The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs couldn't have worked out much better for the Penguins. Consider:
--They won in five games, which gives them time to rest before the next round begins.
--From a business standpoint, they got revenue from three home games without incurring the expense and inconvenience of a second road trip.
--They welcomed back Evgeni Malkin from an extended injury absence and successfully worked him into the lineup.
--They won a playoff series using their No. 2 and 3 goaltenders exclusively. Even if Marc-Andre Fleury returns soon, the organization knows his back-ups won't be afraid of the playoffs.
--There were no new injuries (at least none that have been reported in the super-secret hockey environment).
Coaches always say there's no carryover from the regular season, good or bad, but there may have been in this case.
The Penguins' second half surge included three wins over the Rangers in which they solved goalie Henrik Lundqvist. It's impossible to believe that success didn't play a role in what happened in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, after many missteps, general manager Jim Rutherford is having something of a dream existence. When he's had a chance to do things over, he's done them right.
--Mike Johnston was a mistake; Mike Sullivan changed the entire culture and will deservedly get consideration for the coach of the year award.
--Signing Rob Scuderi was a bad move; trading him for Trevor Daley was a great move.
--Acquiring David Perron didn't pay off; dealing him for Carl Hagelin did.
The Penguins' playoff future still hinges on the availability of Fleury. If he makes it back soon, it's not hard to envision a long postseason run.
You know it's a good season when fans are heading the games in shorts and jerseys.
---
--ON THE CLOCK
Leave it to MLB to mess up the best of intentions.
Concerned about increasing game times, MLB regularly tries to add some speed-up rules.
The latest is a 25-second clock that runs when a pitching coach visits the mound. However, spies report discrepancies in when the clock starts ticking. In some parks, it's been activated as soon as the coach leaves the dugout. There have been instances when the 25 seconds started when the coach crossed the foul line. There's been at least one occasion where the clock started when the coach reached the mound.
The whole thing is pointless. Teams are only permitted one "free" visit per inning. A pitching change is mandatory on the second trip to the mound.
Meanwhile, the catcher is free to visit the mound as often as he wants to. Remember Russell Martin's frequent consultations?
Umpires have traditionally done an effective job of keeping coaches from lingering on visits.
For all of this silliness, MLB has added the expense of installing clocks and hiring people to operate them.
The only way to foul it up more would be to make the timing subject to replay review.
---
--GOOD ADDITION
Good move by Root Sports to add former Seattle Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik to its studio crew for Pirates game.
Zduriencik, who once worked for the Pirates, has a diverse background in the game as a scout, minor league administrator and GM. Even better, he was involved in baseball as a GM as recently as last August, so he's familiar with current personnel in the game.
He's also doing some fill-in work on the flagship radio station's extended pre-game show alongside Dan Zangrilli.
---
--WRONG FORMULA
Chris Colabello of the Toronto Blue Jays was suspended for 80 games after he tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance.
Colabello was batting .069 at the time of the announcement.
If he's actually guilty, he could make a case to get his money back from the pharmacy.
Sunday, April 24, 2016
Sunday, April 17, 2016
Altoona Mirror, April 17, 2016
The NBA will place ads on uniforms in the 2017-18 season, and shame on you if you didn't see this coming up Madison Avenue.
Commissioner Adam Silver estimated teams could make up to $100 million a year with the new revenue. Considering they'll have this "found" money, does that mean franchises will pay their own bills and not shake down cities for new arenas or renovations to existing buildings? Yeah, sure.
This opens an interesting can of complications. How long until the players union steps in and demands a cut of the loot for its members serving as human billboards?
What happens if a player is at odds with the message he's bearing? Perhaps a staunch vegan wouldn't want to advertise the Golden Arches on his jersey. Maybe a player with a liberal political bent wouldn't want to passively endorse the conservative company that bought space on his uniform.
What happens when a great American corporation's logo is prominently displayed on a player whose picture is on the front page because he's just been accused of an awful crime?
If the NBA cracks on this, it's just a matter of time until other sports follow. The Steelers have had advertising on their practice jerseys, but that's not the same.
Silver says individual teams will be responsible for selling the advertising. Will that create another revenue gap? Certainly the Boston Celtics jerseys have more value to an advertiser than whatever colors the Milwaukee Bucks are sporting these days.
A long time ago, Ted Turner's holdings included both the Atlanta Braves and TV station WTBS, Channel 17. Turner persuaded pitcher Andy Messersmith, who wore No. 17, to have the word "Channel" placed on the back of the uniform rather than his name.
MLB stepped in and told Turner to knock it off because it was so cheesy.
Turns out he was just ahead of his time.
---
--NEW VOICE
Pitt announced that former receiver Bill Osborn will rejoin the radio broadcast team this season.
He replaces Pat Bostick, who has been promoted to a new position in the athletic department.
Osborn worked on the games before (1995-2003), and he makes no secret of his feelings. Occasionally Bill Hillgrove would be calling a play that wasn't going well for Pitt, and Osborn's plaintive "oh no, oh no" could be heard in the background.
---
--FUMBLED
Not to get all political, but Donald Trump should fire whatever staffers prepped him for his rally in Pittsburgh the other night.
All candidates pander with local references when they're on the stump, but Trump swung and missed badly with the stuff he was clumsily reading from a sheet of paper.
He apparently meant to mention the effort to bring back the Joe Paterno statue, but somehow left the word "statue" off what he was saying. It sounded like he was referencing the man, who died in 2012. Then he mentioned Penn State, a reference that fell flat.
Didn't anyone realize college loyalties are split along well-defined lines? No doubt there were Penn State fans in the audience. It's just as likely there were Pitt fans who delight in every Nittany Lions loss.
Anyone who knows anything knows you trot out Steelers references in Pittsburgh. He made a reference to "Big Ben" being a friend, but really didn't have a point beyond dropping the name.
If someone in his camp had been thinking, he could have said something like, "We're going to take care of business. Just the way Jack Lambert did every Sunday for the Steelers."
The place would have gone crazy.
---
--SEASON'S MEETINGS
So the Steelers have a home 4:15 kickoff against the Baltimore Ravens on Dec. 25.
Doesn't the NFL realize the evening hours on Christmas are reserved for family arguments, gluttony and serious egg nog-assisted napping?
Nobody respects traditions any more.
Commissioner Adam Silver estimated teams could make up to $100 million a year with the new revenue. Considering they'll have this "found" money, does that mean franchises will pay their own bills and not shake down cities for new arenas or renovations to existing buildings? Yeah, sure.
This opens an interesting can of complications. How long until the players union steps in and demands a cut of the loot for its members serving as human billboards?
What happens if a player is at odds with the message he's bearing? Perhaps a staunch vegan wouldn't want to advertise the Golden Arches on his jersey. Maybe a player with a liberal political bent wouldn't want to passively endorse the conservative company that bought space on his uniform.
What happens when a great American corporation's logo is prominently displayed on a player whose picture is on the front page because he's just been accused of an awful crime?
If the NBA cracks on this, it's just a matter of time until other sports follow. The Steelers have had advertising on their practice jerseys, but that's not the same.
Silver says individual teams will be responsible for selling the advertising. Will that create another revenue gap? Certainly the Boston Celtics jerseys have more value to an advertiser than whatever colors the Milwaukee Bucks are sporting these days.
A long time ago, Ted Turner's holdings included both the Atlanta Braves and TV station WTBS, Channel 17. Turner persuaded pitcher Andy Messersmith, who wore No. 17, to have the word "Channel" placed on the back of the uniform rather than his name.
MLB stepped in and told Turner to knock it off because it was so cheesy.
Turns out he was just ahead of his time.
---
--NEW VOICE
Pitt announced that former receiver Bill Osborn will rejoin the radio broadcast team this season.
He replaces Pat Bostick, who has been promoted to a new position in the athletic department.
Osborn worked on the games before (1995-2003), and he makes no secret of his feelings. Occasionally Bill Hillgrove would be calling a play that wasn't going well for Pitt, and Osborn's plaintive "oh no, oh no" could be heard in the background.
---
--FUMBLED
Not to get all political, but Donald Trump should fire whatever staffers prepped him for his rally in Pittsburgh the other night.
All candidates pander with local references when they're on the stump, but Trump swung and missed badly with the stuff he was clumsily reading from a sheet of paper.
He apparently meant to mention the effort to bring back the Joe Paterno statue, but somehow left the word "statue" off what he was saying. It sounded like he was referencing the man, who died in 2012. Then he mentioned Penn State, a reference that fell flat.
Didn't anyone realize college loyalties are split along well-defined lines? No doubt there were Penn State fans in the audience. It's just as likely there were Pitt fans who delight in every Nittany Lions loss.
Anyone who knows anything knows you trot out Steelers references in Pittsburgh. He made a reference to "Big Ben" being a friend, but really didn't have a point beyond dropping the name.
If someone in his camp had been thinking, he could have said something like, "We're going to take care of business. Just the way Jack Lambert did every Sunday for the Steelers."
The place would have gone crazy.
---
--SEASON'S MEETINGS
So the Steelers have a home 4:15 kickoff against the Baltimore Ravens on Dec. 25.
Doesn't the NFL realize the evening hours on Christmas are reserved for family arguments, gluttony and serious egg nog-assisted napping?
Nobody respects traditions any more.
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Altoona Mirror, April 10, 2016
Tough opening week for the Chicago Cubs, who lost young slugger Kyle Schwarber for the season.
Schwarber thoroughly wrecked his left knee in a collision with a teammate. His recovery and rehab is expected to take 10 full months.
It's a blow to the Cubs. Schwarber was the Cubs' No. 1 draft pick in 2014 and was fast-tracked to the major leagues last season. He hit 16 home runs in 69 games, then added five more homers in nine postseason games.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon was understandably mournful over losing Schwarber:
"Young man, sophomore season in the big leagues, one of the most refreshing talents in all of Major League Baseball. And now to be out for the rest of the season, it's not easy."
It isn't. The Pirates know what an impact a sudden injury can have. Last Sept. 17, Jung Ho Kang's season ended when his lower left leg was broken on a slide by the Cubs' Chris Coghlan. It wasn't a dirty play. Kang made a big mistake by staying in the path of the runner.
The distasteful part was Maddon's reaction to the play. Asked about Kang's injury afterwards, he made the bizarre smart aleck comment, "I heard he has plantar fasciitis."
Plantar fasciitis is a foot pain that will usually send people to a podiatrist, not a surgeon.
Kang is still doing rehab work at the Pirates' Florida training base. As of last week, he had still not been cleared to make left turns while running, nor had he attempted to slide. It has been nearly seven months since his injury. The Pirates signed David Freese as insurance this year.
The Cubs and Maddon will now seek ways to make up the offense they lost when Schwarber was carted off the field.
Watch out for karma, Joe. Sometimes it's as nasty as 100 mile per hour fastball.
---
--HIT THE JACKPOT
With one swipe of a pen -- lovers of irony hope it was a 50-cent Bic -- Gregory Polanco guaranteed himself $30 million from the Pirates.
It's been mentioned that's a lot for a person who comes from humble means in the Dominican Republic. The fact is it's a lot of money for anybody not named Rockefeller or Trump.
People scratch off lottery tickets with the dream of getting a small fraction of $30 million.
This year will mark the 40th anniversary of free agency in baseball. The process is radically different than it was in 1976, but the theory remains the same. The players can shop their services and find out what someone is willing to pay.
The fear of that open market leads to the kind of pre-emptive contract Polanco signed last week.
He can make more than $30 million, but that amount is assured. Getting contracts guaranteed was one of the most significant steps the Players Association ever negotiated.
It doesn't work that way in the NFL. Jerome Bettis had a contract with the Steelers, but circumstances changed. In consecutive years, he agreed to cut his salary by $2.7 million and $2.9 million to stay with the team rather than being released.
The contract that called for the original high figures? Might as well use it as a placemat for all it was worth.
Baseball GMs probably fantasize about a system that would let them re-do multi-year contracts, but it's not possible.
When the player signs, he's assured himself of the money. Every MLB player's home should have a portrait of Marvin Miller in a place of honor.
---
--NEW LIFE
Here's hoping 14-year-old Drake LaRoche is adjusting to his retirement from the Chicago White Sox.
Schwarber thoroughly wrecked his left knee in a collision with a teammate. His recovery and rehab is expected to take 10 full months.
It's a blow to the Cubs. Schwarber was the Cubs' No. 1 draft pick in 2014 and was fast-tracked to the major leagues last season. He hit 16 home runs in 69 games, then added five more homers in nine postseason games.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon was understandably mournful over losing Schwarber:
"Young man, sophomore season in the big leagues, one of the most refreshing talents in all of Major League Baseball. And now to be out for the rest of the season, it's not easy."
It isn't. The Pirates know what an impact a sudden injury can have. Last Sept. 17, Jung Ho Kang's season ended when his lower left leg was broken on a slide by the Cubs' Chris Coghlan. It wasn't a dirty play. Kang made a big mistake by staying in the path of the runner.
The distasteful part was Maddon's reaction to the play. Asked about Kang's injury afterwards, he made the bizarre smart aleck comment, "I heard he has plantar fasciitis."
Plantar fasciitis is a foot pain that will usually send people to a podiatrist, not a surgeon.
Kang is still doing rehab work at the Pirates' Florida training base. As of last week, he had still not been cleared to make left turns while running, nor had he attempted to slide. It has been nearly seven months since his injury. The Pirates signed David Freese as insurance this year.
The Cubs and Maddon will now seek ways to make up the offense they lost when Schwarber was carted off the field.
Watch out for karma, Joe. Sometimes it's as nasty as 100 mile per hour fastball.
---
--HIT THE JACKPOT
With one swipe of a pen -- lovers of irony hope it was a 50-cent Bic -- Gregory Polanco guaranteed himself $30 million from the Pirates.
It's been mentioned that's a lot for a person who comes from humble means in the Dominican Republic. The fact is it's a lot of money for anybody not named Rockefeller or Trump.
People scratch off lottery tickets with the dream of getting a small fraction of $30 million.
This year will mark the 40th anniversary of free agency in baseball. The process is radically different than it was in 1976, but the theory remains the same. The players can shop their services and find out what someone is willing to pay.
The fear of that open market leads to the kind of pre-emptive contract Polanco signed last week.
He can make more than $30 million, but that amount is assured. Getting contracts guaranteed was one of the most significant steps the Players Association ever negotiated.
It doesn't work that way in the NFL. Jerome Bettis had a contract with the Steelers, but circumstances changed. In consecutive years, he agreed to cut his salary by $2.7 million and $2.9 million to stay with the team rather than being released.
The contract that called for the original high figures? Might as well use it as a placemat for all it was worth.
Baseball GMs probably fantasize about a system that would let them re-do multi-year contracts, but it's not possible.
When the player signs, he's assured himself of the money. Every MLB player's home should have a portrait of Marvin Miller in a place of honor.
---
--NEW LIFE
Here's hoping 14-year-old Drake LaRoche is adjusting to his retirement from the Chicago White Sox.
Saturday, April 2, 2016
Altoona Mirror, April 3, 2016
Ode to opening day, specifically when the game is played with a wind-chill factor in the 20s. You know the tune:
---
Take me out to the ball game,
Holy smoke, is that snow?
Wearing my mittens and tossle cap,
I'd like to cheer, but it's too cold to clap.
Now we're frozen stiff on the North Side.
Brought the kids, feel the guilt.
We love spring and the opening game
Wrapped up in this quilt.
---
So as the Pirates start the 2016 season, here are the relevant questions:
--Can Jon Niese solidify the rotation in the No. 3 spot and give the team three dependable starting pitchers? If the top three starters are good enough, a team can succeed with average pitching in the last two spots.
--The Pirates probably won't match last year's home run production (140), but can they maintain their run production with a new model? Improved on-base percentage can lead to the same number of runs, just with less noise.
--Why do some people think it will be so hard to replace Pedro Alvarez? He had a terrible season, evidenced by the lack of interest when he hit the free agent market. He hit 27 home runs, but 22 were with the bases empty. He hit .223 with runners on base last year.
--How long will it take Jung Ho Kang to get back to normal? He's opening the season on the disabled list and he still hasn't attempted a slide. This is eased somewhat by the late acquisition of David Freese.
--Can Gregory Polanco step up? The Pirates are high on him and need him to build on last season's second half progress.
--How long will Jared Hughes be out? He's also starting on the DL, and he's vital to the late inning bullpen progression that leads to Tony Watson and Mark Melancon.
--Is Juan Nicasio for real? He was lights out in spring training. If that translates to the regular season, it could be a huge boost for the rotation.
--How soon do Jameson Taillon and Tyler Glasnow get here? It's time for the next generation of pitchers to arrive, and at least one of the two should get to PNC Park this season.
--Can Francisco Cervelli repeat last season? The best thing he did was avoid the DL after an injury-filled career.
--How good are the Chicago Cubs? They're the trendy pick this year, not only in the Central Division, but to win the World Series.
--Can the Pirates win within the division? They were 8-11 against the Cubs last season and 9-10 against the Cardinals. They also had losing records against the bottom feeders -- 8-11 vs. the Reds and 9-10 against Milwaukee. That has to improve.
Tradition demands a forecast, so here goes: The projection is that the Pirates will have a winning record and contend for a postseason spot. They may make the wild card again, but it's unlikely they'll win the division over the Cubs and Cardinals.
As always, enjoy the season. Please keep your shirt and shoes on.
---
--CLOCK IS TICKING
Just a few days left to enter the How Many Games Will The Pirates Win contest at the Mainly Mehno blog found at altoonamirror.com.
Tell your cousins in California. The prize ships anywhere in the continental United States. Even Idaho.
---
Take me out to the ball game,
Holy smoke, is that snow?
Wearing my mittens and tossle cap,
I'd like to cheer, but it's too cold to clap.
Now we're frozen stiff on the North Side.
Brought the kids, feel the guilt.
We love spring and the opening game
Wrapped up in this quilt.
---
So as the Pirates start the 2016 season, here are the relevant questions:
--Can Jon Niese solidify the rotation in the No. 3 spot and give the team three dependable starting pitchers? If the top three starters are good enough, a team can succeed with average pitching in the last two spots.
--The Pirates probably won't match last year's home run production (140), but can they maintain their run production with a new model? Improved on-base percentage can lead to the same number of runs, just with less noise.
--Why do some people think it will be so hard to replace Pedro Alvarez? He had a terrible season, evidenced by the lack of interest when he hit the free agent market. He hit 27 home runs, but 22 were with the bases empty. He hit .223 with runners on base last year.
--How long will it take Jung Ho Kang to get back to normal? He's opening the season on the disabled list and he still hasn't attempted a slide. This is eased somewhat by the late acquisition of David Freese.
--Can Gregory Polanco step up? The Pirates are high on him and need him to build on last season's second half progress.
--How long will Jared Hughes be out? He's also starting on the DL, and he's vital to the late inning bullpen progression that leads to Tony Watson and Mark Melancon.
--Is Juan Nicasio for real? He was lights out in spring training. If that translates to the regular season, it could be a huge boost for the rotation.
--How soon do Jameson Taillon and Tyler Glasnow get here? It's time for the next generation of pitchers to arrive, and at least one of the two should get to PNC Park this season.
--Can Francisco Cervelli repeat last season? The best thing he did was avoid the DL after an injury-filled career.
--How good are the Chicago Cubs? They're the trendy pick this year, not only in the Central Division, but to win the World Series.
--Can the Pirates win within the division? They were 8-11 against the Cubs last season and 9-10 against the Cardinals. They also had losing records against the bottom feeders -- 8-11 vs. the Reds and 9-10 against Milwaukee. That has to improve.
Tradition demands a forecast, so here goes: The projection is that the Pirates will have a winning record and contend for a postseason spot. They may make the wild card again, but it's unlikely they'll win the division over the Cubs and Cardinals.
As always, enjoy the season. Please keep your shirt and shoes on.
---
--CLOCK IS TICKING
Just a few days left to enter the How Many Games Will The Pirates Win contest at the Mainly Mehno blog found at altoonamirror.com.
Tell your cousins in California. The prize ships anywhere in the continental United States. Even Idaho.
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Altoona Mirror, March 27, 2016
A couple of precocious kids, ages 10 and 11, got 15 minutes of publicity for their campaign to bring the NBA to town.
They started a fund-raising effort that led to a couple of billboards advertising their desire to see the NBA join the local sports scene.
Waste of time. The kids should have spent their money on cigarettes and fireworks, like their peers do.
The NBA has no immediate plans to expand or relocate, and if that changes, Pittsburgh still isn't on the NBA's list of places to go.
In fact, it's something of a miracle that a market the size of Pittsburgh has three major professional sports franchises, all of which happen to be thriving at the moment.
The Steelers have a sellout streak that started when Richard Nixon was president. The Penguins have a long streak of sellouts that spans their presence in two different venues. Pirates attendance at PNC Park has never gone below the level of respectable, even during a long losing streak. They're setting records now that the team is contending again.
But it's more than just selling tickets. An NBA franchise would have to sell luxury boxes and corporate sponsorships. They'd have to line up advertisers for broadcasts, and approach many of the same companies who are already spending huge sums of money on the three existing teams.
Markets similar to Pittsburgh rarely have all four pro sports -- St. Louis, Tampa, Cleveland and Charlotte also have three of four. Smaller markets like Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Buffalo and Kansas City have two of the four.
This has nothing to do with Pittsburgh's past pro basketball history. Most of that was a lifetime ago and involved either minor leagues or upstart leagues, like the ABA, which included the Pipers/Condors.
It takes a lot of money from a lot of sources to prop up pro sports, and Pittsburgh's card is full with the three teams.
At least these were just naive kids trying to drum up support. It never makes sense when the media reacts to some loon publicity hound who sends a letter to the NBA and then calls a news conference to announce his "plan."
---
--THE MADNESS
Something to remember as more bracket sheets are run through the shredder: That Syracuse team in the Elite Eight lost to Pitt three times in the regular season.
---
--GET READY
The annual "Guess How Many Games The Pirates Will Win" contest is up and running at my "Mainly Mehno" blog at the altoonamirror.com website.
Go there for details. It costs nothing to enter and you could win the prize.
http://altoonamirror.com/page/blogs.detail/display/6481/The-2016-Contest-is-Here.html
---
--JOE GARAGIOLA
Joe Garagiola played on the 1952 Pirates, who lost 112 games on a 154-game schedule. No wonder he became a baseball humorist.
Garagiola, who died last week at 90, was best remembered for NBC's Game of the Week, but he was a versatile broadcaster. His credits included two stints on the panel of "The Today Show," filling in for Johnny Carson on "Tonight," hosting game shows and covering the Westminster Dog Show.
Two of his greatest accomplishments were lobbying against the use of spit tobacco in baseball and helping to found the Baseball Assistance Team. The organization helps former players and their family members who are in need.
They confidentially investigate, then do what is necessary to solve problems. Players from previous generations didn't make millions and a lot of players didn't qualify for a pension. The BAT has secretly helped scores of former players with basic necessities.
---
--JUST SAYING
People want to hear about your brackets about as much as they want to see your dental x-rays.
They started a fund-raising effort that led to a couple of billboards advertising their desire to see the NBA join the local sports scene.
Waste of time. The kids should have spent their money on cigarettes and fireworks, like their peers do.
The NBA has no immediate plans to expand or relocate, and if that changes, Pittsburgh still isn't on the NBA's list of places to go.
In fact, it's something of a miracle that a market the size of Pittsburgh has three major professional sports franchises, all of which happen to be thriving at the moment.
The Steelers have a sellout streak that started when Richard Nixon was president. The Penguins have a long streak of sellouts that spans their presence in two different venues. Pirates attendance at PNC Park has never gone below the level of respectable, even during a long losing streak. They're setting records now that the team is contending again.
But it's more than just selling tickets. An NBA franchise would have to sell luxury boxes and corporate sponsorships. They'd have to line up advertisers for broadcasts, and approach many of the same companies who are already spending huge sums of money on the three existing teams.
Markets similar to Pittsburgh rarely have all four pro sports -- St. Louis, Tampa, Cleveland and Charlotte also have three of four. Smaller markets like Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Buffalo and Kansas City have two of the four.
This has nothing to do with Pittsburgh's past pro basketball history. Most of that was a lifetime ago and involved either minor leagues or upstart leagues, like the ABA, which included the Pipers/Condors.
It takes a lot of money from a lot of sources to prop up pro sports, and Pittsburgh's card is full with the three teams.
At least these were just naive kids trying to drum up support. It never makes sense when the media reacts to some loon publicity hound who sends a letter to the NBA and then calls a news conference to announce his "plan."
---
--THE MADNESS
Something to remember as more bracket sheets are run through the shredder: That Syracuse team in the Elite Eight lost to Pitt three times in the regular season.
---
--GET READY
The annual "Guess How Many Games The Pirates Will Win" contest is up and running at my "Mainly Mehno" blog at the altoonamirror.com website.
Go there for details. It costs nothing to enter and you could win the prize.
http://altoonamirror.com/page/blogs.detail/display/6481/The-2016-Contest-is-Here.html
---
--JOE GARAGIOLA
Joe Garagiola played on the 1952 Pirates, who lost 112 games on a 154-game schedule. No wonder he became a baseball humorist.
Garagiola, who died last week at 90, was best remembered for NBC's Game of the Week, but he was a versatile broadcaster. His credits included two stints on the panel of "The Today Show," filling in for Johnny Carson on "Tonight," hosting game shows and covering the Westminster Dog Show.
Two of his greatest accomplishments were lobbying against the use of spit tobacco in baseball and helping to found the Baseball Assistance Team. The organization helps former players and their family members who are in need.
They confidentially investigate, then do what is necessary to solve problems. Players from previous generations didn't make millions and a lot of players didn't qualify for a pension. The BAT has secretly helped scores of former players with basic necessities.
---
--JUST SAYING
People want to hear about your brackets about as much as they want to see your dental x-rays.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Altoona Mirror, March 20, 2016
Adam LaRoche has been playing Major League Baseball since 2004, but he didn't become famous until last week.
That's when the story of his retirement from baseball blew up, only because of the circumstances.
LaRoche said he was walking away from his $13 million salary because the Chicago White Sox said they didn't want his 14-year-old son hanging around the clubhouse on a full-time basis.
Drake LaRoche doesn't go to school; instead he goes to work with his dad, even though Drake doesn't really have a job with the White Sox.
He has a locker and a uniform and he apparently just sort of shadows his father. He hangs out.
Adam LaRoche claims that White Sox executive Ken Williams reneged on an agreement that Drake was welcome as an adjunct team member. There are now reports that some White Sox players complained about Drake being around all the time. Other players defended his presence.
There are a lot of angles to this story, but here's the one that should override them all:
The locker room of a professional sports team is no place for a 14-year-old. Even though today's kids are more worldly and sophisticated than the Opie Taylors of another era, they're destined to see and hear things in a clubhouse that most 14-year-olds shouldn't be forced to process.
Most players are fine upstanding citizens who are admirable role models. Some are not.
The money and the lifestyle can corrupt. Some players start to believe that money can buy them out of anything. Rules? Who needs them when you're rich and famous?
When people are lining up to pay for a scribbled signature on a photo, it can twist one's perspective.
The money and notoriety can warp values. A generation ago, a Pirates player approached a front office operative about buying a season ticket. He wanted something in right field.
Sure, the team guy said, but we can get you a better location than that. No, the player said, it's for my girlfriend and I don't want her sitting anywhere near my wife.
Back in the "We Are Family" era, the Pirates wives organized to do some work for charities. They had a meeting one afternoon when the team was on the road, and someone decided it would be fun to hold it in the clubhouse.
The door was unlocked, and the wives naturally checked out their husbands' lockers. At least one wife was appalled at the collection of phone numbers and photos that her husband had attached to the inside of his locker.
During the 20-year losing streak, a group of players hung around late after a game to discuss their problems over some beers. The next day, early arrivals noticed an arrow had been shot through a big screen TV that sat in the middle of the clubhouse.
No perpetrator was officially identified, but the archers on the team were led by avid outdoorsman Adam LaRoche.
Hey, when you're making $5 million year (as LaRoche was then), what's an extra three grand to buy a replacement TV?
There used to be a sign posted in every clubhouse: "What you see here, hear here and say here....let it stay here."
There was a reason for that. There are also a lot of good reasons a 14-year-old shouldn't be hanging out in a baseball clubhouse.
---
--STAYING PUT
In case you missed it, the Cincinnati Bengals signed Adam (formerly known as Pac Man) Jones to a contract extension last week.
It's three years and $24 million. Because sometimes it's crunch time in a playoff game, and you need somebody to do something profoundly stupid to give the game away.
Now the Bengals know they're covered.
That's when the story of his retirement from baseball blew up, only because of the circumstances.
LaRoche said he was walking away from his $13 million salary because the Chicago White Sox said they didn't want his 14-year-old son hanging around the clubhouse on a full-time basis.
Drake LaRoche doesn't go to school; instead he goes to work with his dad, even though Drake doesn't really have a job with the White Sox.
He has a locker and a uniform and he apparently just sort of shadows his father. He hangs out.
Adam LaRoche claims that White Sox executive Ken Williams reneged on an agreement that Drake was welcome as an adjunct team member. There are now reports that some White Sox players complained about Drake being around all the time. Other players defended his presence.
There are a lot of angles to this story, but here's the one that should override them all:
The locker room of a professional sports team is no place for a 14-year-old. Even though today's kids are more worldly and sophisticated than the Opie Taylors of another era, they're destined to see and hear things in a clubhouse that most 14-year-olds shouldn't be forced to process.
Most players are fine upstanding citizens who are admirable role models. Some are not.
The money and the lifestyle can corrupt. Some players start to believe that money can buy them out of anything. Rules? Who needs them when you're rich and famous?
When people are lining up to pay for a scribbled signature on a photo, it can twist one's perspective.
The money and notoriety can warp values. A generation ago, a Pirates player approached a front office operative about buying a season ticket. He wanted something in right field.
Sure, the team guy said, but we can get you a better location than that. No, the player said, it's for my girlfriend and I don't want her sitting anywhere near my wife.
Back in the "We Are Family" era, the Pirates wives organized to do some work for charities. They had a meeting one afternoon when the team was on the road, and someone decided it would be fun to hold it in the clubhouse.
The door was unlocked, and the wives naturally checked out their husbands' lockers. At least one wife was appalled at the collection of phone numbers and photos that her husband had attached to the inside of his locker.
During the 20-year losing streak, a group of players hung around late after a game to discuss their problems over some beers. The next day, early arrivals noticed an arrow had been shot through a big screen TV that sat in the middle of the clubhouse.
No perpetrator was officially identified, but the archers on the team were led by avid outdoorsman Adam LaRoche.
Hey, when you're making $5 million year (as LaRoche was then), what's an extra three grand to buy a replacement TV?
There used to be a sign posted in every clubhouse: "What you see here, hear here and say here....let it stay here."
There was a reason for that. There are also a lot of good reasons a 14-year-old shouldn't be hanging out in a baseball clubhouse.
---
--STAYING PUT
In case you missed it, the Cincinnati Bengals signed Adam (formerly known as Pac Man) Jones to a contract extension last week.
It's three years and $24 million. Because sometimes it's crunch time in a playoff game, and you need somebody to do something profoundly stupid to give the game away.
Now the Bengals know they're covered.
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Altoona Mirror, March 13, 2016
With one free agent signing, the Pirates appear to have acquired some Jung Ho Kang insurance, beefed up the first base platoon that will replace Pedro Alvarez and added a bat that can bring thunder off the bench.
They also added David Freese at a bargain price.
So what's the catch?
Freese's signing came out of nowhere the other day and has a too-good-to-be-true feel to it.
For no more than a guaranteed $3 million on a one-year deal, the Pirates have their starting third baseman while Kang recovers from his knee surgery. They have a significant option in case Kang's recovery doesn't go smoothly.
They have a righthanded bat to share first base with John Jaso. They also have a pinch hitter who can strike fear in the late innings.
For $3 million?
These days, $3 million barely covers a lunch meeting with a free agent. It was just a couple of years ago that the Pirates were paying Clint Barmes $5 million a season.
This is a world where $3 million takes care of a player's home theater set-up (in his temporary summer place).
When you sign a free agent two weeks into the exhibition season, it's usually the ultimate scratch and dent special. You expect someone who is trying to return from a horrific injury, or someone who took three years off to intern for the Dalai Lama.
Players simply don't last that long on the free agent market unless they're irreparably flawed. For goodness sake, Alvarez found a job before Freese did.
There doesn't appear to be an injury issue. Freese had a so-so season with the Angels, down from what he used to give the Cardinals. He's also 32, which is not an especially attractive age for an everyday player.
But his OPS last season was .743, not that far from the .756 that Neil Walker posted with the Pirates.
Yet, he's coming here for what is reported to be a guaranteed $3 million, or less than half of what the Angels paid him last year.
All the other teams passed on him this long, although he's clearly not priced himself out anybody's budget?
Maybe Freese can't wait to wear those gaudy 1970's throwback uniforms the Pirates will feature at Sunday home games this year. Is he this anxious to be included on the distribution list for Clint Hurdle's daily inspirational e-mail?
The Pirates went through the offseason, mostly shopping in the final clearance aisle. They came up with Ryan Vogelsong and Matt Joyce, two players looking for rebound seasons.
Then right in the middle of the exhibition game grind, Neal Huntington suddenly pulls this giant rabbit out of someone's hat and seals the contract with what's in the petty cash box?
Maybe there's more here than appears evident now, but this looks like a potentially incredible bargain, even for a club that specializes in finding them.
---
--TIME TO GO
So long, Martavis Bryant.
It's a shame that you're wasting so much talent, but those demons can be awfully tough to fight.
The Steelers officially have no comment on reports that Bryant is facing a full season's suspension for either missing or failing drug tests. But, in retrospect, wasn't last week's re-signing of Darrius Heyward-Bey a clue that receiver depth is an issue?
Bryant is too deep in the NFL discipline system to be a reliable player. He's on the verge of having his own file drawer at league headquarters. That's when a team knows it's time to move on. There is no future.
This is a chance for Sammie Coates, last year's No. 3 pick, and perhaps for someone in the upcoming draft.
It was a great opportunity for Bryant, but it appears he blew it. Oh, what could have been -- for both sides.
They also added David Freese at a bargain price.
So what's the catch?
Freese's signing came out of nowhere the other day and has a too-good-to-be-true feel to it.
For no more than a guaranteed $3 million on a one-year deal, the Pirates have their starting third baseman while Kang recovers from his knee surgery. They have a significant option in case Kang's recovery doesn't go smoothly.
They have a righthanded bat to share first base with John Jaso. They also have a pinch hitter who can strike fear in the late innings.
For $3 million?
These days, $3 million barely covers a lunch meeting with a free agent. It was just a couple of years ago that the Pirates were paying Clint Barmes $5 million a season.
This is a world where $3 million takes care of a player's home theater set-up (in his temporary summer place).
When you sign a free agent two weeks into the exhibition season, it's usually the ultimate scratch and dent special. You expect someone who is trying to return from a horrific injury, or someone who took three years off to intern for the Dalai Lama.
Players simply don't last that long on the free agent market unless they're irreparably flawed. For goodness sake, Alvarez found a job before Freese did.
There doesn't appear to be an injury issue. Freese had a so-so season with the Angels, down from what he used to give the Cardinals. He's also 32, which is not an especially attractive age for an everyday player.
But his OPS last season was .743, not that far from the .756 that Neil Walker posted with the Pirates.
Yet, he's coming here for what is reported to be a guaranteed $3 million, or less than half of what the Angels paid him last year.
All the other teams passed on him this long, although he's clearly not priced himself out anybody's budget?
Maybe Freese can't wait to wear those gaudy 1970's throwback uniforms the Pirates will feature at Sunday home games this year. Is he this anxious to be included on the distribution list for Clint Hurdle's daily inspirational e-mail?
The Pirates went through the offseason, mostly shopping in the final clearance aisle. They came up with Ryan Vogelsong and Matt Joyce, two players looking for rebound seasons.
Then right in the middle of the exhibition game grind, Neal Huntington suddenly pulls this giant rabbit out of someone's hat and seals the contract with what's in the petty cash box?
Maybe there's more here than appears evident now, but this looks like a potentially incredible bargain, even for a club that specializes in finding them.
---
--TIME TO GO
So long, Martavis Bryant.
It's a shame that you're wasting so much talent, but those demons can be awfully tough to fight.
The Steelers officially have no comment on reports that Bryant is facing a full season's suspension for either missing or failing drug tests. But, in retrospect, wasn't last week's re-signing of Darrius Heyward-Bey a clue that receiver depth is an issue?
Bryant is too deep in the NFL discipline system to be a reliable player. He's on the verge of having his own file drawer at league headquarters. That's when a team knows it's time to move on. There is no future.
This is a chance for Sammie Coates, last year's No. 3 pick, and perhaps for someone in the upcoming draft.
It was a great opportunity for Bryant, but it appears he blew it. Oh, what could have been -- for both sides.
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