John Columbus

@Dejan_Kovacevic For those who celebrate…..🎉

📍 Hi everyone! Happy ... Leafs Elimination Day!

@Dejan_Kovacevic @DanBurkett_ Absolutely Dejan, and some may believe I was part of that original crowd!

@DanBurkett_ Pittsburgh. And they've given that for 145 years, well before the Yankees were relocated from some other city. :)

Konnor Griffin double in his first MLB at bat. Plus great is it seeing Pittsburg fans give a shit about baseball again?

@JoshYohe_PGH Every team in the NHL has nights when they just don’t show up….last night was the Pens night….

I see lots of people are blaming Skinner for last night’s loss. He didn’t play well. But they got their asses completely kicked all night by a better team that was far more invested in the result. And that’s ok. It happens. I don’t know how there is any other way to look at it

@NorthShoreNine I was worried one of the signings would have a slow start…..never thought this bad….

Ozuna now has just 1 hit in 28 plate appearances

@ThePoniExpress Every thought you have emerges as a tweet (post) …….

Konnor Griffin will be better than Derek Jeter. Mark my words.

@Mikey5Aces Right!!

Every time I watch Brandon Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn at the plate you can tell both were developed by organizations that knew how to elevate hitters. They literally look like professional hitters.

@LetsGoBucsHD56 Let’s Go!

Hey Baltimore Orioles….you’re going down like it’s 1971 and 1979

@DanZangrilli @kwendel38 EGON is probably still available in an emergency…..

For everyone who had to sit through this, I hope you enjoy today…

Listen….i promise all of you that I did not just tear up, ok? @Pirates #LetsGoBucs

@KevinGormanPGH Why did I get misty over that?

The Pirates pay tribute to Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski, who died on Feb. 20, with “Maz” stenciled into the field for today’s home opener at PNC Park.

@kgriffinburner @GMBCSuperfan @EmanuelKiriakou Please know I’m an older guy now and if they are going this far? They should go all the way! Skenes 5 years 190 million! Get that bat at 3rd! Go all the way! They could actually compete if they go for it!

@cooljerdoc @GMBCSuperfan @EmanuelKiriakou If we’re good enough at the deadline i wouldn’t be shocked at all

CF Cruz 2B Lowe RF Reynolds DH Ozuna LF O’Hearn SS Griffin 1B Horwitz 3B Gonzales C Bart

@GMBCSuperfan @EmanuelKiriakou @kgriffinburner An honest assessment of Gonzalez….i think they need to make a move for a bigger bat at 3rd…..

I actually have a lot of love in my heart for Nick Gonzalez. I’ve advocated for him, even with the addition of Brandon Lowe, to be an involved, impact player in 2026. But there are reservations related to him. I’ll use this response to create a backdoor column on the challenges for Nick Gonzalez to overcome this season: 1. He needs to demonstrate a true offensive breakout. Across 231 games and 951 plate appearances in parts of four seasons, Gonzalez has a .678 OPS. And he took a step back last year after a promising second half of 2024. Now, one can point to his injury at the start of the season, as well as successful 10- and 20-game stretches, and paint a picture for why he should be given a shot this year. But at some point, he needs to break through. So far so good in 2026, going 9-for-27 with some very timely hits. But note also that he so infrequently walks (just one thus far), which really limits how he shows up. He isn’t a guy to hit a bunch of home runs, but he also doesn’t get on base like a prototypical #2 guy. His hit tool is really the sum total of it, not unlike Luis Arráez. And like Arráez, his is a skillset not universally appreciated. A few more walks, or a few more home runs, would really help lift his entire profile. 2. His defense has thus far been below average and needs to improve. Across 1,700 innings at 2B for the Pirates, Gonzalez has -16 DRS, which is not great. It was -11 last year, which was significantly worse than it was the previous season. That may have been injury related as he recovered from a non-displaced left ankle fracture, or it could be that Gonzalez is worsening. He’s been pretty average at SS and 3B when he’s been called on to fill in, with 239 innings at SS and just 46 innings at 3B, and a 0 DRS. This would be the season for Gonzalez to show that last year was an aberration and that he is closer to average than below average defensively. 3. He has significant competition. Needless to say, the additions of Brandon Lowe and Konnor Griffin represent a challenge to Gonzo for playing time. He’s currently manning 3B, but there is a question as to how the Pirates will handle Triolo now that Griffin is the new starting SS. I am all for giving Gonzalez the lion’s share of starts at 3B. I like a platoon there of Gonzo as the starter who gets 2-3 at-bats per game before Triolo comes in as a late inning defensive replacement. That would seem to be the best of both worlds. Bottom Line 📌 Even with all these additions, Gonzalez has found a way to get regular playing time thus far in 2026. His .333 batting average and sure-handed defense is proving out. That the Pirates can bat a guy with that sort of profile 8th -- which would have made him easily the #2 guy last season -- is more of a statement about how much more improved the Pirates lineup is this year over last. Keep in mind: Spencer Horwitz, the Pirates best hitter by a wide margin last year, is batting 7th. It’s a different year, for sure.

@JimStamm22 Yes but I think he wi outperform that by a little….1.6 WAR

Feels like an appropriate time to revisit this given the Griffin news today. KG is the real deal, but it rarely all happens at once. Baseball just isn't built that way.

@BloopAndABlast Barry Bonds OPS+ 103 his rookie year….please be patient and kind……

Also, friendly reminder, Griffin is probably going to make quite a few errors. That’s what young shortstops do. Bobby Witt Jr had a .959 fielding % his rookie year. There should be no calls to move him back to the OF or to 2B or 3B because he doesn’t have a stellar defensive year

@PenguinsJesus I had this one pegged for no show loss…..better days ahead

The Capitals, Blue Jackets and Flyers are all currently losing. For what that’s worth.

@DrDadBuilder @anish_koka 🙏🏻

After nearly 4 years working within a large healthcare system, I made the decision to take a different path. Today was DAY 1 of building something of my own. I decided to start my own private practice with one clear purpose: to put patients first always. Not driven by systems, quotas, or accepting burnout as the norm, but focused on doing what's right for each individual. My goal is simple: to provide high-quality urological care where patients feel heard, respected, and never rushed. Grateful for the journey so far and even more excited for what's ahead. #LebanonPA #centralPA #Urology #MedTwitter #MensHealth #PrivatePractice

@OleTimeHardball I’m going row two

One row of Outfielders for the entirety of the careers Top, middle, or bottom row?

Konnor Griffin stole “87” bases in high school….”87” ….of course he did!

@GMBCSuperfan @AustinRBechtold Speechless….

@cooljerdoc @AustinRBechtold Yea sir, 9 years, $140 million, still getting finalized but all but done. That’s why he’s here.

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal believes the #Pirates and Konnor Griffin will agree on a long-term deal. The momentum continues to grow that this is happening soon.

@SchwarBurgh @KevinGormanPGH One of my favorite players ever! Rennie Stennett and Tony Pena!

Konnor Griffin will wear No. 6 for the Pirates.