Meet our new writer, Nathan Hursh

My earliest Pirates memory is a hazy one. I was probably about five years old, sitting way up high in the cookie cutter stadium that was Three Rivers. I was with my dad and older brother.

I don’t remember anything about the actual game, who the Pirates played, if they won or lost, or what time of the year it even was. All I remember was the sense of wonder. I remember the smells, the noises, and overall atmosphere. Getting to stay up late was also a great perk. I didn’t realize at the time that baseball would end up being a passion in my life, but here we are.

I’ve been following the game since the early 2000’s. Dingers have always been my favorite thing in sports. Brian Giles and Jason Kendall were some original favorite players of mine. Through the thin and thinner, the Pirates have always been my team.

It is a true delight to join Bucs Dugout. I’ve been a fan of their work for quite some time. I myself have been writing about the Pirates for a few years now. I graduated from Duquesne University in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism/Multimedia. While in school, I interned at TribLive Radio where I wrote blog posts about the Pirates (as well as other Pittsburgh sports). I have also written many words at Pirates Breakdown.

Currently, I work for the Ohio Midland News Group at a radio station in Weirton, West Virginia called 106.3 the River. There I produce shows, remotes, and sporting events with an occasional on-air appearance. I also co-host a podcast called All Head No Fake on the PodHub Network where we discuss Pirates and MLB news, as well as the NBA.

When writing, I usually steer towards the analytical side of things to address my point. At the same time, I try my best to keep things simple. There are so many metrics that can fog up the overall understanding of the game to the casual fan, especially when not explained properly. From time to time, I myself can get confused when reading an analytically heavy driven article. That said, I will do my best to thoroughly explain the points that I’m trying to make.

Things may not look so hot for our Pittsburgh Pirates at the moment. Consistent losing is extremely frustrating especially when you’ve had a tiny taste of winning in the past. I can’t wait to dive deep on the issues surrounding this team while also highlighting some of the positives as well.

But hey, enough about me, it’s time for some Pirates analysis.