There should be a celebration this Thursday night.
The Steelers will end the preseason with their fourth not-quite-a-game. No more pretend NFL football.
From that point forward, every game counts. Every one will be taken seriously with preparation and strategy and urgency. You know, all those things lacking in the preseason as free agents battle for spots on the practice squad.
There are currently four preseason games for most teams. A long time ago, there were as any as seven. Even four is too many.
Coaches like preseason games for the most part. It gives them a chance to see new players in an environment that's not practice. But they also worry about injuries, which is why they usually don't play starters very much.
Fans don't necessarily like preseason games, but ticket buyers get stuck with them. If you want those eight regular season games (and priority for playoff tickets), you have to buy the two preseason games. As we saw last weekend at Heinz Field, a lot of ticket holders just eat the tickets for the preseason and stay away. It's just the cost of doing business.
Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys and a guy who has some sway within the league, proposes cutting the preseason to two games. Every team would play one game at a home and the other on the road.
Great idea, but will the players go for it? With all the attention being paid to head injuries, adding two high intensity regular season games is no small matter.
Jones has a plan for that. Ply them with money. Add some more money to the players' pot and maybe they'll be agreeable to an extra two games.
That sounds like a typical Texas solution, but there's no assurance it will work. Players sacrifice their bodies to play in the NFL. Adding two more games will increase the risk.
The extra games would also be played in August and early September, when it's still summer and oppressively hot in a lot of places. That might be a factor, too.
The real answer is to keep the 16-game season and still cut the preseason to two games. That won't happen, though. As lousy as preseason games are, they generate money with ticket sales and they're part of the network TV packages.
Once sports gambling takes hold, two more weekends of "real" games will be another factor.
Jerry Jones wants more football, and so do a lot of fans. Thing is, they're not the ones out there getting their brains scrambled to provide it.
---
Multiple reports say Pirates' second baseman Josh Harrison cleared waivers and is available in a trade before the Aug. 31 freeze for postseason rosters.
The Pirates would be agreeable to moving Harrison. Very agreeable, in fact. He's due a leap to $10.5 million next season. The Pirates could buy that out for $1 million and spend another $500,000 to buy out the $11.5 million option on his 2020 contract.
Harrison is 31, which means he's heading into his declining years. He's been injured more often and his production has never come close to matching the 2014 season that got him the long-term contract.
Harrison isn't a hot commodity on the trade market, given this season's mediocre numbers and a lingering hamstring injury.
If another team wants Harrison this week, they'll be able to get him without giving up much.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Saturday, August 25, 2018
Altoona Mirror, August 26, 2018
College football game day is coming.
That means cheerleaders, bands, the stadium packed with fans wearing school colors and, ideally, a competitive game.
That's what people love about college football. It's everything else about it that should make them sick.
The headlines provided that reminder last week with the news that head coach Urban Meyer had been suspended for three games by Ohio State.
That was the penalty for his failure to properly handle allegations of domestic abuse by assistant coach Zach Smith against his former wife, Courtney. Really, the suspension is more like one game. For the other two, Meyer is allowed to run practices but can't work the games.
It took university officials more than 12 hours to arrive at that decision. You would hope at some point in that marathon there was a moment of clarity where someone realized Ohio State is supposed to be an institution of higher learning and not a football team with an undergraduate program attached to it.
But college football doesn't work that way. It's a money machine. Urban Meyer's football team will bring in more money than any ethics professor has ever imagined.
So when something unpleasant happens, there's endless consternation. Will the NCAA get involved? Is there a chance of losing scholarships or bowl games? Protect the franchise.
It's been speculated that Meyer remained loyal to Smith because of his admiration for Smith's grandfather, the late Earle Bruce, who coached at Ohio State from 1979-87. That's possible, but it's more likely Meyer's faith in Smith was rooted in the belief he could help Ohio State win football games.
Here's what the official Ohio State report said:
"We identified a pattern of troubling behavior by Zach Smith: promiscuous and embarrassing sexual behavior, drug abuse, truancy, dishonesty, financial irresponsibility, a possible NCAA violation, and a lengthy police investigation into allegations on criminal domestic abuse and cyber crimes."
Kind of sounds like Dean Wormer checklisting the guys from Delta House in "Animal House," but this isn't a comedy.
The report further said Smith's behavior was, "met with reprimands and warnings by Coach Meyer, but never a written report, never an investigation and no disciplinary action until July 23, 2018."
In other words, Meyer didn't do anything until he could feel the heat approaching his desk. Then he started scrubbing text messages from his phone.
Smith's lawyer Tweeted this message when asked for comment: "Zach Smith married a woman he should not have married. Vengeance against her ex-husband regrettably resulted in collateral damage to Urban Meyer, (athletic director) Gene Smith and The Ohio State University."
So there you have it. Urban Meyer is portrayed as a victim, which shows how askew these things can go when it's time to protect the football program.
Meyer was summoned to a news conference, at which he issued a half-hearted apology of sorts. He read the script like a disinterested fifth-grader delivering a book report to his class.
When asked if he had a message for Courtney Smith, the best Meyer could muster was, "I have a message for everyone involved in this: I'm sorry we're in this situation."
In other words, look at what this has done to our football season. What if this hurts recruiting? Or donations?
A couple days later, Meyer issued a more complete statement, no doubt after his handlers realized how tone deaf and hopelessly selfish his original response was.
Ohio State will get past this. The band will play, the cheerleaders will yell, the fans will wear school colors and the games will go on. Business as usual. That's too bad.
Ohio State officials made a big mistake when they suspended Meyer. They should have fired him.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
That means cheerleaders, bands, the stadium packed with fans wearing school colors and, ideally, a competitive game.
That's what people love about college football. It's everything else about it that should make them sick.
The headlines provided that reminder last week with the news that head coach Urban Meyer had been suspended for three games by Ohio State.
That was the penalty for his failure to properly handle allegations of domestic abuse by assistant coach Zach Smith against his former wife, Courtney. Really, the suspension is more like one game. For the other two, Meyer is allowed to run practices but can't work the games.
It took university officials more than 12 hours to arrive at that decision. You would hope at some point in that marathon there was a moment of clarity where someone realized Ohio State is supposed to be an institution of higher learning and not a football team with an undergraduate program attached to it.
But college football doesn't work that way. It's a money machine. Urban Meyer's football team will bring in more money than any ethics professor has ever imagined.
So when something unpleasant happens, there's endless consternation. Will the NCAA get involved? Is there a chance of losing scholarships or bowl games? Protect the franchise.
It's been speculated that Meyer remained loyal to Smith because of his admiration for Smith's grandfather, the late Earle Bruce, who coached at Ohio State from 1979-87. That's possible, but it's more likely Meyer's faith in Smith was rooted in the belief he could help Ohio State win football games.
Here's what the official Ohio State report said:
"We identified a pattern of troubling behavior by Zach Smith: promiscuous and embarrassing sexual behavior, drug abuse, truancy, dishonesty, financial irresponsibility, a possible NCAA violation, and a lengthy police investigation into allegations on criminal domestic abuse and cyber crimes."
Kind of sounds like Dean Wormer checklisting the guys from Delta House in "Animal House," but this isn't a comedy.
The report further said Smith's behavior was, "met with reprimands and warnings by Coach Meyer, but never a written report, never an investigation and no disciplinary action until July 23, 2018."
In other words, Meyer didn't do anything until he could feel the heat approaching his desk. Then he started scrubbing text messages from his phone.
Smith's lawyer Tweeted this message when asked for comment: "Zach Smith married a woman he should not have married. Vengeance against her ex-husband regrettably resulted in collateral damage to Urban Meyer, (athletic director) Gene Smith and The Ohio State University."
So there you have it. Urban Meyer is portrayed as a victim, which shows how askew these things can go when it's time to protect the football program.
Meyer was summoned to a news conference, at which he issued a half-hearted apology of sorts. He read the script like a disinterested fifth-grader delivering a book report to his class.
When asked if he had a message for Courtney Smith, the best Meyer could muster was, "I have a message for everyone involved in this: I'm sorry we're in this situation."
In other words, look at what this has done to our football season. What if this hurts recruiting? Or donations?
A couple days later, Meyer issued a more complete statement, no doubt after his handlers realized how tone deaf and hopelessly selfish his original response was.
Ohio State will get past this. The band will play, the cheerleaders will yell, the fans will wear school colors and the games will go on. Business as usual. That's too bad.
Ohio State officials made a big mistake when they suspended Meyer. They should have fired him.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Altoona Mirror, August 22, 2018
Clint Hurdle did what he had to do, and that was the right thing.
He benched Starling Marte for Monday's game against the Atlanta Braves one day after Marte embarrassed the team -- and by extension, the manager -- with apathetic play against the Chicago Cubs.
Marte failed to run out a ground ball, then ignored third base coach Joey Cora's instructions and broke for the plate on an infield grounder. Marte compounded the latter mistake by failing to get into a rundown that would have let a runner advance into scoring position.
So the next afternoon, Hurdle called Marte into the office, told him his work was below an acceptable standard and kept him out of the starting lineup.
That's what he should have done. Not only does it tell Marte he can't phone it in, and the rest of the team got that message, too.
Marte has been an ongoing source of frustration for the Pirates. They signed him to a long-term contract, betting that his considerable talent would allow him to grow into the kind of player Andrew McCutchen became with the Pirates.
It hasn't happened. Marte turns 30 on Oct. 9, when the Pirates probably won't be in the postseason. At the start of play Tuesday, Marte was batting .275 with an OPS of .781. He's hit 17 home runs, driven in 57 runs and has succeeded on 28 of 37 stolen base attempts (76 per cent).
Those are good numbers, but not the kind that will lead to MVP votes or carry a team. And that's what the Pirates expected from Marte when they signed him to the contract that could run through 2021 if the Pirates exercise their options.
It should be a great deal for the Pirates, but it won't be unless Marte fully lives up to his potential. He should be embarrassed that he had to benched for lack of effort at this point in his career. He should be equally ashamed that teammates had to call him out for the same reason.
Marte isn't a kid. He's a veteran who should be setting an example for the players younger than he is.
Instead, he had to be publicly upbraided for his failure to make an honest effort.
But his egregious lack of commitment left Hurdle no choice.
---
Hurdle wound up using Marte as a pinch hitter at the end of Monday's game.
His choices were limited since Josh Harrison was unavailable because of a hamstring injury.
His presence at the plate upset those who probably thought Marte should have been sent home.
But Hurdle had to put the team ahead of whatever dissatisfaction he had with Marte. The Pirates were trailing 1-0 and in a position where one of their better hitters (although slumping lately) was available.
The only other available hitter was Elias Diaz, and managers are reluctant to use their other catcher unless they have no other choice. Had it been a lopsided score in either direction, it would have been fine to let Kevin Newman bat and keep Marte planted on the bench.
So Hurdle let Marte bat for inexperienced Newman against Daniel Winkler. Hurdle owed that to the other 24 players, who are still nominally chasing the wild card spot.
---
The Washington Nationals acknowledged the obvious Tuesday and dealt Daniel Murphy to the Chicago Cubs and Matt Adams to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Both players are approaching free agency at the end of the season. The Nationals are playing our the string in a hugely disappointing season.
The failure is even more profound with the realization the Nationals came into this season with a $180 million payroll.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
He benched Starling Marte for Monday's game against the Atlanta Braves one day after Marte embarrassed the team -- and by extension, the manager -- with apathetic play against the Chicago Cubs.
Marte failed to run out a ground ball, then ignored third base coach Joey Cora's instructions and broke for the plate on an infield grounder. Marte compounded the latter mistake by failing to get into a rundown that would have let a runner advance into scoring position.
So the next afternoon, Hurdle called Marte into the office, told him his work was below an acceptable standard and kept him out of the starting lineup.
That's what he should have done. Not only does it tell Marte he can't phone it in, and the rest of the team got that message, too.
Marte has been an ongoing source of frustration for the Pirates. They signed him to a long-term contract, betting that his considerable talent would allow him to grow into the kind of player Andrew McCutchen became with the Pirates.
It hasn't happened. Marte turns 30 on Oct. 9, when the Pirates probably won't be in the postseason. At the start of play Tuesday, Marte was batting .275 with an OPS of .781. He's hit 17 home runs, driven in 57 runs and has succeeded on 28 of 37 stolen base attempts (76 per cent).
Those are good numbers, but not the kind that will lead to MVP votes or carry a team. And that's what the Pirates expected from Marte when they signed him to the contract that could run through 2021 if the Pirates exercise their options.
It should be a great deal for the Pirates, but it won't be unless Marte fully lives up to his potential. He should be embarrassed that he had to benched for lack of effort at this point in his career. He should be equally ashamed that teammates had to call him out for the same reason.
Marte isn't a kid. He's a veteran who should be setting an example for the players younger than he is.
Instead, he had to be publicly upbraided for his failure to make an honest effort.
But his egregious lack of commitment left Hurdle no choice.
---
Hurdle wound up using Marte as a pinch hitter at the end of Monday's game.
His choices were limited since Josh Harrison was unavailable because of a hamstring injury.
His presence at the plate upset those who probably thought Marte should have been sent home.
But Hurdle had to put the team ahead of whatever dissatisfaction he had with Marte. The Pirates were trailing 1-0 and in a position where one of their better hitters (although slumping lately) was available.
The only other available hitter was Elias Diaz, and managers are reluctant to use their other catcher unless they have no other choice. Had it been a lopsided score in either direction, it would have been fine to let Kevin Newman bat and keep Marte planted on the bench.
So Hurdle let Marte bat for inexperienced Newman against Daniel Winkler. Hurdle owed that to the other 24 players, who are still nominally chasing the wild card spot.
---
The Washington Nationals acknowledged the obvious Tuesday and dealt Daniel Murphy to the Chicago Cubs and Matt Adams to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Both players are approaching free agency at the end of the season. The Nationals are playing our the string in a hugely disappointing season.
The failure is even more profound with the realization the Nationals came into this season with a $180 million payroll.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, August 19, 2018
Altoona Mirror, August 19, 2018
The Pirates' TV deal is up for renewal after next season, and what happens with that could have an impact on franchise finances for at least a decade.
The Pirates are currently in a contract with AT&T Sports Net. It's been reported -- but never confirmed -- that it pays less than $20 million per season.
These days in baseball, $20 million buys about two OK players. On the Pirates, that amount basically covers Josh Harrison and Ivan Nova. Stars cost a lot more.
Some people are looking for a lot more in the next deal, but a number of circumstances conspire against that.
Consider:
Pittsburgh is not a growth market. What was once TV market No. 9 in the 1970s is now market No. 24. Unlike the St. Louis Cardinals, who are a regional franchise with a wide fan base, the Pirates are boxed in by Cincinnati, Cleveland, Baltimore and Philadelphia. Go too far in any direction, and you're in someone else's territory.
If there's no competition for the TV rights, what incentive is there for AT&T Sports Net to raise its bid?
The Pirates and Penguins could partner on a regional sports channel that would have year-round play-by-play, but there hasn't been a whisper about that. The three main TV stations in Pittsburgh all have sub-channels that could be converted into a local sports channel, but no one seems to be talking about that, either.
There's also the issue of more people cutting the cord and relying less on cable. That puts a damper on how much an entity is willing to invest in rights fees.
It's not an environment that seems ripe for leading to an increase in broadcast fees to a level that so many other teams get. There might not be a lot of room for improvement.
Want to help? Increase the population. Have babies. Lots of them. Better yet, have twins.
---
Joe West umpired the Pirates series in Minnesota last week, and his work behind the plate made the game infinitely more interesting.
There was no telling whether he would call pitches ball or strikes, no matter where they were.
West is 65 and his best days are behind him. He wobbles on bad knees and from the looks of his work last week, his vision may not be very good either.
But he's hanging on to chase the record for most games umpired in a career. West moved into second place during the Pirates' series, passing Bruce Froemming.
West now trails only Hall of Famer Bill Klem's 5,164 games, and he's intent on overtaking that. Assuming he can continue to work a full-time schedule, he's on track to surpass Klem sometime in the 2020 season.
West is so serious about the record that when his crew is assigned to replay duty in New York, he gets an assignment with another crew so he can stay on the field and accumulate games worked.
He doesn't mind being noticed, and has released a couple of country music CDs. On trips to Pittsburgh, he enjoyed holding court at a North Side saloon that had his music on the jukebox.
As long as he's going after the record, MLB will potentially be ill-served by games like last week's, where balls were strikes and strikes were balls.
---
Per an announcement on a game radio broadcast last week, the Pirates have an official bourbon.
Is there anything that can't be sold for a sponsorship in sports?
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
The Pirates are currently in a contract with AT&T Sports Net. It's been reported -- but never confirmed -- that it pays less than $20 million per season.
These days in baseball, $20 million buys about two OK players. On the Pirates, that amount basically covers Josh Harrison and Ivan Nova. Stars cost a lot more.
Some people are looking for a lot more in the next deal, but a number of circumstances conspire against that.
Consider:
Pittsburgh is not a growth market. What was once TV market No. 9 in the 1970s is now market No. 24. Unlike the St. Louis Cardinals, who are a regional franchise with a wide fan base, the Pirates are boxed in by Cincinnati, Cleveland, Baltimore and Philadelphia. Go too far in any direction, and you're in someone else's territory.
If there's no competition for the TV rights, what incentive is there for AT&T Sports Net to raise its bid?
The Pirates and Penguins could partner on a regional sports channel that would have year-round play-by-play, but there hasn't been a whisper about that. The three main TV stations in Pittsburgh all have sub-channels that could be converted into a local sports channel, but no one seems to be talking about that, either.
There's also the issue of more people cutting the cord and relying less on cable. That puts a damper on how much an entity is willing to invest in rights fees.
It's not an environment that seems ripe for leading to an increase in broadcast fees to a level that so many other teams get. There might not be a lot of room for improvement.
Want to help? Increase the population. Have babies. Lots of them. Better yet, have twins.
---
Joe West umpired the Pirates series in Minnesota last week, and his work behind the plate made the game infinitely more interesting.
There was no telling whether he would call pitches ball or strikes, no matter where they were.
West is 65 and his best days are behind him. He wobbles on bad knees and from the looks of his work last week, his vision may not be very good either.
But he's hanging on to chase the record for most games umpired in a career. West moved into second place during the Pirates' series, passing Bruce Froemming.
West now trails only Hall of Famer Bill Klem's 5,164 games, and he's intent on overtaking that. Assuming he can continue to work a full-time schedule, he's on track to surpass Klem sometime in the 2020 season.
West is so serious about the record that when his crew is assigned to replay duty in New York, he gets an assignment with another crew so he can stay on the field and accumulate games worked.
He doesn't mind being noticed, and has released a couple of country music CDs. On trips to Pittsburgh, he enjoyed holding court at a North Side saloon that had his music on the jukebox.
As long as he's going after the record, MLB will potentially be ill-served by games like last week's, where balls were strikes and strikes were balls.
---
Per an announcement on a game radio broadcast last week, the Pirates have an official bourbon.
Is there anything that can't be sold for a sponsorship in sports?
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Altoona Mirror, August 15, 2018
It was just a routine practice on the last day of Steelers training camp in Latrobe.
Business as usual, a sleepy day in the monotonous drudgery of training camp.
Next thing anybody knew, Ben Roethlisberger was being checked for a concussion and everything changed.
A big part of the agenda in the preseason is keeping Roethlisberger away from contact and potential peril.
The crazy thing was they pretty much did that. Roethlisberger got bumped in what one teammate described as a "domino effect."
It may turn out to be nothing, but it demonstrates again how fragile things can be.
Now that Roethlisberger is 35, there's a lot of speculation about how much longer he might play.
Conventional wisdom holds he's good for another two or three years, but who knows?
Roethlisberger has a concussion history. He also has a wife and three young children, and he has many, many millions in the bank.
Two or three more years would be nice, but there's no guarantee that happens. The final decision on Roethlisberger's career may be made by a doctor, or by his wife Ashley.
When we think about football concussions, we automatically think about a savage hit from a tackler.
But today was a reminder that it can happen under the most innocent of circumstances, too.
---
Some Steelers fans are divided into two distinct camps:
Those who think they could be an NFL offensive coordinator, and those who think they could be an NFL general manager.
The latter group should enjoy Thursday's preseason game in Green Bay.
According to Mike Tomlin, the only quarterbacks he plans to play are numbers three and four on the depth chart -- second-year man Josh Dobbs and rookie Mason Rudoplh.
Given that Roethlisberger and Landry Jones are first and second on the depth chart, it's difficult to see circumstances outside of an injury that would provide a regular season roster spot for Dobbs.
Still, this is a great chance for the amateur GMs to hone their skills by watching two quarterbacks at game speed.
Just remember: They'll play mostly with backups against backups. Keep it in context.
---
Neal Huntington wasn't kidding when he said the player to be named later in the Chris Archer trade would be significant.
It was confirmed on Tuesday that the final part of the deal is Shane Baz, who was the Pirates' No. 1 draft pick last year.
Baz has a lot of potential but is probably five years away from the major leagues. A lot can happen between now and then, as the Pirates know from their experience with No. 1 picks who were high school pitchers.
Bobby Bradley never made the major leagues. Sean Burnett became an average pitcher. Jameson Taillon is at last showing promise this season in a career that's been derailed at times by injuries and illness.
It appears the Pirates gave up a lot, but it will be years before this trade can be evaluated.
For now, the Pirates got what they wanted, an experienced starting pitcher they can hold onto for several years. The Rays got what they wanted, too, a bundle of potential.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Business as usual, a sleepy day in the monotonous drudgery of training camp.
Next thing anybody knew, Ben Roethlisberger was being checked for a concussion and everything changed.
A big part of the agenda in the preseason is keeping Roethlisberger away from contact and potential peril.
The crazy thing was they pretty much did that. Roethlisberger got bumped in what one teammate described as a "domino effect."
It may turn out to be nothing, but it demonstrates again how fragile things can be.
Now that Roethlisberger is 35, there's a lot of speculation about how much longer he might play.
Conventional wisdom holds he's good for another two or three years, but who knows?
Roethlisberger has a concussion history. He also has a wife and three young children, and he has many, many millions in the bank.
Two or three more years would be nice, but there's no guarantee that happens. The final decision on Roethlisberger's career may be made by a doctor, or by his wife Ashley.
When we think about football concussions, we automatically think about a savage hit from a tackler.
But today was a reminder that it can happen under the most innocent of circumstances, too.
---
Some Steelers fans are divided into two distinct camps:
Those who think they could be an NFL offensive coordinator, and those who think they could be an NFL general manager.
The latter group should enjoy Thursday's preseason game in Green Bay.
According to Mike Tomlin, the only quarterbacks he plans to play are numbers three and four on the depth chart -- second-year man Josh Dobbs and rookie Mason Rudoplh.
Given that Roethlisberger and Landry Jones are first and second on the depth chart, it's difficult to see circumstances outside of an injury that would provide a regular season roster spot for Dobbs.
Still, this is a great chance for the amateur GMs to hone their skills by watching two quarterbacks at game speed.
Just remember: They'll play mostly with backups against backups. Keep it in context.
---
Neal Huntington wasn't kidding when he said the player to be named later in the Chris Archer trade would be significant.
It was confirmed on Tuesday that the final part of the deal is Shane Baz, who was the Pirates' No. 1 draft pick last year.
Baz has a lot of potential but is probably five years away from the major leagues. A lot can happen between now and then, as the Pirates know from their experience with No. 1 picks who were high school pitchers.
Bobby Bradley never made the major leagues. Sean Burnett became an average pitcher. Jameson Taillon is at last showing promise this season in a career that's been derailed at times by injuries and illness.
It appears the Pirates gave up a lot, but it will be years before this trade can be evaluated.
For now, the Pirates got what they wanted, an experienced starting pitcher they can hold onto for several years. The Rays got what they wanted, too, a bundle of potential.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, August 12, 2018
Altoona Mirror, August 12, 2018
The San Francisco Giants retired Barry Bonds' number 25 Saturday night.
Should the Pirates do the same with the No. 24 Bonds wore during his seven seasons in Pittsburgh?
Oh, if only all the questions were this easy. The answer is an emphatic no.
Bonds was excellent in four of his seven seasons with the Pirates. He won two MVP awards and should have won a third. He was a major factor in the Pirates' winning three consecutive National League East titles.
He was drafted by the Pirates and played 115 games in their minor league system before he started a 23-year major league career in 1986.
Then he left for San Francisco as a free agent. The Pirates didn't make him a serious offer to stay.
It is also worth noting that the Pirates tried hard to trade Bonds after a disappointing 1989 season. To that point, he had a .256 career average and .804 OPS with 84 home runs in 2,366 plate appearances.
General manager Larry Doughty acquired Billy Hatcher in August of 1989 with the idea he would replace Bonds as the Pirates' left fielder and leadoff hitter in 1990.
The Pirates offered Bonds to the Dodgers for pitcher John Wetteland and third baseman Dave Hansen. The Dodgers said no.
They couldn't even talk with the Cincinnati Reds. Jimmy Stewart, who was one of the Reds' top advisors then, told his bosses not to bother, that Bonds was more trouble than he was worth.
The Pirates kept Bonds by default and moved him lower in the batting order. That's when he became the Barry Bonds everyone would come to know.
In his last three seasons with the Pirates, he batted .301 with a .980 OPS. He hit 92 home runs in 1,867 plate appearances.
Then he was gone. The Pirates invested their limited funds in Andy Van Slyke instead of Bonds.
Bonds continued to be a force with the Giants. He shook his reputation as a postseason failure. He piled up statistics that should have made him a first ballot Hall of Famer.
Of course, there are the messy details of how much assistance Bonds had from chemicals. The fact remains, though, that he was an outstanding player when he was sprinter skinny in Pittsburgh.
The Pirates could retire Bonds' number, but why would they? Less than a third of his major league career was spent in Pittsburgh. He belonged to the Giants.
His number should hang in their stadium, not PNC Park.
---
Did the Pirates outsmart themselves?
They rearranged the starting rotation to give the pitchers an extra day of rest. That meant Clay Holmes came up from the minor leagues to start Friday night in San Francisco.
To be charitable, that didn't go well. Holmes gave up seven runs on eight hits with four walks, and he couldn't finish the third inning.
So while the regular starters got an extra day, the Pirates sacrificed a game.
Two things to remember: The Pirates are on the fringe of the wild card race, not the thick of it. It's not like Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine were pushed back, either. The starting rotation has been mostly a crap shoot this season.
No doubt the Pirates had some science behind the decision. It's the time of year when players are dragging, and Clint Hurdle mentioned the just-completed series in the high altitude of Colorado, a dead giveaway that the rest suggestion came from above the manager's office. Hurdle is taking the heat for an idea that probably wasn't his.
The reasoning behind the decision may have been sound, but the execution made it a very bad bet.
---
A deflated football controversy in the first Steelers pre-season game?
Silly season has already arrived in the NFL.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Should the Pirates do the same with the No. 24 Bonds wore during his seven seasons in Pittsburgh?
Oh, if only all the questions were this easy. The answer is an emphatic no.
Bonds was excellent in four of his seven seasons with the Pirates. He won two MVP awards and should have won a third. He was a major factor in the Pirates' winning three consecutive National League East titles.
He was drafted by the Pirates and played 115 games in their minor league system before he started a 23-year major league career in 1986.
Then he left for San Francisco as a free agent. The Pirates didn't make him a serious offer to stay.
It is also worth noting that the Pirates tried hard to trade Bonds after a disappointing 1989 season. To that point, he had a .256 career average and .804 OPS with 84 home runs in 2,366 plate appearances.
General manager Larry Doughty acquired Billy Hatcher in August of 1989 with the idea he would replace Bonds as the Pirates' left fielder and leadoff hitter in 1990.
The Pirates offered Bonds to the Dodgers for pitcher John Wetteland and third baseman Dave Hansen. The Dodgers said no.
They couldn't even talk with the Cincinnati Reds. Jimmy Stewart, who was one of the Reds' top advisors then, told his bosses not to bother, that Bonds was more trouble than he was worth.
The Pirates kept Bonds by default and moved him lower in the batting order. That's when he became the Barry Bonds everyone would come to know.
In his last three seasons with the Pirates, he batted .301 with a .980 OPS. He hit 92 home runs in 1,867 plate appearances.
Then he was gone. The Pirates invested their limited funds in Andy Van Slyke instead of Bonds.
Bonds continued to be a force with the Giants. He shook his reputation as a postseason failure. He piled up statistics that should have made him a first ballot Hall of Famer.
Of course, there are the messy details of how much assistance Bonds had from chemicals. The fact remains, though, that he was an outstanding player when he was sprinter skinny in Pittsburgh.
The Pirates could retire Bonds' number, but why would they? Less than a third of his major league career was spent in Pittsburgh. He belonged to the Giants.
His number should hang in their stadium, not PNC Park.
---
Did the Pirates outsmart themselves?
They rearranged the starting rotation to give the pitchers an extra day of rest. That meant Clay Holmes came up from the minor leagues to start Friday night in San Francisco.
To be charitable, that didn't go well. Holmes gave up seven runs on eight hits with four walks, and he couldn't finish the third inning.
So while the regular starters got an extra day, the Pirates sacrificed a game.
Two things to remember: The Pirates are on the fringe of the wild card race, not the thick of it. It's not like Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine were pushed back, either. The starting rotation has been mostly a crap shoot this season.
No doubt the Pirates had some science behind the decision. It's the time of year when players are dragging, and Clint Hurdle mentioned the just-completed series in the high altitude of Colorado, a dead giveaway that the rest suggestion came from above the manager's office. Hurdle is taking the heat for an idea that probably wasn't his.
The reasoning behind the decision may have been sound, but the execution made it a very bad bet.
---
A deflated football controversy in the first Steelers pre-season game?
Silly season has already arrived in the NFL.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Altoona Mirror, August 8, 2018
Terrell Owens skipped the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony over the weekend.
But here's an upset: They went ahead with the event anyway.
Owens was pouting because he wasn't voted in until his third try. A lot of people thinking being selected is an honor, whether it's on the first ballot or fifth, but Owens obviously disagreed.
So he had his own ceremony at his college alma mater. The other inductees were in Canton for the more traditional path.
It's been widely reported that the Hall of Fame is considering a rules change that would make attendance mandatory.
Why bother?
Prior to Owens, nobody had their pride wounded enough to skip the ceremony. It's doubtful -- but entirely possible -- that someone will feel the same way in the future.
If someone doesn't show up, they don't go in the Hall? That's the only muscle the Hall of Fame has in this since they don't presently have the power of subpoena.
The first Hall of Fame class was inducted in 1963. Since then, every living honoree has shown up for his enshrinement.
It's a chance to step into the spotlight again, to thank those who helped along the way and to select a presenter who has a meaningful role in the new Hall of Fame member's life.
Steelers fans have had some great days in Canton, re-living the old days as members of the Super Bowl teams have been enshrined.
The players seem to enjoy the moment, which is a perfect way to cap a career that's been characterized by excellence.
If no-showing the event becomes a trend, then maybe there's need for a policy.
But as it stands now, this is just about Terrell Owens.
It's not worth making a rule.
---
There's a theory that the Pirates acquired pitchers Chris Archer and Keone Kela with the idea it would boost their sagging attendance.
That isn't likely to happen. Most baseball tickets are sold in the offseason, when people decide if they're going to commit their money. January is a big month, and that was when Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen were traded.
There was a spike in gate sales Friday for Archer's debut, but it didn't last throughout the weekend. Sunday's attendance was 19,376, which is not good for a game against the Cardinals in the peak of summer.
The Pirates only have 19 home games left, and eight of those are on weeknights. Unless the club goes on some sort of tear, it's unlikely the attendance will be much more than the advance sale, regardless of the new additions.
---
McCutchen said he was surprised to see the Pirates active at the deadline because they didn't do that when he was with the team.
Oh, those selective memories. Some of the players added in-season during McCutchen's time here included Marlon Byrd, Justin Morneau, J.A. Happ, Aramis Ramirez, Joakim Soria and Joe Blanton.
A lot of them helped, particularly Byrd and Happ.
---
Before you even ask, no, the Steelers are not going to sign Dez Bryant.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
But here's an upset: They went ahead with the event anyway.
Owens was pouting because he wasn't voted in until his third try. A lot of people thinking being selected is an honor, whether it's on the first ballot or fifth, but Owens obviously disagreed.
So he had his own ceremony at his college alma mater. The other inductees were in Canton for the more traditional path.
It's been widely reported that the Hall of Fame is considering a rules change that would make attendance mandatory.
Why bother?
Prior to Owens, nobody had their pride wounded enough to skip the ceremony. It's doubtful -- but entirely possible -- that someone will feel the same way in the future.
If someone doesn't show up, they don't go in the Hall? That's the only muscle the Hall of Fame has in this since they don't presently have the power of subpoena.
The first Hall of Fame class was inducted in 1963. Since then, every living honoree has shown up for his enshrinement.
It's a chance to step into the spotlight again, to thank those who helped along the way and to select a presenter who has a meaningful role in the new Hall of Fame member's life.
Steelers fans have had some great days in Canton, re-living the old days as members of the Super Bowl teams have been enshrined.
The players seem to enjoy the moment, which is a perfect way to cap a career that's been characterized by excellence.
If no-showing the event becomes a trend, then maybe there's need for a policy.
But as it stands now, this is just about Terrell Owens.
It's not worth making a rule.
---
There's a theory that the Pirates acquired pitchers Chris Archer and Keone Kela with the idea it would boost their sagging attendance.
That isn't likely to happen. Most baseball tickets are sold in the offseason, when people decide if they're going to commit their money. January is a big month, and that was when Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen were traded.
There was a spike in gate sales Friday for Archer's debut, but it didn't last throughout the weekend. Sunday's attendance was 19,376, which is not good for a game against the Cardinals in the peak of summer.
The Pirates only have 19 home games left, and eight of those are on weeknights. Unless the club goes on some sort of tear, it's unlikely the attendance will be much more than the advance sale, regardless of the new additions.
---
McCutchen said he was surprised to see the Pirates active at the deadline because they didn't do that when he was with the team.
Oh, those selective memories. Some of the players added in-season during McCutchen's time here included Marlon Byrd, Justin Morneau, J.A. Happ, Aramis Ramirez, Joakim Soria and Joe Blanton.
A lot of them helped, particularly Byrd and Happ.
---
Before you even ask, no, the Steelers are not going to sign Dez Bryant.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, August 5, 2018
Altoona Mirror, August 5, 2018
MLB players have 72 hours to report to their new team after being traded.
It's right there in the labor agreement.
Reliever Keone Kela almost stretched that clock to the max when he reported to PNC Park on Friday afternoon. The deal to acquire him from the Texas Rangers was completed in the early morning hours of Tuesday.
The Rangers were in Phoenix when the trade was finalized. According to the always-infallible Interwebs, flying distance from there to Pittsburgh is about three and a half hours.
Depending on airline schedules and the inevitable delays, it's not unreasonable to suggest Kela could have been here in time for Tuesday evening's game against the Cubs. If that wasn't possible, Wednesday's game was.
General manager Neal Huntington said Kela told him he was anxious to get to Pittsburgh. But Huntington said he later got a wee hours call from Kela's agent saying the player had decided to return to Texas to pack and take care of details there.
So after he got the cable disconnected and tossed the eggs and milk, he came to Pittsburgh in time for Friday's game (Thursday was an open date in the schedule).
What happened to switch him from a "can't wait to get there" mode to "see you when I get there" mindset? That's a mystery.
For that matter, Chris Archer hit it out of the park with his introductory press conference and wearing a Steelers jersey. But Archer passed on the Pirates' request to start Wednesday against the Cubs and instead debuted on Friday.
It's nice that both new acquisitions spoke of their excitement about coming to the Pirates. It would have been even better if they'd backed those sentiments by suiting up as quickly as possible.
---
Every general manager in professional sports has a tale of woe about a signing gone wrong.
The team commits the money, and it's smiles all around. Those expressions can change quickly.
Take the case of Jung Ho Kang, who is expected to be unavailable to the Pirates for the rest of this season because of a wrist injury.
Kang's first season in Pittsburgh ended early because of a devastating knee injury. It was so traumatic that his recovery spilled over into the next season.
Last season he was unable to enter the United States, the result of his horrendous judgment that led to a third DUI conviction.
Kang finally got the work visa late this spring and was working toward coming back when the wrist injury developed. So on a four year investment, the Pirates have gotten two non-seasons and two others abbreviated by injury.
They hold an option on him next season for a very manageable $5.5 million, which will create an interesting decision for the Pirates this offseason.
---
Some people can be so dumb, it's equal parts frightening and depressing.
It's upsetting to think they're driving, voting and even worse, reproducing.
Case in point was a question submitted last week to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's online Steelers chat:
"Once (Ryan Shazier) recovers, would it make sense to move him to safety where we can better utilize his speed?"
Shazier is the Steelers linebacker who was very nearly paralyzed in an on-field collision last season. He is learning how to walk without assistance.
And this guy thinks that he will be able to play a violent game at the highest level, and that he'll be able to run as well as he did before the spinal injury. The questioner also presumes a doctor would sign off on Shazier playing football and that an insurer would underwrite that activity.
It's a scary world.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
It's right there in the labor agreement.
Reliever Keone Kela almost stretched that clock to the max when he reported to PNC Park on Friday afternoon. The deal to acquire him from the Texas Rangers was completed in the early morning hours of Tuesday.
The Rangers were in Phoenix when the trade was finalized. According to the always-infallible Interwebs, flying distance from there to Pittsburgh is about three and a half hours.
Depending on airline schedules and the inevitable delays, it's not unreasonable to suggest Kela could have been here in time for Tuesday evening's game against the Cubs. If that wasn't possible, Wednesday's game was.
General manager Neal Huntington said Kela told him he was anxious to get to Pittsburgh. But Huntington said he later got a wee hours call from Kela's agent saying the player had decided to return to Texas to pack and take care of details there.
So after he got the cable disconnected and tossed the eggs and milk, he came to Pittsburgh in time for Friday's game (Thursday was an open date in the schedule).
What happened to switch him from a "can't wait to get there" mode to "see you when I get there" mindset? That's a mystery.
For that matter, Chris Archer hit it out of the park with his introductory press conference and wearing a Steelers jersey. But Archer passed on the Pirates' request to start Wednesday against the Cubs and instead debuted on Friday.
It's nice that both new acquisitions spoke of their excitement about coming to the Pirates. It would have been even better if they'd backed those sentiments by suiting up as quickly as possible.
---
Every general manager in professional sports has a tale of woe about a signing gone wrong.
The team commits the money, and it's smiles all around. Those expressions can change quickly.
Take the case of Jung Ho Kang, who is expected to be unavailable to the Pirates for the rest of this season because of a wrist injury.
Kang's first season in Pittsburgh ended early because of a devastating knee injury. It was so traumatic that his recovery spilled over into the next season.
Last season he was unable to enter the United States, the result of his horrendous judgment that led to a third DUI conviction.
Kang finally got the work visa late this spring and was working toward coming back when the wrist injury developed. So on a four year investment, the Pirates have gotten two non-seasons and two others abbreviated by injury.
They hold an option on him next season for a very manageable $5.5 million, which will create an interesting decision for the Pirates this offseason.
---
Some people can be so dumb, it's equal parts frightening and depressing.
It's upsetting to think they're driving, voting and even worse, reproducing.
Case in point was a question submitted last week to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's online Steelers chat:
"Once (Ryan Shazier) recovers, would it make sense to move him to safety where we can better utilize his speed?"
Shazier is the Steelers linebacker who was very nearly paralyzed in an on-field collision last season. He is learning how to walk without assistance.
And this guy thinks that he will be able to play a violent game at the highest level, and that he'll be able to run as well as he did before the spinal injury. The questioner also presumes a doctor would sign off on Shazier playing football and that an insurer would underwrite that activity.
It's a scary world.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
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