The NHL locked the doors Monday afternoon, freezing rosters with the trade deadline.
The Penguins did some minor tinkering, which speaks to their big picture. They don't need an overhaul.
They mostly need previously reliable veterans to play to the level they've achieved in the past, and that starts with goalie Matt Murray.
General manager Jim Rutherford added two players at the deadline, and one of them is strictly for organizational depth.
The need for defensive help arose during the disastrous outdoor game in Philadelphia, when the Penguins lost Kris Letang and Brian Dumoulin on the same sequence. They join the injured Olli Maatta, who may or may not be ready for the playoffs because of a shoulder injury.
So Rutherford acquired Erik Gudbranson, who is big, somewhat slow and handy with his fists, which has become an issue. All they had to give up was Tanner Pearson, who ends one of the most inconsequential Penguins careers in franchise history.
The fact the price was so low says ominous things about Gudbranson, but what were the Penguins going to do? They don't have much salary cap room, and they didn't have a lot to offer in deals.
Vancouver fans were cheering Gudbranson's departure on social media. It is worth noting the Penguins have had success picking up another team's castoff before -- Justin Schultz was similarly undervalued with Edmonton.
The other trade was even more minor, as Chris Wideman was acquired from Florida for forward Jean-Sebastian Dey. Wideman was assigned to the minor leagues.
The real issue here isn't these deals. It's the inconsistency of Murray in goal (three of the goals he allowed outdoors were atrocious) and the prolonged slumps of Phil Kessel and Patric Hornquist.
This is about Penguins who have had success and been vital contributors in the past, not new additions who figure to make a minimal impact.
---
Add Josh Harrison's name to the list of major league players clobbered by the slow free agent market in baseball.
Harrison recently signed with the Detroit Tigers for $2 million. The Tigers made that offer some time ago. Harrison kept hoping for something better, but nothing materialized.
He was hurt by the triple whammy of being 31, coming off a lousy year and having a significant injury history.
So he'll play for $2 million. That's big money in the real world, but a far cry from the $10.5 million he would have made had the Pirates picked up his 2019 option. They wisely passed and will play Adam Frazier at second base.
Harrison can make an extra $1 million from the Tigers if he reaches certain levels for plate appearances.
---
A fond farewell to Roy McHugh, the superb Pittsburgh Press journalist who passed away at 103. (That's right, 103).
He was a craftsman, a graceful writer who had a knack for capturing the essence of his topic without ever being intrusive. There should be an anthology of his columns as a teaching tool. The shame is he never wrote his memoirs, although he assisted Art Rooney Jr. and Myron Cope with their excellent autobiographies.
Roy was still working when I was breaking into the business. I learned a lot just by observing the quiet, unassuming man who wrote better than everyone else.
He set the standard.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Saturday, February 23, 2019
Altoona Mirror, February 24, 2019
The NHL trade deadline arrives tomorrow afternoon.
General manager Jim Rutherford has a troubled and inconsistent team, and no clear idea of what to do with it.
The salary cap makes it difficult to deal, and Rutherford has to wonder if there's the kind of trade that can shake his team out of its win-a-few, lose-a-few tendencies. Although the Penguins are still likely to make the playoffs, they're not guaranteed a spot.
The good thing about the Penguins' goaltending is Matt Murray has two Stanley Cups on his resume. The bad thing is Murray has been inconsistent this season, he gets hurt a lot, and his backup is the inexperienced and quite average Casey DeSmith.
But would any of the available veterans be a clear upgrade and fit under the cap?
The Penguins always seem to be in the market for another winger who could score and/or be a physical presence. They'd like to have Carolina's Michael Ferland, but so would a lot of other teams. Besides, the Hurricanes are still alive in the playoff race.
It appeared Rutherford successfully addressed that issue last season by acquiring Derick Brissard. Instead, Brissard was a complete flop in that role.
An extra defenseman seems like a good idea. Ben Lovejoy would have fit, but New Jersey traded him to Dallas.
There were even rumors the Penguins were considering re-acquiring forward Carl Hagelin. He went to Washington instead.
It isn't so much whether Rutherford would like to make a deal as it is whether he can find one that makes sense.
---
The propeller heads are winning in baseball.
That was the unflattering nickname former Pirates general manager Ted Simmons gave to the new wave of statistical analysts who were infiltrating the front offices.
Eager and young and often non-athletic, Simmons perceived them as ambitious kids wearing beanies. They had never taken a foul tip off the mask; their biggest workplace injury risk was a paper cut.
They're no longer an oddity. They've become the industry standard, to the point that MLB teams are cutting their scouting staffs and relying more on statistical analysis to evaluate players.
Traditionally teams have sent evaluation scouts on the road to file reports on every major league player they see. Now those scouts are being eliminated and the information is being gleaned from the spreadsheets compiled by the analysts.
No more plane tickets to purchase, no more bills at the Marriott, no more phony receipts for restaurant meals that were never served.
Once when Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott was reviewing budgets, she complained about the amount allotted for scouts. "All they do is watch games," she said. Now they don't, at least not in some places.
Simmons was actually on board with the data collection. Cold hard facts trumped an old scout in a Cuban shirt spitting into his cup and offering his general manager the guarantee, "That (expletive) can flat-out hit."
Neither method is foolproof. The Pirates had some solid statistical trends to suggest pitcher Jon Niese would be successful at PNC Park. He was awful.
Six other organizations took a chance on the athletically-gifted Chad Hermansen after the Pirates gave up on him. His career average was .195.
Now there's a new way to do things, and teams are buying into it.
---
It's not that the Steelers wish any ill will on anyone.
It's just that they'll gladly surrender the daily spotlight their soap opera has drawn to Robert Kraft and the New England Patriots
---
New drinking game: Every time Penguins TV analyst Bob Errey uses the word "netminder," take a shot.
You'll be on the floor by the first intermission.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
General manager Jim Rutherford has a troubled and inconsistent team, and no clear idea of what to do with it.
The salary cap makes it difficult to deal, and Rutherford has to wonder if there's the kind of trade that can shake his team out of its win-a-few, lose-a-few tendencies. Although the Penguins are still likely to make the playoffs, they're not guaranteed a spot.
The good thing about the Penguins' goaltending is Matt Murray has two Stanley Cups on his resume. The bad thing is Murray has been inconsistent this season, he gets hurt a lot, and his backup is the inexperienced and quite average Casey DeSmith.
But would any of the available veterans be a clear upgrade and fit under the cap?
The Penguins always seem to be in the market for another winger who could score and/or be a physical presence. They'd like to have Carolina's Michael Ferland, but so would a lot of other teams. Besides, the Hurricanes are still alive in the playoff race.
It appeared Rutherford successfully addressed that issue last season by acquiring Derick Brissard. Instead, Brissard was a complete flop in that role.
An extra defenseman seems like a good idea. Ben Lovejoy would have fit, but New Jersey traded him to Dallas.
There were even rumors the Penguins were considering re-acquiring forward Carl Hagelin. He went to Washington instead.
It isn't so much whether Rutherford would like to make a deal as it is whether he can find one that makes sense.
---
The propeller heads are winning in baseball.
That was the unflattering nickname former Pirates general manager Ted Simmons gave to the new wave of statistical analysts who were infiltrating the front offices.
Eager and young and often non-athletic, Simmons perceived them as ambitious kids wearing beanies. They had never taken a foul tip off the mask; their biggest workplace injury risk was a paper cut.
They're no longer an oddity. They've become the industry standard, to the point that MLB teams are cutting their scouting staffs and relying more on statistical analysis to evaluate players.
Traditionally teams have sent evaluation scouts on the road to file reports on every major league player they see. Now those scouts are being eliminated and the information is being gleaned from the spreadsheets compiled by the analysts.
No more plane tickets to purchase, no more bills at the Marriott, no more phony receipts for restaurant meals that were never served.
Once when Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott was reviewing budgets, she complained about the amount allotted for scouts. "All they do is watch games," she said. Now they don't, at least not in some places.
Simmons was actually on board with the data collection. Cold hard facts trumped an old scout in a Cuban shirt spitting into his cup and offering his general manager the guarantee, "That (expletive) can flat-out hit."
Neither method is foolproof. The Pirates had some solid statistical trends to suggest pitcher Jon Niese would be successful at PNC Park. He was awful.
Six other organizations took a chance on the athletically-gifted Chad Hermansen after the Pirates gave up on him. His career average was .195.
Now there's a new way to do things, and teams are buying into it.
---
It's not that the Steelers wish any ill will on anyone.
It's just that they'll gladly surrender the daily spotlight their soap opera has drawn to Robert Kraft and the New England Patriots
---
New drinking game: Every time Penguins TV analyst Bob Errey uses the word "netminder," take a shot.
You'll be on the floor by the first intermission.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Altoona Mirror, February 20, 2019
The Steelers and Antonio Brown reached an important agreement on Tuesday.
They apparently agreed that Brown shouldn't play for the Steelers any more.
At least that was the version Brown released via social media after he and his representatives met with Steelers chairman Art Rooney II and general manager Kevin Colbert in Florida.
So the Steelers will look to trade their best receiver, hoping they can acquire a fair return in the deal and then find a successor in the offseason.
Those tasks won't be easy, but a trade is the most palatable resolution to Brown's problems with the team.
At least it came to a face-to-face meeting after nearly two months of Brown's lack of direct communication. As far as anyone knows, Steelers management didn't hear from Brown other than through those sometimes bizarre social media posts.
Releasing Brown was not a viable option. The Steelers would still have a substantial salary cap hit and they would get no return. Brown made it clear he was done with Pittsburgh, so expecting him to fulfill the final three years of his existing contract was also unrealistic.
So that leaves a trade as the solution. The NFL Scouting Combine starts next week, which will give Colbert proximity to all of his peers. That will facilitate trade discussions.
One important detail: The Steelers will handle the negotiations rather that granting permission to Brown and his agent to seek a deal.
Brown apparently thinks a new team will give him a new contract, too. That remains to be seen, but it doesn't seem likely.
No deal can be finalized until March 13, although agreements can be made before then. The Steelers will want this done sooner rather than later so they can start shaping the 2019 roster in advance of the draft and other off-season activities.
Before the parties parted on Tuesday, Brown and Rooney posed for a photo.
If you've seen it, you probably noticed that Rooney doesn't look especially comfortable in the shot.
That's the way this whole issue has gone, and it's not over yet.
---
One of baseball's high profile free agent campaigns ended Tuesday when San Diego signed Manny Machado for 10 years and $300 million.
There was a time when $300 million could build a new stadium. Now it buys an infielder who publicly admits he doesn't always give his best effort.
The Padres have accumulated young talent, and they're hoping those prospects will be ready to pop in the next few years with Machado anchoring the lineup. Question Machado's dedication, but not his talent. He is solid offensively and defensively, whether he plays shortstop or third base.
The Padres have an odd payroll structure. Last year they paid Eric Hosmer $20 million. They had three other players between $8.25 million and $3.25 million. The rest of their players were under $2 million.
Will it pay off in a division dominated by the filthy-rich Dodgers? Maybe not, but it's safe to guess the phones were hopping in the Padres' ticket offices on Tuesday.
---
The upstart Alliance of American Football almost went belly-up before the second week of its inaugural season.
Reports say the league wasn't going to meet its payroll until an emergency investment of $250,000 came along.
How does that happen? They started a league and got a TV contract, yet nearly ran out of money after one week of operation?
Doesn't bode well for the AAF, which was praised as a good idea in this space.
Even if AAF doesn't make it, spring football has a future. Vince McMahon plans to revive the XFL next year, and McMahon has plenty of money in the bank.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
They apparently agreed that Brown shouldn't play for the Steelers any more.
At least that was the version Brown released via social media after he and his representatives met with Steelers chairman Art Rooney II and general manager Kevin Colbert in Florida.
So the Steelers will look to trade their best receiver, hoping they can acquire a fair return in the deal and then find a successor in the offseason.
Those tasks won't be easy, but a trade is the most palatable resolution to Brown's problems with the team.
At least it came to a face-to-face meeting after nearly two months of Brown's lack of direct communication. As far as anyone knows, Steelers management didn't hear from Brown other than through those sometimes bizarre social media posts.
Releasing Brown was not a viable option. The Steelers would still have a substantial salary cap hit and they would get no return. Brown made it clear he was done with Pittsburgh, so expecting him to fulfill the final three years of his existing contract was also unrealistic.
So that leaves a trade as the solution. The NFL Scouting Combine starts next week, which will give Colbert proximity to all of his peers. That will facilitate trade discussions.
One important detail: The Steelers will handle the negotiations rather that granting permission to Brown and his agent to seek a deal.
Brown apparently thinks a new team will give him a new contract, too. That remains to be seen, but it doesn't seem likely.
No deal can be finalized until March 13, although agreements can be made before then. The Steelers will want this done sooner rather than later so they can start shaping the 2019 roster in advance of the draft and other off-season activities.
Before the parties parted on Tuesday, Brown and Rooney posed for a photo.
If you've seen it, you probably noticed that Rooney doesn't look especially comfortable in the shot.
That's the way this whole issue has gone, and it's not over yet.
---
One of baseball's high profile free agent campaigns ended Tuesday when San Diego signed Manny Machado for 10 years and $300 million.
There was a time when $300 million could build a new stadium. Now it buys an infielder who publicly admits he doesn't always give his best effort.
The Padres have accumulated young talent, and they're hoping those prospects will be ready to pop in the next few years with Machado anchoring the lineup. Question Machado's dedication, but not his talent. He is solid offensively and defensively, whether he plays shortstop or third base.
The Padres have an odd payroll structure. Last year they paid Eric Hosmer $20 million. They had three other players between $8.25 million and $3.25 million. The rest of their players were under $2 million.
Will it pay off in a division dominated by the filthy-rich Dodgers? Maybe not, but it's safe to guess the phones were hopping in the Padres' ticket offices on Tuesday.
---
The upstart Alliance of American Football almost went belly-up before the second week of its inaugural season.
Reports say the league wasn't going to meet its payroll until an emergency investment of $250,000 came along.
How does that happen? They started a league and got a TV contract, yet nearly ran out of money after one week of operation?
Doesn't bode well for the AAF, which was praised as a good idea in this space.
Even if AAF doesn't make it, spring football has a future. Vince McMahon plans to revive the XFL next year, and McMahon has plenty of money in the bank.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Saturday, February 16, 2019
Altoona Mirror, February 17, 2019
At last, a Tweet from Antonio Brown that makes sense.
Asked for the root of his conflict with Ben Roethlisberger, Brown responded via Twitter:
"No conflict just a matter of respect! Mutual respect! He has a owner mentality like he can call out anybody including coaches. Players know but they can’t say anything about it otherwise they {sic} meal ticket gone. It’s a dirty game within a game."
You can argue punctuation and syntax, but what he said is fundamentally true.
Star players who are hard to replace have considerable sway within any sports organization. That's why LeBron James gets to choose teammates and coaches. It's why Mario Lemieux was able to lead behind-the-scenes rebellions against coaches.
The Steelers had a record-setting offense in 2017, but that wasn't enough to save the job of offensive coordinator Todd Haley. He was gone as soon as the season ended because Roethlisberger didn't like working with him.
That's the way things go in some circumstances.
It may or not may be a "dirty game," but it's definitely a game within a game.
It happens at different levels of sports organizations. Bill Cowher won a power struggle against Tom Donahoe, even though Donahoe, as general manager, was technically Cowher's boss.
The same thing happened with the Pirates when they opted for Jim Leyland over GM Ted Simmons.
It all depends on who's holding the best cards at the moment and who is viewed as the most difficult to replace.
---
Presumably the Steelers and Roethlisberger's representatives are working on a new contract extension for the quarterback.
It will pay a lot of money. That's a given.
The issue is how much of the money is guaranteed. The Minnesota Vikings changed the rules last year when they made quarterback Kirk Cousins' $84 million fully guaranteed.
NFL teams have handed out lucrative contracts, but the small print reveals only a certain percentage is guaranteed. Cousins' deal shattered that policy.
Roethlisberger is soon to turn 37, and this is likely the last contract he'll sign to play football.
He has millions of reasons to want to see the entire amount of his contract guaranteed.
===
When you write a guy a check for a $19 million guaranteed signing bonus, you kind of assume he'll take your calls if anything comes up.
That was Art Rooney's fundamental mistake with Antonio Brown.
---
Pitt's basketball season started with hope and promise when first-year coach Jeff Caple got some unexpected positive results.
But now the Panthers have lost nine in a row, and it's a reminder of what a big job Caple has in trying to resuscitate the program. He inherited a disaster from Kevin Stallings' unfortunate stay in Oakland.
---
Here's a scary stat: The Pirates' most-used first and third baseman last season combined for 23 home runs. Third baseman Colin Moran hit 11, and Josh Bell had the other 12.
The 23 home runs would barely be acceptable for one corner infielder, much less the combined total of two in 1,048 plate appearances last season.
In fact, Bell hit 26 home runs in 620 plate appearances in 2017.
The Pirates have brought back Jung Ho Kang to try and boost the production from third base. It's mostly all on Bell at first, and the team's new batting coaches will be trying to rediscover his power stroke.
Every team needs a thumper somewhere in the middle of the order, and Bell is the Pirates' best hope in that department.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Asked for the root of his conflict with Ben Roethlisberger, Brown responded via Twitter:
"No conflict just a matter of respect! Mutual respect! He has a owner mentality like he can call out anybody including coaches. Players know but they can’t say anything about it otherwise they {sic} meal ticket gone. It’s a dirty game within a game."
You can argue punctuation and syntax, but what he said is fundamentally true.
Star players who are hard to replace have considerable sway within any sports organization. That's why LeBron James gets to choose teammates and coaches. It's why Mario Lemieux was able to lead behind-the-scenes rebellions against coaches.
The Steelers had a record-setting offense in 2017, but that wasn't enough to save the job of offensive coordinator Todd Haley. He was gone as soon as the season ended because Roethlisberger didn't like working with him.
That's the way things go in some circumstances.
It may or not may be a "dirty game," but it's definitely a game within a game.
It happens at different levels of sports organizations. Bill Cowher won a power struggle against Tom Donahoe, even though Donahoe, as general manager, was technically Cowher's boss.
The same thing happened with the Pirates when they opted for Jim Leyland over GM Ted Simmons.
It all depends on who's holding the best cards at the moment and who is viewed as the most difficult to replace.
---
Presumably the Steelers and Roethlisberger's representatives are working on a new contract extension for the quarterback.
It will pay a lot of money. That's a given.
The issue is how much of the money is guaranteed. The Minnesota Vikings changed the rules last year when they made quarterback Kirk Cousins' $84 million fully guaranteed.
NFL teams have handed out lucrative contracts, but the small print reveals only a certain percentage is guaranteed. Cousins' deal shattered that policy.
Roethlisberger is soon to turn 37, and this is likely the last contract he'll sign to play football.
He has millions of reasons to want to see the entire amount of his contract guaranteed.
===
When you write a guy a check for a $19 million guaranteed signing bonus, you kind of assume he'll take your calls if anything comes up.
That was Art Rooney's fundamental mistake with Antonio Brown.
---
Pitt's basketball season started with hope and promise when first-year coach Jeff Caple got some unexpected positive results.
But now the Panthers have lost nine in a row, and it's a reminder of what a big job Caple has in trying to resuscitate the program. He inherited a disaster from Kevin Stallings' unfortunate stay in Oakland.
---
Here's a scary stat: The Pirates' most-used first and third baseman last season combined for 23 home runs. Third baseman Colin Moran hit 11, and Josh Bell had the other 12.
The 23 home runs would barely be acceptable for one corner infielder, much less the combined total of two in 1,048 plate appearances last season.
In fact, Bell hit 26 home runs in 620 plate appearances in 2017.
The Pirates have brought back Jung Ho Kang to try and boost the production from third base. It's mostly all on Bell at first, and the team's new batting coaches will be trying to rediscover his power stroke.
Every team needs a thumper somewhere in the middle of the order, and Bell is the Pirates' best hope in that department.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Altoona Mirror, February 13, 2019
There are a lot of bridges in Pittsburgh, and Antonio Brown seems to be intent on burning all of them.
On Tuesday, he failed to show for a hearing on the charge of excessive speeding. Wherever he was, he Tweeted a farewell to Steelers Nation.
The funny thing about that is he still owes the Steelers three more seasons on his current contract.
There's little doubt, though, that he will be traded next month, bringing an end to a career that was mostly spectacular before it took an irretrievable turn for the weird in the last 12 months.
The question is no longer whether the Steelers will trade Brown, but rather what they can get for him.
The answer to that is not trending well. ESPN reported that Brown will probably net the Steelers a second-day draft choice. That's it for a receiver who many considered the NFL's best?
In all likelihood, yes. Some teams don't want to deal with Brown's baggage. Others aren't looking for a receiver.
On the positive side, his salaries are manageable for a player of his stature. But price may not matter to some general managers, who don't want a player who just quit on his team.
The new NFL season opens a month from today. It shouldn't take long for the Steelers to make a deal and put this lingering headache in the past.
Until then, there are still bridges for Brown to torch.
---
Evgeni Malkin will sit out tonight's game against Edmonton, and he should.
The NHL suspended Malkin for one game after he swung his stick at the head of the Flyers' Michael Raffl. Malkin missed, but the intent was there.
Malkin was angered because Raffl punched him in the back of the head. Malkin had every right to be upset at Raffl's cheap shot, but that doesn't give a player the right to respond with his own gratuitous violence.
The NHL has tried to get stick swinging out of the game, so there wasn't much tolerance for what Malkin did.
Just back from an undisclosed upper body injury, he'll have an evening to think about his infraction.
Malkin is a gifted player, but he's prone to losing his temper on the ice. Opponents have had success in goading him into penalties.
He heads to the penalty box, and the Penguins are without one of their best players.
After all these years, he should know better. He should make a special effort to tighten things up as the playoffs draw closer.
---
As of this moment, Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are still unsigned.
Baseball's two premier free agents have yet to find a spot on a 2019 roster.
Some reports suggest that a hissing contest between agents is a factor. Harper is represented by Scott Boras and Dan Lozano negotiates on behalf of Machado.
The two agents are said to be rivals and each wants to come away with the distinction of having landed the biggest contract in MLB history. That means the other guy's player has to sign first.
In the meantime, neither player knows where he's going to play this season.
Remember when debates were about which player was the best rather than which agent negotiated the best deal?
The slow free agent market could help the Pirates with other players. Having this many players unsigned at this late date works in favor of clubs that don't have the biggest budget.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
On Tuesday, he failed to show for a hearing on the charge of excessive speeding. Wherever he was, he Tweeted a farewell to Steelers Nation.
The funny thing about that is he still owes the Steelers three more seasons on his current contract.
There's little doubt, though, that he will be traded next month, bringing an end to a career that was mostly spectacular before it took an irretrievable turn for the weird in the last 12 months.
The question is no longer whether the Steelers will trade Brown, but rather what they can get for him.
The answer to that is not trending well. ESPN reported that Brown will probably net the Steelers a second-day draft choice. That's it for a receiver who many considered the NFL's best?
In all likelihood, yes. Some teams don't want to deal with Brown's baggage. Others aren't looking for a receiver.
On the positive side, his salaries are manageable for a player of his stature. But price may not matter to some general managers, who don't want a player who just quit on his team.
The new NFL season opens a month from today. It shouldn't take long for the Steelers to make a deal and put this lingering headache in the past.
Until then, there are still bridges for Brown to torch.
---
Evgeni Malkin will sit out tonight's game against Edmonton, and he should.
The NHL suspended Malkin for one game after he swung his stick at the head of the Flyers' Michael Raffl. Malkin missed, but the intent was there.
Malkin was angered because Raffl punched him in the back of the head. Malkin had every right to be upset at Raffl's cheap shot, but that doesn't give a player the right to respond with his own gratuitous violence.
The NHL has tried to get stick swinging out of the game, so there wasn't much tolerance for what Malkin did.
Just back from an undisclosed upper body injury, he'll have an evening to think about his infraction.
Malkin is a gifted player, but he's prone to losing his temper on the ice. Opponents have had success in goading him into penalties.
He heads to the penalty box, and the Penguins are without one of their best players.
After all these years, he should know better. He should make a special effort to tighten things up as the playoffs draw closer.
---
As of this moment, Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are still unsigned.
Baseball's two premier free agents have yet to find a spot on a 2019 roster.
Some reports suggest that a hissing contest between agents is a factor. Harper is represented by Scott Boras and Dan Lozano negotiates on behalf of Machado.
The two agents are said to be rivals and each wants to come away with the distinction of having landed the biggest contract in MLB history. That means the other guy's player has to sign first.
In the meantime, neither player knows where he's going to play this season.
Remember when debates were about which player was the best rather than which agent negotiated the best deal?
The slow free agent market could help the Pirates with other players. Having this many players unsigned at this late date works in favor of clubs that don't have the biggest budget.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Saturday, February 9, 2019
Altoona Mirror, February 10, 2019
It doesn't matter if you protest or sign an online petition or wear a t-shirt that expresses your sentiments.
The designated hitter is coming to the National League.
It supposedly won't happen until 2022 at the earliest but make no mistake: It's going to happen.
The American League added the DH in 1973 on an experimental basis. It never went away.
So no, decades later, MLB is set to make the rule uniform for both leagues. It is worth noting that MLB has been on a crusade to eliminate the distinctions between leagues for some time now.
The league offices were eliminated, as were presidents for each league. Umpiring was placed under central control. Interleague play became a regular feature. Teams shifted -- Milwaukee went to the National League and Houston went to the American.
The next step is to make uniform rules and have the DH in National League lineups.
Every rules change in every league is done with the idea of adding offense. The majority of fans like to see the scoreboard light up.
The union is fine with this because most DHs make more than a middle reliever who would otherwise occupy that roster spot.
The universal DH is one of many proposals being floated as MLB and the union start very preliminary idea exchanges on the next labor contract.
Some of the other ideas don't make much sense. There's been a proposal to require a relief pitcher to dispose of at least three batters before he can be replaced. Not good, and the savings in time wouldn't be worth the sacrifice.
Pace of play has become a bigger issue every year because so many games drag needlessly. Of course, there's an easy way to trim 18 minutes off the time of every game. Just limit commercial time between innings to one minute.
That won't happen either, because both sides love banking the money that those extra commercials help bring in.
There's still a lot of time before negotiations get serious and real changes get closer.
But book this: The Pirates will have a full-time DH sooner rather than later.
---
Have other NHL teams gotten appreciably faster, or have the Penguins slowed down just a tick?
The Penguins' speed used to set them apart from a lot of opponents. but that's not happening as much now.
---
A new league, the American Alliance of Football, debuted Saturday night.
This is being typed before the game aired, so there's no way to judge the quality of the product.
But there's a market for pro football after the NFL season ends. Some people don't follow basketball or hockey and need a sports TV fix before baseball starts. The weather is still miserable in a lot of the country, so people are trapped indoors for another month or two.
The regular season ends in mid-April and the championship game will be played on April 27. That makes sense. As the USFL proved many years ago, the appetite for football diminishes and nobody much cares about early summer games.
There's no local franchise, but Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu are involved in AAF administration.
---
Hall of Fame member Frank Robinson died last week. He was quite a ball player and a strong personality.
When he was managing the Giants, he came out to find the Pirates' Tony Pena in the visitors dugout, talking with some friends from the Giants.
Robinson saw him and said, "Hey, let's go. Take a hike. Get on your own side of the field."
This was four hours before the first pitch. Pena thought Robinson was kidding. "Now," Robinson said, gesturing with his thumb.
Pena still wasn't sure if Robinson was serious. But he left.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
The designated hitter is coming to the National League.
It supposedly won't happen until 2022 at the earliest but make no mistake: It's going to happen.
The American League added the DH in 1973 on an experimental basis. It never went away.
So no, decades later, MLB is set to make the rule uniform for both leagues. It is worth noting that MLB has been on a crusade to eliminate the distinctions between leagues for some time now.
The league offices were eliminated, as were presidents for each league. Umpiring was placed under central control. Interleague play became a regular feature. Teams shifted -- Milwaukee went to the National League and Houston went to the American.
The next step is to make uniform rules and have the DH in National League lineups.
Every rules change in every league is done with the idea of adding offense. The majority of fans like to see the scoreboard light up.
The union is fine with this because most DHs make more than a middle reliever who would otherwise occupy that roster spot.
The universal DH is one of many proposals being floated as MLB and the union start very preliminary idea exchanges on the next labor contract.
Some of the other ideas don't make much sense. There's been a proposal to require a relief pitcher to dispose of at least three batters before he can be replaced. Not good, and the savings in time wouldn't be worth the sacrifice.
Pace of play has become a bigger issue every year because so many games drag needlessly. Of course, there's an easy way to trim 18 minutes off the time of every game. Just limit commercial time between innings to one minute.
That won't happen either, because both sides love banking the money that those extra commercials help bring in.
There's still a lot of time before negotiations get serious and real changes get closer.
But book this: The Pirates will have a full-time DH sooner rather than later.
---
Have other NHL teams gotten appreciably faster, or have the Penguins slowed down just a tick?
The Penguins' speed used to set them apart from a lot of opponents. but that's not happening as much now.
---
A new league, the American Alliance of Football, debuted Saturday night.
This is being typed before the game aired, so there's no way to judge the quality of the product.
But there's a market for pro football after the NFL season ends. Some people don't follow basketball or hockey and need a sports TV fix before baseball starts. The weather is still miserable in a lot of the country, so people are trapped indoors for another month or two.
The regular season ends in mid-April and the championship game will be played on April 27. That makes sense. As the USFL proved many years ago, the appetite for football diminishes and nobody much cares about early summer games.
There's no local franchise, but Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu are involved in AAF administration.
---
Hall of Fame member Frank Robinson died last week. He was quite a ball player and a strong personality.
When he was managing the Giants, he came out to find the Pirates' Tony Pena in the visitors dugout, talking with some friends from the Giants.
Robinson saw him and said, "Hey, let's go. Take a hike. Get on your own side of the field."
This was four hours before the first pitch. Pena thought Robinson was kidding. "Now," Robinson said, gesturing with his thumb.
Pena still wasn't sure if Robinson was serious. But he left.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Friday, February 8, 2019
Altoona Mirror, February 6, 2019
The score is tied 6-6, and we're supposed to declare a winner?
The New England Patriots won their sixth Super Bowl, matching the Steelers' total and spurring plenty of debate.
Who's better? The Steelers won their first four in six years. Six great years of drafting (1969-74) led to six great years on the field (1974-79).
The Patriots' six championships have come over 17 seasons.
The Steelers played in an era with no salary cap and no free agency. They won with basically the same group of players in the '70s.
The Patriots are playing under different rules. The cast, aside from Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, has been changing constantly.
The NFL has conveniently placed everything in the Super Bowl era, which started in 1967. But there were NFL championships before that, and the Green Bay Packers won 11 of those titles before they won four Super Bowls.
The best of all time? That's easy. The numbers say it's the Packers.
Some other Super Bowl thoughts:
--Not everyone with the Los Angeles Rams had a bad day. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips came up with a game plan that put pressure on Brady and limited New England to 13 points. It only failed on one drive, and that was enough for the Patriots.
--In a year when everyone has been looking for the next hot young coach, the Super Bowl-winning coach is 66. It's still easier to find the next hot young coach than it is to find the next Belichick.
--Has there ever been a team where the whole has been better than the sum of its parts more than the Patriots? There won't be a lot of Hall of Fame inductions for the Patriots. Just championships.
--Aside from the one marking the NFL's impending 100th anniversary, the big-budget commercials were mostly uninspired. The ad people are outsmarting themselves and creating for their peers rather than their customers.
--Rams quarterback Jared Goff had an outstanding season. All that got him was a spot on a stage that was way too big. He didn't get much help, either. The Rams needed others to make key plays, and they didn't.
--Past Patriots players have said that playing for Belichick isn't a lot of fun. Maybe not. But they sure looked like they were enjoying themselves after Sunday's game, didn't it?
---
Bob Friend, a stalwart on the Pirates' starting staff in the 1950s and '60s, died over the weekend at 88.
Friend was a workhorse who never went on the disabled list in his 16-year major league career. He averaged 260 innings per season for 10 years once the Pirates made him a full-time starter.
Friend broke into the majors at age 20, then spent seven offseasons taking classes at Purdue to finish his degree in economics. After baseball. Friend was voted to two terms as Allegheny County controller.
He worked for a brokerage firm, and managed to find time to help found the Pirates' Alumni Association. He made hundreds of appearances and signed thousands of autographs as a goodwill ambassador for decades after he was done with baseball.
(Extra points to you if you remember Bob Prince tagged Friend with the nickname "Bart" because his middle name was Bartmess).
The sadness over his passing is mitigated by respect and admiration for a life well lived.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
The New England Patriots won their sixth Super Bowl, matching the Steelers' total and spurring plenty of debate.
Who's better? The Steelers won their first four in six years. Six great years of drafting (1969-74) led to six great years on the field (1974-79).
The Patriots' six championships have come over 17 seasons.
The Steelers played in an era with no salary cap and no free agency. They won with basically the same group of players in the '70s.
The Patriots are playing under different rules. The cast, aside from Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, has been changing constantly.
The NFL has conveniently placed everything in the Super Bowl era, which started in 1967. But there were NFL championships before that, and the Green Bay Packers won 11 of those titles before they won four Super Bowls.
The best of all time? That's easy. The numbers say it's the Packers.
Some other Super Bowl thoughts:
--Not everyone with the Los Angeles Rams had a bad day. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips came up with a game plan that put pressure on Brady and limited New England to 13 points. It only failed on one drive, and that was enough for the Patriots.
--In a year when everyone has been looking for the next hot young coach, the Super Bowl-winning coach is 66. It's still easier to find the next hot young coach than it is to find the next Belichick.
--Has there ever been a team where the whole has been better than the sum of its parts more than the Patriots? There won't be a lot of Hall of Fame inductions for the Patriots. Just championships.
--Aside from the one marking the NFL's impending 100th anniversary, the big-budget commercials were mostly uninspired. The ad people are outsmarting themselves and creating for their peers rather than their customers.
--Rams quarterback Jared Goff had an outstanding season. All that got him was a spot on a stage that was way too big. He didn't get much help, either. The Rams needed others to make key plays, and they didn't.
--Past Patriots players have said that playing for Belichick isn't a lot of fun. Maybe not. But they sure looked like they were enjoying themselves after Sunday's game, didn't it?
---
Bob Friend, a stalwart on the Pirates' starting staff in the 1950s and '60s, died over the weekend at 88.
Friend was a workhorse who never went on the disabled list in his 16-year major league career. He averaged 260 innings per season for 10 years once the Pirates made him a full-time starter.
Friend broke into the majors at age 20, then spent seven offseasons taking classes at Purdue to finish his degree in economics. After baseball. Friend was voted to two terms as Allegheny County controller.
He worked for a brokerage firm, and managed to find time to help found the Pirates' Alumni Association. He made hundreds of appearances and signed thousands of autographs as a goodwill ambassador for decades after he was done with baseball.
(Extra points to you if you remember Bob Prince tagged Friend with the nickname "Bart" because his middle name was Bartmess).
The sadness over his passing is mitigated by respect and admiration for a life well lived.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, February 3, 2019
Altoona Mirror, February 3, 2019
Bill Cowher suggested the whole Antonio Brown mess could be settled with a meeting.
Put Mike Tomlin, Ben Roethlisberger and Brown in a room and let them talk things out, Cowher said.
That presumes Brown is still based on planet Earth, which is not a safe bet based on his recent actions and limited words.
It's become clear this isn't a simple case of a player wanting a better contract or a new address.
Brown was seemingly happy with the Steelers at the start of last season. Then he soured like a man who had just eaten a bushel of lemons.
Is it a rift with Roethlisberger? Is it jealousy over JuJu Smith-Schuster winning the players' vote for team MVP? Is it something else? Problems at home? Something deeper?
Brown isn't talking, beyond cryptic statements and Photoshopped pictures of himself in another team's colors.
It's hard to solve a problem when it isn't even really apparent what the problem is.
In the meantime, his situation has turned into a referendum on Tomlin. The fans have already fired him a million times. That cliche took a turn toward the interesting last week when some ex-players questioned Tomlin's methods.
Hines Ward said Tomlin helped create an atmosphere that fosters the kind of tactics Brown is using.
Then again, Ward had a bone to pick with Tomlin. Tomlin thought Ward stuck around at least one season too long to chase the 1,000 receptions he eventually got.
But the preternaturally cheerful Jerome Bettis also found fault with Tomlin, and that carries some weight. Unlike Ward, Bettis never played for Tomlin. But surely he's kept in touch with former teammates who have.
In the run-up to the Super Bowl, the Steelers wound up being the third most discussed NFL team, and not for the right reasons.
---
The Edmonton Oilers have a fabulously gifted player in Conor McDavid. They don't have much else.
The Oilers have a franchise-level talent, but have failed to surround him with enough good players to compete for a championship. That's why their general manager position is currently open.
They should call the Penguins and ask permission to interview Bill Guerin, who is currently serving as an assistant to Penguins GM Jim Rutherford. Guerin is the latest GM in waiting who may have to wait longer than expected for Rutherford's retirement.
Rutherford, who turns 70 in a few weeks, recently signed a contract extension through 2022. Guerin is a sharp hockey guy who spent a few seasons playing in Edmonton.
The Oilers don't have the ideal situation but by 2022, the Penguins' job may not be quite so hot, either.
---
Ken Rosenthal, writing for The Athletic about unsigned star free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, had an interesting observation:
"Machado, a right-handed hitter, would have been a better fit, but the Dodgers became less enamored of him once they got to know him."
Machado admitted during the World Series that he doesn't always hustle because, "that's not me."
---
The Penguins are staging a 1980s themed night.
If it's going to be authentic, it should have fans with bags on their heads, because that's what they were wearing before Mario Lemieux arrived in 1984.
---
It's a big game and you need a pick.
So I'll take New England, simply because it rarely pays to doubt Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. Disclaimer: That formula didn't work last season.
So watch the game and the commercials and refrain from betting other than in a small-stakes workplace pool.
Because, after all, what do I know?
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)-
Put Mike Tomlin, Ben Roethlisberger and Brown in a room and let them talk things out, Cowher said.
That presumes Brown is still based on planet Earth, which is not a safe bet based on his recent actions and limited words.
It's become clear this isn't a simple case of a player wanting a better contract or a new address.
Brown was seemingly happy with the Steelers at the start of last season. Then he soured like a man who had just eaten a bushel of lemons.
Is it a rift with Roethlisberger? Is it jealousy over JuJu Smith-Schuster winning the players' vote for team MVP? Is it something else? Problems at home? Something deeper?
Brown isn't talking, beyond cryptic statements and Photoshopped pictures of himself in another team's colors.
It's hard to solve a problem when it isn't even really apparent what the problem is.
In the meantime, his situation has turned into a referendum on Tomlin. The fans have already fired him a million times. That cliche took a turn toward the interesting last week when some ex-players questioned Tomlin's methods.
Hines Ward said Tomlin helped create an atmosphere that fosters the kind of tactics Brown is using.
Then again, Ward had a bone to pick with Tomlin. Tomlin thought Ward stuck around at least one season too long to chase the 1,000 receptions he eventually got.
But the preternaturally cheerful Jerome Bettis also found fault with Tomlin, and that carries some weight. Unlike Ward, Bettis never played for Tomlin. But surely he's kept in touch with former teammates who have.
In the run-up to the Super Bowl, the Steelers wound up being the third most discussed NFL team, and not for the right reasons.
---
The Edmonton Oilers have a fabulously gifted player in Conor McDavid. They don't have much else.
The Oilers have a franchise-level talent, but have failed to surround him with enough good players to compete for a championship. That's why their general manager position is currently open.
They should call the Penguins and ask permission to interview Bill Guerin, who is currently serving as an assistant to Penguins GM Jim Rutherford. Guerin is the latest GM in waiting who may have to wait longer than expected for Rutherford's retirement.
Rutherford, who turns 70 in a few weeks, recently signed a contract extension through 2022. Guerin is a sharp hockey guy who spent a few seasons playing in Edmonton.
The Oilers don't have the ideal situation but by 2022, the Penguins' job may not be quite so hot, either.
---
Ken Rosenthal, writing for The Athletic about unsigned star free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, had an interesting observation:
"Machado, a right-handed hitter, would have been a better fit, but the Dodgers became less enamored of him once they got to know him."
Machado admitted during the World Series that he doesn't always hustle because, "that's not me."
---
The Penguins are staging a 1980s themed night.
If it's going to be authentic, it should have fans with bags on their heads, because that's what they were wearing before Mario Lemieux arrived in 1984.
---
It's a big game and you need a pick.
So I'll take New England, simply because it rarely pays to doubt Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. Disclaimer: That formula didn't work last season.
So watch the game and the commercials and refrain from betting other than in a small-stakes workplace pool.
Because, after all, what do I know?
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)-
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