North Shore Nine: A Pittsburgh Pirates Podcast

Tonight on NS9LIVE!, DiNardo, Ty Ty, and Jim are back for our yearly Pirates Over/Under Show. We’re each throwing out five stat lines for the 2026 season and putting each other on the spot to pick over or under, with bragging rights on the line by year’s end. We’ll also lock in our official 2026 Pittsburgh Pirates win predictions and see just how much faith we really have in this team. And of course, before any of that, we’re kicking things off with the return of the NS9 Really Stupid Question, as we spin the...

Alex Stumpf takes a realistic look at the 2026 Pittsburgh Pirates and breaks down three reasons they could miss the postseason. From concerns about how the rotation’s workload will hold up over a full season, to the volatility in the bullpen, to what could be a major defensive step back, this episode focuses on the biggest red flags surrounding the roster heading into Opening Day. Alex also sets the stage for tomorrow’s follow-up episode, where he’ll flip the conversation and give three reasons the Pirates can make the playoffs. Subscribe to North Shore Nine for more P...

The Pirates made one of their most surprising roster decisions of camp, and Alex Stumpf breaks down what it really means. Carmen Mlodzinski gets the first crack at the fifth starter role, but the bigger story is how the Pirates are piecing this spot together with Hunter Barco and Jose Urquidy also heading north. Alex explains why this could be more of a short-term “Voltron” solution than a traditional No. 5 starter, why Mlodzinski earned another shot, and how Barco could still play a real role early in the season. Subscribe to North Shore Nine for daily Pirates cove...

On this episode of Bucco Brew, we break down the Pirates’ biggest late-spring roster decisions heading into Opening Day. Konnor Griffin is headed to Triple-A, Carmen Mlodzinski has officially claimed the fifth starter job, and the Pirates’ infield alignment is starting to take shape with Jared Triolo at short and Nick Gonzales and Nick Yorke in the mix at third. We dig into whether the Pirates made the right calls, whether they played it too safe, and what these moves say about how this team is trying to win right now. A lot changed fast, and there’s plen...

On today’s OffBeat, Alex Stumpf breaks down the Pirates’ decision to leave Konnor Griffin off the Opening Day roster and why the move, while disappointing, should not change the big picture. He explains what Griffin showed this spring, where the holes still are against upper-level pitching, and why this feels more like a brief pause than any kind of setback. The hype is real, but so is the development still ahead. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ZY250XUYiS-yX7xOQCdLA/join Use Promo Code NS9 for...

Ty Ty and DiNardo go live after the Pirates vs. Tigers Spring Breakout game to break down everything from one of the most exciting nights of the spring. With top Pirates prospect Seth Hernandez getting the start, this game puts the organization’s future front and center. We’ll talk standout performances, biggest takeaways, who helped their stock the most, and what it all could mean moving forward. If you care about the next wave in Pittsburgh, this is the postgame show for you. *Get your tickets to the April 18th game in the NS9 Group: https://www...

Alex Stumpf is looking ahead to Friday’s Spring Breakout game and spotlighting the two Pirates pitchers he believes are the must-watch arms on the mound: Seth Hernandez and Zander Mueth. From Hernandez’s elite pitch mix and sky-high ceiling to Mueth’s intriguing slider, improved strike throwing, and sleeper breakout potential, this OffBeat episode is all about two young pitchers who could make serious noise in 2026. Watch now and let us know which arm you’re most excited to see Friday. Get game tickets to the NS9 Tailgate: https://www.gofevo.com/event/Northshore9tailgate0418 Join t...

Is Braxton Ashcraft about to force his way into a much bigger role than anyone expected? On this episode of OffBeat, Alex Stumpf breaks down why Ashcraft’s spring is turning heads, what makes his slider so nasty, how the sinker could unlock his entire arsenal, and why the health question is the only thing standing between him and serious breakout potential. If Ashcraft really is this good, the Pirates may have found way more than just rotation depth. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ZY250XUYiS-yX7xOQCdLA/jo...

Tonight on NS9LIVE, Jim, Ty Ty, and DiNardo have a packed show as we get closer and closer to Opening Day. We’re kicking things off the only way we know how with the NS9 Really Stupid Question before diving into a brand new Jimalytics segment, this time focused on MLB’s new ABS system. Jim’s got the spreadsheets ready, which means we’ll probably make fun of him for it, but that’s part of the fun. From there, we’re reacting to the new food items coming to PNC Park in 2026 with a full...

Alex Stumpf breaks down why Mitch Keller’s latest evolution matters more than one rough spring outing. From a changing pitch mix to a different mindset on the mound, this episode looks at how Keller is adapting, why his work against left-handed hitters still matters, and why the Pirates may not need him to be flashy, they just need him to be steady. For a rotation full of upside, Keller’s value might be in being the reliable innings-eater who keeps the whole thing together. Get game tickets to the NS9 Tailgate: https://www.gofevo.com/event/Nort...

Alex Stumpf takes a closer look at one of the more complicated long-term questions facing the Pirates: second base. Brandon Lowe helps fix a major need for 2026, but what does that mean for Nick Gonzales, Nick Yorke, and Termarr Johnson moving forward? Alex breaks down why Gonzales' fastball issues matter, why Yorke still has something to prove, and how Termarr’s development could shape the Pirates’ infield plans beyond this season. If the Pirates are going to solve second base internally, someone has to emerge. Get your game tickets for April 18th's NS9 Tailgate: https://www.gofevo.com...

Paul Skenes took the mound on the international stage and gave Team USA exactly what it needed in a 2-1 win over the Dominican Republic, and now we’ve got plenty to dig into on Bucco Brew. We’re breaking down Skenes’ outing, what stood out from his 4.1 innings, and what it meant to watch Oneil Cruz and Gregory Soto on the other side of a game that felt loaded with Pirates ties. We’ll also touch on David Bednar’s scoreless inning and the bigger picture of how Pirates players and former Pirates showed up in a massive...

On today’s OffBeat with Alex Stumpf, Alex digs into one of the biggest unanswered questions on the Pirates roster: catcher. Even after an aggressive offseason, Pittsburgh didn’t address a position that remains loaded with uncertainty. Alex breaks down why Joey Bart may be the safest option in the room, why Henry Davis still has real upside despite the offensive concerns, why Endy Rodriguez remains one of the biggest wild cards on the roster, and why Rafael Flores is intriguing but still far from a sure thing. This episode gets into the floor vs. ceil...

Tonight on The Point, we’re tackling three huge questions that could define the Pirates’ 2026 season. After all the offseason additions and with spring training rolling on, does this roster actually look like a playoff team? If you’re Ben Cherington, are you putting Konnor Griffin on the Opening Day roster? And every contender needs someone to take the leap, so which Pirate is most likely to deliver that breakout season in 2026? Expect strong takes, real debate, and plenty of Pirates talk as we break down where this team stands and what could push them into contention. ...

Alex Stumpf takes a deep dive into one of the Pirates’ most interesting spring storylines: Carmen Mlodzinski’s case for the fifth starter job. Alex breaks down why the 2025 starting experiment fell apart, what changed in Mlodzinski’s pitch mix, and why his splitter could be the key to handling left-handed hitters this time around. He also looks at the bigger rotation picture, the other names in the mix, and why Pittsburgh may have more to gain by giving Mlodzinski another real shot to start. Subscribe for new weekday episodes of OffBeat with Alex Stumpf. Join t...

In the debut episode of OffBeat with Alex Stumpf, Alex dives right into the biggest Pirates storyline of the moment: Konnor Griffin. Is the 19-year-old phenom truly forcing his way onto the Opening Day roster, or is the hype getting ahead of the reality? Alex breaks down what he’s hearing, what he’s seeing, and why Griffin’s spring has created a very real conversation about Pittsburgh’s future. From the excitement around his talent to the fastball concerns, service-time implications, and possible extension talk, this episode explores every angle of the Pirates’ toughest spring decision. If you want a gro...

Tonight on NS9LIVE!, we’re building our full prediction for the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Opening Day 26-man roster. Jim is bringing out the Jimalytics to break down every spot on the roster - catchers, infielders, outfielders, starting pitchers, and relievers - using spreadsheets and logic to decide who’s making the trip north and who could be left on the outside looking in. Before that, we’ll welcome Alex Stumpf back to the show to tease the launch of his brand-new North Shore Nine weekday podcast, Off Beat with Alex Stumpf, which officially debuts tomorrow. Alex’s new show w...

The latest Bucco Brew dives into three of the biggest storylines in Pirates camp right now. We start with Oneil Cruz and why this spring feels different - from the work he put in this offseason to the early signs that this could finally be the year everything clicks. Then we get into the growing Konnor Griffin conversation as his performance keeps making the Opening Day debate harder to ignore. At what point does the long-term plan lose to the best-26 argument? We wrap with a look at the Pirates’ biggest roster battles, including the fifth starter race and th...

North Shore Nine is excited to announce a new addition to our podcast lineup: Off Beat with Alex Stumpf, launching next week. The new show will bring Pirates fans a fresh daily perspective straight from the ballpark, with Alex delivering reactions, insights, and observations from around the team in a quick, easy-to-listen-to format. Episodes are expected to run around 15 minutes, giving listeners a shorter daily option to fit into their routine while still staying informed on everything happening with the Pirates. During our announcement podcast, Alex said the goal is to make Off Beat part...

Doug & DiNardo wrap up the NS9 trip down to Bradenton by discussing the 2 games that were played today. Bubba Chandler started for the Pirates split squad playin in Dunedin vs. the Blue Jays while Braxton Ashcraft started at LECOM facing the Phillies. Both pitchers put up a solid performance to build on this spring. The offense was pretty light but some players to highlight were Ryan O'Hearn, Jake Mangum, Jared Triolo, and Duce Gourson. The bullpen let down both teams, but it was mostly by pitchers who are much further away from making the big league roster...