David Stovash

@Hoobito97 Payton in allar draft

Allar draft or Payton draft 👀

@TheSteelersWire They look like longshots.

5 most realistic 1st-round Steelers options in the 2026 NFL draft 📸 Brett Davis, Brett Davis-Imagn Images steelerswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/n…

@Hoobito97 First one

Give me either class 🤷‍♂️

@FTFonFS1 @kevinwildes How is he going to turn into another sam darnold sitting on the bench.

.@kevinwildes wouldn't be surprised if Justin Fields becomes the next Sam Darnold: "I like this move a lot. Now you get to be with Andy Reid?! If you're looking for the next Sam Darnold..." 👀

@DKPghSports Williams instead of griffin sad

Pirates lineup vs. Astros: 1. Oneil Cruz, CF 2. Ryan O'Hearn, RF 3. Bryan Reynolds, LF 4. Marcell Ozuna, DH 5. Brandon Lowe, 2B 6. Nick Gonzales, 3B 7. Spencer Horwitz, 1B 8. Joey Bart, C 9. Alika Williams, SS -- From José Negron in Bradenton, Fla.

@GMBCSuperfan Not an armchair critic I have watched the last 7 years of total failure with developingʻ there own position players bad draft picks like davis and gonzalez. Please explain his long term decisions.

@dmalatnick Sure. Or maybe a re-examination of how long-term decision-making has payoffs that armchair critics are often neglecting or just don’t understand very well.

Has Ben Cherington Done Enough to Earn Your Respect? What a difference a year makes! This time last year, the narrative around the team was very different. Coming off a second straight 76-86 season in 2024, the team was entering year six of a rebuild that didn’t seem to be going very well. The acquisitions heading into 2025 were pathetic: Tommy Pham was the prize offensive addition for left field, joined by Adam Frazier, Andrew Heaney, and a third go-round with Andrew McCutchen. Payroll topped out at $86 million, right where the team ended the 2024 season. You know the rest. The team lumbered to a 12-26 record to start the year, and Manager Derek Shelton was fired on May 8. Soon after, the chorus of “Fire Ben Cherington” reached a fever pitch. Dejan Kovacevic began to froth at the mouth on his daily podcast, outright calling for his head. After such a miserable start, the team stabilized, going 64-60 the rest of the season. But “a little better than .500” is never the goal when you have the best pitcher in baseball leading your rotation. When the season ended, it was a surprise to many that Cherington was retained for another year. So here we are, with just a week left of spring training before heading into the 2026 season. Has Cherington done enough to warrant a reassessment? Success in Free Agency The Pirates ended up with Pham last season as a result of missing out on other free agents. One got the sense that Cherington was failing at recruiting, always trying to stretch the little he had to spend. Entering 2026, ownership’s stance changed, noting a willingness to spend this offseason by pushing payroll north of $100 million. Going into the offseason with $30M-$40M to spend rather than ~$15M proved to be a difference-maker. Rather than “spread it around,” Cherington targeted major bats, ultimately failing to bring in Kyle Schwarber, Eugenio Suárez, or Kazuma Okamoto. Even the pedigree of these pursuits suggested a change in approach. Ultimately, Cherington succeeded in signing Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year, $29M contract and Marcell Ozuna for one year at $12M. Both rate as significant, impact bats and huge improvements over 2025. Gregory Soto was also brought in for $7.5 million, providing the bullpen with a power lefty. Trades for Major League Talent During Cherington’s tenure, the Pirates had primarily liquidated established major league players for prospects, most often years away from helping the team. Some worked out okay, like getting David Bednar and three other players for Joe Musgrove. But most of the others were duds. I am still waiting for 24-year-old Brennan Malone, the prize of the Starling Marte trade, to do something in Single-A ball. This offseason, Cherington matched his more aggressive approach in free agency by trading two starting pitchers for major league-ready talent. The first to go was Johan Oviedo, coming off a rebound season following Tommy John surgery, in exchange for OF Jhostynxon Garcia from the Red Sox. Soon after, Mike Burrows was flipped in a three-team deal that netted the Pirates 2B Brandon Lowe, OF Jake Mangum, and RP Mason Montgomery. All four players will show up on the field in Pittsburgh in 2026 An Accumulation of Success in the Draft The narrative in 2024 and 2025 was all about how poorly the Pirates had fared in recent drafts under Cherington. Two of his first-round picks, Nick Gonzalez and Henry Davis, had largely underperformed, and Termarr Johnson was demonstrating less-than-stellar success in the minors. They had scored on Paul Skenes, but critics didn’t credit Cherington, viewing it as a no-brainer pick. It’s taken a while, but the success in drafting high school pitchers has finally come to fruition, as Bubba Chandler, Braxton Ashcraft, Jared Jones, and Hunter Barco all factor into plans for the 2026 rotation, with Thomas Harrington in the wings. Somewhat out of nowhere, 2024 pick Konnor Griffin rose throughout 2025 to become a consensus #1 prospect in baseball, even fighting for a starting spot out of camp in 2026. Seth Hernandez, the 2025 pick, also appears poised to move quickly through the system. It’s hard to call Cherington’s work through the draft as anything but a success. No GM hits 100% of the time, but getting Griffin with the 9th overall pick is the sort of thing that defines a GM’s tenure. International Signings Shine Typically the slowest to materialize for a new GM are his efforts to secure international talent. Because players can be signed as young as 16, a GM’s first six years on the job are unlikely to result in international talent reaching the big league club. But some are just around the corner. Pitchers Wilber Dotel and Antwone Kelly are likely to be the first fruits, with the potential to see both in Pittsburgh this summer. Edward Florentino broke out in a big way last year, with some saying he could replace Konnor Griffin in top-10 prospect lists by the end of 2026. The Dominican program is a standout, with 8 of Cherington’s 10 best international signings coming from there. It makes for robust top-30 prospect lists from Baseball America, FanGraphs, and MLB Pipeline. Bottom Line 📌 “Ben Cherington is a bum, the team stinks, and there is no hope or joy to be had…” I still encounter this perspective, and it feels so lazy. To me, the definition of ignorance is the refusal to revise one’s thinking when confronted with new evidence. There is new data to suggest that Ben Cherington is actually pretty good at his job, with the 2025-2026 offseason serving as a clear demarcation point. But there are no sure things. These acquisitions still need to perform, and bounce-back seasons from already accumulated talent will be required. But unlike last year, where the failure to improve was squarely on Cherington’s shoulders, I can’t fault him for what he’s done to set this team up for success in 2026. They may still fail, but that won’t hang on the GM the way 2025 did. Ultimately, for me -- and I suspect many of the people who read this column -- Cherington has earned himself a reprieve. Now, if the casual fans would get that memo. We will all soon see what, if anything, has changed on the field. And God forbid a slow start -- the pitchforks are still close by.

@PittGuru It would be an improvement if they were mediocre.

The decision has been made: Jeff Capel is returning. He has one goal for next year: an NCAA appearance. Allen Greene has one goal: MORE NIL MONEY 💰for a cooperative roster. It’s that simple. The choice is clear: either strive for excellence or settle for mediocrity. #H2P 🔵🏀🟡🏀

@DonChed54 He was terrible before NIL

Something I didn't anticipate today: Pitt fans calling in to defend Jeff Capel and the decision to bring him back

@ThePoniExpress Embarrassing.

BREAKING: Pitt is keeping Jeff Capel!?! Big time info coming in on this now. Watch/Listen.

Pitt is an very unserious program

@CALLAS_33 You're giving them credit for playing hard they're getting paid the least they should do is play hard.

Having respect for a team and wanting to award them with something tangible are two DIFFERENT ideas, David lol

@CALLAS_33 You want to give them a participation trophy.

Pitt MBB lost. RIP. They never gave up though, and I think that’s respectable. Was that Jeff Capel’s last game with Pitt?

@AustinRBechtold No. Recruiting classes mean nothing if they can just leave after 1 year.

Pitt hoops begins the ACC Tournament Tuesday. I’d be willing to let Jeff Capel bring in his very good recruiting class and give him one more shot. Thoughts?

@MikedUpSports1 Don't like branch didn't do much other than catch WR screens.

Up to the minute Steelers mock. Thoughts?

People are talking about Maxx crosby to baltimore.I think top edge rushers are overrated and overpaid. Miles Garrett Tj watt Micah parson Maxx crosby Trey Hendrickson Aiden Hutchinson. What have there teams ever won

@AustinRBechtold are edge rushers really a prime position. Garrett,crosby,parsons,watt hutchinson,Hendrickson what have they ever won.

@ThePoniExpress Bull they aren't spending 13 mil on RB time for a new source

Source: The Steelers have had internal discussions about free agent Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III. And will monitor his situation when the legal tampering period opens on Monday. The Steelers team MVP Kenneth Gainwell III is a FA. And Omar Khan hinted at doing things that "might not be normal" at the combine. Stay tuned.

@Pirates247 Not good enough simple as that.

This kinda sucks man. Pirates finally have a competitive roster and he’s not on it. Cutch deserves it more than anyone.

@Dueycbb They are getting paid you expect them to play hard. They shouldn't get credit for it.

Obviously it has not been an ideal season but I respect this team for playing hard every game and not giving up besides the Louisville game, with only 8 scholarship players and no depth these guys give it their all for 40 minutes Sucks for Cam Corhen he deserved a better fate this year, playing out of position with no backup and playing 40 mins as a big is remarkable, last year he was not aggressive and shied away from contact, this year he was the complete opposite and was maybe the best big we have had under Capel, you have to applaud a guy for improving like he did this year