The Fan Morning Show

7-17 Fan Morning Show Full Show

Greg Brown joins the show! Will the Pirates play tonight? The smoke in the air in Cleveland is casting doubt over whether tonight's game will be played. Do the Pirates need another starter? Greg says every team could use another arm and the Pirates would be one of those teams open to it. He says the Keller mystery is still one that needs to be solved. The Pitt upset of Clemson is making its rounds on Twitter. Dorin discusses the game and the speech he gave before it. What would have happened if the NCAA had a playoff format in the latter part of the 2000s. Brownie compared Esmerlyn Valdez to Aramis Ramirez. The guys would absolutely take Ramirez's career for Valdez. Fan Cash Contest, Ron in the car says that Mitch Keller will have a rebound second half of the season and be the Pirates' best pitcher. Crowley is trying to quit nicotine and is chewing gum, which Dorin can hear. The current air quality in Cleveland is not looking good. Will we see the Pirates play the Guardians tonight or does Canada have other ideas? Breaking News: The Pidgeon Lady from Home Alone 2 passes away.

Chris Carter joins us from his vacation to talk about the Steelers! Bill Barnwell's list yesterday of Steelers who could be worth a first round pick in a trade. Chris says that five out of the six Steelers on the list make some sense but a first-round pick for Keanu Benton is not something he would expect. He thinks that Benton would fetch a second-round pick and command a high price tag in the free agent market but not a first-round pick in a trade. A lot has been made about the potential upcoming Joey Porter Jr. extension, what will a Benton extension look like? Yesterday's Quiz Dom went viral. The guys continue to dive into Bill Barnwell's list of players that can fetch a first round pick for the Steelers. Crowley just does not see Benton getting a first round pick. Crowley will be seeing the live action Moana movie and has a semi-mental breakdown. Quiz Charlie! He tries to do a better job than Dom did yesterday. The result: he gets four right. But this quiz was incredibly hard. As Donny Football said, it wasn't exactly "Where did Jack Ham go to college".

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. Will the Pirates add another arm to the bullpen? Dorin says they will, whether it is the right arm or not. Crowley and Dorin are not fans of the Brandon Eisert part of the trade. Will Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz continue their success when they return from the injured list? Can the Pirates go on a hot streak during the second half of the season? Crowley says they can as they have yet to have a true "hot streak" this season and it is due at some point. What better point of the season to get a hot stretch than the second half? Crowley accuses Dorin of flexing for the camera, however I don't think Crowley knows what muscles are and cannot differentiate stretching and flexing. An in depth dive into the trade targets on the top 100 list. Would you rather add Luis Arraez for the Pirates at second base and move on from Brandon Lowe or keep Lowe without an extension?

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

The Pitt upset of Clemson is making its rounds on Twitter. Dorin discusses the game and the speech he gave before it. What would have happened if the NCAA had a playoff format in the latter part of the 2000s. Brownie compared Esmerlyn Valdez to Aramis Ramirez. The guys would absolutely take Ramirez's career for Valdez.

Greg Brown joins the show! Will the Pirates play tonight? The smoke in the air in Cleveland is casting doubt over whether tonight's game will be played. Do the Pirates need another starter? Greg says every team could use another arm and the Pirates would be one of those teams open to it. He says the Keller mystery is still one that needs to be solved.

Yesterday's Quiz Dom went viral. The guys continue to dive into Bill Barnwell's list of players that can fetch a first round pick for the Steelers. Crowley just does not see Benton getting a first round pick. Crowley will be seeing the live action Moana movie and has a semi-mental breakdown.

Chris Carter joins us from his vacation to talk about the Steelers! Bill Barnwell's list yesterday of Steelers who could be worth a first round pick in a trade. Chris says that five out of the six Steelers on the list make some sense but a first-round pick for Keanu Benton is not something he would expect. He thinks that Benton would fetch a second-round pick and command a high price tag in the free agent market but not a first-round pick in a trade. A lot has been made about the potential upcoming Joey Porter Jr. extension, what will a Benton extension look like?

Will the Pirates add another arm to the bullpen? Dorin says they will, whether it is the right arm or not. Crowley and Dorin are not fans of the Brandon Eisert part of the trade. Will Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz continue their success when they return from the injured list?

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.

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?

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.

Hour 1: Do the Pirates need to acquire another starting pitcher before the deadline? The guys debate how much faith we should have in Jared Jones right now. And Dom ate a fried apple pie during the commercial break. Hour 2: Pat Bostick joins the show in-studio for the next couple hours! The guys recap Argentina’s stunning win at the World Cup yesterday. Could Dom have been an award-winning play-by-play announcer? And should the Pirates trade Oneil Cruz by the trade deadline? Hour 3: Will Pitt football start the season 5-0 this year? Does ChatGPT know who Harry Callas is? And Dom gives his Kyle Dubas and Matt Campbell hot takes. Hour 4: The guys quiz Dom, and it goes … not well. The guys reminisce on one of the most controversial college football teams of this century. And Jeff Hathhorn joins the show to preview the Pirates’ post-All-Star-break moves.

Hour 4: The guys quiz Dom, and it goes … not well. The guys reminisce on one of the most controversial college football teams of this century. And Jeff Hathhorn joins the show to preview the Pirates' post-All-Star-break moves.

Dorin quizzes Dom on where former Steelers went to school, and it goes ... poorly.

Hour 3: Will Pitt football start the season 5-0 this year? Does ChatGPT know who Harry Callas is? And Dom gives his Kyle Dubas and Matt Campbell hot takes.

Hour 2: Pat Bostick joins the show in-studio for the next couple hours! The guys recap Argentina’s stunning win at the World Cup yesterday. Could Dom have been an award-winning play-by-play announcer? And should the Pirates trade Oneil Cruz by the trade deadline?

Crowley wants the Pirates to make a trade with the Mets. Pat wants to know if Oneil Cruz is on the table in trade discussions. Should the Pirates look to move Cruz by the deadline?

Hour 1: Do the Pirates need to acquire another starting pitcher before the deadline? The guys debate how much faith we should have in Jared Jones right now. And Dom ate a fried apple pie during the commercial break.

Paul Skenes has optimism that many current Pirates will be future All-Stars. What should the Pirates do with their pitchers in the second half of the season? The guys wonder if another starter is needed by the Buccos. Could Robbie Ray be a trade candidate for Pittsburgh?

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 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.

Doug Whaley joins the show for Wednesday with Whaley! Are the Steelers in quarterback purgatory right now? Crowley loves the Berenstain Bears. Doug describes what the book was on Mike McCarthy back in the day. Doug has never seen Dom in person before.

Hour 3: Ray Fittipaldo joins the show to go through the biggest Steelers stories ahead of training camp. Could a salary cap in MLB actually be a BAD thing for the fans??? Do people still go to the library? The guys react to breaking Anthony Mantha news. And Dorin and Dom love Tubi’s horror movie selection.

Ray Fittipaldo joins the show to talk about the biggest questions surrounding the Steelers going into training camp, his thoughts on Pittsburgh keeping four quarterbacks on the roster, what the linebacker room will look like long-term, if Kevin Stefanski or John Harbaugh will have the better season this year, if Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson is a better quarterback, if Eli Heidenreich is going to make the team, if the Steelers should regret trading George Pickens, and more!

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?

Michael McKenry said yesterday that this year’s Pirates team is more talented than 2013’s. The guys go position by position to compare both teams. Is Napoleon Dynamite a good movie? Who’s more talented, Andrew McCutchen or O’Neil Cruz?

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.

Should we still not have faith in the Pirates right now because of Bob Nutting? Crowley says he thinks Pittsburgh is making the playoffs this year. Are some fans still not able to enjoy the ride of this season? Crowley quotes Ferris Bueller.

7-14 Fan Morning Show Full Show

7-14 Fan Morning Show 9am Hour What is Neil Walker's go-to cookout meal? Neil says he is very simple: burgers and dogs. Neil gives the Pirates a B and 82% when grading their first half. The pitching brings the grade down a lot with their poor first half. Is it possible we see Seth Hernandez coming out of the bullpen in September? Neil says it is definitely possible even if the Pirates add bullpen arms at the deadline. Hopefully there is not a revolving door between the minors and MLB arms and the bullpen is steady when it comes down the stretch. Neil suggests having him throw in low leverage situations just to see what he has. Despite the USMNT not being in the World Cup anymore, the World Cup is still happening. France and Spain play today at Jerry World. Would you rather watch the World Cup or the MLB All-Star Game? Will anyone watch the All-Star Game tonight? Will Crowley ever drink a Long Island Iced Tea again? Jason did not see the woman call Paul Skenes a future Yankee to his face. Jason was with Braxton Ashcraft at the time. Jason says that it is problematic in many aspects of the sport, especially the media. It irritates Jason, a member of the media. Skenes talked about his dip in velocity. Did Skenes have any ideas why his velocity is down? Jason has indeed consumed a cheesesteak in Philly. Crowley is jealous of Dorin's muscles.

7-14 Fan Morning Show 8am Hour Matt Clement joins the show. The guys congratulate the Clement family as Madden was drafted by the Kansas City Royals. Paul Skenes gave some comments about his last couple of starts and what he thinks is different from years past. Matt says he thinks Skenes would like his velocity to be a little bit higher but he has adjusted to what it is now. Matt says that this has been a "maddening first half" but also a fun one! Who are the guys' picks for MVP of the Pirates so far? Crowley says that Esmerlyn Valdez is his pick. Nick Gonzales gets an underrated honorable mention. Brandon Lowe has fallen off a little bit in recent weeks but he has still shown he is a main contributor My MVP pick is Evan Cisk if we are picking players who are not the usual suspects. Even though he is hurt, Cisk is the only player that has been consistent and leaves you confident he will get the job done. A caller says Braxton Ashcraft is his first half MVP. Crowley says the LVP is Mitch Keller over Marcel Ozuna. Dennis Santana is the leading LVP candidate in the clubhouse not named Mitch Keller. Someone in the Audacy Office is trying to lose weight but also ate 6 tacos last night. Crowley is trying to quit drinking, but he has high school friends visiting this weekend.

7-14 Fan Morning Show 7am Hour Jeff Hatthorn joins the show! Does Jeff have hope that the Pirates make the playoffs? He believes they can make it especially if Paul Skenes pitches better in the second half. He also points out that Braxton Ashcraft is entering uncharted territory regarding innings pitched. Jeff also says he does not care what it costs for someone like Josh Hader or Aroldis Chapman because everything else on the team is there. Who is more likely to be cut: Roman Wilson or Mason Rudolph? Status quo on everything related to Jason Robertson. Could the Penguins offer sheet Connor Bedard? Crowley says that he would not play Mason Rudolph at all in the preseason. Will Howard and Drew Allar should get the majority of the reps because they are the young, drafted players. Kaboly said that Rudolph is going to stay on the roster. Is he right? Quarterback talk in July. Who wants to be smarter than a plumber? South Side Jake apologizes for missing last week's show. I got a hockey question wrong. The guys get one question right. The MLB had the youngest player ever drafted who then actually played for the Pirates in the 1979 season. Dorin still cannot believe that WVU beat Pitt last year. Larry Fitzgerald made comments during a recent interview and buried WVU football. He is normally level headed and has well thought out answers. But he just straight up buried them.

Paul Skenes had a very weird interaction with a reporter last night. During his media availability, a reporter called him a "future Yankee". Crowley says that this is the only sport where that happens. The reporter was chastised by many in the Pittsburgh media. The All Star Game is meant to be fun and now it has been tarnished for Pirates fans. Jeff Passan said that the new format was going to suck, Bryce Harper kicked Rob Manfred out of a locker room, and Paul Skenes was told he is going to be a future Yankee. This is where we are in baseball right now. Crowley says we are entering a very dark period in the sport. What is the thing that snakes live in called? Crowley breaks down his top four moments from the Pirates' first half of the season. Bryan Reynolds' walk-off home run vs old friend Derek Shelton, Esmerlyn Valdez's grand slam, Tyler Callihan hitting his home run off Shohei Ohtani, and Ryan O'Hearn's 3 home runs and 10 RBIs make up the list. A lot of people texted in that Konnor Griffin's RBI double in his debut should have been among Crowley's best moments.This is the most fun Pirates team to watch since when? Even though there have been some really bad losses so far this year, they have been a lot of fun to watch. Nick Yorke's walk off single in the series against the Orioles is another honorable mention. Crowley says don't eat your veggies unless you cook them. There is something going around and veggies are to blame. Apple Cider season is almost upon us meaning it is almost time for football.

Jason did not see the woman call Paul Skenes a future Yankee to his face. Jason was with Braxton Ashcraft at the time. Jason says that it is problematic in many aspects of the sport, especially the media. It irritates Jason, a member of the media. Skenes talked about his dip in velocity. Did Skenes have any ideas why his velocity is down? Jason has indeed consumed a cheesesteak in Philly.

What is Neil Walker's go-to cookout meal? Neil says he is very simple: burgers and dogs. Neil gives the Pirates a B and 82% when grading their first half. The pitching brings the grade down a lot with their poor first half. Is it possible we see Seth Hernandez coming out of the bullpen in September? Neil says it is definitely possible even if the Pirates add bullpen arms at the deadline. Hopefully there is not a revolving door between the minors and MLB arms and the bullpen is steady when it comes down the stretch. Neil suggests having him throw in low leverage situations just to see what he has.

Who are the guys' picks for MVP of the Pirates so far? Crowley says that Esmerlyn Valdez is his pick. Nick Gonzales gets an underrated honorable mention. Brandon Lowe has fallen off a little bit in recent weeks but he has still shown he is a main contributor

Matt Clement joins the show. The guys congratulate the Clement family as Madden was drafted by the Kansas City Royals. Paul Skenes gave some comments about his last couple of starts and what he thinks is different from years past. Matt says he thinks Skenes would like his velocity to be a little bit higher but he has adjusted to what it is now. Matt says that this has been a "maddening first half" but also a fun one!

Who wants to be smarter than a plumber? South Side Jake apologizes for missing last week's show. I got a hockey question wrong. The guys get one question right. The MLB had the youngest player ever drafted who then actually played for the Pirates in the 1979 season.

Jeff Hatthorn joins the show! Does Jeff have hope that the Pirates make the playoffs? He believes they can make it especially if Paul Skenes pitches better in the second half. He also points out that Braxton Ashcraft is entering uncharted territory regarding innings pitched. Jeff also says he does not care what it costs for someone like Josh Hader or Aroldis Chapman because everything else on the team is there. Who is more likely to be cut: Roman Wilson or Mason Rudolph? Status quo on everything related to Jason Robertson. Could the Penguins offer sheet Connor Bedard?

What is the thing that snakes live in called? Crowley breaks down his top four moments from the Pirates' first half of the season. Bryan Reynolds' walk-off home run vs old friend Derek Shelton, Esmerlyn Valdez's grand slam, Tyler Callihan hitting his home run off Shohei Ohtani, and Ryan O'Hearn's 3 home runs and 10 RBIs make up the list.

Paul Skenes had a very weird interaction with a reporter last night. During his media availability, a reporter called him a "future Yankee". Crowley says that this is the only sport where that happens. The reporter was chastised by many in the Pittsburgh media. The All Star Game is meant to be fun and now it has been tarnished for Pirates fans. Jeff Passan said that the new format was going to suck, Bryce Harper kicked Rob Manfred out of a locker room, and Paul Skenes was told he is going to be a future Yankee. This is where we are in baseball right now. Crowley says we are entering a very dark period in the sport.

7-13 Fan Morning Show Full Show

7-13 Fan Morning Show 9am Hour: Jeremy Fowler released another list based on polled NFL execs. Josh Allen is the new number one quarterback instead of Patrick Mahomes. Crowley accidentally saw Fowler fully nude one time. Which is not a sentence I thought I would ever type. Mark is not as upset about Sam Neill's passing as we are. Quarterback talk. That's exciting. One of Dorin's kids was able to pick him up. Crowley wonders if he could pull off that feat of strength. Is Callas enjoying his time in Ireland? Does Callas enjoy the pints of Guinness he has been having? Kaboly is judging Crowley's sister for having a birthday party. Kaboly just hates fun. Where would Kaboly rank Rodgers right now in the AFC quarterback race? Kaboly, shockingly, is expecting a big year from Aaron Rodgers. His success rides on the play of his offensive tackles. Dorin has high hopes for Max Iheanachor. What were the Steelers smoking in the recent photo that came out with Aaron Rodgers?

7-13 Fan Morning Show 8am Hour: 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. Producer Charlie may or may not have said my fiancée sounds like a grazing cattle when she chews gum. Crowley has gum in his mouth and is paranoid people can hear him chewing. Exactly how bad of a year has Mitch Keller had? John Wehner joins the show! What did Wehner see from Esmerlyn Valdez over the weekend? Without him, the Pirates would not have won either game on Saturday. He says that Valdez's approach is elite for someone his age. The pitching staff is getting shelled and Bill Murphy is getting bad press. Matt Hague has not been talked about enough and deserves more credit according to Hague. When things go well, no one gets credit. When things go badly, their name is the only thing you hear. There is a viral video going around of a grown man being tossed around like a small child by a buffalo. How much would you be paid to get into a ring with a buffalo? My theory is that the buffalo wanted to trample the woman in the Dolphins jersey but was respectful enough to go after the grown man in the overalls instead.

7-13 Fan Morning Show 7am Hour: 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. There was a Poni prediction this weekend that the Pirates would sweep the Brewers. He got one right! Was Connor McGregor hurt before his fight against Max Holloway over the weekend? How mad would you be if you bought a ticket to that fight? Also, a lot of people bought tickets to see Paul Skenes vs Joe Misiorowski but did not see the Miz because he was fatigued. Would you entertain trading Oneil Cruz this deadline? Crowley says that trading him is a non-starter and when Cruz, Spencer Horwitz, and Konnor Griffin come back it could be the best lineup in baseball. Crowley is chewing gum as he tries to quit nicotine. We wish him luck as he quits nicotine. How do the guys feel about Paul Skenes? They say they feel a little better now that his last two starts were more like Skenes. Seth Hernandez had some interesting quotes while playing in the futures game. Could we maybe see Hernandez in the bullpen in September? Producer Charlie got a phone call from someone during the rain delay Friday night from Allegheny County Jail. He asked for the name again, but no one responded. What if The Fan was their one phone call to get bailed out? Did Producer Charlie condemn someone for a lifetime in prison? The Pirates pulling Jared Jones could have angered the caller so much they wanted to vent from prison.

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?

John Wehner joins the show! What did Wehner see from Esmerlyn Valdez over the weekend? Without him, the Pirates would not have won either game on Saturday. He says that Valdez's approach is elite for someone his age. The pitching staff is getting shelled and Bill Murphy is getting bad press. Matt Hague has not been talked about enough and deserves more credit according to Hague. When things go well, no one gets credit. When things go badly, their name is the only thing you hear.

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.