Pittsburg, PA
Pirates’ Farm System Drops In ESPN’s Rankings
With Paul Skenes and Jared Jones announcing their presence in the big leagues last season, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ farm system took a bit of a hit in ESPN’s rankings.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel ranked the Pirates’ farm system as the 20th best in baseball, citing the loss of Skenes. He also noted that the Pirates’ top prospect, right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler, could eventually give Pittsburgh another star alongside Skenes and center fielder Oneil Cruz. Pittsburgh was 14th in ESPN’s rankings last season.
“The whole organization has a different feel after the emergence of Paul Skenes,” McDaniel writes. “Oneil Cruz might be the only other potential star on the big league roster, but that’s two more than some teams have, and Bubba Chandler could make it a trio by the middle of 2025. Konnor Griffin is arguably the prospect with the highest variance in the top 100, so he certainly could turn into a superstar; however, this system is in a brief down cycle as the big league team is full of the last couple of years of graduates. Pittsburgh might have to now start to balance competing in the short term and long term, a welcome change after six straight losing seasons.”
Pittsburgh was last among teams in the National League Central. The Milwaukee Brewers were 8th, while the Chicago Cubs weren’t far behind at No. 10. The Cincinnati Reds were ranked 13th and the St. Louis Cardinals landed at 19th.
The Pirates had four players in ESPN’s top 100 rankings; Chandler, second baseman Termarr Johnson, shortstop Konnor Griffin and right-handed pitcher Braxton Ashcraft. Of the players ranked between 101 and 200, right-handed pitcher Thomas Harrington was 162nd and shortstop Jack Brannigan was 193rd.
On the heels of back-to-back 76-86 seasons and being a franchise that rarely spends money in free agency, the Pirates need their top prospects to eventually make an impact when they arrive in the big leagues. If they can’t then Pittsburgh could continue to struggle as it looks for its first playoff appearance since 2015.
Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Regional Transit has started to install its ReadyFare vending machines as the agency prepares to roll out its new fare payment system.
PRT said it’s working to roll out its new ReadyFare system and has started to install the new machine at some of its light-rail stations.
The new machines recently were installed at PRT’s Gateway station in Downtown Pittsburgh.
PRT said that as it prepares to roll out the new system, current ConnectCard holders will receive a card in the mail with instructions on how to request a ReadyFare card.
The new ReadyFare cards will be able to be purchased at the new machines for $1.
PRT said that riders will be able to transfer any balances they have on a ConnectCard to the new ReadyFare cards using an online balance transfer form.
Pittsburg, PA
About 5 pounds of bees removed from Acrisure Stadium scaffolding ahead of Morgan Wallen concerts
Acrisure Stadium is buzzing with excitement ahead of the back-to-back Morgan Wallen concerts. Except it’s not the fans generating all the excitement — it’s about 5 pounds of honeybees.
The Fine Family Apiary in Monongahela said it was contacted on Wednesday about a swarm of bees clustered on the stage scaffolding. The apiary put the swarm in a “nuc box” and took them home before moving the bees into full-size equipment.
Owner Al Fine estimates the swarm weighed about 4 to 5 pounds and consisted of 12,000 to 15,000 bees. All said, it took less than two hours to get the job done.
Why do bees swarm?
Swarming is how honeybees propagate, Fine explained. According to Penn State Extension, during swarming, the queen and about half the workers leave their home to establish a new nest. The bees will form a temporary cluster, hanging out while scouts search the surrounding area for a more permanent home in hollow spaces like tree cavities or, occasionally, the walls of a home.
Swarms can stick around for several hours or days until they’re ready to move, Penn State Extension says. Meanwhile, the colony left behind is temporarily without a leader until a new queen is established.
With the swarm at Acrisure Stadium removed, Morgan Wallen’s show is ready to go on. The country music megastar will bring his I’m The Problem Tour to Pittsburgh on June 5 and June 6, along with multiple acts like Brooks & Dunn and Ella Langley.
-
Alabama6 minutes agoGovernor Ivey Approves Request for Alabama National Guard to Support America 250 Events in Nation’s Capital –
-
Alaska9 minutes agoTomorrow Alaska Burns $190 Million Of Taxpayer Money To Drag Oil Companies Into The Arctic Refuge
-
Arizona14 minutes agoBiosphere 3 AI system at University of Arizona facility analyzes environmental data
-
Arkansas21 minutes agoArkansas cotton, soybean planting pushes toward finish as June ‘Acreage’ surveys get underway – Pine Bluff Commercial
-
California24 minutes agoTrump claims without proof Democrats are ‘trying to steal’ California primaries
-
Colorado29 minutes agoAnyone can fish for free — without buying a license — this weekend in Colorado
-
Connecticut36 minutes agoDriver Dies After Vehicle Plunges Into Water: Police: CT News
-
Delaware39 minutes agoA favorite Delaware ice cream spot is getting a major makeover
