Kuzul

Another example of the baseball card collector's "holy grail" is on the auction block.  Just a few weeks after a T206 Honus Wagner tobacco card brought $2.1 million, another one of the 1909 rarities is up for bid.New Jersey-based Robert Edward Auctions is offering the card once owned by actor Charlie Sheen.  Just over a week into the bidding, it stands at $330,000.  Graded PSA 1 (poor), the card shows wear, but has quite a story behind it.In the 1990s, Sheen loaned the Wagner and several other vintage cards from his collection to the All Star Café in New York.  It was a popular attraction at the sports-themed restaurant and apparently too tempting for a pair of chefs.Two of them, along with a manager, plotted to steal the card and replace it with a copy.  Their idea worked for a while and they tried to cash in by selling it ...

The Pittsburgh Pirates' difficult start to the 2013 season encountered another obstacle Monday night, as starting pitcher Wandy Rodriguez left the Bucs' 5-3 victory in the third inning with a tight left hamstring.Rodriguez was expected to be re-evaluated on Tuesday, and the extent of the injury is at this point unclear. But if Rodriguez is sidelined for an extended period of time, the Pirates' suddenly thin rotation will face a big challenge.The Pirates' rotation features several hit or miss players, with Rodriguez perhaps representing the safest option Clint Hurdle has at his disposal. Though A.J. Burnett, the Bucs' clear ace at this point, put together a rather consistent year in 2012, he does not have a track record anywhere close to Wandy's in this department.The current Pittsburgh rotation also features James McDonald and Jonathan Sanchez, two pitchers who are capable of excellence or incompetence on any given day. Rodriguez is ...

The Pittsburgh Pirates have started 2013 in a very similar manner to 2012, struggling to get anything going at the plate. Despite four solid pitching performances in a row, the Bucs are 1-3 heading into Saturday night's tilt with Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers.The Pirates have scored six runs in four games, with three of those runs coming against struggling Chicago Cubs closer Carlos Marmol.While it is way too early to react strongly to specific results, the Bucs' overall approach at the plate does not suggest that a significant improvement is around the corner.It is one thing to go on a cold streak because batted balls simply aren't finding holes, as can often happen in the sport. It's another to pile up heavy strikeout numbers while drawing few walks and swinging at pitches out of the strike zone, as the Pirates are currently doing.The biggest culprits at this early stage ...

The Pittsburgh Pirates' starting rotation has been a key component of the team's first-half success in 2011 and 2012, keeping the team afloat while the offense struggled at the start of the season.While there are many question marks in this year's rotation, the Bucs also boast several higher ceiling pitchers in addition to more credible depth than they have had in previously.It will be interesting to see how the back of the Pirates' rotation, which is not fully set yet, shakes out over the first few months of the season, as well as when they give some of their higher-impact prospects a shot in Pittsburgh. StartersThe Pirates enter the season with only two real "sure things" at the top of their rotation. Both A.J. Burnett and Wandy Rodriguez may see some decline, but each comes off a strong 2012 season and can be labeled a somewhat reliable veteran at this point.Yankees ...

As the Pittsburgh Pirates' young talent has started to graduate from their farm system in recent years, their outfield has become a much more exciting unit.Entering 2013, the Bucs likely have two thirds of their outfield set for the better part of the decade, with several interesting candidates to fill the third position in the short- or long-term future.There are still questions to be answered, and the Pirates cannot necessarily expect above-average production from any position other than center field. But the Bucs' outfield is starting to look like a long-term strength, StartersThe Pirates have two young, athletic players that should be patrolling their outfield for years to come in superstar Andrew McCutchen and prospect Starling Marte. It is pretty clear what McCutchen will bring to the Bucs this year, but Marte's contribution is less certain.As he has been for the past four seasons, McCutchen will be the centerpiece of Pittsburgh's ...

The first week of Spring Training has come and gone, and there are a few interesting developments within the Pirates organization.The majority of Spring Training results are meaningless (Andrew McCutchen isn't going to bat .143 this season), but the Pirates have so many interesting, fringe-starter types on their roster that there is more information worth monitoring than usual. The #MartePartay BeginsStarling Marte has gotten off to a very good start to Spring Training, which is exactly what Pirate fans wanted to see from a player who can be a staple in Pittsburgh for a long time.The #MartePartay started before the Pirates' first game, as Marte hit home run in an intrasquad game and hasn't looked back since. He has five hits in 12 at-bats and his approach has generally looked sound.It is certainly to early to suggest that he has made the leap, but Marte is already an elite defensive player ...

Although spring training is officially under way, there are still players finding homes with new teams for the 2013 season, including pitcher Jose Contreras, who was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday. The right-handed Contreras’ signing, which was a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training, was announced via the team’s official Twitter feed: The @pirates have signed RHP Jose Contreras to a minor league contract with an invite to spring training.— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) February 24, 2013 The signing was confirmed in a subsequent report by MLB.com’s Andrew Simon. The 41-year-old Contreras is a veteran of 10 major league seasons, playing previously for the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies. He defected from his native Cuba and signed a $32 million contract with the Yankees in the winter prior to the 2003 season. He began his major league career as a ...

Most teams would not extend their manager’s contract after a 79–83 record and a historic collapse. However, most teams are not the Pittsburgh Pirates. After two decades of perpetual mediocrity, the Pirates have decided to extend Clint Hurdles’ contract for making them less bad. Clint Hurdle pretty much has it all going for him. The owner loves him, and the fans seem to have a favorable opinion of him. No, he hasn’t led the pirates to the playoffs, yet. But, he has done something that many before could not— made them respectable. The fact that the Pirates were even in the position to possibly make the playoffs is a reason to celebrate within itself in Pittsburgh. The Pirates are no longer a laughing stock, and opponents are now forced to respect them when they see them on their schedule. The Pirates are a team that’s building toward a playoff berth. That’s ...

 2012 Record: 79-83 (fourth in NL Central, missed postseason) Key AdditionsC Russell Martin (FA), SP Francisco Liriano (FA), RP Mark Melancon (BOS), IF/OF Jerry Sands (BOS), IF Brandon Inge (FA), 1B/OF Brad Hawpe (FA), IF Ivan DeJesus (BOS), SP Jeanmar Gomez (CLE), SP Jonathan Sanchez (FA), SP Vin Mazzaro (KC), SP Stolmy Pimentel (BOS), SP Andrew Oliver (DET), 1B Clint Robinson (KC) Key LossesRP Joel Hanrahan (BOS), SP Kevin Correia (FA), RP Chris Resop (OAK), RP Chad Qualls (FA), RP Hisanori Takahashi (Released), C Rod Barajas (FA), IF Brock Holt (BOS) Projected Starting Lineup1. LF Starling Marte (.257/.300/.437, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 18 R)2. 2B Neil Walker (.280/.342/.426, 14 HR, 69 RBI, 62 R)3. CF Andrew McCutchen (.327/.400/.553, 31 HR, 96 RBI, 107 R)4. 1B Garrett Jones (.274/.317/.516, 27 HR, 86 RBI, 68 R)5. 3B Pedro Alvarez (.244/.317/.467, 30 HR, 85 RBI, 64 R)6. C Russell Martin (.211/.311/.403, 21 HR, 53 RBI, 50 ...

Spring training is around the corner, and in only a couple days, the Pittsburgh Pirates will once again begin the quest to break their streak of what is now 20 consecutive losing seasons.On February 11, pitchers and catchers will report to Bradenton as the Bucs start preparing for their 2013 campaign.There is a fair amount of intrigue surrounding Pittsburgh pitchers this spring. The Pirates may have a somewhat open competition at the back of the rotation over the next six weeks, with several young pitchers ready to make their mark and a top prospect waiting in the wings. Begin Slideshow