Podcast appearances and mentions of Ben Cherington

Hour 4 with Jeff Hathhorn: Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. "I expect them to be aggressive" at the trade deadline. Ben Cherington said deals aren't getting done now. Jason doesn't think the Pirates have to shed payroll in order to add players. It's time to move on from Dennis Santana and he cannot pitch in later innings. Austin's team crushed Jeff and Mullsy for his team at The Open.

Hour 2 with Jeff Hathhorn: Post-Gazette columnist Noah Hiles joined the show. Noah doesn't think anyone is looking to acquire Mitch Keller right now, or looking to trade him. Who is going to trade for Marcell Ozuna? The Pirates should have room to add payroll, but it will be difficult. The Pirates strength is the starting rotation. Ben Cherington said there are things the Pirates could have done with trades, but people would not be happy with it.

"I expect them to be aggressive" at the trade deadline. Ben Cherington said deals aren't getting done now. Jason doesn't think the Pirates have to shed payroll in order to add players. It's time to move on from Dennis Santana and he cannot pitch in later innings. Oneil Cruz's timeline has been pushed back. The Pirates need Endy Rodriguez back.

Ben Cherington said there are things the Pirates could have done with trades, but people would not be happy with it. It makes us think back to the Chris Archer trade. Cherington said they need to believe in guys internally. Jared Jones is getting back to being one of the Pirates best pitchers.

Ben Cherington defended the lack of bullpen help for the Pirates yesterday, after Dennis Santana gave up a walkoff homer to Travis Bazzana. Cherington said that some of the bullpen help will come internally, and that they still have faith in a lot of the guys in the bullpen. Poni mentions that the Pirates are going to have to give up assets to get assets, and that Cherington can't be afraid to do this if he doesn't want to end up with nothing. Poni also thinks that Cherington is operating as if his job is secure.

Ben Cherington defended the lack of bullpen help for the Pirates yesterday, after Dennis Santana gave up a walkoff homer to Travis Bazzana. Cherington said that some of the bullpen help will come internally, and that they still have faith in a lot of the guys in the bullpen. Poni mentions that the Pirates are going to have to give up assets to get assets, and that Cherington can't be afraid to do this if he doesn't want to end up with nothing. Poni also thinks that Cherington is operating as if his job is secure. Poni was scared and thought that he got the new virus that is going around. Callers chime in on the Pirates' big series win. Bucco Auction House – Bids on Billy Cook, Paul Skenes, and Esmerlyn Valdez ensue.

Nicholas "Harry" Callas reacts to the Pirates' series win over the Cleveland Guardians this weekend, and he also discusses how aggressive he wants the team to be in making trades before the deadline on August 3.

The Pirates haven't played in four days, and Pittsburgh has apparently lost its mind. Jim and Tyler react to the ridiculous ideas of trading Oneil Cruz or Spencer Horwitz for bullpen help before discussing what Ben Cherington should actually do at the deadline. Could the Pirates make a massive offer for Mason Miller? Is Luke Weaver the best realistic target? They also discuss Brooks Raley, Adrian Morejon, the need for another starting pitcher and the Robert Hassell III acquisition. The Pirates are three games over .500 and firmly in the playoff race. Now it is time to find out whether the front office is ready to improve the roster for the second half. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jeff had a great call yesterday from someone suggesting transitioning Oneil Cruz from an outfielder to a pitcher. The guys are very happy that the All-Star Break is over and the nightmare of no sports will end. If the Pirates win 86 games and miss the playoffs would fans be satisfied? Dorin says he wouldn't be. He says that would irritate Pirates fans because they didn't address the issues early enough and put themselves in completely avoidable situations. I say I would be satisfied. Crowley agrees with Dorin. I am wrong. Not making the playoffs is the be-all and end-all.

We're onto the second half of the Pirates season. If the Pirates don't make the playoffs but have a better record, Ben Cherington will definitely say "We made strides," which will anger Crowley. Crowley is also not up to date on pop culture and a recent New York Post headline has him very confused. Crowley has a bone to pick with the NHL and MLB. Both sports released their schedules on the same day. What were they thinking?

With the Steelers playing on Black Friday this year, the amount of leftover food will be a sight to see. Crowley continues to try and fix sports. ESPN sent out a list of potential trade targets for all teams. ESPN says that the Pirates need to add a couple of arms(duh), to become more of a contender. Crowley does not see the Marlins as a good team just a hot team. Crowley has some questions about what it will take for the Pirates to make the playoffs.

Jeff had a great call yesterday from someone suggesting transitioning Oneil Cruz from an outfielder to a pitcher. The guys are very happy that the All-Star Break is over and the nightmare of no sports will end. If the Pirates win 86 games and miss the playoffs would fans be satisfied? Dorin says he wouldn't be. He says that would irritate Pirates fans because they didn't address the issues early enough and put themselves in completely avoidable situations. I say I would be satisfied. Crowley agrees with Dorin. I am wrong. Not making the playoffs is the be-all and end-all. We're onto the second half of the Pirates season. If the Pirates don't make the playoffs but have a better record, Ben Cherington will definitely say "We made strides," which will anger Crowley. Crowley is also not up to date on pop culture and a recent New York Post headline has him very confused. Crowley has a bone to pick with the NHL and MLB. Both sports released their schedules on the same day. What were they thinking? Crowley gets more info on the Jelly Roll and his divorce. I give them some scouting reports on Mets pitchers available after last night's report that said the Mets firesale is upon us. Huscar Brazoban, Luke Weaver, and Clay Holmes should be the targets for the Pirates. We are a couple of weeks away from the trade deadline. I asked Dorin what is the best leftover food. I think it is Chinese food, Dorin says it is Japanese, and Crowley says anything rice based is good leftover food. Mall food court Chinese food is a dying art

Hour 2: Matt Clement joins the show to break down the Pirates post-All-Star break. Dom sent out a political tweet yesterday, but did it scare him away from doing it again? And are network TV NFL pregame shows about to become a thing of the past?

Hour 1: Chris is riding solo for the show today! Where does confidence stand with the Pirates right now coming out of the All-Star break? Chris takes issue with Austin Bechtold's appearance. And Nick Farabugh joins the show for his weekly Fair Game segment, but Mullsy keeps making a blunder during the interview. Hour 2: Matt Clement joins the show to break down the Pirates post-All-Star break. Dom sent out a political tweet yesterday, but did it scare him away from doing it again? And are network TV NFL pregame shows about to become a thing of the past? Hour 3: Mark Kaboly joins the show in-studio for the full hour! There is major drama at The Open Championship with Bryson DeChambeau, and Chris can't get enough of it. Will TJ Watt actually have a good season this year? And Dom confronts Kaboly for muting him on Twitter. Hour 4: Chris reacts live to the breaking news that the Pirates-Guardians game tonight has been postponed due to the smoke. The guys try pickle beer together on the air. And FOX apparently wanted Game 7 of the 2016 World Series to be played on two different nights.

Hour 1: Are Pirates fans not letting themselves buy into this season's time right now? The guys try to get to the bottom of Crowley's jaw pain. Is there any update with Jason Robertson and the Penguins? And the Mega Millions is reaching record levels. Hour 2: Which team was better, the 2013 Pirates or the 2026 Pirates? The guys debate if Will Ferrell is funny. And Dom claims to be a good singer, but will he sing on the show? Hour 3: Ray Fittipaldo joins the show to go through the biggest Steelers stories ahead of training camp. Do people still go to the library? And Dorin and Dom love Tubi's horror movie selection. Hour 4: Doug Whaley joins the guys for the hour for Wednesday with Whaley! Are the Steelers in quarterback purgatory? Doug explains how the Bills almost drafted Patrick Mahomes in 2017. And Doug evaluates Dom's appearance in the studio.

Hour 1: Are Pirates fans not letting themselves buy into this season's time right now? The guys try to get to the bottom of Crowley's jaw pain. Is there any update with Jason Robertson and the Penguins? And the Mega Millions is reaching record levels.

7-14 Fan Morning Show Full Show

Yesterday a reporter at the All Star festivities called Paul Skenes a ‘future Yankee.' As annoying as it is – is it true? Does it anger you to hear people doing this? If Skenes costs 500+ million bucks, is it worth it for the Pirates to make that deal? What if a salary cap is instituted? The Penguins have agreed to terms with Nicholas Robertson after trading for his rights 2 weeks ago. The deal with Robertson is 2 years for $3.25M/year. His brother, Jason Robertson, is still with the Stars, but continues to be part of major trade rumors. What is the price looking like to acquire the 45-goal scorer? Afternoon radio host on 670 The Score in Chicago Matt Spiegel joined the show. Matt was able to tell us about Jacob Gonzalez, one of the newest Pirates. Gonzalez was acquired by the Pirates on Friday night in a deal with the White Sox. Matt said Gonzalez started to catch his stride in the minors, but was bumpy when he got called up to the bigs. The White Sox asked him to play 1B, which he played none of in the minors. Matt thinks the Sox may regret parting ways with Gonzalez if they have an injury or two in the second half. Matt thought Gonzalez actually made it difficult for the White Sox to take him out of the lineup even after a rocky start. Matt explained why the trade was made from the White Sox perspective, but he thinks Ben Cherington may find something here.

Afternoon radio host on 670 The Score in Chicago Matt Spiegel joined the show. Matt was able to tell us about Jacob Gonzalez, one of the newest Pirates. Gonzalez was acquired by the Pirates on Friday night in a deal with the White Sox. Matt said Gonzalez started to catch his stride in the minors, but was bumpy when he got called up to the bigs. The White Sox asked him to play 1B, which he played none of in the minors. Matt thinks the Sox may regret parting ways with Gonzalez if they have an injury or two in the second half. Matt thought Gonzalez actually made it difficult for the White Sox to take him out of the lineup even after a rocky start. Matt explained why the trade was made from the White Sox perspective, but he thinks Ben Cherington may find something here.

Ben Cherington made a trade over the weekend. Was there a better trade on the table? According to some reports, better relievers were available for what the Pirates gave up—the 34th overall pick. The White Sox also selected Jim Thome's son with the pick. This could potentially be an all-time Pirates trade. There was a potential deal with the Mets for Brooks Raley, a very good left handed reliever. The Pirates took the deal for Brandon Eisert instead.

Crowley asks who needs to step up in the second half to make the playoffs. Dorin says Ben Cherington. He needs to step up to solidify the bullpen so it is not a weak link anymore. The bullpen seems taxed because the starters have gone on short outings this season. Another caller grades the Pirates at a B right now. The Pirates are in the top three in most offensive categories.

Our very own Dan Zangrilli joins the show to recap the Pirates' successful weekend. Dan and Dorin were bad at math in school. Dan says he likes the trade the Pirates made but wouldn't say they 'won' the deal. He also likes that the Pirates addressed a need and says a different GM wouldn't make that trade if Cherington had tons of job security. Is Dan confident that the Pirates can make the playoffs? They need to win 39 games to reach the 89 win mark, which Dan says would be the threshold for making the playoffs. It is doable, but reaching that mark will be difficult. Dan says that "anyone with an arm" needs to have a good second half for the Pirates to have a great second half of the season, specifically Mitch Keller.

7-13 Fan Morning Show 6am Hour: The Pirates swept the Brewers over the weekend. They are the highest scoring team in baseball. The guys thought the Pirates would be eight games back when today started. However, the Pirates completely reversed those expectations. Dorin wishes this had happened after the All Star break or a couple of weeks before. Can the Pirates continue their momentum on Friday against Cleveland? Is it too late for Esmerlyn Valdez to be considered for NL ROY? Paul Skenes also says he wishes the All Star Break started later so they can keep the momentum going. How would you grade the first half of the season? The offense has been great, but the pitching and bullpen have dragged the grade down a lot. The Pirates had one player with a higher OPS last year than the entire team's OPS this year. A caller asks about potentially extending Valdez to a long term contract. Crowley asks who needs to step up in the second half to make the playoffs. Dorin says Ben Cherington. He needs to step up to solidify the bullpen so it is not a weak link anymore. The bullpen seems taxed because the starters have gone on short outings this season. Another caller grades the Pirates at a B right now. The Pirates are in the top three in most offensive categories. Pirates catchers this season have 16 home runs and also rank highly in other offensive categories even though Henry Davis is struggling. Brandon Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn, the two primary bats the Pirates acquired this offseason, account for 25% of the runs the Pirates have scored this season. The Pirates have already hit more home runs this year than they did all of last year. How much credit does Matt Hauge deserve?

Poni made a correct prediction! He said the Brewers would get swept, and they did! Poni's been looking for green dongs online recently. Did this weekend get Pirates fans back on the bandwagon? Poni says the bad of Ben Cherington still outweighs the good. Is Mason Miller a trade possibility for Pittsburgh?

Hour 1: Are fans back on the Pirates bandwagon after this weekend's sweep of the Brewers? Aaron Rodgers took a Yellowstone retreat this weekend. And who really built the pyramids?

The Pirates have another major injury to deal with after Konnor Griffin is expected to miss about two months. Does that change Pittsburgh's trade deadline plans and force Ben Cherington to target a shortstop? Plus, the bullpen continues to implode while Carmen Mlodzinski remains underutilized, and Mitch Keller turns in another rough outing. Is this just a slump, or has something fundamentally changed? Jim, Tyler, and DiNardo break it all down on another episode of NS9LIVE! Download our app! : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/north-shore-nine/id6771171000 : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.northshorenine.app Use Promo Code NS930 for 30% off your first order at https://www.defer.coffee 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.myshopify.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 #pittsburghpirates Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Joe is frustrated by traffic. The Pirates are even more frustrating. Joe quotes Simon and Garfunkel. Don Kelly had a nonsensical explanation about using Dennis Santana. Ben Cherington is the biggest to blame. Mitch Keller has proven to be a bad signing. The Penguins and Steelers feel stuck, and the Pirates have disappointed. Now they are stuck too.  Joe is losing his mind. Callers dish out the blame for the Pirates' struggles. What are the best Tom Hanks movies? Bill Murphy gets some blame from a caller.

Joe is frustrated by traffic. The Pirates are even more frustrating. Joe quotes Simon and Garfunkel. Don Kelly had a nonsensical explanation about using Dennis Santana. Ben Cherington is the biggest to blame. Mitch Keller has proven to be a bad signing. The Penguins and Steelers feel stuck, and the Pirates have disappointed. Now they are stuck too. 

Joe is frustrated by traffic. The Pirates are even more frustrating. Joe quotes Simon and Garfunkel. Don Kelly had a nonsensical explanation about using Dennis Santana. Ben Cherington is the biggest to blame. Mitch Keller has proven to be a bad signing. The Penguins and Steelers feel stuck, and the Pirates have disappointed. Now they are stuck too. Joe is losing his mind. Callers dish out the blame for the Pirates' struggles. What are the best Tom Hanks movies? Bill Murphy gets some blame from a caller. Ray Fittipaldo joins to discuss the last time a movie made him cry, what's the big story from Day 1 of Steelers camp, how he thinks the battle for backup QB will play out - he thinks it's Howard's job to lose, how much difference Mike McCarthy's offense will be, if Rodgers will finally trust throwing to a rookie, if Eli Heidenreich supplant Kaleb Johnson. Free association. It's time for Joe's mailbag - are soccer players better athletes than NFL players? Will the Pirates avoid a second-half collapse? Did Joe get a face lift? Leo Carlson is a loser somehow? Sean Gentille demands a proper introduction. Is this the golden era of offer sheets? Should the Pens offer Connor Bedard? Is Jason Robertson still in play? Will the Pens make the playoffs? Gentile's summer plans. Can a lake have a beach? Bechtold Breakdown with Sean - HR derby format change. Patrick Kane to the Pens, the uncertain futures of Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James, Zach Frazier is a breakout candidate? Bob Walk joins to discuss the incredible Ryan O'Hearn performance, where it ranks among the best baseball feats, Jared Jones perfect performance, the usage of Carmen Mlodzinski, the lost art of the knuckleball, how a spit ball works. Skenes vs the Miz on Sunday. This day in sports history - happy birthday AB

Hour 4: Greg Brown joins the show to break down the latest with the Pirates. Is this weekend's series against the Brewers the most important of the Pirates season so far? And what is the best place to have a beer?

Hour 2: Who deserves more blame for the Pirates' problems. Don Kelly or Ben Cherington? Crowley thinks the Pirates could make a trade today. And Jennifer Coolidge said she had sex with 200 men after her role in American Pie.

How much power do managers in MLB actually have? Who deserves more blame for the Pirates right now: Don Kelly or Ben Cherington? Dorin thinks the decisions being made are more from analytics than a gut managerial decision. The numbers say the Pirates should be 6 games over .500. Dorin says this all circles back to Paul Skenes.

Hour 1: Is it time for the Pirates to take Mitch Keller out of the starting rotation? The guys debate if soccer players are soft. And Dom wants Crowley and Dorin to join him on his trip to Penn State this weekend.

Is this the worst Mitch Keller has been in his career? He has a 7.03 ERA in his last 11 starts. Would Keller be DFAed if he wasn't making all the money that he is? The guys wonder if Keller should be sent to the bullpen. Crowley says the Pirates should switch Keller and Mlodzinski's roles.

Hour 1: Is it time for the Pirates to take Mitch Keller out of the starting rotation? The guys debate if soccer players are soft. And Dom wants Crowley and Dorin to join him on his trip to Penn State this weekend. Hour 2: Who deserves more blame for the Pirates' problems. Don Kelly or Ben Cherington? Crowley thinks the Pirates could make a trade today. And Jennifer Coolidge said she had sex with 200 men after her role in American Pie. Hour 3: Chris Carter joins the show to go through the latest Steelers news and rumors. Yahoo Sports is bringing back fantasy college football for the upcoming season. And Dorin quizzes Dom on Western PA trivia. Hour 4: Greg Brown joins the show to break down the latest with the Pirates. Is this weekend's series against the Brewers the most important of the Pirates season so far? And what is the best place to have a beer?

Dom DiTommaso in again for The Early Morning Show! Dom says that a golden opportunity has been presented to Ben Cherington. Stan Savran was apparently a fan of Glee. Dom details a new website that he loves. And should the Penguins try and get Connor Bedard?

Pomp and Joe 7-3 10 AM Hour

What is wrong with Paul Skenes? Could there be off-the-field issues affecting him? Limits does not want to speculate unlike other people who have done so in the last few days after his career-worst outing in Philadelphia. Limits thinks that he is hurt. Callers chime in on what they think is wrong with Skenes. Buzz in Freeport does not know what PitchCom is.

Hour 3 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: Paul Skenes continues to struggle for the Pirates. Who's job should be on the line if the Pirates fall apart: Ben Cherington or Don Kelly? Joe thinks if the Pirates have a losing record, both have to go. Who would the Pirates sell at the deadline? The Capitals are re-signing Alex Ovechkin to a one-year deal. We hear from Pirates fans on Paul Skenes.

Paul Skenes continues to struggle for the Pirates. Who's job should be on the line if the Pirates fall apart: Ben Cherington or Don Kelly? Joe thinks if the Pirates have a losing record, both have to go. Who would the Pirates sell at the deadline? Brandon Lowe would be sold. How many games under .500 would the Pirates be to be under .500? Could the Pirates sign Oneil Cruz to a $170 million deal?

In this hour, Dorin Dickerson and Nicholas "Harry" Callas share how they feel about the job security of Pirates' GM Ben Cherington based on how this season is going so far. Also, should CFB be serving the fans more or the players? June 29, 2026, 7:00 Hour

The Pirates have now lost 8 straight Paul Skenes starts. Ben Cherington said that Skenes' dip in velocity is not a cause for concern. Poni compares Skenes' year to Scottie Scheffler's year, in the sense that both are still very good, but neither one looks like himself this year. Are the Pirates letting Paul Skenes dictate organizational decisions? Should they let him?

The Pirates have now lost 8 straight Paul Skenes starts. Ben Cherington said that Skenes' dip in velocity is not a cause for concern. Poni compares Skenes' year to Scottie Scheffler's year, in the sense that both are still very good, but neither one looks like himself this year. Are the Pirates letting Paul Skenes dictate organizational decisions? Should they let him? Callers chime in on Paul Skenes and the Pirates. Bucco Auction House – Bids on Esmerlyn Valdez, Ryan O'Hearn, and Dennis Santana.

Ben Cherington essentially said yesterday that the Pirates won't be making a trade anytime soon. This comes after Gregory Soto gave up a 3-run homer with the Reds down to their last strike two days ago. Poni thinks that trading David Bednar was one of Ben Cherington's worst moves as the GM of the Pirates. Cherington also said that the bullpen will turn it around and that they have been unlucky. Veteran baseball writer John Perrotto joined the show. John says that it males sense that there aren't a lot of teams that are ready to sell players yet, citing how the Red Sox just swept the Yankees and have to think twice about shipping off their bullpen arms. Perrotto disagrees with Cherington saying their bullpen is actually good, but does think that some of the Pirates' bullpen arms are good. John thinks that Aroldis Chapman would make sense for the Pirates if the Red Sox do decide to sell him. Donny Football Debrief – Former NFL running back Chris Johnson announced that he has been diagnosed with ALS.

The Pittsburgh Pirates reached the halfway point at 41-40 and remain firmly in the National League Wild Card race, but their midseason report card is all over the place. Jim and Tyler grade every position group, the coaching staff and Ben Cherington's front office. The outfield and revamped infield have carried the offense, while the bullpen, designated hitter spot and Marcell Ozuna signing receive failing grades. Alex Stumpf also joins the show to explain why the Pirates have been one of MLB's worst teams at using ABS challenges. The guys finish by revisiting their preseason predictions and discussing MLB's latest CBA proposals, including the growing possibility of another lockout. Subscribe to Alex Stumpf's Book Rule Bucs: https://bookrulebucs.substack.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Pirates are 40-40 but should be better than that. Who is in order to blame: Ben Cherington, Don Kelly, or the players?

Joe has been very frustrated by the Pirates lack of success in extra innings. Paul in Washington wants Ben Cherington to be fired and he doesn't like Kelly. After a player has a big game, it feels like Don Kelly sits them like when Tyler Callihan was benched after hitting two homers! 

Hour 2 with Joe Starkey: The Pirates are 40-40 but should be better than that. Who is in order to blame: Ben Cherington, Don Kelly, or the players? Joe is thinking of going with players first, then GM, then manager. Joe doesn't think Don Kelly is the reason the Pirates have failed this season. Joe has been very frustrated by the Pirates lack of success in extras.

Hour 3: Could the 2030 World Cup end up on a streaming service? John Perrotto joins the show to talk about Ben Cherington's job security. And Dom says the USA's win in the Revolutionary War is overrated.

Hour 4: Are the Steelers building a team to win a Super Bowl? Colin Beazley joins the show to preview the Pirates' next moves. And Dom details a crazy new movie releasing in theaters this August.