Wait a minute....James Harrison said Bill Belichick is a better coach than Mike Tomlin?
That's not exactly breaking news, not even by the TV standards, which apply that tag to a flat tire at rush hour.
Belichick's teams have won five Super Bowls. Tomlin's Steelers have won one. Belichick's New England Patriots have also lost three, but that's still a better Super Bowl winning percentage than Tomlin's 1-1.
Of course Belichick is better. He's better than every other coach working in the NFL.
To those who argue he couldn't win anything with Tom Brady, Chuck Noll didn't win anything without Terry Bradshaw. No coach wins without talented players.
Harrison was on a TV show last week when he was asked to compare Tomlin and Belichick.
It was a loaded question, no matter how he answered it. Harrison spent almost 10 full seasons playing for Tomlin. He spent six weeks on Belichick's team, and most of that time was devoted to the postseason, when things are especially intense and focused.
Harrison has no idea how Belichick runs a training camp or the preseason. He only knows what he experienced, and he didn't experience much with the Patriots.
His assessment undoubtedly pleased the legion of Tomlin's detractors. Tomlin's been around for 11 seasons, and we've seen his flaws in clock management and crunch time strategic decisions.
Belichick was practically born into the business, the son of a coach. When other teens were developing social skills, Bill was in a dark room, breaking down film. It shows, both in his distant personality and his football smarts.
Of Tomlin, Harrison said, "I think he needs to be a little bit more disciplined. … The big thing with Belichick is he's regimented. He's disciplined. Everyone is going to be on the same page. It's not going to be anything as far as someone doing their own thing."
In other words, Belichick probably wouldn't have put up with the way Harrison pouted in Pittsburgh last year when his playing time diminished. Although he was banking $2.2 million, he couldn't be bothered to stay awake through meetings or attend games when he wasn't playing.
The Steelers basically carried him last season while getting very little return on their investment.
By the way, when the Steelers cut LeGarrette Blount for leaving the sideline before a game ended, who was there to sign him? Belichick's Patriots.
That tight ship in New England had its most famous leak when Aaron Hernandez, the team's tight end from 2010-12, wound up charged with first degree murder.
But he wasn't late for team meetings when he was with the Patriots because Belichick would never stand for that.
The record speaks for itself when comparing the coaches. But Harrison's evaluation of the two doesn't stand up considering the limited time he spent with the Patriots.
---
Some coaches understand there's a world out there bigger than their sport.
Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors comes to mind.
Then there are those who choose to live in a bunker of their own construction, blissfully and voluntarily ignorant of the world outside their sport.
Larry Fedora, head football coach at the University of North Carolina is the example of that mentality.
He said last week that football is "under attack" by those who have drawn a link from the sport to long-term brain damage.
Furthermore, Fedora said, "I fear the game will be pushed so far to one extreme that you won't recognize the game 10 years from now. And I do believe if it gets to that point, that our country goes down, too."
That's quite a leap of logic in a limited timeframe-- less violent football leads to the end of democracy.
Doesn't seem to make much sense, but it probably seems perfectly logical in Larry Fedora's bunker.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Saturday, July 21, 2018
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Altoona Mirror, July 18, 2018
Don't be mad at Le'Veon Bell.
Yes, he's turned down more money than most of us will ever see. He's doing that in the hope of breaking the bank as a free agent next summer, which is a risky strategy.
But he's willing to assume that risk, and how can you fault him for that?
This is how the system works. The Steelers have again designated him as their franchise player, which keeps him here for another season. That gives the team the services of one of the game's premier running backs and another 12 months to develop an alternative plan at that position.
Bell will probably skip training camp again, which makes sense from his perspective. There is speculation that he will sit out games, but that doesn't make much sense.
He would lose in excess of $800,000 for every game he would miss. He could sour potential free agent bidders by putting his own interests ahead of the team. And what better way to advertise himself as a free agent than to pile up 100-yard games?
Perhaps Bell has learned from last season and will do a better job of preparing for the season without training camp. He was slow to start last year.
After that, it should be business as usual. He'll still make a gigantic pile of money, and the Steelers will benefit from his talents and have a high-powered offense.
There's no reason to be angry about that.
---
The Pirates' five-game weekend sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers was a nice treat for fans who have been suffering with the team since their downturn in the middle of May.
But it did not make the Pirates a contender, and it shouldn't alter their approach to the July 31 trade deadline.
They're still too far out in the division race and the wild card, and they still have too many teams to overtake. There's no reason to believe a team without a proven No. 1 starting pitcher and a legitimate cleanup hitter is capable of a near-miracle comeback
The bad thing is that two of the most marketable veterans, Josh Harrison and Francisco Cervelli, went into the All-Star break with injuries.
Harrison had a hamstring injury, the severity of which wasn't immediately know. Cervelli's situation is more serious, with a return of concussion symptoms that could affect his ability to be a catcher.
Cervelli has been working out at first base, but that won't increase his appeal to other teams. His value is as a catcher, and now there are questions about whether he can play that position.
Do the Pirates consider trading Corey Dickerson, who has one year of arbitration eligibility left? It's worth considering if they can get anything of value in return. However, there supposedly isn't much demand for outfielders.
---
Why were the Brewers and Pirates playing through a downpour that made visibility difficult at the end of Sunday's game?
It was the last game before the All-Star break. Most of the players on both teams -- and maybe the umpires -- were getting ready to head out on vacation. Nobody was anxious to linger.
Nobody wanted to stop the game, roll out the tarp and create at least a 30 minute delay to treat the field and get pitchers warmed up again.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Yes, he's turned down more money than most of us will ever see. He's doing that in the hope of breaking the bank as a free agent next summer, which is a risky strategy.
But he's willing to assume that risk, and how can you fault him for that?
This is how the system works. The Steelers have again designated him as their franchise player, which keeps him here for another season. That gives the team the services of one of the game's premier running backs and another 12 months to develop an alternative plan at that position.
Bell will probably skip training camp again, which makes sense from his perspective. There is speculation that he will sit out games, but that doesn't make much sense.
He would lose in excess of $800,000 for every game he would miss. He could sour potential free agent bidders by putting his own interests ahead of the team. And what better way to advertise himself as a free agent than to pile up 100-yard games?
Perhaps Bell has learned from last season and will do a better job of preparing for the season without training camp. He was slow to start last year.
After that, it should be business as usual. He'll still make a gigantic pile of money, and the Steelers will benefit from his talents and have a high-powered offense.
There's no reason to be angry about that.
---
The Pirates' five-game weekend sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers was a nice treat for fans who have been suffering with the team since their downturn in the middle of May.
But it did not make the Pirates a contender, and it shouldn't alter their approach to the July 31 trade deadline.
They're still too far out in the division race and the wild card, and they still have too many teams to overtake. There's no reason to believe a team without a proven No. 1 starting pitcher and a legitimate cleanup hitter is capable of a near-miracle comeback
The bad thing is that two of the most marketable veterans, Josh Harrison and Francisco Cervelli, went into the All-Star break with injuries.
Harrison had a hamstring injury, the severity of which wasn't immediately know. Cervelli's situation is more serious, with a return of concussion symptoms that could affect his ability to be a catcher.
Cervelli has been working out at first base, but that won't increase his appeal to other teams. His value is as a catcher, and now there are questions about whether he can play that position.
Do the Pirates consider trading Corey Dickerson, who has one year of arbitration eligibility left? It's worth considering if they can get anything of value in return. However, there supposedly isn't much demand for outfielders.
---
Why were the Brewers and Pirates playing through a downpour that made visibility difficult at the end of Sunday's game?
It was the last game before the All-Star break. Most of the players on both teams -- and maybe the umpires -- were getting ready to head out on vacation. Nobody was anxious to linger.
Nobody wanted to stop the game, roll out the tarp and create at least a 30 minute delay to treat the field and get pitchers warmed up again.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, July 15, 2018
Altoona Mirror, July 15, 2018
Sidney Crosby turns 31 in a few weeks.
In a lot of ways, he's still Sid the Kid, the 18-year-old phenom who came to town in 2005 -- he's driven to succeed, consumed by hockey and one of the NHL's elite players.
But he's different, too. He owns a mansion instead of boarding at Mario Lemieux's house. He has tons of money in the bank. And he's closer to the end of his career than he is to those teenage days.
The last point was driven home recently when AT&T SportsNet hockey analyst Jay Caufield casually noted during a radio appearance that the Penguins' "window" for championships is probably no more than two or three years.
He's correct. It's getting later than most of us probably realize.
Crosby is in remarkable shape and still plays ample minutes at a high intensity level. It's a young man's league, though, and he's soon to be 31. Evgeni Malkin turns 32 on July 31. Kris Letang is 31 and has a long and scary medical history.
The Penguins aren't going to be on top forever. They know that, and Jim Rutherford has been making his plans for the here and now rather than looking much further ahead than the current season.
That's the right way to handle it, because the clock is ticking with every birthday Crosby celebrates.
---
The Pirates played a doubleheader against Milwaukee on Saturday, and that probably stoked some nostalgia for people of a certain age.
This doubleheader was created by an earlier rain postponement, but doubleheaders used to be part of the schedule, especially on Sunday afternoons.
The Pirates played 16 doubleheaders in 1968, 50 years ago. They had 11 in 1978. By 1988, they were down to two.
The doubleheader has gone the way of four-man starting rotations, $1 bleacher tickets and games played in less than two hours.
It was two games for the price of one, starting at 1 o'clock. You could come late or leave early and still get your fill of baseball.
Owners figured that buy one, get one free was a proposition best left to the super markets when they were overstocked on London broil.
Most modern doubleheaders are the day-night variety, which means separate admissions. They play the first game, clear the park, and then open the gates to scan fresh tickets for the second game.
It's a long day for everybody, but that's a by-product of the revenues that fill everybody's pockets. There are teams that come close to selling out a majority of their games, and making good on more than 30,000 rain checks isn't really feasible.
There are no such worries at PNC Park this season, so the Pirates and Brewers did it the old school way. Play the first game, take a 30-minute break and start the second game. Nobody has to leave his seat. much less vacate the park.
For the true baseball fan, it's the ultimate bargain.
Which is why it's so rare these days.
---
It's amazing that baseball games can be broadcast on the radio without a "sideline" reporter.
Somehow they get by without interviewing fans, talking about what's available at the food stands and offering trivial information.
TV can't live without that stuff.
---
Gregory Polanco has hit home runs in three consecutive games.
Two good things about that:
1. The Pirates need all the power they can get.
2. That easy trot means there's less of a chance Polanco will have some sort of calamity navigating the bases.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
In a lot of ways, he's still Sid the Kid, the 18-year-old phenom who came to town in 2005 -- he's driven to succeed, consumed by hockey and one of the NHL's elite players.
But he's different, too. He owns a mansion instead of boarding at Mario Lemieux's house. He has tons of money in the bank. And he's closer to the end of his career than he is to those teenage days.
The last point was driven home recently when AT&T SportsNet hockey analyst Jay Caufield casually noted during a radio appearance that the Penguins' "window" for championships is probably no more than two or three years.
He's correct. It's getting later than most of us probably realize.
Crosby is in remarkable shape and still plays ample minutes at a high intensity level. It's a young man's league, though, and he's soon to be 31. Evgeni Malkin turns 32 on July 31. Kris Letang is 31 and has a long and scary medical history.
The Penguins aren't going to be on top forever. They know that, and Jim Rutherford has been making his plans for the here and now rather than looking much further ahead than the current season.
That's the right way to handle it, because the clock is ticking with every birthday Crosby celebrates.
---
The Pirates played a doubleheader against Milwaukee on Saturday, and that probably stoked some nostalgia for people of a certain age.
This doubleheader was created by an earlier rain postponement, but doubleheaders used to be part of the schedule, especially on Sunday afternoons.
The Pirates played 16 doubleheaders in 1968, 50 years ago. They had 11 in 1978. By 1988, they were down to two.
The doubleheader has gone the way of four-man starting rotations, $1 bleacher tickets and games played in less than two hours.
It was two games for the price of one, starting at 1 o'clock. You could come late or leave early and still get your fill of baseball.
Owners figured that buy one, get one free was a proposition best left to the super markets when they were overstocked on London broil.
Most modern doubleheaders are the day-night variety, which means separate admissions. They play the first game, clear the park, and then open the gates to scan fresh tickets for the second game.
It's a long day for everybody, but that's a by-product of the revenues that fill everybody's pockets. There are teams that come close to selling out a majority of their games, and making good on more than 30,000 rain checks isn't really feasible.
There are no such worries at PNC Park this season, so the Pirates and Brewers did it the old school way. Play the first game, take a 30-minute break and start the second game. Nobody has to leave his seat. much less vacate the park.
For the true baseball fan, it's the ultimate bargain.
Which is why it's so rare these days.
---
It's amazing that baseball games can be broadcast on the radio without a "sideline" reporter.
Somehow they get by without interviewing fans, talking about what's available at the food stands and offering trivial information.
TV can't live without that stuff.
---
Gregory Polanco has hit home runs in three consecutive games.
Two good things about that:
1. The Pirates need all the power they can get.
2. That easy trot means there's less of a chance Polanco will have some sort of calamity navigating the bases.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Altoona Mirror, July 11, 2018
Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe woke up from a baseball-induced nap the other day and came to a conclusion:
Baseball is in trouble.
It's become, he wrote, "a sanctuary of senior citizens."
As someone who looks forward to claiming every old guy discount available, it's hard to argue with his point.
If you're still a big baseball fan, you've probably been one for a while. There's a good chance Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell aren't just names in a history book for you.
If you tell stories about peering around one of the poles at Forbes Field, you're in even deeper.
Baseball has been changing and, as slow as the game is sometimes, the changes have been fairly rapid.
Shaughnessy cites one that's been discussed here before -- the ever-rising number of strikeouts. There are more batters than ever lugging a bat back to the dugout after strike three.
It's notable when a player like the Pirates' Corey Dickerson chokes up with two strikes and focuses just on making contact. A lot of players used to do that. Maybe even a majority did.
Tim Foli, the shortstop on the Pirates' 1979 World Series team, went to the plate with his hands about three inches up on the bat handle. He was all about bat control. That season, Foli struck out 14 times in 594 plate appearances with the Pirates.
You can argue that Foli wasn't a power hitter, and you would be correct. He hit 25 home runs in 6,573 career plate appearances.
But even sluggers were more responsible in the past. Ralph Kiner hit 54 home runs for the 1949 Pirates while striking out only 61 times. (Yeah, it's another ancient history reference).
The point is power hitting wasn't always the all-or-nothing proposition it's become these days.
Remember the reference to Foli's 14 strikeouts over five months in 1979? Yankees' power hitter Aaron Judge had 14 strikeouts in the first 10 games this season. (Judge hit two home runs in that stretch).
It's more than just the deflating and constant swing and miss. The games drag. It went to a ridiculous extreme last Friday night when the Phillies and Pirates set a major league record for the longest nine-inning game in major league history.
As the 17-5 final score suggests, it wasn't compelling theater over the four and a half hours it took to complete.
But there's more, and Shaughnessy touches on that, too. Whatever happened to funny guys and characters? Andy Van Slyke used to take pride in dreaming up quotes that would land in Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News (yes, another obsolete reference for those of you scoring at home. And how long has it been since anyone at home kept a scorecard?)
A lot of players today are polite and thoughtful and deadly dull. This is not to suggest that previous generations of tobacco spitters and serial cursers were always a delight, but at least it wasn't like talking to an accountant.
Have analytics had a negative impact? Shaughnessy thinks so, although it's hard to make a case that more knowledge about an opponent's tendencies is a bad thing.
Analytics are here to stay. The Dodgers' analytics department is so massive that the personnel has been moved to what used to be the visiting team's clubhouse. They left the lockers in place, perhaps as a subtle reminder that this is still baseball.
The way things are now, the game doesn't always look the same to the senior citizens who still use it as a sanctuary.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Baseball is in trouble.
It's become, he wrote, "a sanctuary of senior citizens."
As someone who looks forward to claiming every old guy discount available, it's hard to argue with his point.
If you're still a big baseball fan, you've probably been one for a while. There's a good chance Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell aren't just names in a history book for you.
If you tell stories about peering around one of the poles at Forbes Field, you're in even deeper.
Baseball has been changing and, as slow as the game is sometimes, the changes have been fairly rapid.
Shaughnessy cites one that's been discussed here before -- the ever-rising number of strikeouts. There are more batters than ever lugging a bat back to the dugout after strike three.
It's notable when a player like the Pirates' Corey Dickerson chokes up with two strikes and focuses just on making contact. A lot of players used to do that. Maybe even a majority did.
Tim Foli, the shortstop on the Pirates' 1979 World Series team, went to the plate with his hands about three inches up on the bat handle. He was all about bat control. That season, Foli struck out 14 times in 594 plate appearances with the Pirates.
You can argue that Foli wasn't a power hitter, and you would be correct. He hit 25 home runs in 6,573 career plate appearances.
But even sluggers were more responsible in the past. Ralph Kiner hit 54 home runs for the 1949 Pirates while striking out only 61 times. (Yeah, it's another ancient history reference).
The point is power hitting wasn't always the all-or-nothing proposition it's become these days.
Remember the reference to Foli's 14 strikeouts over five months in 1979? Yankees' power hitter Aaron Judge had 14 strikeouts in the first 10 games this season. (Judge hit two home runs in that stretch).
It's more than just the deflating and constant swing and miss. The games drag. It went to a ridiculous extreme last Friday night when the Phillies and Pirates set a major league record for the longest nine-inning game in major league history.
As the 17-5 final score suggests, it wasn't compelling theater over the four and a half hours it took to complete.
But there's more, and Shaughnessy touches on that, too. Whatever happened to funny guys and characters? Andy Van Slyke used to take pride in dreaming up quotes that would land in Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News (yes, another obsolete reference for those of you scoring at home. And how long has it been since anyone at home kept a scorecard?)
A lot of players today are polite and thoughtful and deadly dull. This is not to suggest that previous generations of tobacco spitters and serial cursers were always a delight, but at least it wasn't like talking to an accountant.
Have analytics had a negative impact? Shaughnessy thinks so, although it's hard to make a case that more knowledge about an opponent's tendencies is a bad thing.
Analytics are here to stay. The Dodgers' analytics department is so massive that the personnel has been moved to what used to be the visiting team's clubhouse. They left the lockers in place, perhaps as a subtle reminder that this is still baseball.
The way things are now, the game doesn't always look the same to the senior citizens who still use it as a sanctuary.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, July 8, 2018
Altoona Mirror, July 8, 2018
If the Pirates had to win one game to save the city, what pitcher would you start?
Exactly. That's the biggest problem on a team that has many.
There is no No. 1 starter. There really isn't a geunine No. 2 and there might not be a legitimate No. 3, either.
The current five starters have all been about equally mediocre to this point, and nothing will rocket a team to the bottom of the standings like lousy starting pitching.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. When the Pirates spent the second overall pick in the 2010 draft on Jameson Taillon, they thought they were getting a genuine starter for the top of the rotation.
Longer range, they probably figured they were drafting the pitcher who would succeed Gerrit Cole as the staff leader. Cole had been drafted first overall in 2008.
Quality starting pitching is both scarce and expensive, so the Pirates thought they'd better grow their own. That's why they invested $8 million in Cole's signing bonus and another $6.5 million to sign Taillon.
Cole is in Houston now. You'll see him wearing the Astros uniform in the All-Star game.
Taillon will be relaxing over the All-Star break. After Saturday's loss to the Phillies, he's 5-7 with a ERA just over 4.00. He pitched well on Saturday, but there's been no consistency to his season, which probably led to Clint Hurdle's otherwise curious decision to pull him after 77 pitches.
Taillon has had major challenges, including Tommy John surgery and testicular cancer. He's healthy now, but at 26 he's still a work in progress.
That might not be as big an issue if anyone else in the rotation would step up and cement a spot.
Maybe Joe Musgrove has the ability to do that. He lost time this season to a pair of stays on the disabled list.
This isn't Taillon's fault. But he's part of a group that's disappointed hugely, and that's had a bigger impact than Gregory Polanco's too-frequent brain cramps, Josh Bell's mysterious power outage and Sean Rodriguez's notorious .145 batting average.
When your rotation has this kind of uncertainty, it's not just a struggle to win. It's a battle to stay out of last place.
---
There's a commercial that's been running on Pirates' radio all season claiming the 1971 World Series-winning team was nicknamed "The Lumber Company."
It wasn't.
"The Lumber Company" was a nickname dreamed up by an advertising agency to promote the 1976 Pirates. They had enlisted outside help after some of the best teams in baseball failed to have corresponding success at the box office.
---
Like it isn't bad enough living in Cleveland, the city's poor sports fans have to endure almost-native son Lebron James leaving not once, but twice.
The Cavaliers were nothing before James got there. He created excitement, made the Cavs a hot ticket, then bolted for Miami.
He came back, helped the city win its first sports championship in 50 years, and has now bolted for Los Angeles.
At least this time he didn't have a TV special to announce his departure.
---
Friday's Phillies-Pirates, a four and a half hour, lopsided, 411-pitch sludge-fest is the kind of thing they should show in schools when the students don't behave.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Exactly. That's the biggest problem on a team that has many.
There is no No. 1 starter. There really isn't a geunine No. 2 and there might not be a legitimate No. 3, either.
The current five starters have all been about equally mediocre to this point, and nothing will rocket a team to the bottom of the standings like lousy starting pitching.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. When the Pirates spent the second overall pick in the 2010 draft on Jameson Taillon, they thought they were getting a genuine starter for the top of the rotation.
Longer range, they probably figured they were drafting the pitcher who would succeed Gerrit Cole as the staff leader. Cole had been drafted first overall in 2008.
Quality starting pitching is both scarce and expensive, so the Pirates thought they'd better grow their own. That's why they invested $8 million in Cole's signing bonus and another $6.5 million to sign Taillon.
Cole is in Houston now. You'll see him wearing the Astros uniform in the All-Star game.
Taillon will be relaxing over the All-Star break. After Saturday's loss to the Phillies, he's 5-7 with a ERA just over 4.00. He pitched well on Saturday, but there's been no consistency to his season, which probably led to Clint Hurdle's otherwise curious decision to pull him after 77 pitches.
Taillon has had major challenges, including Tommy John surgery and testicular cancer. He's healthy now, but at 26 he's still a work in progress.
That might not be as big an issue if anyone else in the rotation would step up and cement a spot.
Maybe Joe Musgrove has the ability to do that. He lost time this season to a pair of stays on the disabled list.
This isn't Taillon's fault. But he's part of a group that's disappointed hugely, and that's had a bigger impact than Gregory Polanco's too-frequent brain cramps, Josh Bell's mysterious power outage and Sean Rodriguez's notorious .145 batting average.
When your rotation has this kind of uncertainty, it's not just a struggle to win. It's a battle to stay out of last place.
---
There's a commercial that's been running on Pirates' radio all season claiming the 1971 World Series-winning team was nicknamed "The Lumber Company."
It wasn't.
"The Lumber Company" was a nickname dreamed up by an advertising agency to promote the 1976 Pirates. They had enlisted outside help after some of the best teams in baseball failed to have corresponding success at the box office.
---
Like it isn't bad enough living in Cleveland, the city's poor sports fans have to endure almost-native son Lebron James leaving not once, but twice.
The Cavaliers were nothing before James got there. He created excitement, made the Cavs a hot ticket, then bolted for Miami.
He came back, helped the city win its first sports championship in 50 years, and has now bolted for Los Angeles.
At least this time he didn't have a TV special to announce his departure.
---
Friday's Phillies-Pirates, a four and a half hour, lopsided, 411-pitch sludge-fest is the kind of thing they should show in schools when the students don't behave.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Wednesday, July 4, 2018
Altoona Mirror, July 4, 2018
Monday night's final score was 17-1, not that you were likely around to see that become official.
Los Angeles Dodgers 17, Pirates 1.
It was that ugly, too, as the pitching staff got beat up. Somehow, the Pirates got through the ordeal without having to use a position player to mop up the last inning or two from the mound.
Starter Nick Kingham's fielding was as big a problem as his pitching. Poor Tanner Anderson finally made his major league debut, but the Dodgers used him for a punching bag.
By the time it was over, Anderson had a major league earned run average of 22.50 and plane ticket back to Indianapolis and Class AAA.
Social media was understandably upset. "Disgraceful!" one Facebook poster screamed.
Well, it wasn't good, that's for sure. But it wasn't that important, either. It was one game in a 162-game schedule.
It went horribly bad, but there was another game less than 24 hours later.
Games like that happen sometimes in baseball. The Pirates had a terrible night, and the Dodgers had a great one.
The Dodgers project as a team that will be playing in October. It will be an accomplishment if the Pirates finish on the right side of .500 this season.
But if you're trying to draw a deeper meaning from Monday's game, there is none.
In 1960, the Pirates lost Game 2 of the World Series 16-3 to the New York Yankees. They lost 10-0 in Game 3.
But the Pirates won one more game than the Yankees and soon 16-3 didn't matter any more.
Losing 17-1 isn't much fun for the players or the fans who are clicking off the TV after midnight.
But there's not a lot more to it than one day's result in a very long season.
---
This miserable heat and humidity makes you wonder what people did before air conditioning became commonplace.
The late Harvey Haddix, who served the Pirates as a pitching coach in the 1970s and '80s, liked to tell a story about staying in steamy St. Louis with no air conditioning.
He said the players would soak their top sheet in a bathtub filled with cold water, then cover up with the soggy sheet.
At some point in the night, they'd wake up, re-soak and go back to bed.
Somehow, they survived.
---
Bringing back 41-year-old Matt Cullen makes for a great story, but can he still help the Penguins?
The investment is modest -- a one-year contract for $650,000. Cullen can still skate.
Is he still a fit? It won't cost much to find out.
---
Happy Independence Day! Enjoy the holiday, and take it easy now that more powerful fireworks are legal for sale in Pennsylvania.
May you get to the Fifth of July with the same number of fingers you had on the Third.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Los Angeles Dodgers 17, Pirates 1.
It was that ugly, too, as the pitching staff got beat up. Somehow, the Pirates got through the ordeal without having to use a position player to mop up the last inning or two from the mound.
Starter Nick Kingham's fielding was as big a problem as his pitching. Poor Tanner Anderson finally made his major league debut, but the Dodgers used him for a punching bag.
By the time it was over, Anderson had a major league earned run average of 22.50 and plane ticket back to Indianapolis and Class AAA.
Social media was understandably upset. "Disgraceful!" one Facebook poster screamed.
Well, it wasn't good, that's for sure. But it wasn't that important, either. It was one game in a 162-game schedule.
It went horribly bad, but there was another game less than 24 hours later.
Games like that happen sometimes in baseball. The Pirates had a terrible night, and the Dodgers had a great one.
The Dodgers project as a team that will be playing in October. It will be an accomplishment if the Pirates finish on the right side of .500 this season.
But if you're trying to draw a deeper meaning from Monday's game, there is none.
In 1960, the Pirates lost Game 2 of the World Series 16-3 to the New York Yankees. They lost 10-0 in Game 3.
But the Pirates won one more game than the Yankees and soon 16-3 didn't matter any more.
Losing 17-1 isn't much fun for the players or the fans who are clicking off the TV after midnight.
But there's not a lot more to it than one day's result in a very long season.
---
This miserable heat and humidity makes you wonder what people did before air conditioning became commonplace.
The late Harvey Haddix, who served the Pirates as a pitching coach in the 1970s and '80s, liked to tell a story about staying in steamy St. Louis with no air conditioning.
He said the players would soak their top sheet in a bathtub filled with cold water, then cover up with the soggy sheet.
At some point in the night, they'd wake up, re-soak and go back to bed.
Somehow, they survived.
---
Bringing back 41-year-old Matt Cullen makes for a great story, but can he still help the Penguins?
The investment is modest -- a one-year contract for $650,000. Cullen can still skate.
Is he still a fit? It won't cost much to find out.
---
Happy Independence Day! Enjoy the holiday, and take it easy now that more powerful fireworks are legal for sale in Pennsylvania.
May you get to the Fifth of July with the same number of fingers you had on the Third.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, July 1, 2018
Altoona Mirror, July 1, 2018
Barring a last-minute hitch, the Penguins will sign defenseman Jack Johnson today when NHL free agency officially opens.
That would mean their biggest offseason acquisition is a player who was a healthy scratch in the playoffs by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
That doesn't sound like someone worth a five-year investment for just over $16 million, especially for a franchise that tightropes the salary cap.
Johnson is 31 in a league that increasingly favors young fresh legs, although defensemen have a longer shelf life than forwards. Plus while 31 isn't prime time, it isn't exactly ancient, either. Sidney Crosby turns 31 next month, and he's still pretty frisky.
You might also put an asterisk on Johnson's playoff inactivity given the coach making the decision was the always-volatile John Tortorella.
Tortorella's mood often ranges from bad to unapproachable, and he has a tendency to doghouse certain players. Obviously Johnson fell into disfavor in Columbus.
Reasons to like Johnson? He has a history of quality play before Columbus. No doubt he'll feel liberated by escaping Tortorella's gulag. He was a prep school teammate of Crosby's, and that has to add to his comfort level.
You also have to assume the Penguins have vetted Johnson via Crosby. Crosby wouldn't put in a word for his buddy unless he was certain he can help the team.
The Penguins under Jim Rutherford also have a pretty impressive record evaluating players. Justin Schultz had been consigned to the scrap heap in Edmonton. The Penguins rescued him in exchange for a third-round draft choice, and he helped them win two championships.
Getting away from Tortorella should refresh Johnson. Reuniting with Crosby can only help, too.
Unless Rutherford can swing another deal that sheds significant salary, this will probably be the big move of the summer for the Penguins.
Is it enough? It's a gamble, to be certain.
But the free agent market is weak for defenseman and that's the area the Penguins most need to upgrade.
Three years with a corresponding reduction in money would be more comfortable, but apparently that's not available. So this is the deal.
Having both Rutherford and Crosby behind it makes it seem viable.
---
One of the players at the Penguins' prospect development camp was a 22-year-old redshirt freshman from Arizona State. Austin Lemieux is his name.
Yes, he's the only son of Penguins' co-owner Mario Lemieux. His dream is to play in the NHL, but the deck is stacked against anyone who is just launching a college career at 22.
Give him credit. It can't be easy to choose this path when your father was an instant Hall of Famer who has a 199-point season on his resume. He could get 100 points and only be half as good as his father.
That's a legacy that's difficult to chase.
---
The Pirates player most likely to be traded in the coming weeks is Josh Harrison. Reasons?
1. There's a market for him. His versatility would be a great fit with a championship-caliber team.
2. There are replacements for him. The Pirates have middle infielders ready to move up from the minor leagues.
3. Diminishing returns. Harrison has two years left on his contract for $10.5 million and $11.5 million. (They can be bought out for $1 million and $500,000). Those are not good investments in a player who will be 31 and 32 in those years, especially with younger players in the system.
---
One of the popular new baseball stats is "chase rate."
There was a time when that term had a whole different meaning in baseball.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
That would mean their biggest offseason acquisition is a player who was a healthy scratch in the playoffs by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
That doesn't sound like someone worth a five-year investment for just over $16 million, especially for a franchise that tightropes the salary cap.
Johnson is 31 in a league that increasingly favors young fresh legs, although defensemen have a longer shelf life than forwards. Plus while 31 isn't prime time, it isn't exactly ancient, either. Sidney Crosby turns 31 next month, and he's still pretty frisky.
You might also put an asterisk on Johnson's playoff inactivity given the coach making the decision was the always-volatile John Tortorella.
Tortorella's mood often ranges from bad to unapproachable, and he has a tendency to doghouse certain players. Obviously Johnson fell into disfavor in Columbus.
Reasons to like Johnson? He has a history of quality play before Columbus. No doubt he'll feel liberated by escaping Tortorella's gulag. He was a prep school teammate of Crosby's, and that has to add to his comfort level.
You also have to assume the Penguins have vetted Johnson via Crosby. Crosby wouldn't put in a word for his buddy unless he was certain he can help the team.
The Penguins under Jim Rutherford also have a pretty impressive record evaluating players. Justin Schultz had been consigned to the scrap heap in Edmonton. The Penguins rescued him in exchange for a third-round draft choice, and he helped them win two championships.
Getting away from Tortorella should refresh Johnson. Reuniting with Crosby can only help, too.
Unless Rutherford can swing another deal that sheds significant salary, this will probably be the big move of the summer for the Penguins.
Is it enough? It's a gamble, to be certain.
But the free agent market is weak for defenseman and that's the area the Penguins most need to upgrade.
Three years with a corresponding reduction in money would be more comfortable, but apparently that's not available. So this is the deal.
Having both Rutherford and Crosby behind it makes it seem viable.
---
One of the players at the Penguins' prospect development camp was a 22-year-old redshirt freshman from Arizona State. Austin Lemieux is his name.
Yes, he's the only son of Penguins' co-owner Mario Lemieux. His dream is to play in the NHL, but the deck is stacked against anyone who is just launching a college career at 22.
Give him credit. It can't be easy to choose this path when your father was an instant Hall of Famer who has a 199-point season on his resume. He could get 100 points and only be half as good as his father.
That's a legacy that's difficult to chase.
---
The Pirates player most likely to be traded in the coming weeks is Josh Harrison. Reasons?
1. There's a market for him. His versatility would be a great fit with a championship-caliber team.
2. There are replacements for him. The Pirates have middle infielders ready to move up from the minor leagues.
3. Diminishing returns. Harrison has two years left on his contract for $10.5 million and $11.5 million. (They can be bought out for $1 million and $500,000). Those are not good investments in a player who will be 31 and 32 in those years, especially with younger players in the system.
---
One of the popular new baseball stats is "chase rate."
There was a time when that term had a whole different meaning in baseball.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
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