Podcast appearances and mentions of Ben Cherington

What does the Pirates lineup look like as they try to take the series in Arizona? Is there actually a way for Ben Cherington to save his job?

Helluva comeback last night for the Buccos, beating the Diamondbacks 9-6 after facing a 6-0 deficit after the 4th. A monster night for Bryan Reynolds, 4-4 with a 3-run HR to give the Pirates the lead. Paul Skenes gets the ball today as the Pirates try to take the series in Arizona. Poni highlighted the maturity of Skenes and how it really does feel like the guy wants to win here. We heard some audio from Skenes. Poni wants to see Skenes become AJ Burnett – or have a similar attitude to bring to the Pirates. More thoughts as to what a Paul Skenes trade could look like from another big MLB insider. Where do some of these prospects rank among MLB's Top 100? Bucco Minute – What does the Pirates lineup look like as they try to take the series in Arizona? Is there actually a way for Ben Cherington to save his job?

The Ben Cherington offense. Hear award-winning columnist Dejan Kovacevic's Daily Shots of Steelers, Penguins and Pirates -- three separate podcasts -- every weekday morning on the DK Pittsburgh Sports podcasting network, available on all platforms: https://linktr.ee/dkpghsports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this hour, Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson react to the Pirates' 5-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday. May 27, 2025, 6:00 Hour

Pirates insider Noah Hiles from the PG joined the show. Noah gave Ben Cherington a 50/50 shot of being back in 2026. If the team has a winning record in their remaining 100+ games, he thinks there is a real chance Cherington comes back. How will the team handle things at the trade deadline? Noah said Mitch Keller would be the biggest name that ‘could' be on the move by late July. Noah's bold prediction is that Spencer Horwitz finishes second on the team in HRs.

The Steelers have wrapped up the first day of OTAs and Aaron Rodgers was nowhere to be found. He hasn't signed with the team, so why expect him to be there? Is it a big deal that Rodgers hasn't signed yet? When will the Steelers finally hold his feet to the fire? Who is to blame over this? TJ Watt was also a no-show at OTAs. Did anyone out there watch Aaron Rodgers on the Joe Rogan podcast? Pirates insider Noah Hiles from the PG joined the show. Noah gave Ben Cherington a 50/50 shot of being back in 2026. If the team has a winning record in their remaining 100+ games, he thinks there is a real chance Cherington comes back. How will the team handle things at the trade deadline? Noah said Mitch Keller would be the biggest name that ‘could' be on the move by late July. Noah's bold prediction is that Spencer Horwitz finishes second on the team in HRs.

Where do the Steelers and Art Rooney slot in owners willing to do what it takes to win? Mike Jones of The Athletic has the Steelers stuck in struggle mode with the Falcons, Browns, Cowboys, Giants, Jets, and Titans. Ben Cherington quickly shut down any talk that the Pirates will trade Paul Skenes now.

Nick Cellini and Chris Dimino talk everything Atlanta Sports, the National Sports picture and the current (and WAY back when) in pop culture! Get the latest and your fill of Atlanta Braves, Georgia Bulldogs, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Hawks daily from two "Southern" Yankees daily Mon-Fri from 10a-2p! The 11am hour is presented by Trajan Weath. Planning for tomorrow starts today. Visit TrajanWealth.com to learn more about retirement and state planning. Our MVP is back!! Braves lose in extra innings in DC Red Zone 4-6-3 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Crowley reacts to the answer Pirates' GM Ben Cherington gave to a thought that many fans have been recently discussing.

The Post-Gazette's Adam Bittner and Jason Mackey react to a busy week of Pittsburgh sports news. Should OTAs be a red line for Steelers GM Omar Khan and coach Mike Tomlin in their pursuit of QB Aaron Rodgers? How important is the offseason program to his success, given that it didn't seem to matter much for Russell Wilson and Justin Fields? And how much worse off would the Steelers be with Mason Rudolph as their starter instead? Is the national media bashing he's received fair? Our duo tackles those questions; the difference between George Pickens and DK Metcalf as WR1; and the team's biggest remaining weakness after adding Derrick Harmon and Kaleb Johnson in the NFL draft. Later, the guys discuss the Penguins coaching search. Why does Mitch Love continue to make a lot of sense as a frontrunner? How much say should Sidney Crosby have in the hiring process? And how cool is it to watch Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury play together one last time at the IIHF world championships? Then in the third segment, airing on the PG's Pirates YouTube channel, our duo ponders Ben Cherington's options as the season continues to slip away. Is there a trade he can make to salvage his job? Is that a move he should be allowed to make, given his track record? Would firing him have a bigger practical or psychological impact? And what should we make of the Paul Skenes trade chatter, initiated this past week by ESPN's Jeff Passan? Adam and Jason give their thoughts, then analyze the catching situation with Henry Davis and Joey Bart. And Alexander Canario's recent hot streak.

What if the Pirates DID trade Paul Skenes? An AL team executive threw out a massive haul the Pirates could bring in if they called teams offering Skenes. But do you trust Ben Cherington to get it done? The guys are skeptical.

PG columnist Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason said his eyes were opened a bit to the idea of trading Paul Skenes based on what some American League executives told top baseball insiders. However, Jason doesn't think there is any chance the proposed trade would happen. How would the Pirates sell it to their fans? Jason hyped up the pitching they already have and can't stand what little they have done about their offense. Jason isn't confident the next offseason is run by Ben Cherington, if he even makes it through this 162. He thinks there's a chance Cherington is gone by the trade deadline.

What if the Pirates DID trade Paul Skenes? An AL team executive threw out a massive haul the Pirates could bring in if they called teams offering Skenes. But do you trust Ben Cherington to get it done? The guys are skeptical. Would callers take a deal for Paul Skenes? And why hasn't Bubba Chandler been called up? PG columnist Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason said his eyes were opened a bit to the idea of trading Paul Skenes based on what some American League executives told top baseball insiders. However, Jason doesn't think there is any chance the proposed trade would happen. How would the Pirates sell it to their fans? Jason hyped up the pitching they already have and can't stand what little they have done about their offense. Jason isn't confident the next offseason is run by Ben Cherington, if he even makes it through this 162. He thinks there's a chance Cherington is gone by the trade deadline.

The never-ending joke that is Ben Cherington's continued employment. Hear award-winning columnist Dejan Kovacevic's Daily Shots of Steelers, Penguins and Pirates -- three separate podcasts -- every weekday morning on the DK Pittsburgh Sports podcasting network, available on all platforms: https://linktr.ee/dkpghsports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Post-Gazette sports columnist Paul Zeise reacts to the day in Pittsburgh sports news live around 5 p.m. Eastern. Are the Pirates heading toward yet another five-year rebuild following the firing of Derek Shelton as manager and the continued lack of results from general manager Ben Cherington? Or should owner Bob Nutting consider other options if he makes front-office changes at some point in the coming weeks and months? Could a rebuild lead to a trade of star pitcher Paul Skenes sooner rather than later as national MLB insiders including ESPN's Jeff Passan have speculated recently? Or should they keep him in their rotation alongside names like Mitch Keller for as long as possible? And when will it finally be time for the team to promote star pitching prospect Bubba Chandler? Paul ponders those questions and more.

Noah thinks the Pirates may be playing Tommy Pham to trade him in exchange for something or cash considerations. Noah thinks the Pirates need to think about sending Colin Holderman to AAA and do what the Bucs did with David Bednar. Noah doesn't see Ben Cherington being let go before the draft.

Hour 2 with Joe Starkey: Noah thinks the Pirates may be playing Tommy Pham to trade him in exchange for something or cash considerations. Noah doesn't see Ben Cherington being let go before the draft. the Pirates need to think about sending Colin Holderman to AAA. Joe disagrees with the idea that the Pirates should trade Paul Skenes for Skenes' sake. We hear from the fans.

Should Paul Skenes hit? His head coaches at Air Force and LSU think he would have been a first-round pick as a hitter. He was an excellent hitter as a catcher and half the team is hitting below .200. Why is Ben Cherington still here? Joe thinks Cherington needs to go and not run the draft. This can't be another five year plan.

Hour 1 with Joe Starkey: The last time the Penguins had a winning percentage below .313 was during the 1983-84 season when they were losing for Mario. The last time the Steelers winning percentage was that bad at the end of the season was in 1969. Should Paul Skenes hit? How is Ben Cherington still here? Joe thinks Cherington needs to go and not run the draft.

Hour 1: The guys recap the Pirates' loss to the Reds last night and how Cincy is making Pittsburgh look even worse. An MLB Network analyst has suggested the Pirates trade Skenes. And Ben Cherington skipped his local radio show this past Sunday.

Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown joined the show. The guys asked Greg if he had any idea why Ben Cherington hasn't appeared on his radio show as of late. Greg was going through the lineup for tonight and what Cherington could have meant by saying it's a better team this year than last. Was it dumb of the team to expect some of the older players to have big seasons? What is wrong with Bryan Reynolds? Greg gave an update on Jared Jones and if he will ultimately have to face Tommy John surgery, mentioning that it is always up to the player to get the surgery.

Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown joined the show. The guys asked Greg if he had any idea why Ben Cherington hasn't appeared on his radio show as of late. Greg was going through the lineup for tonight and what Cherington could have meant by saying it's a better team this year than last. Was it dumb of the team to expect some of the older players to have big seasons? What is wrong with Bryan Reynolds? Greg gave an update on Jared Jones and if he will ultimately have to face Tommy John surgery, mentioning that it is always up to the player to get the surgery. The guys reacted to the chat with Greg and got into the sensitivity of the team. How much better did they expect to be at this point? Donny Football Debrief – Another college football ranking that will cause a stir. Plus, big Bill Belichick news.

Paul Skenes is electric. He's a superstar. And no, the Pittsburgh Pirates should not even entertain the idea of trading him — no matter what the national media says. On this episode of Bucco Brew, we break down why Skenes is already changing the trajectory of the franchise and why all these “should the Pirates trade him?” takes are absolutely insane. We also dive into Ben Cherington's growing scrutiny as the Pirates continue to underperform, give an update on Jared Jones' injury status, and talk prospects with Anthony Murphy — including who could be next to get the call. Plus, we preview the upcoming Reds series and what needs to change fast. Watch/Listen and subscribe for all things Pittsburgh Pirates. ☕ Powered by De Fer Coffee & Tea

Ben Cherington sat out his radio show again this week.

The Pirates are ruining Paul Skenes. We aren't the only ones saying it. And the team is getting him at his cheapest price right now. So, what does that say for when he gets a little bit more expensive? What has this front office done to tell us they will decide to spend more or spend well? Is there anything they can do to salvage this season? The guys talked about the lack of excitement for Bubba Chandler, who to his credit, is the 2nd ranked prospect in baseball. Ben Cherington sat out his radio show again this week. Weekend Review.

The Pirates wasted another gem from Paul Skenes, falling 1-0 to the Phillies and getting swept on the road. On today's NS9 Postgame Show powered by Primanti Bros, DiNardo and Ryan react to a brutal offensive performance that extended Pittsburgh's streak of scoring four runs or fewer to 23 straight games. We break down what went wrong at the plate, why the team can't seem to support elite pitching, and where things go from here. Is this the worst offensive stretch in recent franchise memory? What does it say about the direction of this club under Ben Cherington? Catch the full show for rants, stats, and some hard truths about where the Pirates stand right now.

The Pirates have not drafted well and signing international free agents. 45 at bats this season have come from players Ben Cherington has drafted. Chris Truby has been named to the Major League staff. Gene Lamont is back as an advisor to Don Kelly. Mike Rabelo will have increased roles in game planning.

Noah Hiles joins the show to talk about the Pirates. Is Ben Cherington safe after this season? Will Donny Kelly keep the job going into next season as team manager?

Another loss by the Pirates last night, falling 2-1 to the Mets. Are we still living and dying by the Pirates? When did that end? Can we ever get back to that? The home of Ben Cherington has hit the open market. The Pirates tell us that this has nothing to do with his job status – the team said he simply wants to be closer to PNC Park. Poni pointed out the list of players that have been drafted early by the Pirates that have not panned out whatsoever. Jeff Passan thinks the Pirates could consider trading Paul Skenes sooner rather than later if things don't turn positive. Should Ben Cherington be allowed to be the guy making that trade? Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk joined the show. The guys asked Mike about the hold the NFL has on some broadcast partners on leaking out the schedule ahead of time. Mike said everyone in the team headquarters knows the schedule at this point due to how much goes behind the social media content and release videos. Mike talked about the league planning on the Steelers adding Aaron Rodgers and how that could play a factor in the early games having key storylines. Mike talked about how some teams get tucked away if they aren't good. Mike thinks the Thanksgiving matchup between the Chiefs and Cowboys could be the most-watched game in NFL history.

The home of Ben Cherington has hit the open market. The Pirates tell us that this has nothing to do with his job status – the team said he simply wants to be closer to PNC Park. Poni pointed out the list of players that have been drafted early by the Pirates that have not panned out whatsoever.

The Don Kelly era is officially underway — and it starts with a series win over the Atlanta Braves. In this episode of Bucco Brew Powered by De Fer Coffee & Tea, we break down the Pirates' weekend, the early vibes around Donnie Baseball, and whether this team is actually headed in a new direction… or just riding a short-term boost. We also react to Ben Cherington's public comments, Bob Nutting's Q&A, and what it all says about the future of this front office. Plus: pitching matchups for the upcoming Mets series, who's stepping up on offense, and what the Pirates need to do this week to keep fans bought in. Subscribe for more Pirates content from the North Shore Nine crew.

Hour 4 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: The Pirates bunted well and played a good series. Bullpen usage with similar for Bob. It seemed like some tension was taken off the team. Carmen Mlozinski pitched well. Should Bubba Chandler be here already? Ben Cherington said on Sunday guys have not played up to their preseason predictions. Who are they guys not living up to expectations?? Did UCLA find a way for people, like Mullsy, to get his hair back?

The Pirates bunted well and played a good series. Bullpen usage with similar for Bob. It seemed like some tension was taken off the team. Carmen Mlozinski pitched well. Should Bubba Chandler be here already? Ben Cherington said on Sunday guys have not played up to their preseason predictions. Who are they guys not living up to expectations??

Hour 2 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: Bob Nightengale thinks there's a 1% chance baseball institute a salary cap. He thinks there's a chance for a salary floor. Joey Bart is a good player who has become Ben Cherington's best trade acquisition. Bob wants to see Henry Davis get considerable at-bats, but where will he play?

Joey Bart is a good player who has become Ben Cherington's best trade acquisition. Bob wants to see Henry Davis get considerable at-bats, but where will he play? You're not benching Bart or Andrew McCutchen and would have to move them to other positions.

The first impressions of the Don Kelly era as the Pirates beat the Braves 2 out of 3 times this weekend. Can this team take a step forward following the Derek Shelton firing? The guys quizzed Austin on some Pittsburgh sports knowledge. Pirates pre-post game host Dan Zangrilli joined the show. Dan gave his first impressions of what we saw from the Pirates in their first series under Don Kelly. The guys talked about a few of the mistakes of the weekend, but most of the stuff they liked. Why didn't Tommy Pham play? What can we view for Ben Cherington going forward?

Pirates pre-post game host Dan Zangrilli joined the show. Dan gave his first impressions of what we saw from the Pirates in their first series under Don Kelly. The guys talked about a few of the mistakes of the weekend, but most of the stuff they liked. Why didn't Tommy Pham play? What can we view for Ben Cherington going forward?

The Pittsburgh Pirates have officially fired manager Derek Shelton, and the NS9 crew is here with immediate reaction and full breakdown. Don Kelly has been named the new manager, and while the move comes as a shock to some, it's been a long time coming for many in the fanbase. In this episode, Anthony DiNardo and Tyler Sweeney go live to unpack everything: why Shelton was let go, what it says about Ben Cherington and the front office, and what Don Kelly's promotion signals for the rest of the 2025 season and beyond. They also discuss who might've made the final call, the team's disastrous start to the year, and what comes next for the struggling franchise. Plus, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette joins the show to provide inside perspective, including when he thinks Cherington's time might be up.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have officially fired manager Derek Shelton — and Neil and Doug are here to break it all down. Was this the right move? Did Shelton deserve to go? And who's really to blame for the Pirates' disastrous start? In this heated debate, the guys dive into the decision, dissect Ben Cherington's comments, and ask the big question: what's next for the Bucs?

Who is to blame for the Pirates disaster this season and the last 5+ years? It's year 6. Buster Olney on ESPN said Bob Nutting has to stop hoarding revenue sharing money and spend money on the team. This doesn't feel like a spark that will change things and Joe thinks it's more like a Bucco Brick hitting you. How do you feel?

Hour 1 with Joe Starkey: Who is to blame for the Pirates disaster this season and the last 5+ years? Since 2019, the Pirateshave spent $1.2 billion less than the Dodgers and $200 million less than the Brewers, according to Buster Olney on PTI. Does making Donny Kelly the manager change anything for the Pirates? The Pirates have fired game planning and strategy coach Radley Haddad.

Noah Hiles from The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette comes on The Fan Hotline to talk about the firing of Pirates' manager Derek Shelton.

Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson dive into this rumor to discuss why the Pirates may continue to be worse if GM Ben Cherington continues to be employed by the team.

Post-Gazette Pirates insider Noah Hiles and sports columnist Jason Mackey react to the breaking news that manager Derek Shelton was fired Thursday. Why was Shelton relieved of his duties now, and what led up to it? What does this mean for the team going forward under Don Kelly, who was named manager in Shelton's stead? Is Kelly the long-term choice in the dugout? Is general manager Ben Cherington also on the hot seat? And why could Shelton never get the Pirates over the hump? Our duo answers those questions and more.

Hour 4 with Joe Starkey: This is a move that had to be made. The Pirates are off to one of their worst starts ever. Joe wanted Ben Cherington to go as well and fans agreed. Riley Holsinger chimes in from Altoona, Joe's former student and Austin's former classmate. Riley thinks Bob Nutting needs to push for a salary cap.

Hour 2 with Joe Starkey: The Pirates are 12-26 and have the same record they had in 2020 at this time in year one. Is Ben Cherington the worst general manager in Pittsburgh sports history? There have been 44 GMs in 201 seasons. Today, with an off day, seems like the right time to move on from Ben Cherington and Derek Shelton on an off day.

How do you feel about Derek Shelton being fired? Joe wanted Ben Cherington to go as well and fans agreed. Two fans say this is the worst it's even been. Is this the worst starts in Pirates history?

Today, with an off day, seems like the right time to move on from Ben Cherington and Derek Shelton on an off day. Joe believes the owner is far and away to blame. That doesn't mean Cherington gets a free pass from figuring this out. Poni joins us to decide if Austin was right to argue with Bob about Will Howard and Drew Allar.

The Pirates are 12-26 and have the same record they had in 2020 at this time in year one. Is Ben Cherington the worst general manager in Pittsburgh sports history? There have been 44 GMs in 201 seasons. Joe is keeping out GMs with one or two years.

Post-Gazette Pirates insiders Noah Hiles and Colin Beazley break down the Pirates' series sweep, their second in a row, at the hands of the St. Louis Cardinals, which concluded Wednesday afternoon with a 5-0 loss, their seventh in a row. The conversation starts with a rundown of the last six years of the Ben Cherington and Derek Shelton era, with some surprise that a season with moderately expectations — internally, at least — has gone the way it has. Is it time for a managerial change or in the front office? Then Noah describes what he saw on his trip to St. Louis and how bad the vibes have gotten in the Pirates clubhouse. What went wrong during the sweep? Is Paul Skenes pitching well enough? What can Pirates bats like Andrew McCutchen, Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds do so the team stops squandering quality starts from pitchers like Skenes and Mitch Keller. Colin and Noah finish by looking ahead at this weekend's three-game set against the Braves and pondering what a successful series looks like.