Will the Pirates be buyers or sellers at the MLB non-waiver trade deadline?
Easy question. It's too soon to tell.
The deadline doesn't arrive until July 31 and there's a lot of baseball to be played between now and then. The Pirates could win 10 of 12 and find themselves back in the thick of the race. They could also lose 10 of 12 and fall so far back they would need a telescope to see first place.
It all depends on what happens in the next five weeks.
Here's another factor to consider: The Pirates are not a single acquisition away from being a legitimate World Series contender.
An experienced starting pitcher would help the rotation. A genuine hitter would help the middle of the order. The bullpen could use at least one piece, maybe two.
Ideally, they could address all three of those needs. Realistically, they can't.
Everybody wants to play general manager and make moves, but it's not easy to do. It takes two parties to make a trade, and the other guy isn't always willing to accept the offer.
Whether the Pirates are buyers or sellers will be a question that seems a lot more legitimate somewhere around July 25.
---
The Baltimore Orioles designated Pedro Alvarez for assignment on Tuesday.
This is bad news for Alvarez since the Orioles seemed to be the only team interested in him after the Pirates let him go following the 2015 season.
He hit eight home runs for the Orioles this season, but his average was .180.
That was his career in a nutshell. Plenty of occasional power, lots of strikeouts, defensive play so bad that he couldn't be trusted in the field. It's not what anybody expected when the Pirates made him their No. 1 draft choice in 2008 and gave him a $6 million signing bonus, then a franchise record.
At 31, Alvarez is a platoon DH looking for work. Someone could sign him with the idea of stashing him in the minor leagues and bringing him up as a pinch hitter for the September stretch drive.
But that part-time specialist duty might be the only opportunity available for him.
---
For some reason, baseball seems to more enjoyable on radio.
Maybe it's because on radio you can't see the tattoos and ridiculous beards, but baseball lends itself well to a radio call.
Unfortunately, the Pirates' play-by-play voices seem to forget they need to paint word pictures when they're on radio. Bouncing between radio and TV doesn't help. Some teams have announcers who work one medium exclusively, and that's always better. The radio voices get into a groove and realize how important their descriptive skills are.
If you're inclined to scan the dial on summer nights and pick up games from other cities, there's a pretty good selection available. If you have a decent AM receiver (getting harder to find these days), you can probably pick up six to 10 major league games after dark.
When you follow the game on radio, you can't see the pants over the shoe tops, either.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Altoona Mirror, June 17, 2018
It's a lonely feeling, being one of the few people in America not emotionally moved by the video of the high school pitcher rushing to embrace the batter he just struck out.
It was all over TV last week. In a Minnesota high school game, the pitcher struck out the batter to end the game and win some sort of playoff game.
As his teammates celebrated, the pitcher rushed to home plate and locked a firm embrace on the batter. It was explained later that despite being on competing teams, the two players were childhood friends.
The pitcher felt as though he needed to console the batter and assure him their friendship was bigger than any competition.
So every TV anchor swooned and said this was the meaning of sportsmanship.
Or maybe it wasn't quite as good as it seemed.
Athletes -- at least beyond tee-ball age -- are a different breed. They take pride in what they do. They don't want participation trophies, and they don't want hugs of consolation just seconds after they've struck out to end the game.
The pitcher's heart may have been in the right place, but his legs weren't. He had time to wait a minute. Let the guy who struck out at least get out of the batters box.
Instead of treating him like a worthy competitor, he acted like the batter was a pathetic little brother playing at a level beyond his skill set.
The pitcher could have made the same point without the conspicuous sprint to the plate.
In fact, he should have.
---
The Steelers' front office people must have felt a sense of relief when reports started circulating that Martavis Bryant may have violated the NFL's substance abuse policy again.
(At this point, those reports are unconfirmed).
The Steelers traded Bryant to the Oakland Raiders during the draft. Moving him elsewhere was absolutely necessary despite Bryant's considerable talent.
Gifted players have to be reliable players, too, and Bryant doesn't qualify for that description. He's already lost a full season to an NFL suspension.
Maybe nothing happens this time. It's not anything the Steelers have to spend any time contemplating.
---
If you're of the misguided belief that MLB umpires are close-minded, power-crazed despots who rule with an iron fist, there's an online clip you need to see.
The TV crew had umpire Tom Hallion wired during a 2016 game when the New York Mets' Noah Syndergaard deliberately threw a pitch behind a Los Angeles Dodgers batter, earning an ejection.
The arguments that ensue show Hallion handling the situation capably, which includes allowing then-Mets manager Terry Collins to unload some heavy-duty obscenities at one of the other umpires. Hallion and Collins are nose-to-nose, but they're talking through the circumstances, albeit at high volume. Hallion explains the umpires' position.
Hallion lets Collins loudly vent (at one point he asks, "You got everything out?") and walks him back to the dugout.
A lesser umpire may have escalated the situation. Hallion settled it down, even though emotions were running high.
Do you a You Tube search on "Tom Hallion" and it should be the first video that comes up. (Not for those sensitive to bad language). It's an interesting look at how things sometimes unfold on the field.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
It was all over TV last week. In a Minnesota high school game, the pitcher struck out the batter to end the game and win some sort of playoff game.
As his teammates celebrated, the pitcher rushed to home plate and locked a firm embrace on the batter. It was explained later that despite being on competing teams, the two players were childhood friends.
The pitcher felt as though he needed to console the batter and assure him their friendship was bigger than any competition.
So every TV anchor swooned and said this was the meaning of sportsmanship.
Or maybe it wasn't quite as good as it seemed.
Athletes -- at least beyond tee-ball age -- are a different breed. They take pride in what they do. They don't want participation trophies, and they don't want hugs of consolation just seconds after they've struck out to end the game.
The pitcher's heart may have been in the right place, but his legs weren't. He had time to wait a minute. Let the guy who struck out at least get out of the batters box.
Instead of treating him like a worthy competitor, he acted like the batter was a pathetic little brother playing at a level beyond his skill set.
The pitcher could have made the same point without the conspicuous sprint to the plate.
In fact, he should have.
---
The Steelers' front office people must have felt a sense of relief when reports started circulating that Martavis Bryant may have violated the NFL's substance abuse policy again.
(At this point, those reports are unconfirmed).
The Steelers traded Bryant to the Oakland Raiders during the draft. Moving him elsewhere was absolutely necessary despite Bryant's considerable talent.
Gifted players have to be reliable players, too, and Bryant doesn't qualify for that description. He's already lost a full season to an NFL suspension.
Maybe nothing happens this time. It's not anything the Steelers have to spend any time contemplating.
---
If you're of the misguided belief that MLB umpires are close-minded, power-crazed despots who rule with an iron fist, there's an online clip you need to see.
The TV crew had umpire Tom Hallion wired during a 2016 game when the New York Mets' Noah Syndergaard deliberately threw a pitch behind a Los Angeles Dodgers batter, earning an ejection.
The arguments that ensue show Hallion handling the situation capably, which includes allowing then-Mets manager Terry Collins to unload some heavy-duty obscenities at one of the other umpires. Hallion and Collins are nose-to-nose, but they're talking through the circumstances, albeit at high volume. Hallion explains the umpires' position.
Hallion lets Collins loudly vent (at one point he asks, "You got everything out?") and walks him back to the dugout.
A lesser umpire may have escalated the situation. Hallion settled it down, even though emotions were running high.
Do you a You Tube search on "Tom Hallion" and it should be the first video that comes up. (Not for those sensitive to bad language). It's an interesting look at how things sometimes unfold on the field.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Altoona Mirror, June 13, 2018
The Pirates made a point. They stuck up for themselves. They served notice.
They also helped themselves lose another ball game.
If you weren't watching Monday night's series opener in Phoenix, Diamondbacks pitcher Braden Shipley didn't have the best control. He threw a pitch high and tight to Josh Harrison, and it struck Harrison on the shoulder. Harrison spent several seconds glaring in the direction of the mound.
Later that inning, Shipley knocked down Austin Meadows with a similar pitch that was high and inside.
The Pirates led 5-0, and there was little doubt what was coming next.
Sure enough, Joe Musgrove threw a fastball that hit Chris Owings in the upper thigh and seemed to settle things.
You hit our guy, we hit one of yours. The umpires issued no warnings, and the game went on.
That was the bad part for the Pirates -- the game.
Putting that runner on base for free was the start of a five-run inning that tied the score. The Diamondbacks got four more in the next inning and the Pirates turned a 5-0 lead into their 17th loss in 23 games.
Clint Hurdle didn't think the free base was the cause. He said that there were many other pitches that had to be made and were not made. It's a valid point.
But it all started with a base runner who didn't earn his way on (other than collecting a bruise). Did the Pirates let the game get away because they were too focused on getting even on knockdown pitches? Maybe.
So Musgrove, who had pitched very well, wound up turning the game over to a frighteningly shaky bullpen. Another game down the drain.
Musgrove did the right thing by sticking up for his teammate. But it the end, it was a hollow gesture.
---
Steelers receiver Antonio Brown gave everyone a glimpse into his profoundly unhappy existence.
Brown showed up at mini-camp and complained about the way he has to live. He's the victim of false news, he said, and that makes life difficult.
"I've got to wake up the Google alerts," Brown said.
He said he can't do "anything normal" because the media writes about him every day.
This comes from the privacy-loving guy who picked up some extra cash doing a Facebook Live webcast from the locker room as his coach addressed the team.
"I can't really express myself in this game," Brown said. "I can't really tell you guys how I feel. You guys make the pressure to put pressure on me all the time. I'm not really free."
Well, that's a dirty shame.
Give or take a hundred thousand dollars, Brown is paid about $17 million per season for the inconveniences that come with his job.
Money isn't everything, but that does seem like a fair trade-off.
Here's hoping he finds some peace to go with that fortune.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
They also helped themselves lose another ball game.
If you weren't watching Monday night's series opener in Phoenix, Diamondbacks pitcher Braden Shipley didn't have the best control. He threw a pitch high and tight to Josh Harrison, and it struck Harrison on the shoulder. Harrison spent several seconds glaring in the direction of the mound.
Later that inning, Shipley knocked down Austin Meadows with a similar pitch that was high and inside.
The Pirates led 5-0, and there was little doubt what was coming next.
Sure enough, Joe Musgrove threw a fastball that hit Chris Owings in the upper thigh and seemed to settle things.
You hit our guy, we hit one of yours. The umpires issued no warnings, and the game went on.
That was the bad part for the Pirates -- the game.
Putting that runner on base for free was the start of a five-run inning that tied the score. The Diamondbacks got four more in the next inning and the Pirates turned a 5-0 lead into their 17th loss in 23 games.
Clint Hurdle didn't think the free base was the cause. He said that there were many other pitches that had to be made and were not made. It's a valid point.
But it all started with a base runner who didn't earn his way on (other than collecting a bruise). Did the Pirates let the game get away because they were too focused on getting even on knockdown pitches? Maybe.
So Musgrove, who had pitched very well, wound up turning the game over to a frighteningly shaky bullpen. Another game down the drain.
Musgrove did the right thing by sticking up for his teammate. But it the end, it was a hollow gesture.
---
Steelers receiver Antonio Brown gave everyone a glimpse into his profoundly unhappy existence.
Brown showed up at mini-camp and complained about the way he has to live. He's the victim of false news, he said, and that makes life difficult.
"I've got to wake up the Google alerts," Brown said.
He said he can't do "anything normal" because the media writes about him every day.
This comes from the privacy-loving guy who picked up some extra cash doing a Facebook Live webcast from the locker room as his coach addressed the team.
"I can't really express myself in this game," Brown said. "I can't really tell you guys how I feel. You guys make the pressure to put pressure on me all the time. I'm not really free."
Well, that's a dirty shame.
Give or take a hundred thousand dollars, Brown is paid about $17 million per season for the inconveniences that come with his job.
Money isn't everything, but that does seem like a fair trade-off.
Here's hoping he finds some peace to go with that fortune.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Saturday, June 9, 2018
Altoona Mirror, June 10, 2018
It's a double whammy spring for Penguins fans.
Not only did they deal with the disappointment of their team's second-round playoff exit, they had to watch Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals skating with the Stanley Cup.
Ouch, that hurts.
The last hope for Penguins fans was that the Vegas Golden Knights would win the Final and allow Marc-Andre Fleury to win for the third straight season. The Capitals have ex-Penguins, too, but Brooks Orpik isn't nearly as warm and fuzzy as Fleury.
Face it, though: The Capitals were the best team in the playoffs. The won on the road, they came from behind consistently and they finally exorcised the Penguins demons that had annually ruined their postseason.
Nobody knows what might happen with trades, free agency and salary cap juggling, but there's no good reason to think the Capitals can't win again next season.
In the meantime, they'll have their multi-continental Cup parties, they'll probably have a huge parade and a lot of beer will be spilled in the celebration of their first championship in 44 seasons.
They earned it.
It doesn't mean the Penguins can't win again, but remember what happened when their three-peat attempt was scuttled in the early 1990s? They were shocked out of the '93 playoffs by the lousy New York Islanders and didn't get back to the Final again until 2008.
Ouch, that hurt, too.
At the risk of sounding like your third-grade teacher, savor success when it comes because you never know when it will take a powder and stay away a long time. Or something like that.
In the meantime, all hail the Stanley Cup Champion Washington Capitals.
For a lot of people? Ouch, that hurts.
---
It's probably just a coincidence, but....
Since AT&T Sports Net cooked up that deadly-dull special on Josh Bell's homemade hitting workouts, it seems like Bell gets about one hit a week.
---
This era of self-absorbed behavior hit a new low with Terrell Owens' announcement that he will skip his Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
He thinks he should have been voted in previously, so he'd just as soon skip the whole thing now.
So the chance to thank coaches, mentors and teammates who helped his career means nothing. T.O. is P.O'd and that's all that matters.
---
The Pirates are two games under .500 this morning, which is right about where their talent and experience levels say they should be.
The thing that's confusing about this is the breakneck path they took to the current record. They started the season 11-4. Saturday's 2-0 loss to the Cubs dropped the Pirates to 5-16 in their last 21 games.
If you get to two games under .500 the conventional way (win a couple, lose three, repeat, repeat, etc.) it doesn't feel as jarring. But an extended skid like this which has a number of ever-changing culprits feels a lot worse.
Sean Rodriguez has become this year's John Jaso. Some fans are convinced that his removal from the roster will magically change everything. It won't, but guys with unconventional hair and sub-.200 batting averages seem to be easy targets.
The Pirates are scrambling for answers right now, but that doesn't mean they're doomed to continuing the recent .238 winning percentage, either.
They need better performances, and they need them in a hurry. But there's still more than half of the season left.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Not only did they deal with the disappointment of their team's second-round playoff exit, they had to watch Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals skating with the Stanley Cup.
Ouch, that hurts.
The last hope for Penguins fans was that the Vegas Golden Knights would win the Final and allow Marc-Andre Fleury to win for the third straight season. The Capitals have ex-Penguins, too, but Brooks Orpik isn't nearly as warm and fuzzy as Fleury.
Face it, though: The Capitals were the best team in the playoffs. The won on the road, they came from behind consistently and they finally exorcised the Penguins demons that had annually ruined their postseason.
Nobody knows what might happen with trades, free agency and salary cap juggling, but there's no good reason to think the Capitals can't win again next season.
In the meantime, they'll have their multi-continental Cup parties, they'll probably have a huge parade and a lot of beer will be spilled in the celebration of their first championship in 44 seasons.
They earned it.
It doesn't mean the Penguins can't win again, but remember what happened when their three-peat attempt was scuttled in the early 1990s? They were shocked out of the '93 playoffs by the lousy New York Islanders and didn't get back to the Final again until 2008.
Ouch, that hurt, too.
At the risk of sounding like your third-grade teacher, savor success when it comes because you never know when it will take a powder and stay away a long time. Or something like that.
In the meantime, all hail the Stanley Cup Champion Washington Capitals.
For a lot of people? Ouch, that hurts.
---
It's probably just a coincidence, but....
Since AT&T Sports Net cooked up that deadly-dull special on Josh Bell's homemade hitting workouts, it seems like Bell gets about one hit a week.
---
This era of self-absorbed behavior hit a new low with Terrell Owens' announcement that he will skip his Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
He thinks he should have been voted in previously, so he'd just as soon skip the whole thing now.
So the chance to thank coaches, mentors and teammates who helped his career means nothing. T.O. is P.O'd and that's all that matters.
---
The Pirates are two games under .500 this morning, which is right about where their talent and experience levels say they should be.
The thing that's confusing about this is the breakneck path they took to the current record. They started the season 11-4. Saturday's 2-0 loss to the Cubs dropped the Pirates to 5-16 in their last 21 games.
If you get to two games under .500 the conventional way (win a couple, lose three, repeat, repeat, etc.) it doesn't feel as jarring. But an extended skid like this which has a number of ever-changing culprits feels a lot worse.
Sean Rodriguez has become this year's John Jaso. Some fans are convinced that his removal from the roster will magically change everything. It won't, but guys with unconventional hair and sub-.200 batting averages seem to be easy targets.
The Pirates are scrambling for answers right now, but that doesn't mean they're doomed to continuing the recent .238 winning percentage, either.
They need better performances, and they need them in a hurry. But there's still more than half of the season left.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Altoona Mirror, June 6, 2018
The Philadelphia Eagles did not visit the White House on Tuesday.
This great republic is still standing.
A trite photo opportunity turned into a political football when the Super Bowl champion Eagles had their White House invitation rescinded.
According to reports, they were dis-invited after the White House learned that only a handful of players planned to attend.
It got into a he-said/he-said battle. The Eagles were accused of disrespecting the country and the military with kneeling protests during the national anthem. Fact is the Eagles didn't have any players who knelt during the anthem.
The whole thing was a mess, and it was completely unnecessary.
Let's hope this recent trend of declining the White House visit becomes prevalent enough to make the whole silly practice obsolete.
The athletes are not seventh graders on a field trip. They don't need to go.
The President and his staff should have more important things to do. They don't need to interrupt the schedule to greet a sports team.
You've seen how it works: The team is herded into an area. The President comes in, reads some scripted jokes, the team presents him with a jersey he doesn't need.
It's over within a half hour, and what was the purpose?
The President used to call the winning locker room after a championship win. That never worked, either, because the hook-up was always of questionable quality and there was too much noise in the room.
The Eagles didn't go to the White House. They still get to keep the Super Bowl trophy. The President and his staff are busy keeping an eye on madmen all over the globe who have a stockpile of nuclear weapons.
Leave the Washington D.C. field trips for the seventh graders. They'll probably enjoy it more anyway.
---
There are a million statistics in baseball. Some of them mean something and others don't.
One that makes the rounds from time to time is a team's record when a certain player is in the starting lineup.
It's usually used to illustrate how valuable the player is by suggesting the team's record is better than usual when he plays.
Try this one on for size. Austin Meadows has been a sensation since he was brought up from the minor leagues. He's done everything right. Until recently his average was above .400.
The Pirates were 3-10 in the games he started.
That suggests failure, but anyone who saw those games would immediately know the outcomes were not Meadows' responsibility.
---
Sean Rodriguez's awful play both offensively and defensively has to raise questions about whether he'll ever fully recover from the January 2017 car crash that seriously injured him.
If Jung Ho Kang is ready to return to the major leagues at the end of the month, the Pirates could choose to add him and drop Rodriguez from the roster.
Rodriguez can still bounce back, but it's getting late and there haven't been many signs of progress.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
This great republic is still standing.
A trite photo opportunity turned into a political football when the Super Bowl champion Eagles had their White House invitation rescinded.
According to reports, they were dis-invited after the White House learned that only a handful of players planned to attend.
It got into a he-said/he-said battle. The Eagles were accused of disrespecting the country and the military with kneeling protests during the national anthem. Fact is the Eagles didn't have any players who knelt during the anthem.
The whole thing was a mess, and it was completely unnecessary.
Let's hope this recent trend of declining the White House visit becomes prevalent enough to make the whole silly practice obsolete.
The athletes are not seventh graders on a field trip. They don't need to go.
The President and his staff should have more important things to do. They don't need to interrupt the schedule to greet a sports team.
You've seen how it works: The team is herded into an area. The President comes in, reads some scripted jokes, the team presents him with a jersey he doesn't need.
It's over within a half hour, and what was the purpose?
The President used to call the winning locker room after a championship win. That never worked, either, because the hook-up was always of questionable quality and there was too much noise in the room.
The Eagles didn't go to the White House. They still get to keep the Super Bowl trophy. The President and his staff are busy keeping an eye on madmen all over the globe who have a stockpile of nuclear weapons.
Leave the Washington D.C. field trips for the seventh graders. They'll probably enjoy it more anyway.
---
There are a million statistics in baseball. Some of them mean something and others don't.
One that makes the rounds from time to time is a team's record when a certain player is in the starting lineup.
It's usually used to illustrate how valuable the player is by suggesting the team's record is better than usual when he plays.
Try this one on for size. Austin Meadows has been a sensation since he was brought up from the minor leagues. He's done everything right. Until recently his average was above .400.
The Pirates were 3-10 in the games he started.
That suggests failure, but anyone who saw those games would immediately know the outcomes were not Meadows' responsibility.
---
Sean Rodriguez's awful play both offensively and defensively has to raise questions about whether he'll ever fully recover from the January 2017 car crash that seriously injured him.
If Jung Ho Kang is ready to return to the major leagues at the end of the month, the Pirates could choose to add him and drop Rodriguez from the roster.
Rodriguez can still bounce back, but it's getting late and there haven't been many signs of progress.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Saturday, June 2, 2018
Altoona Mirror, June 3, 2018
When you think of a fierce Pittsburgh sports competitor, the image that probably comes to mind is Jack Lambert.
The snarl revealed missing teeth and a clue to his disposition. Woe to those who had to spend a Sunday afternoon trying to neutralize his hostility.
On the other hand, Bruce Kison, lanky and baby-faced, looked like a trombone player who had taken a wrong turn on his way to sign up for the marching band.
When he first arrived in the major leagues as a 21-year-old in 1971, grizzled manager Danny Murtaugh said, "I looked older than he does the day I was born."
Appearances were deceiving. There wasn't a hitter in the National League Kison didn't feel comfortable drilling in the ribs if he felt the situation called for it. When he got to the World Series with the '71 Pirates, we discovered he felt the same way about the American League.
Kison was called up during the '71 season as a temp, a guy to fill two weeks in the bullpen while Bob Moose was working off his military obligation. Instead, Kison stayed the rest of the season and was on the postseason roster, too.
He may have looked like he'd skipped out on his school team, but he was major league ready, mature beyond his years, and he wasn't intimidated by his new surroundings.
Kison was the winning pitcher in the clinching game of the 1971 playoffs against San Francisco. His career moment came in Game 4 of the World Series, the first ever to be played at night. Starter Luke Walker was knocked out early, but Kison allowed just one hit over six and a third innings, held the fort and got the win.
Not insignificantly, he also hit three batters. Among them was Frank Robinson, whose Hall of Fame credentials were already established. It didn't matter to Kison. Robinson was just another batter who was trying to take too much of the plate.
Kison also upended Davey Johnson with a take-out slide at second base. He was quickly making a national name for himself on the prime time stage, but he didn't care about that. He was trying to win a game.
He unwittingly provided the ultimate Series sidebar when he scheduled his wedding for the evening of Game 7. Broadcaster Bob Prince mined a publicity lode by leaning on corporate connections to have a helicopter get Kison and best man Moose from Memorial Stadium to the airport, where a private jet waited for the ride to Pittsburgh.
Kison spent nine years with the Pirates, seasons that were dotted with shoulder, elbow and blister issues. He often seemed to be on the outside of the starting rotation, but guile and determination counted. He had those in abundance.
Free agency took him to Anaheim for five more years, followed by a finale season with Boston. He stayed in baseball, coaching and scouting until last season.
Word was the cancer that would wind up taking his life early Saturday morning was bad. Really bad. It had to be, otherwise Bruce Kison would still be battling, still staring down a tough prognosis with those steely eyes and strong will.
It's ironic to lose Kison in a week where there was so much debate about rules governing slides and protecting players. He didn't play the game that way. When Mike Schmidt irritated him, Schmidt got drilled with a fastball. When Schmidt charged the mound, Kison was windmilling those long arms to protect himself. He didn't wait for someone else to take care of things.
Bruce Kison pitched in 390 major league games. He cared about helping his team win every one of them. That's why his teammates will never forget him.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
The snarl revealed missing teeth and a clue to his disposition. Woe to those who had to spend a Sunday afternoon trying to neutralize his hostility.
On the other hand, Bruce Kison, lanky and baby-faced, looked like a trombone player who had taken a wrong turn on his way to sign up for the marching band.
When he first arrived in the major leagues as a 21-year-old in 1971, grizzled manager Danny Murtaugh said, "I looked older than he does the day I was born."
Appearances were deceiving. There wasn't a hitter in the National League Kison didn't feel comfortable drilling in the ribs if he felt the situation called for it. When he got to the World Series with the '71 Pirates, we discovered he felt the same way about the American League.
Kison was called up during the '71 season as a temp, a guy to fill two weeks in the bullpen while Bob Moose was working off his military obligation. Instead, Kison stayed the rest of the season and was on the postseason roster, too.
He may have looked like he'd skipped out on his school team, but he was major league ready, mature beyond his years, and he wasn't intimidated by his new surroundings.
Kison was the winning pitcher in the clinching game of the 1971 playoffs against San Francisco. His career moment came in Game 4 of the World Series, the first ever to be played at night. Starter Luke Walker was knocked out early, but Kison allowed just one hit over six and a third innings, held the fort and got the win.
Not insignificantly, he also hit three batters. Among them was Frank Robinson, whose Hall of Fame credentials were already established. It didn't matter to Kison. Robinson was just another batter who was trying to take too much of the plate.
Kison also upended Davey Johnson with a take-out slide at second base. He was quickly making a national name for himself on the prime time stage, but he didn't care about that. He was trying to win a game.
He unwittingly provided the ultimate Series sidebar when he scheduled his wedding for the evening of Game 7. Broadcaster Bob Prince mined a publicity lode by leaning on corporate connections to have a helicopter get Kison and best man Moose from Memorial Stadium to the airport, where a private jet waited for the ride to Pittsburgh.
Kison spent nine years with the Pirates, seasons that were dotted with shoulder, elbow and blister issues. He often seemed to be on the outside of the starting rotation, but guile and determination counted. He had those in abundance.
Free agency took him to Anaheim for five more years, followed by a finale season with Boston. He stayed in baseball, coaching and scouting until last season.
Word was the cancer that would wind up taking his life early Saturday morning was bad. Really bad. It had to be, otherwise Bruce Kison would still be battling, still staring down a tough prognosis with those steely eyes and strong will.
It's ironic to lose Kison in a week where there was so much debate about rules governing slides and protecting players. He didn't play the game that way. When Mike Schmidt irritated him, Schmidt got drilled with a fastball. When Schmidt charged the mound, Kison was windmilling those long arms to protect himself. He didn't wait for someone else to take care of things.
Bruce Kison pitched in 390 major league games. He cared about helping his team win every one of them. That's why his teammates will never forget him.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, May 27, 2018
Altoona Mirror, May 27, 2018
Look at it this way: Last year the Pirates had trouble coming up with three starting outfielders.
This season they're trying to wedge four outfielders into three spots.
That has to be progress, right?
They made the sensible decision Saturday when they kept Austin Meadows and instead shipped Jose Osuna back to Triple A Indianapolis when Starling Marte came off the disabled list.
Meadows, who has done nothing but look skilled beyond his years in the short time he's been here, will find spot duty at both corners and sub for Marte in center on occasion.
It wouldn't be a surprise if Meadows ultimately supplanted Gregory Polanco in right field, but the Pirates have too much invested in Polanco to just discard him. Plus there's the issue of how well Meadows can maintain what he's done so far.
Nobody expects him to hit above .400. When you've yet to see a player really fail, it's hard to visualize the tough times that will inevitably come. As noted previously, it wasn't that long ago when Polanco was cast in the phenom role, rattling off an 11-game hitting streak as soon as he got to the major leagues.
This all has to be sorted out, and it will be. In the meantime, the bottom line is Meadows gets an extended look against major league competition. There's nothing wrong with that.
By the way, while everyone is focused on Polanco's continued failure, the real issue with the Pirates is getting the starting rotation in order.
One reason people are so anxious for Nick Kingham to pitch is not many of the other starters are doing much.
---
There was a lot of stress over the Pirates' losing consecutive series to teams with losing records, the San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds.
It's easy enough to explain. It's baseball.
This isn't college football or basketball, where a school handpicks some cupcakes knowing it will win 98 out of 100 times.
Baseball is different. In 2008, the New York Yankees came to PNC Park, and the Pirates took two of three games from them. John Russell's Pirates were 67-95 that season. They stacked the middle of their order with Ryan Doumit, Adam LaRoche and Doug Mientkiewicz. The 89-73 Yankees had Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano in their lineup.
How did the Pirates win a series against them that year? It's baseball.
---
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell punted on the anthem question.
Reality is the NFL doesn't care much about the issue. They're trying to appease sponsors who are hearing from their customers.
The simple answer is to play the anthem before anyone in uniform is on the field, the way they used to do it.
---
It's going to be quite a lifestyle clash when the Pirates play the Reds at PNC Park on June 15.
It's the second-ever Vegan Night, with a special menu that will be available with a $45 ticket in the Picnic Box. Fare includes Vegan burgers, baked beans, greens and grains salad, Hawaiian macaroni salad, fruit salad, chips and guacamole.
For the traditionalists, it's also Dollar Dog night.
In what has to be considered tragic news for gluttons, the Pirates quietly eliminated the all-you-can-eat seats, which had been part of the right field stands for several seasons.
There are still some deals to be had under a different arrangement, but the days when a hungry fan could stuff himself (and perhaps his pockets?) at a flat rate are gone.
---
If it's in the 80s outside, it must be time for the Stanley Cup Final.
Here's the pick: Washington in six.
Really.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
This season they're trying to wedge four outfielders into three spots.
That has to be progress, right?
They made the sensible decision Saturday when they kept Austin Meadows and instead shipped Jose Osuna back to Triple A Indianapolis when Starling Marte came off the disabled list.
Meadows, who has done nothing but look skilled beyond his years in the short time he's been here, will find spot duty at both corners and sub for Marte in center on occasion.
It wouldn't be a surprise if Meadows ultimately supplanted Gregory Polanco in right field, but the Pirates have too much invested in Polanco to just discard him. Plus there's the issue of how well Meadows can maintain what he's done so far.
Nobody expects him to hit above .400. When you've yet to see a player really fail, it's hard to visualize the tough times that will inevitably come. As noted previously, it wasn't that long ago when Polanco was cast in the phenom role, rattling off an 11-game hitting streak as soon as he got to the major leagues.
This all has to be sorted out, and it will be. In the meantime, the bottom line is Meadows gets an extended look against major league competition. There's nothing wrong with that.
By the way, while everyone is focused on Polanco's continued failure, the real issue with the Pirates is getting the starting rotation in order.
One reason people are so anxious for Nick Kingham to pitch is not many of the other starters are doing much.
---
There was a lot of stress over the Pirates' losing consecutive series to teams with losing records, the San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds.
It's easy enough to explain. It's baseball.
This isn't college football or basketball, where a school handpicks some cupcakes knowing it will win 98 out of 100 times.
Baseball is different. In 2008, the New York Yankees came to PNC Park, and the Pirates took two of three games from them. John Russell's Pirates were 67-95 that season. They stacked the middle of their order with Ryan Doumit, Adam LaRoche and Doug Mientkiewicz. The 89-73 Yankees had Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano in their lineup.
How did the Pirates win a series against them that year? It's baseball.
---
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell punted on the anthem question.
Reality is the NFL doesn't care much about the issue. They're trying to appease sponsors who are hearing from their customers.
The simple answer is to play the anthem before anyone in uniform is on the field, the way they used to do it.
---
It's going to be quite a lifestyle clash when the Pirates play the Reds at PNC Park on June 15.
It's the second-ever Vegan Night, with a special menu that will be available with a $45 ticket in the Picnic Box. Fare includes Vegan burgers, baked beans, greens and grains salad, Hawaiian macaroni salad, fruit salad, chips and guacamole.
For the traditionalists, it's also Dollar Dog night.
In what has to be considered tragic news for gluttons, the Pirates quietly eliminated the all-you-can-eat seats, which had been part of the right field stands for several seasons.
There are still some deals to be had under a different arrangement, but the days when a hungry fan could stuff himself (and perhaps his pockets?) at a flat rate are gone.
---
If it's in the 80s outside, it must be time for the Stanley Cup Final.
Here's the pick: Washington in six.
Really.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
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