Mike Tomlin is starting his 10th season as Steelers coach, which is something of a miracle.
Had his status been put to a public referendum, he probably wouldn't have lasted 10 games.
The only thing people like more than the Steelers is complaining about their head coach, even though he's never had a losing season.
Understand that people not only complained about Bill Cowher, they spread vicious rumors about him, too. Coaching the Steelers is not for the faint of heart, or for those who are tempted to punch up sports talk on the radio when they're driving home from work.
The successful coach needs total focus, and Tomlin appears to have that locked.
So he doesn't hear the critics, and he doesn't hear the sad cases who seem to think his presence is nothing but payback for Dan Rooney's advocacy for minority hiring.
Like anyone else, Tomlin is not perfect. He could use a wise old assistant who could help with clock management and other details. The sideline can often be chaotic.
But Tomlin is clearly among the NFL's best coaches, although you wouldn't know it if you read about him on message boards.
One of the criticisms about Tomlin that falls short is pinning blame on him for drug issues that some players have.
Martavis Bryant is sitting out this season after running afoul of the NFL drug policy, and Le'Veon Bell is likely facing a four-game suspension.
The fault for Bryant's penalty lies with Bryant. If Bell winds up missing those four games, blame Bell.
Players are adults. They make choices. When they make wrong choices, it's on them.
When Mike Adams winds up being stabbed after some sort of middle-of-the-night incident on Carson Street, it's not Tomlin's fault. No coach can keep his players under 24-hour surveillance.
The Steelers had drug issues when Chuck Noll was coaching. Joe Gilliam's once-promising career was derailed in part by drug issues.
Tim Worley was suspended for an entire season for missing drug tests.
Gilliam and Worley were not minor players. Gilliam was the starting quarterback for the first six weeks in 1974, the first season that led the Steelers to the Super Bowl. Worley was the team's No. 1 draft pick in 1989, the seventh player taken overall.
At the end of the workday, the players go home. They do the same at the end of the season.
There's a misconception that Bill Cowher has a disciplinarian who tolerated very little. Part of Cowher's routine was fielding a weekly call from Kordell Stewart's agent, who brought him up to date on how Kordell was feeling about things.
Bam Morris was still employed by the Steelers the first time he was arrested for marijuana possession. Plaxico Burress had a lot of drama.
Players know right from wrong. When they choose, it's their decision. Don't blame the coach.
---
--CHANGES COMING
You say watching Jeff Locke pitch is bad for your heart? Your blood pressure spikes as soon as he wraps his hand around the baseball?
Rest easy. Relief is on the way.
Locke won't be with the Pirates next season. He's being paid $3.025 million this season, which was his first under arbitration eligibility. Because the system rewards another year of service time regardless of performance, Locke would probably be looking at something around $5 million next season.
The Pirates aren't going pay that for that. Nor should they.
---
--WORTH WATCHING?
Inside word is the Pirates think they have something in Drew Hutchison, the pitcher acquired from Toronto in the Francisco Liriano deal.
They don't think that Hutchison is a project or a warm body, but rather a starter who can make a positive contribution in next year's rotation.
---
--HEAD COUNT
The USA has 554 athletes at the Olympics.
Heck, the Russians probably have that many chemists there.
Sunday, August 7, 2016
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Altoona Mirror, August 3, 2016
This is likely how things happened:
In the run-up to Monday's 4 p.m. trading deadline, Pirates general manager Neal Huntington gathered his staff and asked a simple question:
"Is this team a championship contender in 2016?"
The answer was probably a resounding "no," confirming what Huntington already knew.
So while they didn't overtly give up on this season, they started making moves for next season.
The biggest, and most controversial, was sending Francisco Liriano to Toronto with prospects Harold Ramirez and Reese McGuire, for pitcher Drew Hutchison. Is Hutchison that good? It wouldn't appear so. He has major league experience, but he's pitching at Class AAA, and the Pirates plan to keep him at that level.
The priority here was getting rid of Liriano's remaining contract obligation. With the rest of this year and next year, that's somewhere around $17 million. In order to take that on, Toronto demanded the two prospects. To dump a $13 million albatross from next year's budget, Huntington agreed.
The Pirates are well-stocked in the outfield, but that doesn't negate the fact that Ramirez could have been dealt for something rather than relief from Liriano's contract.
McGuire was the team's first-round draft choice in 2013. He's considered an excellent defensive catcher, but there are major questions about his ability to hit.
In the short term, the Pirates are OK at catcher with Francisco Cervelli and Chris Stewart signed for next season, and Elias Diaz prepared to move up soon.
Liriano's career has run hot and cold. He's been awful this year, one of the worst starting pitchers in the major leagues. With an abundance of pitching prospects on hand, it's not wrong to give up on Liriano at this point.
The other deals are less stress-inducing.
Starter Ivan Nova comes from the New York Yankees to help stabilize the rotation for the rest of this season. The Yankees will choose two players (probably B-grade prospects) from a list the Pirates make available.
Jon Niese goes back to the Mets, and Antonio Bastardo comes back to the Pirates.
Niese was a disappointment who had recently been banished to the bullpen with no hope of parole.
It's hard to figure what went wrong. He had a profile as a ground ball pitcher and he was coming to a park that favors lefthanded pitchers. He somehow wound up leading the league in allowing home runs until his innings were cut back.
People are saying the Pirates traded Neil Walker for Bastardo, but that's not accurate. Niese wasn't good, but he won eight games while he was here and ate 110 innings.
So now the starting rotation will be shaped with an eye on 2017. Opportunities abound, and there are plenty of young pitchers to compete for the spots.
Without the burden of Lirianio's contract, the Pirates can also trade for at least one starter in the offseason.
It was a dizzying day, with a major hidden meaning behind at least one of the deals, the one with Toronto.
That's baseball in this era, where revenue potential is so radically different.
Cold reality is he Pirates are getting poor production from center field (Andrew McCutchen), third base (Jung Ho Kang) and first base (John Jaso). David Freese can only cover one of the corner positions at a time. They're also below expectations offensively at second base (Josh Harrison) and catcher (Cervelli).
They have no chance to win the division. They have little chance to overtake St. Louis and Los Angeles for a wild card spot.
They're unlikely to win this year. Nobody has to like that it, but it would be foolish not to confront that truth.
If you're not a championship level team in 2016, better start working on 2017.
In the run-up to Monday's 4 p.m. trading deadline, Pirates general manager Neal Huntington gathered his staff and asked a simple question:
"Is this team a championship contender in 2016?"
The answer was probably a resounding "no," confirming what Huntington already knew.
So while they didn't overtly give up on this season, they started making moves for next season.
The biggest, and most controversial, was sending Francisco Liriano to Toronto with prospects Harold Ramirez and Reese McGuire, for pitcher Drew Hutchison. Is Hutchison that good? It wouldn't appear so. He has major league experience, but he's pitching at Class AAA, and the Pirates plan to keep him at that level.
The priority here was getting rid of Liriano's remaining contract obligation. With the rest of this year and next year, that's somewhere around $17 million. In order to take that on, Toronto demanded the two prospects. To dump a $13 million albatross from next year's budget, Huntington agreed.
The Pirates are well-stocked in the outfield, but that doesn't negate the fact that Ramirez could have been dealt for something rather than relief from Liriano's contract.
McGuire was the team's first-round draft choice in 2013. He's considered an excellent defensive catcher, but there are major questions about his ability to hit.
In the short term, the Pirates are OK at catcher with Francisco Cervelli and Chris Stewart signed for next season, and Elias Diaz prepared to move up soon.
Liriano's career has run hot and cold. He's been awful this year, one of the worst starting pitchers in the major leagues. With an abundance of pitching prospects on hand, it's not wrong to give up on Liriano at this point.
The other deals are less stress-inducing.
Starter Ivan Nova comes from the New York Yankees to help stabilize the rotation for the rest of this season. The Yankees will choose two players (probably B-grade prospects) from a list the Pirates make available.
Jon Niese goes back to the Mets, and Antonio Bastardo comes back to the Pirates.
Niese was a disappointment who had recently been banished to the bullpen with no hope of parole.
It's hard to figure what went wrong. He had a profile as a ground ball pitcher and he was coming to a park that favors lefthanded pitchers. He somehow wound up leading the league in allowing home runs until his innings were cut back.
People are saying the Pirates traded Neil Walker for Bastardo, but that's not accurate. Niese wasn't good, but he won eight games while he was here and ate 110 innings.
So now the starting rotation will be shaped with an eye on 2017. Opportunities abound, and there are plenty of young pitchers to compete for the spots.
Without the burden of Lirianio's contract, the Pirates can also trade for at least one starter in the offseason.
It was a dizzying day, with a major hidden meaning behind at least one of the deals, the one with Toronto.
That's baseball in this era, where revenue potential is so radically different.
Cold reality is he Pirates are getting poor production from center field (Andrew McCutchen), third base (Jung Ho Kang) and first base (John Jaso). David Freese can only cover one of the corner positions at a time. They're also below expectations offensively at second base (Josh Harrison) and catcher (Cervelli).
They have no chance to win the division. They have little chance to overtake St. Louis and Los Angeles for a wild card spot.
They're unlikely to win this year. Nobody has to like that it, but it would be foolish not to confront that truth.
If you're not a championship level team in 2016, better start working on 2017.
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Altoona Mirror, July 31, 2016
So Mark Melancon is with the Washington Nationals, and you want to know if the Pirates made a good trade.
Can you hold for about two years, please?
Sorry, but that's the only valid answer for Saturday's deal that sent Melancon to Washington for set-up reliever Felipe Rivero and prospect Taylor Hearn.
Melancon is the proven commodity who has had a near-perfect record on save opportunities over three All-Star seasons.
His departure speaks to his impending free agency and general manager Neal Huntington's aversion to committing too big a percentage of his payroll to a closer. Huntington not-so-secretly believes that closers aren't that difficult to find, and this deal puts that theory to the test.
Tony Watson ascends to the ninth inning role, and Neftali Feliz takes over Watson's old job as the eighth-inning man and occasional alternative as closer.
Rivero is slotted as the seventh-inning set-up spot, a job that became vacant as Watson and Feliz were promoted, and Jared Hughes continues to disappoint.
The Pirates' two new pitchers are also evidence of Huntington's unabashed love for power arms. If they happen to be lefthanded, as they are in this case, so much the better.
The Pirates would never say this publicly, but there must be an expectation that Rivero can be considered as a potential closer within a season or two. In that time frame, Watson will be in the position Melancon was this season, and the order of succession will become important again.
Hearn is pitching in Class A. He's widely regarded as a fine prospect, but who knows what might happen along the way? Jameson Taillon, who is finally in the major leagues, is pitching again after failing to appear in a game over two seasons because of injuries.
In the short term, this depends on the new configuration of the bullpen crew's ability to handle the new responsibilities. Watson has been an effective reliever who doesn't get rattled. Feliz has a history as a closer. Rivero has to be better than Hughes has been.
Can they be as automatic as Melancon has been?
These questions will be answered, which is why the cop out was offered in the second paragraph.
The issue with the 2016 Pirates remains the starting pitching. So far, mediocre starters have been commanding big returns on the trade market, which doesn't bode well for a trade of any consequence.
The answer in that case remains improvement from within, as soon as possible.
It doesn't take two years to figure that out.
---
--FEELING BETRAYED
Ben Roethlisberger sounded like a disappointed parent the other day when he expressed his dismay over Martavis Bryant.
Bryant is sitting out this season after running afoul of the NFL's drug policy. This penalty comes a year after Bryant sat out a four-game suspension.
Roethlisberger said he spoke to Bryant almost every day last season, and concluded that Bryant looked him square in the eye and lied.
The life lesson to take from this is that people's who lives are ruled by substances are very unreliable.
The Steelers should realize this, too, and end their relationship with Bryant at the first opportunity.
---
--CUT RATE SALE
Chicago White Sox pitcher Chris Sale is one of the best in baseball, but he's famous now for destroying the team's throwback jerseys.
Apparently Bryant found the old-style shirts uncomfortable, and responded by mutilating them so they couldn't be worn.
He was suspended for five days.
How long until the White Sox auction off the shredded jerseys?
---
--OH YOU KID
You could see this coming: Root last week featured the kid who became a star with his reactions to the 18-inning game at Washington a couple of Sundays ago.
Oh boy. After the interview, you were left with the feeling you'd move if you had seats near the kid.
Can you hold for about two years, please?
Sorry, but that's the only valid answer for Saturday's deal that sent Melancon to Washington for set-up reliever Felipe Rivero and prospect Taylor Hearn.
Melancon is the proven commodity who has had a near-perfect record on save opportunities over three All-Star seasons.
His departure speaks to his impending free agency and general manager Neal Huntington's aversion to committing too big a percentage of his payroll to a closer. Huntington not-so-secretly believes that closers aren't that difficult to find, and this deal puts that theory to the test.
Tony Watson ascends to the ninth inning role, and Neftali Feliz takes over Watson's old job as the eighth-inning man and occasional alternative as closer.
Rivero is slotted as the seventh-inning set-up spot, a job that became vacant as Watson and Feliz were promoted, and Jared Hughes continues to disappoint.
The Pirates' two new pitchers are also evidence of Huntington's unabashed love for power arms. If they happen to be lefthanded, as they are in this case, so much the better.
The Pirates would never say this publicly, but there must be an expectation that Rivero can be considered as a potential closer within a season or two. In that time frame, Watson will be in the position Melancon was this season, and the order of succession will become important again.
Hearn is pitching in Class A. He's widely regarded as a fine prospect, but who knows what might happen along the way? Jameson Taillon, who is finally in the major leagues, is pitching again after failing to appear in a game over two seasons because of injuries.
In the short term, this depends on the new configuration of the bullpen crew's ability to handle the new responsibilities. Watson has been an effective reliever who doesn't get rattled. Feliz has a history as a closer. Rivero has to be better than Hughes has been.
Can they be as automatic as Melancon has been?
These questions will be answered, which is why the cop out was offered in the second paragraph.
The issue with the 2016 Pirates remains the starting pitching. So far, mediocre starters have been commanding big returns on the trade market, which doesn't bode well for a trade of any consequence.
The answer in that case remains improvement from within, as soon as possible.
It doesn't take two years to figure that out.
---
--FEELING BETRAYED
Ben Roethlisberger sounded like a disappointed parent the other day when he expressed his dismay over Martavis Bryant.
Bryant is sitting out this season after running afoul of the NFL's drug policy. This penalty comes a year after Bryant sat out a four-game suspension.
Roethlisberger said he spoke to Bryant almost every day last season, and concluded that Bryant looked him square in the eye and lied.
The life lesson to take from this is that people's who lives are ruled by substances are very unreliable.
The Steelers should realize this, too, and end their relationship with Bryant at the first opportunity.
---
--CUT RATE SALE
Chicago White Sox pitcher Chris Sale is one of the best in baseball, but he's famous now for destroying the team's throwback jerseys.
Apparently Bryant found the old-style shirts uncomfortable, and responded by mutilating them so they couldn't be worn.
He was suspended for five days.
How long until the White Sox auction off the shredded jerseys?
---
--OH YOU KID
You could see this coming: Root last week featured the kid who became a star with his reactions to the 18-inning game at Washington a couple of Sundays ago.
Oh boy. After the interview, you were left with the feeling you'd move if you had seats near the kid.
Sunday, July 24, 2016
Altoona Mirror, July 24, 2016
It was a one in a million shot that paid huge dividends.
Root Sports' compulsion to show crowd shots during Pirates broadcasts finally resulted in something worthwhile.
During last Sunday's 18-inning marathon in Washington, the cameras focused on a young boy with his family. The kid was right out of central casting, the kind of kid who could probably make a nice living appearing in McDonald's commercials.
We saw happy kid, frustrated kid, tired kid, distracted kid and, ultimately, jubilant kid when the Pirates won the game on Starling Marte's home run.
What started as another random crowd shot actually turned into a secondary story line. The game dragged on, and we watched the kid react to all the twists and turns.
We saw him leave temporarily with his father. Then we saw the results of that trip when the kid had ketchup on his cheek from his extra innings hot dog.
Before you knew it, the kid was on the highlights shows and all over the Internet.
Part of the reason this worked so well was the kid didn't know he was on TV, so his reactions were genuine. There wasn't someone sticking a camera in his face and telling him to wave or yell, "Let's go Bucs."
It was Norman Rockwell in the video age. Root even stayed out of the way during the game, leaving the kid and his family lone until after the game. Then they unleashed Robby Incmikoski on the poor people.
It was found gold, and Root wisely ran with it.
The bad thing? We'll now get a million more crowd shots that won't pay off nearly as well.
---
--LOOKING FOR ANSWERS
More than halfway into the season, and the Pirates' rotation is more unsettled than it was when spring training opened.
Most of the turmoil isn't even injury-related.
People can beat up Jeff Locke seven days a week (and they do), and there's no question his inconsistency is both frustrating and unacceptable.
Save some of the invective for Jon Niese, too, whose lousy first half earned him a demotion to the bullpen.
The Pirates have a group of talented but inexperienced prospects to mold into a rotation. Starting that process this year should make the future better, but it could be a rocky ride in 2016.
But while so-so pitchers like Locke and Niese are easy targets, the real problem has been the inability of Gerrit Cole and Francisco Liriano to repeat past success.
Without their No. 1 and 2 starters performing in a manner worthy of those spots, they won't be able to salvage this season.
---
--LOOKING FOR HELP
The Pirates would like to move Locke and/or Niese but undoubtedly recognize they have very limited value on the trade market.
In fact, it's hard to imagine they could move Niese withoit agreeing to pick up a big chunk of the money remaining on his contract.
At the same time, they'd also like to acquire a proven major league starter.
So they're in the unique situation of looking to both add and delete pitchers as the trade deadline approaches.
---
--BAD SURPRISE
If the reports are accurate and Le'Veon Bell winds up with a four-game suspension for missing a drug test, you pick the word:
Stupid. Selfish. Reckless. Irresponsible. Immature. Dumb. Unprofessional. Thoughtless.
Actually, if the suspension becomes official, they all apply.
For all the vetting of draft choices, how can there still be unhappy surprises like those from Bell and Martavis Bryant?
The NFL Players Association is probably working now on getting marijuana penalties reduced in the next labor agreement. Until then, though, it's the letter of the law.
Seems like a guy who recently rapped about getting a $15 million contract would realize that.
In the meantime, the Steelers should be looking for a running back.
Root Sports' compulsion to show crowd shots during Pirates broadcasts finally resulted in something worthwhile.
During last Sunday's 18-inning marathon in Washington, the cameras focused on a young boy with his family. The kid was right out of central casting, the kind of kid who could probably make a nice living appearing in McDonald's commercials.
We saw happy kid, frustrated kid, tired kid, distracted kid and, ultimately, jubilant kid when the Pirates won the game on Starling Marte's home run.
What started as another random crowd shot actually turned into a secondary story line. The game dragged on, and we watched the kid react to all the twists and turns.
We saw him leave temporarily with his father. Then we saw the results of that trip when the kid had ketchup on his cheek from his extra innings hot dog.
Before you knew it, the kid was on the highlights shows and all over the Internet.
Part of the reason this worked so well was the kid didn't know he was on TV, so his reactions were genuine. There wasn't someone sticking a camera in his face and telling him to wave or yell, "Let's go Bucs."
It was Norman Rockwell in the video age. Root even stayed out of the way during the game, leaving the kid and his family lone until after the game. Then they unleashed Robby Incmikoski on the poor people.
It was found gold, and Root wisely ran with it.
The bad thing? We'll now get a million more crowd shots that won't pay off nearly as well.
---
--LOOKING FOR ANSWERS
More than halfway into the season, and the Pirates' rotation is more unsettled than it was when spring training opened.
Most of the turmoil isn't even injury-related.
People can beat up Jeff Locke seven days a week (and they do), and there's no question his inconsistency is both frustrating and unacceptable.
Save some of the invective for Jon Niese, too, whose lousy first half earned him a demotion to the bullpen.
The Pirates have a group of talented but inexperienced prospects to mold into a rotation. Starting that process this year should make the future better, but it could be a rocky ride in 2016.
But while so-so pitchers like Locke and Niese are easy targets, the real problem has been the inability of Gerrit Cole and Francisco Liriano to repeat past success.
Without their No. 1 and 2 starters performing in a manner worthy of those spots, they won't be able to salvage this season.
---
--LOOKING FOR HELP
The Pirates would like to move Locke and/or Niese but undoubtedly recognize they have very limited value on the trade market.
In fact, it's hard to imagine they could move Niese withoit agreeing to pick up a big chunk of the money remaining on his contract.
At the same time, they'd also like to acquire a proven major league starter.
So they're in the unique situation of looking to both add and delete pitchers as the trade deadline approaches.
---
--BAD SURPRISE
If the reports are accurate and Le'Veon Bell winds up with a four-game suspension for missing a drug test, you pick the word:
Stupid. Selfish. Reckless. Irresponsible. Immature. Dumb. Unprofessional. Thoughtless.
Actually, if the suspension becomes official, they all apply.
For all the vetting of draft choices, how can there still be unhappy surprises like those from Bell and Martavis Bryant?
The NFL Players Association is probably working now on getting marijuana penalties reduced in the next labor agreement. Until then, though, it's the letter of the law.
Seems like a guy who recently rapped about getting a $15 million contract would realize that.
In the meantime, the Steelers should be looking for a running back.
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Altoona Mirror, July 17, 2016
Some quick takes on the Pirates:
--General manager Neal Huntington is usually ultra-guarded in his public comments, but he had no problem expressing his buyers remorse on Jon Niese.
Huntington basically said if he had the Neil Walker trade to do over, he'd take a couple of marginal prospects from the Mets and save the $9 million dent Niese is making in this year's payroll.
The Pirates hold options for two more seasons in Niese. He should not expect those to be picked up.
--It could just be a coincidence, but Jung Ho Kang has done practically nothing since the alleged incident in Chicago which is being investigated.
Put him on the restricted list. He isn't helping. Offensively and defensively, Kang lately hasn't been close to the player he was last year.
--Clint Hurdle has clearly lost confidence in Jared Hughes. Not that he doesn't ample reason to feel that way.
--Josh Bell will be back in September, if not sooner. If the organization is willing to say his defensive work at first base still needs work, it's safe to guess that the prospect of Bell playing regularly at first is pretty much scaring them right now.
--Pitching, pitching, pitching. Those should be the top three items on Huntington's shopping list as the trade deadline approaches.
---
--CITY OF CHAMPIONS?
The national spotlight will be on Cleveland this week because of the Republican national convention.
The city got a huge publicity boost last month when the Cavaliers won the NBA championship, bringing Cleveland its first major sports title since the Browns won in 1964.
The Indians currently lead the American League Central by a comfortable margin. They had a 14-game winning streak before the All-Star break.
Wouldn't it be a hoot if after that 52-year drought, Cleveland won a World Series and an NBA title in the same year?
There's little danger of a trifecta. The Browns will consider it progress if they can start and finish the season with the same quarterback and head coach.
---
--NEW DEAL
Defenseman Justin Schultz signed with the Penguins last week after sampling the free agent market.
Schultz signed for $1.4 million. He made $3.8 million last season.
Either he's the ultimate team player, or he didn't have any other offers.
---
--TWO GOOD MEN
Former Pirates executive Bill Guilfoile died recently at 84.
He was the PR director from 1970-78, and was in charge when I started covering the Pirates in 1974. Bill was a gentleman who treated everyone with kindness and respect. He never wavered from those basic values even though he worked in the rough and tumble world of baseball, where it often seems profanity is the universal language.
Among other duties, Bill handled the transition from Forbes Field to Three Rivers Stadium, the 1971 World Series, and the sad task of confirming Roberto Clemente's death on New Years Eve, 1972.
After leaving Pittsburgh, Bill worked for the Baseball Hall of Fame until his retirement. Recent years had been a battle because Alzheimer's is so cruel.
Jack Riley, the Penguins' first general manager, died last week at 97.
He was a regular at home games as long as his health allowed. He was always generous in sharing his knowledge and memories. During Sidney Crosby's rookie season, I was sitting next to Jack. He tapped me on the arm and said with admiration, "Look at the way he wins every battle along the boards."
Anyone could see Crosby's speed and skill. It took a hockey lifer to appreciate that aspect of his game.
It was an honor to know Bill Guilfoile and Jack Riley.
--General manager Neal Huntington is usually ultra-guarded in his public comments, but he had no problem expressing his buyers remorse on Jon Niese.
Huntington basically said if he had the Neil Walker trade to do over, he'd take a couple of marginal prospects from the Mets and save the $9 million dent Niese is making in this year's payroll.
The Pirates hold options for two more seasons in Niese. He should not expect those to be picked up.
--It could just be a coincidence, but Jung Ho Kang has done practically nothing since the alleged incident in Chicago which is being investigated.
Put him on the restricted list. He isn't helping. Offensively and defensively, Kang lately hasn't been close to the player he was last year.
--Clint Hurdle has clearly lost confidence in Jared Hughes. Not that he doesn't ample reason to feel that way.
--Josh Bell will be back in September, if not sooner. If the organization is willing to say his defensive work at first base still needs work, it's safe to guess that the prospect of Bell playing regularly at first is pretty much scaring them right now.
--Pitching, pitching, pitching. Those should be the top three items on Huntington's shopping list as the trade deadline approaches.
---
--CITY OF CHAMPIONS?
The national spotlight will be on Cleveland this week because of the Republican national convention.
The city got a huge publicity boost last month when the Cavaliers won the NBA championship, bringing Cleveland its first major sports title since the Browns won in 1964.
The Indians currently lead the American League Central by a comfortable margin. They had a 14-game winning streak before the All-Star break.
Wouldn't it be a hoot if after that 52-year drought, Cleveland won a World Series and an NBA title in the same year?
There's little danger of a trifecta. The Browns will consider it progress if they can start and finish the season with the same quarterback and head coach.
---
--NEW DEAL
Defenseman Justin Schultz signed with the Penguins last week after sampling the free agent market.
Schultz signed for $1.4 million. He made $3.8 million last season.
Either he's the ultimate team player, or he didn't have any other offers.
---
--TWO GOOD MEN
Former Pirates executive Bill Guilfoile died recently at 84.
He was the PR director from 1970-78, and was in charge when I started covering the Pirates in 1974. Bill was a gentleman who treated everyone with kindness and respect. He never wavered from those basic values even though he worked in the rough and tumble world of baseball, where it often seems profanity is the universal language.
Among other duties, Bill handled the transition from Forbes Field to Three Rivers Stadium, the 1971 World Series, and the sad task of confirming Roberto Clemente's death on New Years Eve, 1972.
After leaving Pittsburgh, Bill worked for the Baseball Hall of Fame until his retirement. Recent years had been a battle because Alzheimer's is so cruel.
Jack Riley, the Penguins' first general manager, died last week at 97.
He was a regular at home games as long as his health allowed. He was always generous in sharing his knowledge and memories. During Sidney Crosby's rookie season, I was sitting next to Jack. He tapped me on the arm and said with admiration, "Look at the way he wins every battle along the boards."
Anyone could see Crosby's speed and skill. It took a hockey lifer to appreciate that aspect of his game.
It was an honor to know Bill Guilfoile and Jack Riley.
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Altoona Mirror, July 10, 2016
Barely halfway through the season, and it would appear the Pirates have had their fill of Jon Niese.
Multiple reports suggest the Pirates are actively entertaining offers for Niese. He was acquired in the offseason for Neil Walker with the idea he could be the team's No. 3 starter.
Niese has gone from "so so" to "uh oh," to "oh, I wish it was Jeff Locke's turn in the rotation."
Profiled as a ground ball pitcher, Niese has given up an alarming number of home runs and been a member of the short start club, which has taxed the bullpen.
He has two club options remaining on his contract for $10 million and $11 million. The Pirates could buy those out for a total of $1 million, but it appears they'd rather deal him now and get something -- anything? -- in return.
The New York Mets found Niese expendable because they had an abundance of young pitchers whose promise was greater than Niese's accomplishments. It appears the same thing is happening now with the Pirates.
Sometimes the unknown can be a better option than proven mediocrity.
---
--SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS
There are a lot of theories on why Andrew McCutchen has underachieved through the first half of the season.
Some of them are valid. Some are just dumb.
There are two examples of the latter that have gained popularity, mostly on talk shows.
One holds that McCutchen hasn't been the same player since he got married. The other frets that his talent somehow diminished when he elected to get his dreadlocks cut off.
McCutchen got married in November of 2014. He had the dreadlocks shorn in March of 2015.
That means he played the 2015 season as a married man with shorter hair. Neither factor seemed to affect his performance adversely.
McCutchen made the All-Star team for the fifth straight season. He also finished fifth in Most Valuable Player voting, his fourth consecutive season in the top five.
Whatever's bothering McCutchen this year, it isn't his hair or marital status.
---
--MISSING THE POINT
Root Sports disappoints in so many ways.
Friday night, Pirates prospect Josh Bell made his major league debut with a solid single. He advanced to third base on another hit and eventually scored.
After Bell crossed the plate, logic dictated that the cameras should stick with him. Show the reaction of his teammates as he returned to the dugout after a successful start to his career. Show how Clint Hurdle and Bell's peers reacted to his big moment.
Instead, Root showed Bell's father in the stands. Then it was two generic crowd shots. The latter was one of those where the people know the camera is on them and they mug for the shot, usually under prompting from the guy holding the camera.
By the time Root showed the dugout, whatever interaction Bell had with teammates was over.
They were so busy with cliche shots that they missed the point. Sports coverage is about people -- the ones on the field, not in the stands.
---
--NO CONTEST
Locals get mad when the national talk shows have an abundance of NBA talk and very little about the NHL. It's probably an 80/20 proportion.
Pittsburgh might be hockey crazed, but most of the country isn't.
The deciding game of the NBA Finals was watched by slightly more than 25 million people. The clinching game of the Stanley Cup Final drew about 4.75 million viewers.
The NHL barely beat a rerun of "America's Funniest Home Videos" on ABC and was trounced by CBS's broadcast of the Tony Awards.
---
--GOING, GOING, GONE?
There are rumors Chris Berman is headed for a reduced role at ESPN.
He's gotten incredible mileage out of an act that was stale at least a decade ago.
So if you watch the Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game, just remember that Berman may not be back, back, back, back, back, back next year.
---
--HANDS ON
As much as the Stanley Cup is being handled these days, the NHL should work a sponsorship deal with Purell.
Multiple reports suggest the Pirates are actively entertaining offers for Niese. He was acquired in the offseason for Neil Walker with the idea he could be the team's No. 3 starter.
Niese has gone from "so so" to "uh oh," to "oh, I wish it was Jeff Locke's turn in the rotation."
Profiled as a ground ball pitcher, Niese has given up an alarming number of home runs and been a member of the short start club, which has taxed the bullpen.
He has two club options remaining on his contract for $10 million and $11 million. The Pirates could buy those out for a total of $1 million, but it appears they'd rather deal him now and get something -- anything? -- in return.
The New York Mets found Niese expendable because they had an abundance of young pitchers whose promise was greater than Niese's accomplishments. It appears the same thing is happening now with the Pirates.
Sometimes the unknown can be a better option than proven mediocrity.
---
--SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS
There are a lot of theories on why Andrew McCutchen has underachieved through the first half of the season.
Some of them are valid. Some are just dumb.
There are two examples of the latter that have gained popularity, mostly on talk shows.
One holds that McCutchen hasn't been the same player since he got married. The other frets that his talent somehow diminished when he elected to get his dreadlocks cut off.
McCutchen got married in November of 2014. He had the dreadlocks shorn in March of 2015.
That means he played the 2015 season as a married man with shorter hair. Neither factor seemed to affect his performance adversely.
McCutchen made the All-Star team for the fifth straight season. He also finished fifth in Most Valuable Player voting, his fourth consecutive season in the top five.
Whatever's bothering McCutchen this year, it isn't his hair or marital status.
---
--MISSING THE POINT
Root Sports disappoints in so many ways.
Friday night, Pirates prospect Josh Bell made his major league debut with a solid single. He advanced to third base on another hit and eventually scored.
After Bell crossed the plate, logic dictated that the cameras should stick with him. Show the reaction of his teammates as he returned to the dugout after a successful start to his career. Show how Clint Hurdle and Bell's peers reacted to his big moment.
Instead, Root showed Bell's father in the stands. Then it was two generic crowd shots. The latter was one of those where the people know the camera is on them and they mug for the shot, usually under prompting from the guy holding the camera.
By the time Root showed the dugout, whatever interaction Bell had with teammates was over.
They were so busy with cliche shots that they missed the point. Sports coverage is about people -- the ones on the field, not in the stands.
---
--NO CONTEST
Locals get mad when the national talk shows have an abundance of NBA talk and very little about the NHL. It's probably an 80/20 proportion.
Pittsburgh might be hockey crazed, but most of the country isn't.
The deciding game of the NBA Finals was watched by slightly more than 25 million people. The clinching game of the Stanley Cup Final drew about 4.75 million viewers.
The NHL barely beat a rerun of "America's Funniest Home Videos" on ABC and was trounced by CBS's broadcast of the Tony Awards.
---
--GOING, GOING, GONE?
There are rumors Chris Berman is headed for a reduced role at ESPN.
He's gotten incredible mileage out of an act that was stale at least a decade ago.
So if you watch the Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game, just remember that Berman may not be back, back, back, back, back, back next year.
---
--HANDS ON
As much as the Stanley Cup is being handled these days, the NHL should work a sponsorship deal with Purell.
Sunday, July 3, 2016
Altoona Mirror, July 3, 2016
The halfway point of the season officially arrived for the Pirates with Saturday night's game.
There's no question the first half has been disappointing. They're a shade under .500 and have clearly fallen short of expectations. They slogged through a sorry 9-19 June, which is usually a point when they shake the dust from a slow start and take off.
Is there hope things can be better in the second half? Absolutely. It comes with no guarantees, of course, but there's reason to believe the team can improve.
It all hinges on one factor: The starting pitching has to be better.
No matter how many detailed stats are developed, the fundamental truth holds that it all starts with starting pitching. Good starts keep the game manageable for the offense, and allow the bullpen to line up in a logical order to keep things under control.
Have too many poor starts, and it's chaos. The bullpen gets overworked, mediocre middle relievers get overexposed (so long, Cory Luebke) and the offense gets overwhelmed trying to overcome large deficits.
But effective starting pitching is a cure-all that can help a team get better in a hurry.
The Pirates desperately need more from the top two spots in the rotation. Gerrit Cole started late because of a spring training injury, then needed to go on the disabled list because of a triceps strain. He's pitched just 68 and 1/3 innings and gone past the sixth inning only twice in 12 starts. The Pirates need more from their No. 1 starter.
Francisco Liriano, the No. 2 starter, has been awful. His command issues have led to too many walks and too many fat strikes that have been pounded. He's been a miserable return on a hefty investment.
(For the crowd that likes to snarl, "You get what you pay for," it's worth noting that Liriano is being paid $13.67 million this season while Jake Arietta is getting $10.7 million from the Cubs).
Jon Niese has gone from mediocrity to liability in the No. 3 spot.
Jeff Locke is still capable of the truly awful outing (he's had starts where he's allowed 11, 8, 7 and 6 runs), but the others have been more than acceptable. To say he's been the team's best starter is probably an indictment of the others, but it's true.
Jameson Taillon adds both hope and the kind of inconsistency that comes with inexperience. It's too soon to tell about Chad Kuhl. Ryan Vogelsong is still a month away from being an option, and Tyler Glasnow continues to work on control issues at Class AAA.
If Cole and Liriano can contribute at past levels, the Pirates can make a legitimate run at a wild card spot. That's true even if Andrew McCutchen doesn't find the answer. The offense has found ways to function through McCutchen's prolonged slump.
The second half hinges on fixing the starting pitching. It's easy to identify the issue, difficult to address it.
---
--OLD TIMERS DAY
When the Penguins hired Jim Rutherford to be their general manager, he was 65 years old.
In preparing him for the introductory news conference, the staff explained that he would undoubtedly get questions about his age and whether he had the energy to function in a stressful job.
Rutherford suggested he'd answer by pointing out he had a wife who was 25 years younger than him and they had a young son.
The Penguins' people appreciated the sentiment, but didn't think that would be the most prudent response.
Just weeks after his moves helped the team win the Stanley Cup, Rutherford has signed on for three more years, which will keep him on the job through 70.
It's a sensible move for the Penguins, but it must come with disappointment for the legion of assistants who have been apprenticing with the hope of taking over the GM job upon Rutherford's retirement.
It won't be a surprise if some of them move on to a situation where the conditions for quick advancement might be more favorable.
---
--QUICK STUDY
Watching John Jaso adapt to first base after never playing the position before just reinforces what a hopeless lummox Pedro Alvarez was there last season.
There's no question the first half has been disappointing. They're a shade under .500 and have clearly fallen short of expectations. They slogged through a sorry 9-19 June, which is usually a point when they shake the dust from a slow start and take off.
Is there hope things can be better in the second half? Absolutely. It comes with no guarantees, of course, but there's reason to believe the team can improve.
It all hinges on one factor: The starting pitching has to be better.
No matter how many detailed stats are developed, the fundamental truth holds that it all starts with starting pitching. Good starts keep the game manageable for the offense, and allow the bullpen to line up in a logical order to keep things under control.
Have too many poor starts, and it's chaos. The bullpen gets overworked, mediocre middle relievers get overexposed (so long, Cory Luebke) and the offense gets overwhelmed trying to overcome large deficits.
But effective starting pitching is a cure-all that can help a team get better in a hurry.
The Pirates desperately need more from the top two spots in the rotation. Gerrit Cole started late because of a spring training injury, then needed to go on the disabled list because of a triceps strain. He's pitched just 68 and 1/3 innings and gone past the sixth inning only twice in 12 starts. The Pirates need more from their No. 1 starter.
Francisco Liriano, the No. 2 starter, has been awful. His command issues have led to too many walks and too many fat strikes that have been pounded. He's been a miserable return on a hefty investment.
(For the crowd that likes to snarl, "You get what you pay for," it's worth noting that Liriano is being paid $13.67 million this season while Jake Arietta is getting $10.7 million from the Cubs).
Jon Niese has gone from mediocrity to liability in the No. 3 spot.
Jeff Locke is still capable of the truly awful outing (he's had starts where he's allowed 11, 8, 7 and 6 runs), but the others have been more than acceptable. To say he's been the team's best starter is probably an indictment of the others, but it's true.
Jameson Taillon adds both hope and the kind of inconsistency that comes with inexperience. It's too soon to tell about Chad Kuhl. Ryan Vogelsong is still a month away from being an option, and Tyler Glasnow continues to work on control issues at Class AAA.
If Cole and Liriano can contribute at past levels, the Pirates can make a legitimate run at a wild card spot. That's true even if Andrew McCutchen doesn't find the answer. The offense has found ways to function through McCutchen's prolonged slump.
The second half hinges on fixing the starting pitching. It's easy to identify the issue, difficult to address it.
---
--OLD TIMERS DAY
When the Penguins hired Jim Rutherford to be their general manager, he was 65 years old.
In preparing him for the introductory news conference, the staff explained that he would undoubtedly get questions about his age and whether he had the energy to function in a stressful job.
Rutherford suggested he'd answer by pointing out he had a wife who was 25 years younger than him and they had a young son.
The Penguins' people appreciated the sentiment, but didn't think that would be the most prudent response.
Just weeks after his moves helped the team win the Stanley Cup, Rutherford has signed on for three more years, which will keep him on the job through 70.
It's a sensible move for the Penguins, but it must come with disappointment for the legion of assistants who have been apprenticing with the hope of taking over the GM job upon Rutherford's retirement.
It won't be a surprise if some of them move on to a situation where the conditions for quick advancement might be more favorable.
---
--QUICK STUDY
Watching John Jaso adapt to first base after never playing the position before just reinforces what a hopeless lummox Pedro Alvarez was there last season.
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