The Pirates have the distinction of having made the best and most famous Rule 5 Draft pick of all time: Roberto Clemente. A lot about the Rule 5 Draft has changed since Branch Rickey plucked the future Hall of Famer and baseball icon from the Brooklyn Dodgers’ system in 1954.

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar. Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for Oct. 9. 1) Joe Sewell (1898) Sewell, the first of two Hall of Famers on this list, found his

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar. Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for Oct. 5: 1) Claude Ritchey (1873) Ritchey, know as “Little All Right” due to his stature, played 13 years

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar. Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for Oct. 3.

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar. Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for Sept. 29: 1) Ed Morris (1862) Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Morris grew up in California and was one of

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar. Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for Sept. 28.

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar. Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for Sept. 23:

Roberto Clemente made his Major League debut on April 17, 1955, batting third and playing right field for the Pirates in the first game of a doubleheader against the Dodgers. In his first at-bat, the 20-year-old Clemente legged out an infield single on a ball to Brooklyn shortstop Pee Wee

PITTSBURGH -- The shortest distance from PNC Park’s home plate to the Allegheny River, according to the Pirates' media guide, is 456 feet -- straight down the right-field line. That proximity to the water has created a tantalizing target for left-handed power hitters over the years, no different than the

PITTSBURGH -- How have the Pirates fared with their first selection in past Drafts? Here is a list of the Pirates’ top pick in each year’s Draft since it began in 1965.

The wait for Paul Skenes is almost over. The Pirates are set to start their top prospect Saturday against the Cubs in a game fans have been waiting for since Skenes was taken with the first overall pick in last year’s MLB Draft. In anticipation of Saturday, where does Skenes’

On Saturday, the Pirates will promote their top prospect, Paul Skenes. While his journey to the Majors has been shorter than many draftees, last year's first overall pick should make an immediate impact on his new club. But a first-round talent is not a certainty to be an impact player.

The expectations for Paul Skenes are sky-high, and justifiably so given his immense talent. Ahead of his first Major League start Saturday, what would it take for him to have one of the greatest debut seasons in team history? Here’s a look at five of the best -- three by

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar. Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for Jan. 12.

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar. Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for Jan. 3.

Bill Mazeroski was different from every ballplayer who ever existed, and not just because of the gob of chewing tobacco that distended his cheek and appeared to be lodged there. All would-be Major Leaguers dream of homering in the ninth inning of Game 7 to win the World Series. Mazeroski

PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates’ greatest players have a place in Cooperstown. Honus Wagner was part of the Hall of Fame’s first class. The Hall waived its mandatory five-year waiting period to elect Roberto Clemente in 1973, less than a year after his tragic death. Willie Stargell, Paul Waner, Arky Vaughan,

PITTSBURGH -- What would the Pirates’ dream lineup look like? You’re probably thinking about an infield of Willie Stargell, Bill Mazeroski, Honus Wagner and Pie Traynor playing in front of an outfield of Ralph Kiner, Max Carey and Roberto Clemente. If you’ve got room for a designated hitter, maybe you

PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates' long history of trades runs the gamut from amazing to appalling, from deals that set up World Series champions to swaps that set them back for several seasons. No matter the immediate reaction, most trades wind up falling somewhere in the middle. But everyone remembers the

PITTSBURGH -- Whether you prefer the early 1900s greatness of Honus Wagner, the early ‘90s dominance of Barry Bonds, the graceful excellence of Roberto Clemente or the powerful presences of Ralph Kiner and Willie Stargell, there’s no doubt that the Pirates have had some historically great position players take the

PITTSBURGH -- For some players, names and numbers are interchangeable in conversation. You can’t see “21” in Pittsburgh’s black and gold without thinking of Roberto Clemente. No. 8? That’s Willie Stargell. Bill Mazeroski is No. 9, and there will never be another in Pittsburgh. But what about all the other

PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates have retired the numbers of seven of their players, all Hall of Famers. The standard is high to be immortalized by the Pirates, but the long history of black-and-gold baseball features some of the game's all-time greats. Stroll around the perimeter of beautiful PNC Park, and

PITTSBURGH – What’s in a team nickname? For some sports franchises, the origin is obvious and needs no explaining. “Phillies” is short for “Philadelphians,” an easily understood name for the baseball team on the other side of Pennsylvania. Other names, like the Pittsburgh Penguins, were the result of a selection

PITTSBURGH -- For the most part, the most famous players to wear a Pirates uniform are known for their time in Pittsburgh. When you think about Roberto Clemente or Willie Stargell or Bill Mazeroski or Honus Wagner, you identify them as Pirates. Dave Parker, Barry Bonds and Andrew McCutchen played

PITTSBURGH -- There are no pitchers in the Hall of Fame wearing a Pirates cap, and Pittsburgh has only featured two National League Cy Young Award winners: Vern Law in 1960 and Doug Drabek in 1990. But that doesn’t mean the club's history is devoid of quality pitchers who have