Manny Machado is being paid $16 million to play baseball. Effort is not necessarily part of that package.
Machado, now with the Los Angeles Dodgers, did an interview with Ken Rosenthal last week that is remarkable for being both candid and clueless.
Machado, 26, admitted to Rosenthal that he doesn't always put forth maximum effort.
"There's no excuse for it, honestly," he said. "Obviously I'm not going to change. I'm not the type of player who's going to be Johnny Hustle and run down the line. That's not my personality. That's not my cup of tea. That's not who I am."
Machado has a lot more talent than he has sense, which will serve him well as he hits the free agent market in a few weeks. Someone will likely be willing to pay him hundreds of millions of dollars to play for their team, knowing they won't always get his best effort.
It's not like Machado has exactly spilled a secret. Baseball has a bunch of players who don't always exert themselves. Yoenis Cespedes of the New York Mets is a known slacker. The Pirates' Starling Marte gives a sporadic effort, which actually got him benched for a game this season.
Ex-Pirate Bill Madlock, a four-time batting champion, was known for conserving his energy.
Mike Piazza is in the Hall of Fame even though he often didn't run out ground balls, and had the bad habit of standing at home plate to admire possible home runs -- even when they didn't clear the fence.
Will this admission cost Machado free agent money? Doubtful. Teams have made their peace with understanding there's often good and bad. Machado will be productive enough to offset the times when his manager would like to strangle him.
Machado will likely do fine as he hunts a new contract. The team that signs him just shouldn't expect Johnny Hustle to be part of the deal.
---
Dave Littlefield was interviewed by the Mets for their vacant general manager position.
The New York Post labeled Littlefield a "fringe" candidate who is unlikely to get a second interview.
Whatever, this is the first time he's been known to be under consideration for a GM job since the Pirates cashiered him on Sept. 7, 2007.
His nearly six-year stay with the Pirates is largely remembered as a disaster, and not without justification. He was, of course, hampered by a limited budget and Kevin McClatchy's insistence that he do whatever seemed necessary to end that infernal streak of losing seasons. Thus, the Pirates wound up with Jeromy Burnitz for $6 million a year when they were actually better served by Nate McLouth at a fraction of that price.
Littlefield has worked continuously in baseball since leaving the Pirates. He scouted for the Cubs, then moved on to Detroit. He spent the last three years as the Tigers vice president of player development.
At 58, Littlefield can stay on that track, which offers a six-figure salary, low profile and minimal pressure. Unless he's aching to be a GM again, there's little reason to jump back in a job that requires nearly 24/7 commitment.
---
Once you figure out when they're playing and what channel they're on, you can watch the MLB playoffs.
---
The Penguins are on an extended trip to Canada at the same time recreational marijuana has been legalized in that country.
Go back about 40 years, and there were a certain number of Penguins players who would have been very reluctant to leave Canada at the end of the trip under those circumstances.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Altoona Mirror, October 17, 2018
Vontaze Burfict was sneaky dirty this time.
The Cincinnati Bengals linebacker dropped an elbow on Antonio Brown's head that TV cameras saw but game officials didn't.
After that, players reported that Burfict yelled across the line of scrimmage, "You're next" at Steelers' second-year receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Smith-Schuster said Burfict spent a good part of Sunday's game verbally threatening him, although nothing tangible came of it.
Just another AFC North game.
Burfict deserves a fine for the shot on Brown. If Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt got a $20,000 fine (and an on-field penalty) for bumping up against quarterback Matt Ryan's legs in the Atlanta game, Burfict deserves at least that much.
Surely some of the officials heard him making threats. Isn't there a time where that comes under the catch-all of "unsportsmanlike conduct" and merits a flag?
Some people think there are too many penalty flags in NFL games. This was a case where there should have been more.
SUBHEAD: Looking back
Some observations from the Steelers' victory in Cincinnati:
--The most impressive performance of the day was turned in by the Steelers' offensive line. The Bengals had no sacks and never knocked Roethlisberger down. In fact, Roethlisberger said he couldn't recall even being touched by a Bengals player more than three times in the game. Credit to the offensive line against a pass rush that is generally pretty good.
--Roethlisberger had an interesting comment about Le'Veon Bell on his weekly radio show. He said that even if Bell showed up now, it would still probably be three or four weeks before Bell would in peak football shape and ready to absorb regular contact.
That should take care of the question of who the starter should be. For the foreseeable future, it's James Conner.
--You could tell there was something special about Sunday's game by the enthusiasm Mike Tomlin displayed in his post-game question and answer session. The coach doesn't like show a lot of emotion in the media room. He puts on that stone face and answers questions by rote. This time, though, he was clearly excited by the way things unfolded and by the way the Steelers played.
--Cornerback Artie Burns was only on the field for 21 snaps on Sunday. The former No. 1 pick has played his way onto the bench for the moment.
--Looks like the radar Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown have shared for years is honed in again.
--Also looks like Roethlisberger is very comfortable with the ability of his tight ends to make plays. Both Vance McDonald and Jesse James have become favored targets. Watching McDonald mow down would-be tacklers has become a special treat for Steelers fans. May all of PennDOT's snow plows be that effective this winter.
---
It doesn't get nearly the notice that Bill Mazeroski Day (Oct. 13) does, but today is the anniversary of the Pirates' last two World Series, 1971 and 1979, both in Baltimore.
The players had to fight their way off the field in '79. Joe Shuta's popular "Two Minute Timeout" has a good feature with catcher Steve Nicosia reminiscing about that experience and an odd reunion with a guy he roughed up. You can find it at: www.2minuteto.com and it only takes two minutes.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
The Cincinnati Bengals linebacker dropped an elbow on Antonio Brown's head that TV cameras saw but game officials didn't.
After that, players reported that Burfict yelled across the line of scrimmage, "You're next" at Steelers' second-year receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Smith-Schuster said Burfict spent a good part of Sunday's game verbally threatening him, although nothing tangible came of it.
Just another AFC North game.
Burfict deserves a fine for the shot on Brown. If Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt got a $20,000 fine (and an on-field penalty) for bumping up against quarterback Matt Ryan's legs in the Atlanta game, Burfict deserves at least that much.
Surely some of the officials heard him making threats. Isn't there a time where that comes under the catch-all of "unsportsmanlike conduct" and merits a flag?
Some people think there are too many penalty flags in NFL games. This was a case where there should have been more.
SUBHEAD: Looking back
Some observations from the Steelers' victory in Cincinnati:
--The most impressive performance of the day was turned in by the Steelers' offensive line. The Bengals had no sacks and never knocked Roethlisberger down. In fact, Roethlisberger said he couldn't recall even being touched by a Bengals player more than three times in the game. Credit to the offensive line against a pass rush that is generally pretty good.
--Roethlisberger had an interesting comment about Le'Veon Bell on his weekly radio show. He said that even if Bell showed up now, it would still probably be three or four weeks before Bell would in peak football shape and ready to absorb regular contact.
That should take care of the question of who the starter should be. For the foreseeable future, it's James Conner.
--You could tell there was something special about Sunday's game by the enthusiasm Mike Tomlin displayed in his post-game question and answer session. The coach doesn't like show a lot of emotion in the media room. He puts on that stone face and answers questions by rote. This time, though, he was clearly excited by the way things unfolded and by the way the Steelers played.
--Cornerback Artie Burns was only on the field for 21 snaps on Sunday. The former No. 1 pick has played his way onto the bench for the moment.
--Looks like the radar Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown have shared for years is honed in again.
--Also looks like Roethlisberger is very comfortable with the ability of his tight ends to make plays. Both Vance McDonald and Jesse James have become favored targets. Watching McDonald mow down would-be tacklers has become a special treat for Steelers fans. May all of PennDOT's snow plows be that effective this winter.
---
It doesn't get nearly the notice that Bill Mazeroski Day (Oct. 13) does, but today is the anniversary of the Pirates' last two World Series, 1971 and 1979, both in Baltimore.
The players had to fight their way off the field in '79. Joe Shuta's popular "Two Minute Timeout" has a good feature with catcher Steve Nicosia reminiscing about that experience and an odd reunion with a guy he roughed up. You can find it at: www.2minuteto.com and it only takes two minutes.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, October 14, 2018
Altoona Mirror, October 14, 2018
The Steelers and Bengals will start mixing it up just past 1 o'clock this afternoon.
The relevant question is whether football will be the No. 1 topic of conversation when this one wraps up somewhere around 4 o'clock.
The teams have a heated rivalry, and one of the key figures in that aspect is Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict, No. 55 in the game program and close to being No. 1 on the NFL's list of players fined for things they shouldn't be doing.
Let's make one thing clear: The Steelers aren't angels, and never have been. Joe Greene once got thrown out of a playoff game for giving Denver lineman Paul Howard a bolo punch to the midsection.
Last December the Steelers' JuJu Smith-Schuster leveled Burfict with a hit that caused a concussion, then stood over Burfict, taunting the fallen player.
That plot thickened when Burfict was given a four-game suspension to start this season, citing a failed drug test. Burfict maintained he was on a prescribed medication as a result of the concussion.
So there's plenty to watch today, and flag-happy officials will be even more diligent at the sign of anything that might be outside the rules.
They're right to do so, and they'd be even more correct to keep an eye on No. 55 on the Bengals.
He's always angry, but last year's events may have put some extra fuel on his raging fire.
---
The Milwaukee Brewers, who are currently playing in the National League Championship Series, opened this season with a payroll around $90 million.
That's about $3 million more than where the Pirates' payroll was at the same time.
It's also about $65 million less than the Baltimore Orioles, who lost 115 games and finished 61 games out of first place. As always, it's not just how much you spend, it's how you spend it.
What's even more amazing is the Brewers have more than 18 percent of their payroll tied up in Ryan Braun, who is looking like an average player these days at age 34.
Braun had the lowest batting average and OPS of his career. The Brewers still owe him a guaranteed $36 million for two more seasons, and they'll have to spend another $4 million to buy out a final option year.
Fans loved it when the Brewers committed long-term to their best player in 2008, and were probably just as elated when management added on another five years in 2011. Now? Maybe not so much since he hit .254 this season.
It's not just how much you spend, it's how you spend it.
---
There were high school football games Friday in the WPIAL that ended with these scores:
63-20, 70-36, 52-7, 66-6, 55-7, 50-7, and 64-21.
There were shutouts where the winning team scored 42 (two games), 46 (two games), 48, 53, and 49 points.
The big one in the shutout category was a 70-0 final. Imagine that -- the team that lost 53-0 can take consolation in knowing someone else had a worse night.
Blowouts happen, especially in high school, where the talent level can be wildly uneven. Having that many one-sided games in one night is mind-boggling, though.
What does it say when a 48-3 game doesn't even make a list of outrageously lopsided outcomes?
Hard to maintain interest among fans or the athletes when things are that ridiculous.
---
Saturday was the 58th anniversary of Bill Mazeroski's home run that won the 1960 World Series for the Pirates.
We still don't know the exit velocity or the launch angle, but people still seemed to be pretty happy anyway.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
The relevant question is whether football will be the No. 1 topic of conversation when this one wraps up somewhere around 4 o'clock.
The teams have a heated rivalry, and one of the key figures in that aspect is Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict, No. 55 in the game program and close to being No. 1 on the NFL's list of players fined for things they shouldn't be doing.
Let's make one thing clear: The Steelers aren't angels, and never have been. Joe Greene once got thrown out of a playoff game for giving Denver lineman Paul Howard a bolo punch to the midsection.
Last December the Steelers' JuJu Smith-Schuster leveled Burfict with a hit that caused a concussion, then stood over Burfict, taunting the fallen player.
That plot thickened when Burfict was given a four-game suspension to start this season, citing a failed drug test. Burfict maintained he was on a prescribed medication as a result of the concussion.
So there's plenty to watch today, and flag-happy officials will be even more diligent at the sign of anything that might be outside the rules.
They're right to do so, and they'd be even more correct to keep an eye on No. 55 on the Bengals.
He's always angry, but last year's events may have put some extra fuel on his raging fire.
---
The Milwaukee Brewers, who are currently playing in the National League Championship Series, opened this season with a payroll around $90 million.
That's about $3 million more than where the Pirates' payroll was at the same time.
It's also about $65 million less than the Baltimore Orioles, who lost 115 games and finished 61 games out of first place. As always, it's not just how much you spend, it's how you spend it.
What's even more amazing is the Brewers have more than 18 percent of their payroll tied up in Ryan Braun, who is looking like an average player these days at age 34.
Braun had the lowest batting average and OPS of his career. The Brewers still owe him a guaranteed $36 million for two more seasons, and they'll have to spend another $4 million to buy out a final option year.
Fans loved it when the Brewers committed long-term to their best player in 2008, and were probably just as elated when management added on another five years in 2011. Now? Maybe not so much since he hit .254 this season.
It's not just how much you spend, it's how you spend it.
---
There were high school football games Friday in the WPIAL that ended with these scores:
63-20, 70-36, 52-7, 66-6, 55-7, 50-7, and 64-21.
There were shutouts where the winning team scored 42 (two games), 46 (two games), 48, 53, and 49 points.
The big one in the shutout category was a 70-0 final. Imagine that -- the team that lost 53-0 can take consolation in knowing someone else had a worse night.
Blowouts happen, especially in high school, where the talent level can be wildly uneven. Having that many one-sided games in one night is mind-boggling, though.
What does it say when a 48-3 game doesn't even make a list of outrageously lopsided outcomes?
Hard to maintain interest among fans or the athletes when things are that ridiculous.
---
Saturday was the 58th anniversary of Bill Mazeroski's home run that won the 1960 World Series for the Pirates.
We still don't know the exit velocity or the launch angle, but people still seemed to be pretty happy anyway.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Altoona Mirror, October 10, 2018
Asking the day's relevant question:
Who among us hasn't tossed an ottoman off a 14th floor balcony in a fit of rage?
That bizarre story broke on Tuesday as a man in Florida sued Steelers receiver Antonio Brown, alleging that Brown put his safety in peril by pitching furniture, vases and other objects off the balcony of a Miami apartment high rise.
At this point, you have to wonder if there's any shock value left at Steelers' headquarters when it comes to player behavior.
Brown was also sued for allegedly trashing the apartment.
Just another day in Steelers' land, where something is always happening and it doesn't even have to be about football.
But on the subject of football, let's review some things from Sunday's win over Atlanta:
--Ben Roethlisberger said on his radio show Tuesday that the inaccuracy of his passes in the first half was because of his lingering elbow injury. While the quarterback has been known to pay undue attention to his injuries, this bears watching.
Roethlisberger said he was on target in the second half because he decided to "suck it up" and throw with his normal motion, even though it caused him pain. We're only five weeks into the season. It's not a good sign when the quarterback says his arm hurts.
--By all accounts, linebacker L.J. Fort did a good job filling in for the injured Vince Williams. Good for Fort, but could that mean that replacing Williams really isn't that tough a task?
--Mike Tomlin said the Steelers didn't blitz more against the Falcons. There was clearly more pressure on the quarterback, though. Was that a function of Atlanta's offensive line doing a poor job, or did the Steelers vary their defensive looks enough to cause confusion?
--Tomlin said he's not worried about kicker Chris Boswell, who missed his first extra point try. OK, but what happens when the Steelers are in a game where a field goal might make the difference? Boswell is missing easy kicks on dry fields, and that should be a concern.
--End zone celebrations are OK to a point. JuJu Smith-Schuster's simulation of "giving birth" to a football (aided by James Conner) was as dumb as it was tasteless. If that's what they're going to do, just spike the ball and be done with it.
--Roethlisberger said he hopes Sunday's game in Cincinnati can be tough and hard-hitting without being dirty. Is that possible with the Bengals' Vontaze Burfict on the field? He just returned from a suspension, so he may have a surplus of hostility built up.
--Does Vegas have an over/under on penalty yardage in this game?
---
Watching the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox play usually involves an investment of more than four hours.
They play, and play, and then they play some more.
The games are even longer when Angel Hernandez is on the umpiring crew and his calls are being challenged on replay.
Hernandez is one of MLB's least competent umpires, but he's working a post-season series. That's probably because he sued MLB for excluding him from past post-season activity.
There's this, too: With six umpires working three post-season events (Division Series, Championship Series and World Series), plus 12 more working the two wild card games, there are 48 post-season assignment to fill.
Some less-than-stellar umpires are going to get called just because of the need.
It was even more complicated this year with two divisions requiring tiebreaker games the day after the season ended.
Too many openings, not enough good umpires.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Who among us hasn't tossed an ottoman off a 14th floor balcony in a fit of rage?
That bizarre story broke on Tuesday as a man in Florida sued Steelers receiver Antonio Brown, alleging that Brown put his safety in peril by pitching furniture, vases and other objects off the balcony of a Miami apartment high rise.
At this point, you have to wonder if there's any shock value left at Steelers' headquarters when it comes to player behavior.
Brown was also sued for allegedly trashing the apartment.
Just another day in Steelers' land, where something is always happening and it doesn't even have to be about football.
But on the subject of football, let's review some things from Sunday's win over Atlanta:
--Ben Roethlisberger said on his radio show Tuesday that the inaccuracy of his passes in the first half was because of his lingering elbow injury. While the quarterback has been known to pay undue attention to his injuries, this bears watching.
Roethlisberger said he was on target in the second half because he decided to "suck it up" and throw with his normal motion, even though it caused him pain. We're only five weeks into the season. It's not a good sign when the quarterback says his arm hurts.
--By all accounts, linebacker L.J. Fort did a good job filling in for the injured Vince Williams. Good for Fort, but could that mean that replacing Williams really isn't that tough a task?
--Mike Tomlin said the Steelers didn't blitz more against the Falcons. There was clearly more pressure on the quarterback, though. Was that a function of Atlanta's offensive line doing a poor job, or did the Steelers vary their defensive looks enough to cause confusion?
--Tomlin said he's not worried about kicker Chris Boswell, who missed his first extra point try. OK, but what happens when the Steelers are in a game where a field goal might make the difference? Boswell is missing easy kicks on dry fields, and that should be a concern.
--End zone celebrations are OK to a point. JuJu Smith-Schuster's simulation of "giving birth" to a football (aided by James Conner) was as dumb as it was tasteless. If that's what they're going to do, just spike the ball and be done with it.
--Roethlisberger said he hopes Sunday's game in Cincinnati can be tough and hard-hitting without being dirty. Is that possible with the Bengals' Vontaze Burfict on the field? He just returned from a suspension, so he may have a surplus of hostility built up.
--Does Vegas have an over/under on penalty yardage in this game?
---
Watching the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox play usually involves an investment of more than four hours.
They play, and play, and then they play some more.
The games are even longer when Angel Hernandez is on the umpiring crew and his calls are being challenged on replay.
Hernandez is one of MLB's least competent umpires, but he's working a post-season series. That's probably because he sued MLB for excluding him from past post-season activity.
There's this, too: With six umpires working three post-season events (Division Series, Championship Series and World Series), plus 12 more working the two wild card games, there are 48 post-season assignment to fill.
Some less-than-stellar umpires are going to get called just because of the need.
It was even more complicated this year with two divisions requiring tiebreaker games the day after the season ended.
Too many openings, not enough good umpires.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, October 7, 2018
Altoona Mirror, October 7, 2018
The Penguins opened the season last week, and there was no need to stage a banner-raising ceremony.
The Stanley Cup currently belongs to the Washington Capitals, and it doesn't seem like many people outside of Pittsburgh expect the Penguins to repossess it this spring.
The Penguins appear to be waddling under the radar in discussions of possible Cup winners, which raises the question:
Was last season a bump along the way or was it the beginning of the end?
Sports Illustrated, which cares as much about the NHL as your cat does, has them losing to Florida in the first round of the playoffs. (Hey, at least SI has them making the playoffs, right?)
They're still loaded with talent, especially at the center position. Sidney Crosby is 31, which means his peak years are nearing an end. However, he's not finished.
Same for Evgeni Malkin, now 32. The two sides of Malkin were on display in the opener -- an egregious turnover that led to a Washington goal, followed by an impressive play to set up a Penguins goal.
Kris Letang and Phil Kessel are both 31. When a team's core of stars is all on the wrong side of 30, there's reason to doubt. It's a young man's league, and speed rules.
Letang has a dubious injury history, and Crosby is always a concussion away from having his career in jeopardy. There will come a time when the Penguins' stars exit, which is what the Steelers experienced after their Super Bowl run of the 1970s ended.
There were a lot of wistful press conferences, followed by the acquisition of replacements who weren't nearly as good. After that incredible run, the Steelers sank into mediocrity for a decade.
Sometimes the end comes without much advance notice. Jack Lambert, one of the toughest guys to ever play in the NFL, was done in by turf toe. The Steelers were convinced that Terry Bradshaw was good for another three seasons, but he blew out his elbow and was finished without warning.
It doesn't appear the Penguins are yet at that precipice, but it's coming one of these days. It seems unlikely that will happen during the current season, though.
It's reasonable to think the Penguins won't win the Cup this year, but foolish to exclude them from the discussion.
---
The Steelers need to get in gear, and 1 o'clock this afternoon would be a good time to start.
The Atlanta Falcons visit, and they're a team with great offensive potential and a very questionable defense.
Kind of sounds like the Steelers, doesn't it?
Get ready. This could light up the scoreboard.
Remember that the Steelers have already had a game in which they scored 37 points and didn't win.
---
Baseball has changed, and players tend to be much more demonstrative on the field than previous generations were.
Still, it's jarring to see players in high-stakes postseason games taking the time to look at their dugout and pump their fists as they run to first base.
Showing off is so ingrained now that it doesn't even take a break in the postseason.
One other completely pointless observation: If there's that much Gatorade left to spill on the star of the game, the staff is mixing up entirely too much Gatorade.
---
How long until some baseball team stages individual entrances at the start of a game so the players can come out WWE style instead of taking the field as a group?
You know it's coming, complete with a tunnel, music, smoke machines and fireworks.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
The Stanley Cup currently belongs to the Washington Capitals, and it doesn't seem like many people outside of Pittsburgh expect the Penguins to repossess it this spring.
The Penguins appear to be waddling under the radar in discussions of possible Cup winners, which raises the question:
Was last season a bump along the way or was it the beginning of the end?
Sports Illustrated, which cares as much about the NHL as your cat does, has them losing to Florida in the first round of the playoffs. (Hey, at least SI has them making the playoffs, right?)
They're still loaded with talent, especially at the center position. Sidney Crosby is 31, which means his peak years are nearing an end. However, he's not finished.
Same for Evgeni Malkin, now 32. The two sides of Malkin were on display in the opener -- an egregious turnover that led to a Washington goal, followed by an impressive play to set up a Penguins goal.
Kris Letang and Phil Kessel are both 31. When a team's core of stars is all on the wrong side of 30, there's reason to doubt. It's a young man's league, and speed rules.
Letang has a dubious injury history, and Crosby is always a concussion away from having his career in jeopardy. There will come a time when the Penguins' stars exit, which is what the Steelers experienced after their Super Bowl run of the 1970s ended.
There were a lot of wistful press conferences, followed by the acquisition of replacements who weren't nearly as good. After that incredible run, the Steelers sank into mediocrity for a decade.
Sometimes the end comes without much advance notice. Jack Lambert, one of the toughest guys to ever play in the NFL, was done in by turf toe. The Steelers were convinced that Terry Bradshaw was good for another three seasons, but he blew out his elbow and was finished without warning.
It doesn't appear the Penguins are yet at that precipice, but it's coming one of these days. It seems unlikely that will happen during the current season, though.
It's reasonable to think the Penguins won't win the Cup this year, but foolish to exclude them from the discussion.
---
The Steelers need to get in gear, and 1 o'clock this afternoon would be a good time to start.
The Atlanta Falcons visit, and they're a team with great offensive potential and a very questionable defense.
Kind of sounds like the Steelers, doesn't it?
Get ready. This could light up the scoreboard.
Remember that the Steelers have already had a game in which they scored 37 points and didn't win.
---
Baseball has changed, and players tend to be much more demonstrative on the field than previous generations were.
Still, it's jarring to see players in high-stakes postseason games taking the time to look at their dugout and pump their fists as they run to first base.
Showing off is so ingrained now that it doesn't even take a break in the postseason.
One other completely pointless observation: If there's that much Gatorade left to spill on the star of the game, the staff is mixing up entirely too much Gatorade.
---
How long until some baseball team stages individual entrances at the start of a game so the players can come out WWE style instead of taking the field as a group?
You know it's coming, complete with a tunnel, music, smoke machines and fireworks.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Altoona Mirror, October 3, 2018
If this is Wednesday, it's time to sort through some of the things that happened in the Steelers' Sunday night game against the Baltimore Ravens.
--Ben Roethlisberger called it a bad day at the office, and it certainly was. His passer rating was a mediocre 72.5, but you didn't need that number to know he was off most of the night. Despite a long touchdown pass, he and Antonio Brown don't seem to clicking. Play makers have to make plays, and Roethlisberger has only been at his usual level in two of the four games.
--No he's not too old. Roethlisberger correctly noted on his Tuesday radio show that people were praising him for his work in the Tampa Bay game. He didn't age that much in six days. Something is off, though.
--The latest reports suggest Le'Veon Bell will be back in a few weeks. That won't be a moment too soon. For all the angry "who needs him?" sentiments that have come from his holdout, the Steelers clearly need him. You don't take one of the premier offensive players out of the lineup without noticing the difference.
--The Steelers' philosophy has long been "next man up" when injuries hit. In the case of the non-injured Bell and the severely-injured Ryan Shazier, that's hollow talk. The "next man" isn't nearly as good.
--Falling behind 14-0 in a matter of minutes took the crowd out of the game. It's been said before, but it's worth repeating: There's no real home field advantage at Heinz Field. The extra seats and luxury boxes are great for the Steelers' bottom line, but there isn't the noise edge that Three Rivers Stadium provided for 30 years.
--The Steelers only ran the ball 11 times, and only 10 of those were legitimate rushing attempts. All but one of them went to James Conner. Why? Conner couldn't get any traction, so why not try one of the other backs?
--You can make the case the Steelers defense was better because they held the Ravens to field goals in the second half and kept the game manageable. But the case can also be made that the defense failed because they couldn't stop the Ravens and allowed Baltimore to dominate time of possession.
--The Steelers really need to win this Sunday's home game against Atlanta to get back to .500 (plus a tie) and to get some measure of confidence. They're at Cincinnati the following week, and that looks like a tougher assignment than it did a month ago.
---
The Pirates' decision to fire hitting coaches Jeff Branson and Jeff Livesey has a lot to do with the regression of Josh Bell.
Bell went from 26 home runs to 12, and the staff didn't seem to have answers for that. On a team as desperate for power as the Pirates are, that sort of decline can't happen.
Branson and Livesey put in plenty of time with Bell, but couldn't correct things.
---
Congratulations to Chris Rickens of Altoona, who accurately forecast the Pirates would win 82 games.
Chris was closer to the number of home runs the Pirates hit (157) and thus won the tiebreaker to claim the 2018 Guess How Many Games The Pirates Will Win contest.
Honorable mention (but no prize) to Joe Maschue, who also projected 82 wins but lost on the darned tiebreaker.
Thanks to everyone who participated. Here's hoping we can do it again in March.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
--Ben Roethlisberger called it a bad day at the office, and it certainly was. His passer rating was a mediocre 72.5, but you didn't need that number to know he was off most of the night. Despite a long touchdown pass, he and Antonio Brown don't seem to clicking. Play makers have to make plays, and Roethlisberger has only been at his usual level in two of the four games.
--No he's not too old. Roethlisberger correctly noted on his Tuesday radio show that people were praising him for his work in the Tampa Bay game. He didn't age that much in six days. Something is off, though.
--The latest reports suggest Le'Veon Bell will be back in a few weeks. That won't be a moment too soon. For all the angry "who needs him?" sentiments that have come from his holdout, the Steelers clearly need him. You don't take one of the premier offensive players out of the lineup without noticing the difference.
--The Steelers' philosophy has long been "next man up" when injuries hit. In the case of the non-injured Bell and the severely-injured Ryan Shazier, that's hollow talk. The "next man" isn't nearly as good.
--Falling behind 14-0 in a matter of minutes took the crowd out of the game. It's been said before, but it's worth repeating: There's no real home field advantage at Heinz Field. The extra seats and luxury boxes are great for the Steelers' bottom line, but there isn't the noise edge that Three Rivers Stadium provided for 30 years.
--The Steelers only ran the ball 11 times, and only 10 of those were legitimate rushing attempts. All but one of them went to James Conner. Why? Conner couldn't get any traction, so why not try one of the other backs?
--You can make the case the Steelers defense was better because they held the Ravens to field goals in the second half and kept the game manageable. But the case can also be made that the defense failed because they couldn't stop the Ravens and allowed Baltimore to dominate time of possession.
--The Steelers really need to win this Sunday's home game against Atlanta to get back to .500 (plus a tie) and to get some measure of confidence. They're at Cincinnati the following week, and that looks like a tougher assignment than it did a month ago.
---
The Pirates' decision to fire hitting coaches Jeff Branson and Jeff Livesey has a lot to do with the regression of Josh Bell.
Bell went from 26 home runs to 12, and the staff didn't seem to have answers for that. On a team as desperate for power as the Pirates are, that sort of decline can't happen.
Branson and Livesey put in plenty of time with Bell, but couldn't correct things.
---
Congratulations to Chris Rickens of Altoona, who accurately forecast the Pirates would win 82 games.
Chris was closer to the number of home runs the Pirates hit (157) and thus won the tiebreaker to claim the 2018 Guess How Many Games The Pirates Will Win contest.
Honorable mention (but no prize) to Joe Maschue, who also projected 82 wins but lost on the darned tiebreaker.
Thanks to everyone who participated. Here's hoping we can do it again in March.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Sunday, September 30, 2018
Altoona Mirror, September 30, 2018
So now Steelers Nation has caught up to the rest of the world in viewing James Harrison as Public Enemy No. 1.
Harrison turned up on TV last week to advise Le'Veon Bell to report to the Steelers, then claim an injury that would make him unable to play.
That would mean Bell would get his paychecks without doing anything.
Harrison knows how that works, because that was his game plan for his final season with the Steelers. Once he realized he wasn't going to play, he put in minimal effort and generally looked out for only himself.
It ran contrary to the effort Harrison put forth as a player, but things soured quickly and apparently irreversibly.
So now he's on the sidelines, firing darts at the Steelers at every opportunity. It's kind of like the old pro wrestling gimmick where a guy deserts his allies and becomes their enemy, for profit.
Thanks to cable TV and social media, there are plenty of those opportunities to irritate the Steelers. It's OK, given that Harrison never seemed to be a let bygones be bygones type of guy anyway.
Meanwhile, Bell is doing whatever he's doing, which is everything but playing football. Mike Tomlin said last week that he's not answering questions about Bell, which makes sense. There are no answers, really.
It's a stalemate devoid of any logic, so it's up to Bell.
The advice that Harrison relayed was so bad, you have to figure that Bell will take it into consideration.
---
If you're as power starved as the Pirates are and know that home run hitters are the most difficult and expensive commodity to acquire, wouldn't you jump at the chance to get a hitter at a discount price?
They have that opportunity. The Pirates hold a $5.5 million option on Jung Ho Kang for next season. They should pick that up, and quickly.
There is considerable risk involved. Aside from this weekend series, Kang hasn't played in the major leagues since 2016. He had wrist surgery during this season. He'll be 32 years old at the start of next season.
But the Pirates desperately need power, even more so with Gregory Polanco possibly missing almost half the season after shoulder surgery. They have an opening at third base, where Colin Moran's rookie season was OK but not spectacular.
If Kang isn't motivated by the feeling that he owes the Pirates something after missing two seasons (he was paid for this year), he should have an interest in reviving his major league career.
There's no better place for him than Pittsburgh, where his skills mesh with the Pirates' need. He's capable of 25 home runs.
The Pirates have hit more than 100 fewer home runs than the New York Yankees. If you want to argue the Yankees are an aberration because they've had a record-setting season with home runs, try this one for size. The Pirates have hit almost 70 fewer home runs than the Oakland Athletics. They're almost 60 behind the Milwaukee Brewers.
Home runs rule today. They're game changers. In today's game, $5.5 million isn't a lot of money. The Pirates wasted $5.75 million on Sean Rodriguez this season. Even an ordinary player like Jordy Mercer cost $6.75 million this season.
If outside alternatives were abundant, this might be a different scenario. They aren't, though.
The free agent market is unpredictable. Trades are a possibility, but the Pirates just sacrificed three prospects of some note to get Chris Archer.
Does Kang's power potential offset the considerable baggage he carries? In the Pirates' case, yes.
---
Those Senate confirmation hearings were so hostile and contentious, the scene resembled a Clint Hurdle media briefing.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
Harrison turned up on TV last week to advise Le'Veon Bell to report to the Steelers, then claim an injury that would make him unable to play.
That would mean Bell would get his paychecks without doing anything.
Harrison knows how that works, because that was his game plan for his final season with the Steelers. Once he realized he wasn't going to play, he put in minimal effort and generally looked out for only himself.
It ran contrary to the effort Harrison put forth as a player, but things soured quickly and apparently irreversibly.
So now he's on the sidelines, firing darts at the Steelers at every opportunity. It's kind of like the old pro wrestling gimmick where a guy deserts his allies and becomes their enemy, for profit.
Thanks to cable TV and social media, there are plenty of those opportunities to irritate the Steelers. It's OK, given that Harrison never seemed to be a let bygones be bygones type of guy anyway.
Meanwhile, Bell is doing whatever he's doing, which is everything but playing football. Mike Tomlin said last week that he's not answering questions about Bell, which makes sense. There are no answers, really.
It's a stalemate devoid of any logic, so it's up to Bell.
The advice that Harrison relayed was so bad, you have to figure that Bell will take it into consideration.
---
If you're as power starved as the Pirates are and know that home run hitters are the most difficult and expensive commodity to acquire, wouldn't you jump at the chance to get a hitter at a discount price?
They have that opportunity. The Pirates hold a $5.5 million option on Jung Ho Kang for next season. They should pick that up, and quickly.
There is considerable risk involved. Aside from this weekend series, Kang hasn't played in the major leagues since 2016. He had wrist surgery during this season. He'll be 32 years old at the start of next season.
But the Pirates desperately need power, even more so with Gregory Polanco possibly missing almost half the season after shoulder surgery. They have an opening at third base, where Colin Moran's rookie season was OK but not spectacular.
If Kang isn't motivated by the feeling that he owes the Pirates something after missing two seasons (he was paid for this year), he should have an interest in reviving his major league career.
There's no better place for him than Pittsburgh, where his skills mesh with the Pirates' need. He's capable of 25 home runs.
The Pirates have hit more than 100 fewer home runs than the New York Yankees. If you want to argue the Yankees are an aberration because they've had a record-setting season with home runs, try this one for size. The Pirates have hit almost 70 fewer home runs than the Oakland Athletics. They're almost 60 behind the Milwaukee Brewers.
Home runs rule today. They're game changers. In today's game, $5.5 million isn't a lot of money. The Pirates wasted $5.75 million on Sean Rodriguez this season. Even an ordinary player like Jordy Mercer cost $6.75 million this season.
If outside alternatives were abundant, this might be a different scenario. They aren't, though.
The free agent market is unpredictable. Trades are a possibility, but the Pirates just sacrificed three prospects of some note to get Chris Archer.
Does Kang's power potential offset the considerable baggage he carries? In the Pirates' case, yes.
---
Those Senate confirmation hearings were so hostile and contentious, the scene resembled a Clint Hurdle media briefing.
(John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com)
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