sunday night by bowling over safeties Eric Weddle and Steve Gregory. Seventeen of his 40 catches last season produced first downs. “He just understands the passing game so well,” said Ham, who isn’t too old to remember how difficult it was for him, as an outside linebacker, to cover that kind of back. “He doesn’t just flare out to the side. He understands how to get open, and he’s got good body control and good hands to go with it. A lot of running backs don’t have all that.”

Click here to read the full article – By Ron Cook of Post-gazette.com

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Vazquez cleared to play if knee allows

GameSetMatch — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:31:52 +0000

At his own request, utility infielder Ramon Vazquez had an MRI done on his right knee on Monday in hopes of identifying the source of some recent pain.

The MRI revealed no surgical problems, and Vazquez has been cleared to play to tolerance. General manager Neal Huntington said that Vazquez’s symptoms and level of discomfort will dictate how much he plays as the Pirates finish out the season.

Vazquez said that the knee has been sore and bothering him while he runs for a while now. On Friday, though, it also began aching when he braced himself after hitting a foul ball during one of his four plate appearances. That was what most concerned Vazquez.

Click here to read the full article – By Jenifer Langosch of MLB,com

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Offensive Line Paving Way for Pitt Offense

GameSetMatch — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:16:38 +0000

In the 54 times that Pitt quarterbacks have dropped back to pass this season, they’re yet to be taken down for a sack by the opposition. That’s the type of thing Bill Stull can get used to. “Our guys up front have handled themselves very well,” said Stull, a senior who has five touchdown passes on the year. “It’s awesome for myself and Tino [Sunseri].”

What’s even better for Pitt right now is the fact that the Panthers’ offensive line is helping the offense, both on the ground and in the air, to one of its better starts in the last few seasons. Pitt currently ranks seventh nationally in scoring with 46 points per game, has the nation’s third-leading rusher in Dion Lewis and is a perfect 11-of-11 in scoring during trips inside the red zone.

The strong offensive statistics are shown by players like Lewis and Dorin Dickerson, who have combined for nine touchdowns. But it starts on the offensive line, which coach Dave Wannstedt credited during his Monday press conference. Wannstedt said that he’s happy with the improvement he’s seen in the last week from the line, which has paved the way for a Pitt running attack that averages 6.5 yards per rush.

Click here to read the full article – By of pittsburghpanthers.com

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Pirates to hold “Roberto Clemente Day of Giving” on Friday

GameSetMatch — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:07:53 +0000

The “Day of Giving” is designed to give fans a chance to give back to the community in a variety of ways, as well as recognize some of the organization’s players for their committment to giving back.

Paul Maholm will be recognized in a pregame on-field ceremony as the team’s Roberto Clemente Award nominee. Each club has selected one of its players to receive the team award, which recognizes both on-field success and off-the-field efforts in the community. Maholm has dedicated extensive time this season to working with the Gilda’s Club of Western Pennsylvania.

Minor League players in the Pirates’ farm system are also each required to dedicate a minimum of 10 hours each season to community work as part of the Pirates Community Commitment Program. The organization will hand out an award to one player from each Minor League affiliate who has especially been dedicated to this program. Those award recipients include: Larry Broadway (Indianapolis), Jason Delaney (Altoona), Josue Peley (West Va.), Jared Keel (Lynchburg), Mike Williams (State College), Bradley Clapp (GCL) and Gavi Nivar (Dominican Summer League).

Click here to read the full article – By Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com

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