Podcast appearances and mentions of Ben Cherington

In his weekly mailbag podcast, Post-Gazette Pirates insider Noah Hiles answers reader questions. Among them: How many full seasons does Paul Skenes actually have remaining in Pittsburgh? What are the team's best and worst-case scenarios for this weekend's MLB draft? How much does a draft prospect's agency affect their willingness to draft a player? Is it true that Ben Cherington didn't do much in free agency because he spent too much of the baseball budget on the analytics department? If so, how is he still employed? Also, has there been any update/mention of the fan survey results that went out in the spring? Noah answers those questions and more. For more Pirates coverage, visit: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates Visit our sponsor, Greenawalt Roofing, at https://greenawaltroofing.com/service-areas/pittsburgh-pennsylvania/

Noah Hiles made some waves yesterday with his mailbag answer about Paul Skenes. He made even more last night on-air when he told Donny that Skenes' best contribution to the Pirates would be the return they get for him in a trade. There also may be a report out there that Ben Cherington has a deal signed through 2028, which would be horrible.

Noah Hiles made some waves yesterday with his mailbag answer about Paul Skenes. He made even more last night on-air when he told Donny that Skenes' best contribution to the Pirates would be the return they get for him in a trade. There also may be a report out there that Ben Cherington has a deal signed through 2028, which would be horrible. We got more clarification on the Ben Cherington contract situation, but found that Neal Huntington and Clint Hurdle were both let go with 2 years remaining on their deals following the 2019 season. MLB insider Bob Nightengale from USA Today joined the show. Bob believes Ke'Bryan Hayes has interest from the Yankees along with a few other buyers around Major League Baseball. He said to look out for the Tigers and Diamondbacks as well. Bob said it may be smarter to hold onto Hayes in the offseason. Bob said there is ‘too much smoke' around Mitch Keller and he expects him to be on the move with teams like Blue Jays, Yankees and Mets atop the list. Bob said it's a shame that Paul Skenes has a losing record and wondered if he can be the first Cy Young winner to pull it off. Bob added that he thinks Zach Wheeler deserves to be the front-runner in the NL Cy Young vote and should be the starter in the All Star Game.

Cam Heyward ranks No. 83 on the top 100 players list. Cam was No. 98 last year and No. 45 in 2023. Jeff thinks, like we were, that Minkah Fitzpatrick was surprised by the trade. Jeff believes Don Kelly has a good chance to remain the Pirates manager in 2026, regardless of what happens with Ben Cherington.

PG columnist Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason disagreed with Noah and said he thinks Paul Skenes will still be here for multiple seasons because he doesn't see the team moving off from him ‘that soon.' Jason is under the impression that Ben Cherington will run the deadline and the draft before he is let go later in the season. Will Cherington make some sort of Hail Mary trade?

Could next season be the final one for Paul Skenes with the Pirates? A story from Noah Hiles suggested that it could be. It wasn't a report from Noah, just his prediction of how things could end for Skenes in Pittsburgh. How does that make you feel as a Pirates fan? It feels like they are already waving the white flag on this guy who they drafted just 2 years ago. Can the Pirates do anything about it? GIVEAWAY. PG columnist Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason disagreed with Noah and said he thinks Paul Skenes will still be here for multiple seasons because he doesn't see the team moving off from him ‘that soon.' Jason is under the impression that Ben Cherington will run the deadline and the draft before he is let go later in the season. Will Cherington make some sort of Hail Mary trade?

Hour 1 with Bob Pompeani: Ben Cherington said the Pirates are limiting Skenes so he can pitch in the All-Star Game. Bob wasn't happy the Pirates pulled Skenes after five innings and 78 pitches. Bob is tired of talking about prospects and what they can be. Bob wants the Pirates to acquire an established hitter if they trade Mitch Keller.

Paul Skenes has combined for 14 innings in his last three starts. Ben Cherington said the Pirates are limiting Skenes so he can pitch in the All-Star Game. Should the Pirates trade Mitch Keller? If they do, they need to acquire offensive pieces. It would ideally be established hitters.

Pulse of the People - One fan is worried if Drew Allar comes to the Steelers, Pitt fans will be mad when he struggles. Fans weigh in on Pitt-Penn State, Ben Cherington, and the Steelers. A rant from Paul in Washington.

Pirates' broadcaster Neil Walker joins Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson on The Fan Hotline to discuss Paul Skenes in the upcoming MLB All-Star Game, Ben Cherington's recent comments and more!

Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown joined the show. Greg told the doubters of Oneil Cruz in the HR Derby to watch him take BP sometime. Greg said it's good for baseball and the Pirates having a player in the Derby. Greg said he plans on asking Don Kelly about Cruz taking part and if he's worried about him going into a second half slump. Greg talked about a few big prospects that flopped with the Buccos. The guys wanted to get Greg's reaction to the Cruz throw home from Sunday afternoon. Greg reiterated that Ben Cherington will take a pretty big swing at the deadline. Does Greg believe the Pirates are ‘close' to being a playoff team? The guys asked Greg about Paul Skenes getting pulled after 5 innings the other day and if he was on-board with it.

ESPN is continuing to put out potential Paul Skenes trade packages with a few weeks to go before the trade deadline. It feels like they are filled with names that we have, mostly, never heard of. We also looked at the no-trade list for Bryan Reynolds and it's a little confusing. Is he afraid of taxes? Donny Football Debrief – Happy Birthday, Jack Lambert. Is there a more popular Steeler all-time? Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown joined the show. Greg told the doubters of Oneil Cruz in the HR Derby to watch him take BP sometime. Greg said it's good for baseball and the Pirates having a player in the Derby. Greg said he plans on asking Don Kelly about Cruz taking part and if he's worried about him going into a second half slump. Greg talked about a few big prospects that flopped with the Buccos. The guys wanted to get Greg's reaction to the Cruz throw home from Sunday afternoon. Greg reiterated that Ben Cherington will take a pretty big swing at the deadline. Does Greg believe the Pirates are ‘close' to being a playoff team? The guys asked Greg about Paul Skenes getting pulled after 5 innings the other day and if he was on-board with it.

Post-Gazette sports columnist Paul Zeise reacts to the day in Pittsburgh sports news and breaks down a number of recent Steelers trending topics, including Terry Bradshaw's controversial comments about Chuck Noll. Is prime Aaron Rodgers better than prime Patrick Mahomes? Paul reacts to Big Ben's recent comments and discusses why the Steelers' former Super Bowl-winning QB would come out and say that on his podcast. Also, was Bill Cowher correct in saying that Rodgers needs "the keys" to Pittsburgh's offense in order to be successful this season? And are the T.J. Watt trade rumors viable, or will Omar Khan, Mike Tomlin and company finally get a record-setting deal done before training camp? Lastly, Paul weighs in on the Pirates' recent slump back to reality and why owner Bob Nutting and general manager Ben Cherington still need to clean house for everyone not named Paul Skenes and Andrew McCutchen. For more sports, visit post-gazette.com.

The Pirates were swept by the Seattle Mariners and didn't score a run after sweeping the Cardinals and not allowing a run. It's the first time in MLB HISTORY this happened. Jason doesn't think the Pirates will allow Ben Cherington to make a big trade. Austin wants the Pirates to add offense.

Danny in PA compliments Jason for his story on Chuck in Uniontown. Jake in Robinson doesn't trust Ben Cherington to make a big trade. Jason would not trade Bryan Reynolds. He thinks that Ke'Bryan Hayes is a good player in the wrong fit and would trade him.

Kevin said Ben Cherington's fingerprints are on almost everything in the organization and it's harder to move on from a GM. Kevin's not convinced Cherington is a bad GM, but he has restrictions on him with what to do. Kevin thinks the Pirates could package Mitch Keller with Dennis Santana or David Bednar to get a great return at the trade deadline.

Hour 1 with Jason Mackey: The Pirates were swept by the Seattle Mariners and didn't score a run after sweeping the Cardinals and not allowing a run. It's the first time in MLB HISTORY this happened. Jason doesn't think the Pirates will allow Ben Cherington to make a big trade. Austin wants the Pirates to add offense. Jake in Robinson doesn't trust Ben Cherington to make a big trade.

After the Washington Nationals fired their manager and GM over the weekend, Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson wonder what's stopping the Pirates from doing the same with Ben Cherington.

Ben Cherington said the Pirates need to have an open-minded approach to the trade deadline. Does anyone trust Cherington to operate things well at the deadline? It's difficult to. The Nationals fired their manager and general manager yesterday – what is stopping the Pirates from doing the same thing? MLB insider Maury Brown from Forbes joined the show. Maury tried to figure out if MLB was pushing for the Pirates to save Paul Skenes for the All Star Game next week. Maury said people will come out and watch Skenes pitch, but the Pirates have not done a good job whatsoever of building around him. Maury said it feels like the Pirates are in a ‘perpetual rebuild' since they made the playoffs a decade ago. The guys asked Maury about the Pirates longevity with great players given how the game is skewed toward the top markets. Maury thinks a salary cap and floor could come into play if a large part of the season is lost due to a lockout. Is there more unrest within the ownership around baseball than there usually is? Maury got into the weeds on what could be on the table to avoid a labor stoppage in 2027. Cherington Chatter – What else did Ben Cherington say in his radio show yesterday?

Oh, the Pirates. Less than a week after shutting out the Cardinals in all 3 games of a sweep at PNC Park, they were shut out in all 3 games against the Mariners in Seattle. What is this team? Is there a simple answer? Paul Skenes is their only All Star. By the way, that is the first time the Pirates have been shut out in an entire series since the late 1800's when they weren't even called the Pirates. Listeners give a word or two to describe the Pirates' season. Pirates pre-post game host Dan Zangrilli joined the show. Dan has no idea if the Pirates are closer or further away to where they want to be. He said the crux of the frustration is how good their starting pitching is. Dan believes outside of Paul Skenes, the pitching is ‘pretty darn good.' How much credit do we give Ben Cherington for the staff? The guys asked Dan about a report of some players going ‘rogue' in some of their hitting work. How much of the team's budget was put into the analytics department?

Pirates pre-post game host Dan Zangrilli joined the show. Dan has no idea if the Pirates are closer or further away to where they want to be. He said the crux of the frustration is how good their starting pitching is. Dan believes outside of Paul Skenes, the pitching is ‘pretty darn good.' How much credit do we give Ben Cherington for the staff? The guys asked Dan about a report of some players going ‘rogue' in some of their hitting work. How much of the team's budget was put into the analytics department?

PG columnist Jason Mackey joined the show. The guys asked Jason about the story brewing about Luis Ortiz and a potential gambling investigation. Investigators are looking 2 individual pitches in this story that apparently altered betting markets. The red-hot Pirates have won 6 straight games, but how long can they keep this going? Jason said this run does not change his mind about the current landscape of their front office. At what point should Ben Cherington be vindicated for his work? Jason does not trust Cherington to make notable trades involving Mitch Keller or David Bednar if those opportunities arise later this month. Jason fully expects Don Kelly to be back next season, but how much credit should Cherington get for that? Going back to the Derek Shelton firing, Jason believes it was a Bob Nutting call to make that change 38 games in. What should the expectation be for Spencer Horwitz?

Ray Fittipaldo joins the show to discuss Omar Khan, Steelers. Noah Hiles joins the show for TRT to discuss Ben Cherington, potential Pirates trade offers.

Can the Pirates continue their winning stretch? They are 24-12 when they score four or more runs. Dan Zangrilli thinks this could be Ben Cherington's "last act" to make or break his tenure as Pirates GM. Relievers are not commodities and Dan thinks, as a small market team, you should trade relievers.

Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson discuss if it is worth a shot to give GM Ben Cherington another season after the Pirates have gotten hot and improved over the last couple of months.

The Pirates are the first team since 2019 to win four games in a row by seven or more runs while allowing two or fewer runs. Teams get hot for a stretch during the season. Has your mind changed on Ben Cherington? His next moves will define him for good or bad. Should Don Kelly return next season? Joe thinks it's very likely. Austin wants to see a bigger sample size from him.

Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown joined the show. Greg said Ke'Bryan Hayes was the player he thinks is leading this offensive charge the most, after hitting .300 in June. The Pirates ended the month in a historic way en route to a 4-0 final 4 games. How will things change with this team over the course of the next month with the trade deadline 30 days away? Greg reiterated to the guys that Ben Cherington and a few others in the front office don't believe they are too far away from competing. Greg doesn't think they will move everyone and start from scratch. Greg pondered which guys could be on the move anyway. The guys wanted to spend some time on Dave Parker, including the comments from Nick Gonzales, who suggested the number 39 (the one he wears) to be retired by the team.

Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown joined the show. Greg said Ke'Bryan Hayes was the player he thinks is leading this offensive charge the most, after hitting .300 in June. The Pirates ended the month in a historic way en route to a 4-0 final 4 games. How will things change with this team over the course of the next month with the trade deadline 30 days away? Greg reiterated to the guys that Ben Cherington and a few others in the front office don't believe they are too far away from competing. Greg doesn't think they will move everyone and start from scratch. Greg pondered which guys could be on the move anyway. The guys wanted to spend some time on Dave Parker, including the comments from Nick Gonzales, who suggested the number 39 (the one he wears) to be retired by the team. Pomp gave the Steelers an A for the offseason. The guys tried to hypothesize how he came to that grade. We pointed out that Pomp pushed hard for the Steelers to bring back Justin Fields, but the grade didn't reflect that. Donny Football Debrief – We have a football game this month. I am ready to give my Super Bowl prediction.

The Pirates just swept the Mets in dominant fashion, but all eyes are now on Mitch Keller as trade rumors heat up—especially with the Cubs. Jim breaks down the series win, reacts to Ben Cherington's latest comments, and explains why a Keller deal must be perfect to make sense. Plus, Anthony Murphy from Bucs on Deck joins the show to talk Bubba Chandler's recent struggles, Hunter Barco's rise, and which Pirates prospects are trending up. Subscribe for more Pirates content Drop your thoughts on the Keller rumors in the comments Listen to the podcast version on all platforms Use Promo Code NS930 for 30% off your first order at https://www.defer.coffee Use Promo Code NS9 for 30% off your first order at https://www.gritily.com Use Promo Code NORTHSHORENINE for $20 off your first order at https://www.seatgeek.com LIKE and SUBSCRIBE with NOTIFICATIONS ON if you enjoyed the show! NS9 MERCH: https://northshorenine.myspreadshop.com ►Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NorthShoreNine ►Website: https://www.northshorenine.com ►Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/northshorenine ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@northshorenine ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northshorenine ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northshorenine ►Discord: https://discord.gg/3HVYPg544m ►BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/northshorenine.bsky.social

Hour 4: Noah Hiles joins the show in-studio for the whole hour! How important is it to be a good hang? Is Ben Cherington up to something big? And which Pirates will get traded before the deadline?

Noah Hiles joins the show in-studio for the next hour! Noah says he would like to be the best at being a good hang. Is Ben Cherington up to something big as we approach the trade deadline? Noah goes through who the Pirates could look to receive in a trade. Noah is wearing a Mount Union hat today. Noah remembers his time at his student radio station.

At the halfway point of the season, the Pirates are 32-50. What has gone so wrong this season? Chris said the real story is about Bob Nutting, but not in the way you may expect. Chris went through a couple of notable owners in sports that showed a true identity. It seems like the GM is safe when he shouldn't be. How many more times can we watch Ben Cherington screw something up? We struggled to think of many major positive moves made by GMBC in his tenure outside of Paul Skenes and Bailey Falter. What will the deadline look like this year? Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo from the PG joined the show. Ray reacted to the words from Aaron Rodgers the other day, stating that it will likely be his final season. Ray does think this all has a chance to work out, which could mean a respectable showing in the playoffs and maybe even a win. Ray doesn't believe the Rodgers legacy hinges on what he does in Pittsburgh. How much pressure would Mike Tomlin be under if the Steelers can't win a playoff game? Ray thinks pressure could be put on Omar Khan and Andy Weidl to circle that next QB. A few quick hitters for Ray before he said goodbye involving Jaylen Warren, Calvin Austin and TJ Watt. Total Request Thursday.

We kept the conversation going about Barry Bonds and the ‘steroid era' of baseball. We defended the players from this era and players like Bonds because some of them were truly some of the greatest we ever saw play. MLB insider Bob Nightengale from USA Today joined the show. Bob was the first to indicate that the Cubs contacted the Pirates about Mitch Keller. Bob explained how much Keller could fetch in a trade, saying ‘people like a lot' even though he's not an ace of a staff. Bob thinks Keller would return a Top 5-10 prospect in another team's system because people are reluctant to trade away their prospects. Bob said there is a lot of interest in Isiah Kiner-Falefa around the league as the deadline approaches. He believes David Bednar will garner plenty of interest within the next month as well. Did the Pirates make a mistake not firing Ben Cherington after last season? Bob thinks the Pirates adding a few offensive pieces could get them to a legit level given the pitching they already have. Bob firmly said the Pirates have not made Oneil Cruz available. Donny Football Debrief – Justin Tucker has been suspended 10 games. He's currently not on a roster. Is his career over?

Who needs a bigger season – Mike Tomlin or Aaron Rodgers? Chris thinks the viewpoints from local and national media will be much different if things don't go well or it's another season that ends in a first-round playoff exit. Tomlin has had so much control over the position since Ben Roethlisberger retired and it has not gone well. Chris got into the butchering of Kenny Pickett and the clamps that were put on every other QB that has taken snaps. KDKA TV's Bob Pompeani joined the show. Pomp is still surprised that Joe is obsessed with golf. Bob tried to sit on the fence when Chris asked him who needed a bigger year out of Mike Tomlin or Aaron Rodgers. Do you think there are any shakes with Art Rooney if Tomlin's team doesn't show any improvement this season? The chat switched to baseball and all of the problems going on with the Pirates. Would it have been better to axe Ben Cherington at the end of last season? Bob isn't sold that things will ever click for Oneil Cruz. Did Bob have any takes on the NHL Draft? It doesn't seem like this draft features any generational players. City Limits dissed Barry Bonds in a big way earlier today.

MLB insider Bob Nightengale from USA Today joined the show. Bob was the first to indicate that the Cubs contacted the Pirates about Mitch Keller. Bob explained how much Keller could fetch in a trade, saying ‘people like a lot' even though he's not an ace of a staff. Bob thinks Keller would return a Top 5-10 prospect in another team's system because people are reluctant to trade away their prospects. Bob said there is a lot of interest in Isiah Kiner-Falefa around the league as the deadline approaches. He believes David Bednar will garner plenty of interest within the next month as well. Did the Pirates make a mistake not firing Ben Cherington after last season? Bob thinks the Pirates adding a few offensive pieces could get them to a legit level given the pitching they already have. Bob firmly said the Pirates have not made Oneil Cruz available.

KDKA TV's Bob Pompeani joined the show. Pomp is still surprised that Joe is obsessed with golf. Bob tried to sit on the fence when Chris asked him who needed a bigger year out of Mike Tomlin or Aaron Rodgers. Do you think there are any shakes with Art Rooney if Tomlin's team doesn't show any improvement this season? The chat switched to baseball and all of the problems going on with the Pirates. Would it have been better to axe Ben Cherington at the end of last season? Bob isn't sold that things will ever click for Oneil Cruz. Did Bob have any takes on the NHL Draft? It doesn't seem like this draft features any generational players.

The Pirates are 32-50 at the halfway point in what has been a disastrous season so far. A lot of it does come back on Bob Nutting, but what about Ben Cherington gives you confidence going forward? Why is he still here? The managerial change to Don Kelly gave the team a bit of a spark, but still didn't turn it into a winning ballclub. Chris painted a picture of what could have been if Cherington and Derek Shelton were both let go at the end of last season instead of keeping that pair around for the start of 2025. Chris said Cherington has done nothing to inspire confidence and nothing to award keeping his job. Callers sounded off on the Pirates problems halfway through the season. A few are worried that Ben Cherington would screw up any trade in front of him. PG columnist Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason said Bob Nutting and Ben Cherington have been brothers in arms as 2025 goes crashing and burning. He doesn't have a logical explanation for the thought process behind what is happening. Jason thinks it is in their best interest to move on from anyone on an expiring deal at the trade deadline. Will Mitch Keller get dealt within the next month? The guys went through a couple other names that could and should be on the move. Jason said Ke'Bryan Hayes is another ‘maybe' player on the move ahead of the deadline. How quickly can the timeline move for Konnor Griffin as he continues to tear up A-ball?

PG columnist Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason said Bob Nutting and Ben Cherington have been brothers in arms as 2025 goes crashing and burning. He doesn't have a logical explanation for the thought process behind what is happening. Jason thinks it is in their best interest to move on from anyone on an expiring deal at the trade deadline. Will Mitch Keller get dealt within the next month? The guys went through a couple other names that could and should be on the move. Jason said Ke'Bryan Hayes is another ‘maybe' player on the move ahead of the deadline. How quickly can the timeline move for Konnor Griffin as he continues to tear up A-ball?

The Pirates are 32-50 at the halfway point in what has been a disastrous season so far. A lot of it does come back on Bob Nutting, but what about Ben Cherington gives you confidence going forward? Why is he still here? The managerial change to Don Kelly gave the team a bit of a spark, but still didn't turn it into a winning ballclub. Chris painted a picture of what could have been if Cherington and Derek Shelton were both let go at the end of last season instead of keeping that pair around for the start of 2025. Chris said Cherington has done nothing to inspire confidence and nothing to award keeping his job.

Greg Brown told Mullsy he thinks Ben Cherington is going to make a big move to acquire an impactful bat. The Pirates need a young player who is either proven, or a AAA stud. There needs to be emphasis on bats. Who could the Pirates acquire to change the lineup?

Hour 2 with Joe Starkey: George Pickens will not be attending his youth football camp on June 28th. Pickens is now not going to be a part of it, but tight end Pat Freiermuth has stepped up and will be a guest at the camp. Dionte Johnson said he was "too cold" to go into a game with the Ravens. Greg Brown told Mullsy he thinks Ben Cherington is going to make a big move to acquire an impactful bat.

Spencer Horwitz is now hitting .280. Nick Gonzales went 5-5 on Monday and has significantly changed his outlook. What if a year from now the Pirates' key bats have developed, do we change the lens on Cherington? Will Cherington ever trade some of the pitching for a bat? The Pirates seem fearful to make a big move to acquire hitters.

Hour 1 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: What if a year from now the Pirates' key bats have developed, do we change the lens on Cherington? Henry Davis is back on the bench. The Pirates have an abundance of young pitching. Will Cherington ever trade some of the pitching for a bat? Would you deal Bubba Chandler for an impact bat?

Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown joined the show. The guys talked about a Pirates win in Milwaukee, which was helped by a 5-for-5 night from Nick Gonzales. Greg said teams like the Pirates can't afford to lose players like Gonzales because they don't have the luxury some others have. Greg thinks Spencer Horwitz is another guy that ‘can just plain hit' in this lineup. Brownie said Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds are the guys that need to carry this team in home runs. The guys talked about Cruz's outfield work and a few of the mishaps we've seen recently. Cruz has also gone into a terrible slump at the plate – why? Isaac Mattson has become one of the Pirates best stories, showcasing another local product. Greg credited Don Kelly for how some of the players have responded. Greg said it's hard not to root for the players. Greg hinted that Ben Cherington has something brewing about a month out of the trade deadline. Who could be on the move by the time we reach the MLB trade deadline? Donny Football Debrief – Does the NFL have a collusion problem?

Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown joined the show. The guys talked about a Pirates win in Milwaukee, which was helped by a 5-for-5 night from Nick Gonzales. Greg said teams like the Pirates can't afford to lose players like Gonzales because they don't have the luxury some others have. Greg thinks Spencer Horwitz is another guy that ‘can just plain hit' in this lineup. Brownie said Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds are the guys that need to carry this team in home runs. The guys talked about Cruz's outfield work and a few of the mishaps we've seen recently. Cruz has also gone into a terrible slump at the plate – why? Isaac Mattson has become one of the Pirates best stories, showcasing another local product. Greg credited Don Kelly for how some of the players have responded. Greg said it's hard not to root for the players. Greg hinted that Ben Cherington has something brewing about a month out of the trade deadline.

The Pirates dropped another series, Tommy Pham revealed vision issues are affecting his game, and at this point… it's crystal clear Ben Cherington's plan has completely failed. We break down the weekend series vs. the Rangers, dive into Pham's eye problems and how they've impacted the lineup, and make the case that it's officially time to move on from the Pirates' GM. Plus: minor league moves, Edward Florentino's promotion, and why Esmerlyn Valdez needs to be in Altoona. We wrap with a Brewers preview and what's at stake as the division slips further away.

Hour 1 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in game 7 and the Oklahoma City Thunder won. T.J. McConnell played great in the 3rd quarter with 10 straight points. Oneil Cruz missed a play on a base hit to center field and didn't show effort to chase after the ball when it went to the track. Tommy Pham said he deals with keratoconus, giving him blurry vision. Ben Cherington still thinks the Pirates have a group that can play winning baseball in 2025.

Tommy Pham said he deals with keratoconus, giving him blurry vision. He has been adjusting on the fly and his prescription has been wrong. Ben Cherington STILL thinks the Pirates have a group that can play winning baseball in 2025. He's said it but they haven't shown it.

Hour 1: Donny Chedrick in for the guys today! Which Pittsburgh team is closest to winning a championship? Is Donny being too negative about Aaron Rodgers? And Dan Zangrilli joins to talk Cherington's job security, a possible Keller trade, the Santana bullpen incident, and more!

Hour 1: Donny Chedrick in for the guys today! Which Pittsburgh team is closest to winning a championship? Is Donny being too negative about Aaron Rodgers? And Dan Zangrilli joins to talk Cherington's job security, a possible Keller trade, the Santana bullpen incident, and more! Hour 2: What Pirates could be traded before the deadline? Why did NASA mysteriously stop exploring the oceans in 2014? And Dom thinks the NBA Finals sucked this year. Hour 3: Brian Batko joins the show to talk Steelers, beer, and his Shaler Hall of Fame candidacy. Is the College World Series a bucket-list item? And Dom wants to launch an investigation into something that happened at the station. Hour 4: Ben Cherington says the Pirates have a “foundation of winning” but Donny isn't buying it. We meet the show's new intern! And Donny has major issues with Chipotle.