WASHINGTON -- Struggling Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Jonathon Niese will try to get on track in the bullpen after being removed from the starting rotation.Pirates manager Clint Hurdle announced the decision to demote Niese to the bullpen on Friday before the team opened a three-game series at the Washington Nationals. Niese is 7-6 with a 5.13 ERA in 18 starts this season after Pittsburgh acquired him from the New York Mets for second baseman Neil Walker.We felt at this time to get him unplugged, to get a different look might help him moving forward, Hurdle said. We told him this wasnt a banishment out of the rotation for good. Were just unplugging him, putting him in the bullpen for right now, see where that can take us.Niese, 29, has allowed 20 home runs, struck out 71 and walked 36 in 101 2/3 innings. A groundball pitcher, he allowed 20 home runs all last season and is two away from tying a career high.Niese said he understood the decision but didnt expect it.Id rather start, obviously. Its where my hearts at, Niese said. I knew the rotation was getting pretty crowded. ... I knew something was going to happen. I was certainly hoping it wasnt me to get bumped. It is what it is. I understand the results werent there in the first half.During a radio appearance Friday morning, Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said in hindsight that taking two fringe prospects from the Mets might have been a better return for Walker than Niese, who has not worked out as planned.Given the thinness of the starting pitching market, given the dollars that we had available, we felt that that was our best return and it has not played out that way and thats a challenge, Huntington said on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh. We own that. We accept that.Huntington said that based on the Pirates young pitchers hed potentially be interested in trading a veteran, which could mean Niese, fellow lefty Jeff Locke or both.One of those young pitchers is ready to return as Gerrit Cole will be active off the disabled list to start Saturday. Cole, 25, had been out with a strained right triceps muscle.Cole said he doesnt know if there will be any limitations on him in his first start back.Im just excited to not sit on the sidelines all of the time, he said. Im sure theyll take it inning by inning. See how the game is unfolding.Chad Kuhl is lined up to pitch Sunday, and Huntington said top prospect Jameson Taillon could get another start during next weeks series against the Milwaukee Brewers. John Lucas II Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Houston Rockets Store . Their 38th instalment is arguably their biggest fight card to date, including three-title fights and a main event which was selected by the fans. The promotion boasts 14-straight years of business and is operated by MFC president Mark Pavelich, who is often overlooked in this country for the foundation hes established for MMA in Canada. https://www.cheaprocketsonline.com/447z-don-kojis-jersey-rockets.html . Thats not a comment on the suspension that banished the Portland Winterhawks general manager and coach from his Western Hockey League teams bench for most of the 2012-13 season. Trevor Ariza Jersey . Aaron Harrison scored a 22 points for Kentucky (6-1), which has won four in a row following a Nov. 12 loss to current No. 1 Michigan State. Julius Randle overcame a scoreless first half and added his sixth double-double in as many games with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Kyle Lowry Jersey . Those lessons were more than enough to overwhelm the Utah Jazz. Lou Williams scored 25 points and the Hawks continued their offensive upswing as they rolled to an easy 118-85 victory over the Jazz on Friday night, winning their third straight and for the fourth time in five games. STILLWATER, Okla. -- Oklahoma State forward Tyrek Coger has died after collapsing during a team workout.The school said Thursday that the 21-year-old junior college transfer was pronounced dead at Stillwater Medical Center.Coger, from Raleigh, North Carolina, played last season for Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, North Carolina. The 6-foot-8 player arrived at Oklahoma State on July 5.Tyrek was excited to bbe at Oklahoma State and had such passion for the game and was looking forward to being an OSU Cowboy, coach Brad Underwood said.dddddddddddd Losing a member of the team is like losing a member of the family. But we know our loss pales in comparison to the pain his family is going through. ' ' '