Here's the dilemma: The Pirates need a veteran pitcher to anchor a 2017 rotation that will probably be short on experience.
Ivan Nova, who might be the prize of the limited free agent market this winter, is already here.
Reports say he's looking for a five-year deal worth $70 million. Is that kind of investment justified for a pitcher who will be 30 next season, and who has a spotty record of accomplishment prior to a string of fine starts for the Pirates?
Nova is a ground ball pitcher and a strike thrower. Does that merit a five-year commitment that will eat a big chunk of the payroll?
Highly unlikely. Nova's agent says the Pirates have made a couple of offers, but it's doubtful any of them are near five years and $70 million.
It also makes no sense for Nova to commit to a deal before shopping the free agent market. There may be an offer even crazier than the one he wants.
---
--NO PANIC
NFL TV ratings were down after the first two weeks of the season.
Some have attributed this to a backlash to the national anthem protests. More likely it's two factors -- the absence of some big names and the nice weather that has lingered in the Midwest and northeast.
A Super Bowl rematch is always a good season opener, but maybe not so much with Peyton Manning retired to a full-time career in commercials.
We get confined to quarters for so much of the season, when the NFL is a welcome distraction. But if the weather is still warm and the sun is shining, camping in front of the TV is a less appealing option.
If the ratings are still down after eight weeks, it's a story. Not now.
---
--WASTE OF TIME
These are stressful times for Penguins manager Jim Rutherford, who is just three months removed from kissing the Stanley Cup.
The Penguins have opened training camp, but more than $20 million worth of Rutherford's players are participating in the meaningless World Cup tournament.
Blame it on Canada. Canadians are wonderful people. The brew excellent beer, their bacon is superb and you have to love the colourful way they insert an extra "u' in certain words, eh?
But they're paranoid about hockey, and they take every challenge personally. Thus you get make-believe tournaments like the World Cup.
So Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who played into mid-June, are expending energy playing in a tournament that proves nothing. Then they'll come to Pittsburgh to begin an 82-game season, followed by playoffs that may last for two months.
Oh, Canada. Stop being so touchy about international hockey. Let the players devote their effort to the teams that pay them.
---
--NO THOUGHT
You watch MLB games and wonder what's going through the players' heads, aside from an occasional gentle breeze.
Maybe they're so busy socializing with players from the other team that they forget the basics of playing the game.
Case in point: Friday night's game between Washington and the Pirates. Pedro Florimon had come into the game as a pinch runner and was on first base with two outs
Sean Rodriguez lined a ball that sailed over the center fielder's head. Replay cameras caught Florimon going at less than full speed toward second while his head was turned toward the outfield, watching the play.
The rule is the same if you're in Class A or the major leagues: Two outs, you take off on contact and run hard. If the ball is caught, it doesn't matter. At least you've had the workout of a sprint.
Florimon scored, but had to slide. A better throw may have gotten him, and added a new entry to the endless list of heartbreaking ways the Pirates have lost games this season.
Pedro Florimon, taking it easy? What's wrong with that picture?
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Altoona Mirror, September 18, 2016
So what do we get at 1 o'clock this afternoon, NFL or WWE?
It's the first showdown of the season between the Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals and, just as the TV announcers always say, these are two teams that just don't like each other very much.
The last time they shared a field was January's playoff game in Cincinnati, which threatened to become a street fight.
There were suspensions from that, and the NFL even passed a new rule that prohibits assistant coaches from going onto the field for injury situations (Hello, Joey Porter).
Emotions run high, and that's a good thing. It makes for a compelling game. But if they bubble over, there's trouble. The NFL is well aware of how that works, thanks to the playoff game.
You can be sure the NFL has contacted both teams about keeping things under control, and the officials have undoubtedly been instructed to start throwing flags at the first hint of trouble.
Cincinnati's Vontaze Burfict is suspended for this game, so that's one large supply of gasoline that won't be thrown on any brush fires. But there are enough hotheads on both sides to make things volatile. Adam (He Doesn't Go By Pacman Anymore) Jones still plays for the Bengals.
We'll find out soon enough how this one unfolds. It's better for all concerned if the focus is on football.
---
--IT'S ON AGAIN
Speaking of rivalries that boiled over, Penn State and Pitt got things back up to speed last week after a too-long layoff.
This one used to be burn white hot, as illustrated by one incident from a routine weekly press luncheon at Pitt one year.
Aside from the complimentary hot meal, one mainstay of those events was the conference call with the opposing coach.
They'd get the guy on speaker phone, and he'd say a bunch of complimentary things about Pitt that could be used to fill advance stories for the week.
One week when Penn State was the opponent, Joe Paterno was on the line. Before anyone could ask anything, Joe was on the warpath about the lousy tickets Pitt had sent for his family to use for the game at Pitt Stadium.
"Geez, we take good care of them when they come here," was the basis of what he said.
So almost instantly, the Pitt people were staring daggers at the speaker box and muttering among themselves. In one corner of the room, Beano Cook was bellowing that it was all "unbelievable."
And just like that, things were at a boiling point five days before anybody suited up for the actual game.
Those were two programs that just didn't like each other very much. It was nice to see it ramp up again last Saturday.
---
--BIG DECISION
A lousy season will make an interesting offseason for the Pirates.
No decision will be bigger than what to do with Andrew McCutchen. Has the late-season surge raised his trade value after four mediocre months? If so, do the Pirates deal him and reconfigure the outfield to put Josh Bell in right field?
McCutchen has two years left on his contract (the second is a club option) and McCutchen won't be around beyond that. In addition to this year's hitting struggles, he's become a below-average center fielder.
What is the market for him? Are there teams that will view his first four months as an aberration?
Deciding McCutchen's future is where the Pirates' offseason starts.
---
NO MULTI-TASKING
One thing the Pirates might want to emphasize in 2017:
Just focus on playing ball, and don't bother trying to umpire, too.
It's the first showdown of the season between the Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals and, just as the TV announcers always say, these are two teams that just don't like each other very much.
The last time they shared a field was January's playoff game in Cincinnati, which threatened to become a street fight.
There were suspensions from that, and the NFL even passed a new rule that prohibits assistant coaches from going onto the field for injury situations (Hello, Joey Porter).
Emotions run high, and that's a good thing. It makes for a compelling game. But if they bubble over, there's trouble. The NFL is well aware of how that works, thanks to the playoff game.
You can be sure the NFL has contacted both teams about keeping things under control, and the officials have undoubtedly been instructed to start throwing flags at the first hint of trouble.
Cincinnati's Vontaze Burfict is suspended for this game, so that's one large supply of gasoline that won't be thrown on any brush fires. But there are enough hotheads on both sides to make things volatile. Adam (He Doesn't Go By Pacman Anymore) Jones still plays for the Bengals.
We'll find out soon enough how this one unfolds. It's better for all concerned if the focus is on football.
---
--IT'S ON AGAIN
Speaking of rivalries that boiled over, Penn State and Pitt got things back up to speed last week after a too-long layoff.
This one used to be burn white hot, as illustrated by one incident from a routine weekly press luncheon at Pitt one year.
Aside from the complimentary hot meal, one mainstay of those events was the conference call with the opposing coach.
They'd get the guy on speaker phone, and he'd say a bunch of complimentary things about Pitt that could be used to fill advance stories for the week.
One week when Penn State was the opponent, Joe Paterno was on the line. Before anyone could ask anything, Joe was on the warpath about the lousy tickets Pitt had sent for his family to use for the game at Pitt Stadium.
"Geez, we take good care of them when they come here," was the basis of what he said.
So almost instantly, the Pitt people were staring daggers at the speaker box and muttering among themselves. In one corner of the room, Beano Cook was bellowing that it was all "unbelievable."
And just like that, things were at a boiling point five days before anybody suited up for the actual game.
Those were two programs that just didn't like each other very much. It was nice to see it ramp up again last Saturday.
---
--BIG DECISION
A lousy season will make an interesting offseason for the Pirates.
No decision will be bigger than what to do with Andrew McCutchen. Has the late-season surge raised his trade value after four mediocre months? If so, do the Pirates deal him and reconfigure the outfield to put Josh Bell in right field?
McCutchen has two years left on his contract (the second is a club option) and McCutchen won't be around beyond that. In addition to this year's hitting struggles, he's become a below-average center fielder.
What is the market for him? Are there teams that will view his first four months as an aberration?
Deciding McCutchen's future is where the Pirates' offseason starts.
---
NO MULTI-TASKING
One thing the Pirates might want to emphasize in 2017:
Just focus on playing ball, and don't bother trying to umpire, too.
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Altoona Mirror, September 11, 2016
This is the time of year when a lot of NFL teams are selecting their starting quarterback.
For the Minnesota Vikings, it's a last-second decision brought on by a freak non-contact practice injury to Teddy Bridgewater. The Los Angeles Rams have chosen someone named Case Keenum ahead of overall No. 1 draft pick Jared Goff, who will be the team's No. 3 quarterback for at least one game.
The hapless Cleveland Browns are going with Robert Griffin III, even though the coaching staff doubts his ability to read defenses after four years in the league.
The quarterback decisions make for an interesting preseason coverage, but it's no way to run a football team.
Makes you realize how fortunate the Steelers are to have a franchise-caliber quarterback who should still have a few years left on his career.
Ben Roethlisberger has grown up before our eyes, from the indifferent and obnoxiously entitled rookie who alienated teammates to a guy who's an automatic choice for team captain. He's gone from someone whose encounters with random women drew police attention to a father of three who recently spent an off day at the zoo with his family.
He's matured from a quarterback who mostly handed the ball to Jerome Bettis to a force who can take over any game.
Sports fans seem to be blessed with a strange brand of amnesia that allows them to block out past reality, no matter how recent it is. That's why Pirates fans can complain about "only" getting to the wild card after the team has had 20 losing seasons.
And that's why people who complain about Roethlisberger don't seem to have any recollection of the Cliff Stoudt/Mark Malone/Bubby Brister/Neil O'Donnell/Kordell Stewart/Kent Graham/Mike Tomczak/Tommy Maddox succession that formed a wobbly bridge from one Hall of Famer, Terry Bradshaw, to another likely Hall selection in Roethlisberger.
One of these days, Roethlisberger won't be there. The odds are the Steelers will be one of those teams making an announcement about who will start at quarterback.
Things could be Cliff Stoudt scary again.
---
--DIRECTIONS NEEDED
A lot of people want to know who coaches the Pirates on base running.
It's an issue because of the frequent mishaps on the bases. The Pirates have shown the ability to get thrown out at any of the four bases, usually at the worst possible time.
Replacing a coach would be simple, but it's not the answer.
Base running is on the players. They need to make split-second decisions, and making the correct ones has been a significant challenge.
For all the instruction they get, players have to process the information and decide when to go and when to stay.
The coaches are no more responsible for that than the driver training instructor is to blame when a teenage decides to run a red light.
---
--NEVER ENDS
You see college coaches attending Friday night high school games and you realize what an endless grind college coaching is.
Recruiting never stops. Some people are naturals at sales, but you have to think that trying to convince a parade of 17-year-olds to accept a scholarship gets old at some point.
---
--YOU'RE WELCOME
Cranky old guy observation: When you see kids gladly accept a baseball flipped to them by a ball girl or a player, do they ever say thanks?
---
--IT'S ON AGAIN
Penn State vs. Pitt lived up to expectations.
Oh, to have a dime for every mean-spirited Tweet that was posted, and a dollar for every tasteless t-shirt that was sold.
For the Minnesota Vikings, it's a last-second decision brought on by a freak non-contact practice injury to Teddy Bridgewater. The Los Angeles Rams have chosen someone named Case Keenum ahead of overall No. 1 draft pick Jared Goff, who will be the team's No. 3 quarterback for at least one game.
The hapless Cleveland Browns are going with Robert Griffin III, even though the coaching staff doubts his ability to read defenses after four years in the league.
The quarterback decisions make for an interesting preseason coverage, but it's no way to run a football team.
Makes you realize how fortunate the Steelers are to have a franchise-caliber quarterback who should still have a few years left on his career.
Ben Roethlisberger has grown up before our eyes, from the indifferent and obnoxiously entitled rookie who alienated teammates to a guy who's an automatic choice for team captain. He's gone from someone whose encounters with random women drew police attention to a father of three who recently spent an off day at the zoo with his family.
He's matured from a quarterback who mostly handed the ball to Jerome Bettis to a force who can take over any game.
Sports fans seem to be blessed with a strange brand of amnesia that allows them to block out past reality, no matter how recent it is. That's why Pirates fans can complain about "only" getting to the wild card after the team has had 20 losing seasons.
And that's why people who complain about Roethlisberger don't seem to have any recollection of the Cliff Stoudt/Mark Malone/Bubby Brister/Neil O'Donnell/Kordell Stewart/Kent Graham/Mike Tomczak/Tommy Maddox succession that formed a wobbly bridge from one Hall of Famer, Terry Bradshaw, to another likely Hall selection in Roethlisberger.
One of these days, Roethlisberger won't be there. The odds are the Steelers will be one of those teams making an announcement about who will start at quarterback.
Things could be Cliff Stoudt scary again.
---
--DIRECTIONS NEEDED
A lot of people want to know who coaches the Pirates on base running.
It's an issue because of the frequent mishaps on the bases. The Pirates have shown the ability to get thrown out at any of the four bases, usually at the worst possible time.
Replacing a coach would be simple, but it's not the answer.
Base running is on the players. They need to make split-second decisions, and making the correct ones has been a significant challenge.
For all the instruction they get, players have to process the information and decide when to go and when to stay.
The coaches are no more responsible for that than the driver training instructor is to blame when a teenage decides to run a red light.
---
--NEVER ENDS
You see college coaches attending Friday night high school games and you realize what an endless grind college coaching is.
Recruiting never stops. Some people are naturals at sales, but you have to think that trying to convince a parade of 17-year-olds to accept a scholarship gets old at some point.
---
--YOU'RE WELCOME
Cranky old guy observation: When you see kids gladly accept a baseball flipped to them by a ball girl or a player, do they ever say thanks?
---
--IT'S ON AGAIN
Penn State vs. Pitt lived up to expectations.
Oh, to have a dime for every mean-spirited Tweet that was posted, and a dollar for every tasteless t-shirt that was sold.
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Altoona Mirror, September 4, 2016
Penn State plays Pitt at Heinz Field this Saturday, and it's more than the revival of a storied rivalry.
It's a referendum on Pitt football.
Pitt athletic director Scott Barnes hasn't been on the job that long. On Saturday he'll get a first-hand look at how the Panthers' football program fits into the Pittsburgh sports scene.
The game is sold out, and it's rare that Heinz Field is packed for a Saturday game. That usually depends on the opponent, never more so than it will this week.
Pitt has two basic problems in trying to sell its football program to fans. The first is the Steelers own the town. The No. 2 area of football interest might be the high schools.
Pitt had too many years of mediocrity and too much turmoil to either build or maintain a large fan base.
The other battle has been the large number of Penn State and West Virginia alumni who live in western Pennsylvania. Not only are they not Pitt fans, they delight in seeing Pitt on the wrong end of something like a 48-14 score whenever possible.
That brings us to this game. The stadium will be full, but what will the percentage of allegiance be? There are reports some Penn State fans bought a full Pitt season ticket just to get this game.
Will it be 70-30 in Pitt's favor? Is 60-40 a more realistic ratio? Could it be 50-50?
Scott Barnes will take the pulse this Saturday.
---
--WALKER'S WOES
The timing couldn't have been worse for Neil Walker.
He's on the verge of free agency, and he'll head into the market after having back surgery that ended his season prematurely.
That's not the strongest negotiating position for a 31-year-old second baseman whose defensive range is already limited.
Walker had solid numbers with the Mets -- a career-best .823 OPS, a .282 average, second-best in his career, while matching his high for home runs with 23.
But his status is clouded by the surgery. He's expected to make a full recovery, but how much is a team willing to guarantee a player over 30 who's coming off surgery?
Instead of hitting the jackpot, Walker may have to settle for a one-year deal somewhere that's loaded with incentives based on how much he can play and how productive he is.
Walker has been paid around $28 million so far in his major league career. Had he stayed healthy, there's a good chance he would have exceeded that total with a three-year deal somewhere.
Now he'll likely have to wait until he can convince teams that he's healthy enough for a multi-year commitment.
---
--BACK TOGETHER AGAIN
All reunions have a degree of wistfulness about them, and that was certainly the case when some of the 1971 World Series champion Pirates gathered this weekend.
Eight of the players from the 25-man World Series have died. A few others were unable to travel.
The hair is gray among those who still have some. When the former teammates gather, they're as likely to talk about their grandchildren as they are to recall stories from the old days.
There's another reason to feel some pangs of nostalgia. The 1971 team was the Pirates' last championship team in the era before the baseball landscape changed radically.
Salary arbitration didn't go into effect until 1974. Free agency followed two years later. Fans who followed the Pirates in 1971 never had a worry about service time, years of control or players opting to leave or becoming too expensive to keep.
Under the current system, maybe the Pirates would have been forced to choose among Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell and Al Oliver rather than having them play in the same outfield.
Nobody left the team until the team decided it was time for them to go. The system wasn't fair for the players, and that's why it changed.
But it was a great time to be a fan.
It's a referendum on Pitt football.
Pitt athletic director Scott Barnes hasn't been on the job that long. On Saturday he'll get a first-hand look at how the Panthers' football program fits into the Pittsburgh sports scene.
The game is sold out, and it's rare that Heinz Field is packed for a Saturday game. That usually depends on the opponent, never more so than it will this week.
Pitt has two basic problems in trying to sell its football program to fans. The first is the Steelers own the town. The No. 2 area of football interest might be the high schools.
Pitt had too many years of mediocrity and too much turmoil to either build or maintain a large fan base.
The other battle has been the large number of Penn State and West Virginia alumni who live in western Pennsylvania. Not only are they not Pitt fans, they delight in seeing Pitt on the wrong end of something like a 48-14 score whenever possible.
That brings us to this game. The stadium will be full, but what will the percentage of allegiance be? There are reports some Penn State fans bought a full Pitt season ticket just to get this game.
Will it be 70-30 in Pitt's favor? Is 60-40 a more realistic ratio? Could it be 50-50?
Scott Barnes will take the pulse this Saturday.
---
--WALKER'S WOES
The timing couldn't have been worse for Neil Walker.
He's on the verge of free agency, and he'll head into the market after having back surgery that ended his season prematurely.
That's not the strongest negotiating position for a 31-year-old second baseman whose defensive range is already limited.
Walker had solid numbers with the Mets -- a career-best .823 OPS, a .282 average, second-best in his career, while matching his high for home runs with 23.
But his status is clouded by the surgery. He's expected to make a full recovery, but how much is a team willing to guarantee a player over 30 who's coming off surgery?
Instead of hitting the jackpot, Walker may have to settle for a one-year deal somewhere that's loaded with incentives based on how much he can play and how productive he is.
Walker has been paid around $28 million so far in his major league career. Had he stayed healthy, there's a good chance he would have exceeded that total with a three-year deal somewhere.
Now he'll likely have to wait until he can convince teams that he's healthy enough for a multi-year commitment.
---
--BACK TOGETHER AGAIN
All reunions have a degree of wistfulness about them, and that was certainly the case when some of the 1971 World Series champion Pirates gathered this weekend.
Eight of the players from the 25-man World Series have died. A few others were unable to travel.
The hair is gray among those who still have some. When the former teammates gather, they're as likely to talk about their grandchildren as they are to recall stories from the old days.
There's another reason to feel some pangs of nostalgia. The 1971 team was the Pirates' last championship team in the era before the baseball landscape changed radically.
Salary arbitration didn't go into effect until 1974. Free agency followed two years later. Fans who followed the Pirates in 1971 never had a worry about service time, years of control or players opting to leave or becoming too expensive to keep.
Under the current system, maybe the Pirates would have been forced to choose among Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell and Al Oliver rather than having them play in the same outfield.
Nobody left the team until the team decided it was time for them to go. The system wasn't fair for the players, and that's why it changed.
But it was a great time to be a fan.
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Altoona Mirror, August 28, 2016
Gerrit Cole is in California, having his right elbow examined, which means the Pirates are likely to hit September with exactly zero of their original starting pitchers in the rotation.
Francisco Liriano and Jon Niese have been traded, and Jeff Locke and Juan Nicasio have been shuffled off to the bullpen. Now Cole is in the waiting room of a specialist, thumbing through a stale People magazine and hoping there's nothing wrong with his elbow.
This has been an incredibly disjointed season. The Pirates' ability to contend for the postseason speaks to the mediocrity of the National League beyond the Cubs and Nationals more than anything.
If you're old enough, this should remind you of 1973.
The Pirates were defending National League East champions, coming off a 96-59 record, but it was a different team. Roberto Clemente was gone, and the Pirates would soon discover that 19-game winner Steve Blass had lost the ability to control his pitches.
The '73 Pirates sputtered all season in a mediocre division, There were never more than six games over .500, as many as eight games under that mark. Their longest winning streak was seven games, the longest losing streak was six games. They had one winning month.
It seemed like it was a season-long ordeal of win a couple, lose a couple. They could never get separation from the pack.
General manager Joe L. Brown, who was always a cool hand on the throttle, gave in to panic and fired manager Bill Virdon on Sept. 6, with the team in second place, just three games out. Brown thought bringing Danny Murtaugh back could salvage the season. But the Pirates split their last 26 games under Murtaugh.
That led to one final agony. They played a make-up game the day after the season ended. The San Diego Padres had to fly across the country for the afternoon game at Three Rivers Stadium, which drew 2,572 ticket buyers.
Although the Pirates had beaten the Padres in eight of 11 games, they lost the last one 4-3. The result was a moot point anyway, because the Mets had clinched the division by winning their own make-up game earlier in Chicago. The Mets won the division with an 82-79 record. The Pirates finished 80-82 and went home. No wild card in those days, kids.
The good news? The Pirates made changes and won the division in 1974 and '75, came close in '77, came very close in '78 and won the World Series in 1979.
So as agonizing as 1973 was, it was just a painful detour along the way to more success.
---
--BUBBLE BURST
If you ever needed proof of the media conspiracy to keep valuable information from the public, this is it:
It appears Clint Hurdle has given up his bubble gum habit and switched to sunflower seeds.
Those hundreds of shots of Hurdle in the dugout used to catch him working on a giant wad of pink Dubble Bubble. Spies report he would chew eight pieces at a time.
There are still buckets of gum in the dugout. (A fresh supply is imperative because Dubble Bubble is formulated to lose its flavor in less than 45 seconds).
But Hurdle doesn't seem to be indulging. He's gone from the sweet to the salty, chewing on seeds and spraying the shells.
What happened? Dental issues? Trying to change his luck in a subpar season? Jaw fatigue from working that big hunk of gum?
We don't know.
Seems like this should be a story that's right in Robby (Root) Incmikoski's investigative wheelhouse.
---
--BUSY STREETS
Pitt opens the football season this Saturday with a home game against Villanova.
Down the street, the Pirates will have a home game against the Brewers that evening.
In between, the annual Ribfest and its free concerts will be staged outside of Heinz Field. Considering the limited surface parking and road closures, you should probably leave the house now.
Francisco Liriano and Jon Niese have been traded, and Jeff Locke and Juan Nicasio have been shuffled off to the bullpen. Now Cole is in the waiting room of a specialist, thumbing through a stale People magazine and hoping there's nothing wrong with his elbow.
This has been an incredibly disjointed season. The Pirates' ability to contend for the postseason speaks to the mediocrity of the National League beyond the Cubs and Nationals more than anything.
If you're old enough, this should remind you of 1973.
The Pirates were defending National League East champions, coming off a 96-59 record, but it was a different team. Roberto Clemente was gone, and the Pirates would soon discover that 19-game winner Steve Blass had lost the ability to control his pitches.
The '73 Pirates sputtered all season in a mediocre division, There were never more than six games over .500, as many as eight games under that mark. Their longest winning streak was seven games, the longest losing streak was six games. They had one winning month.
It seemed like it was a season-long ordeal of win a couple, lose a couple. They could never get separation from the pack.
General manager Joe L. Brown, who was always a cool hand on the throttle, gave in to panic and fired manager Bill Virdon on Sept. 6, with the team in second place, just three games out. Brown thought bringing Danny Murtaugh back could salvage the season. But the Pirates split their last 26 games under Murtaugh.
That led to one final agony. They played a make-up game the day after the season ended. The San Diego Padres had to fly across the country for the afternoon game at Three Rivers Stadium, which drew 2,572 ticket buyers.
Although the Pirates had beaten the Padres in eight of 11 games, they lost the last one 4-3. The result was a moot point anyway, because the Mets had clinched the division by winning their own make-up game earlier in Chicago. The Mets won the division with an 82-79 record. The Pirates finished 80-82 and went home. No wild card in those days, kids.
The good news? The Pirates made changes and won the division in 1974 and '75, came close in '77, came very close in '78 and won the World Series in 1979.
So as agonizing as 1973 was, it was just a painful detour along the way to more success.
---
--BUBBLE BURST
If you ever needed proof of the media conspiracy to keep valuable information from the public, this is it:
It appears Clint Hurdle has given up his bubble gum habit and switched to sunflower seeds.
Those hundreds of shots of Hurdle in the dugout used to catch him working on a giant wad of pink Dubble Bubble. Spies report he would chew eight pieces at a time.
There are still buckets of gum in the dugout. (A fresh supply is imperative because Dubble Bubble is formulated to lose its flavor in less than 45 seconds).
But Hurdle doesn't seem to be indulging. He's gone from the sweet to the salty, chewing on seeds and spraying the shells.
What happened? Dental issues? Trying to change his luck in a subpar season? Jaw fatigue from working that big hunk of gum?
We don't know.
Seems like this should be a story that's right in Robby (Root) Incmikoski's investigative wheelhouse.
---
--BUSY STREETS
Pitt opens the football season this Saturday with a home game against Villanova.
Down the street, the Pirates will have a home game against the Brewers that evening.
In between, the annual Ribfest and its free concerts will be staged outside of Heinz Field. Considering the limited surface parking and road closures, you should probably leave the house now.
Altoona Mirror, August 24, 2016
The Pirates signed David Freese to a two-year extension, guaranteeing him $11 million.
Good move or bad?
Wishy-washy answer: It depends.
It depends on what happens with Jung Ho Kang, who is currently being investigated for a sexual assault charge brought by a woman in Chicago in June.
In Kang is charged, he's in big trouble. Should be charged and convicted, his MLB career is over.
It's that serious.
If Kang is going to wind up missing significant time, then the Pirates have locked in Freese to play third base at an affordable price. They don't have a viable option for third base otherwise.
If Kang is cleared and returns to the form he showed last season, the Pirates have an expensive back-up player in Freese, who will be paid $6.25 million next season.
There were some troubling comments made after the signing was announced. Both general manager Neal Huntington and manager Clint Hurdle praised Freese for his value in the clubhouse and the community.
Those are great qualities, but they shouldn't be a big priority when deciding to sign players. The main factor is whether the player can help the team win games. That will make him popular in the clubhouse and with the fans.
Freese is 33. There is a possibility the Pirates have seen the best he has to offer this season.
Signing position players over 30 is always a gamble because players inevitably decline in those years. Freese is something of a different case because he isn't being counted on as an everyday player. Ideally, he should play about two-thirds of the time, and some of those would be pinch hitting appearances and coming into games late.
But 33 is still 33, and he'll actually be 34 next April. That's dangerous territory.
If he can maintain this season's level of play, and if he winds up being a replacement for Kang, the Pirates will get value on the contract.
Otherwise, that's a lot of money for a team like the Pirates to spend on a back-up.
Good move or bad?
Wishy-washy answer: It depends.
It depends on what happens with Jung Ho Kang, who is currently being investigated for a sexual assault charge brought by a woman in Chicago in June.
In Kang is charged, he's in big trouble. Should be charged and convicted, his MLB career is over.
It's that serious.
If Kang is going to wind up missing significant time, then the Pirates have locked in Freese to play third base at an affordable price. They don't have a viable option for third base otherwise.
If Kang is cleared and returns to the form he showed last season, the Pirates have an expensive back-up player in Freese, who will be paid $6.25 million next season.
There were some troubling comments made after the signing was announced. Both general manager Neal Huntington and manager Clint Hurdle praised Freese for his value in the clubhouse and the community.
Those are great qualities, but they shouldn't be a big priority when deciding to sign players. The main factor is whether the player can help the team win games. That will make him popular in the clubhouse and with the fans.
Freese is 33. There is a possibility the Pirates have seen the best he has to offer this season.
Signing position players over 30 is always a gamble because players inevitably decline in those years. Freese is something of a different case because he isn't being counted on as an everyday player. Ideally, he should play about two-thirds of the time, and some of those would be pinch hitting appearances and coming into games late.
But 33 is still 33, and he'll actually be 34 next April. That's dangerous territory.
If he can maintain this season's level of play, and if he winds up being a replacement for Kang, the Pirates will get value on the contract.
Otherwise, that's a lot of money for a team like the Pirates to spend on a back-up.
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Altoona Mirror, August 21, 2016
The hot question circulating last week was simple:
If the Pirates reached the one-game wild-card playoff round for the fourth consecutive year, which pitcher should they start?
The issue was spurred by the ongoing disappointment of Gerrit Cole's season and the corresponding rise of Jameson Taillon, who has now made 11 major league starts.
The question was ultimately pointless, though.
You don't designate an Oct. 4 starter on Aug. 21. Too many things can happen over that time.
Depending on how Taillon is used over the rest of the season, he may be at his innings limit after missing two seasons of competitive pitching.
The question also presumes the Pirates will be able to ease into the wild card game and set up a preferred pitching rotation. They may have to win the last game of the season just to qualify, so the wild card starter could be the next man up.
So, aside from killing hours on sports talk radio, the question serves no real purpose. Just something to fill the time between commercials for libido problems and bars with $2 draft specials.
---
--BIG SPLASH
You can get all weepy about the stories of courage and perseverance that are part of the Olympics, but this is reality:
The headlines can be easily hijacked by a band of drunken swimmers who misbehave, then lie about what happened.
People love a scandal, and that's why the story of the partying pool boys took over for a few days.
---
--SCARY STORY
ESPN is running a "30 for 30" film called "Darryl & Doc," a look back at the disappointing careers of Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden.
It's a story of what could have been. They had the ability to be Hall of Fame players, and their team, the Mets, had the ability to win more championships than the Bill Buckner-aided World Series victory in 1986.
The takeaway from the show is that Gooden, who is 51, appears to be at least 20 years older than that.
It's been a hard life.
---
--INTRODUCTORY PRICING
Pirates rookie utility player Adam Frazier did an autograph signing Saturday.
The promoter ran radio commercials announcing it was Frazier's first appearance in the area.
The tab was $19 per signature.
Seems like that's a lot for a guy who has fewer than 100 major league at-bats, whose career arc may wind up resembling that of Rob Mackowiak.
Makes you wonder what the price would be for a star's autograph.
---
--SUBTLE FAIL
The Pirates have had a number of disappointments this season, large and small.
One that's mostly gone under the radar has been the lousy season of Jared Hughes.
He was valuable as a sixth or seventh inning reliever, especially coming into situations where he inherited runners. He had an almost Houdini-like ability to escape those jams with minimal damage.
There's been none of that this year, and his failure has been a factor in the need to reconfigure the bullpen on the fly.
---
--BAD IDEA
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred seems amenable to just about any bad idea that's proposed.
When he was initially asked about reconsidering Pete Rose's case, he offered some hope. Thankfully it turned out to be false and Rose remains rightfully banished from baseball.
Agree now, think later seems to be his philosophy.
It was recently suggested that in the ongoing zeal to trim game times, MLB might consider limiting the number of relief pitchers a team can use.
When the Players Association gets done laughing at that one, it will disappear. The union won't stand for a measure that deprives its members of opportunities to work.
---
--FACE THE NATION
You have to love it when Le'Veon Bell posts a video apology and directs it to "Steeler Nation" as though it's a sovereign state unto itself.
Come to think of it, it may be.
If the Pirates reached the one-game wild-card playoff round for the fourth consecutive year, which pitcher should they start?
The issue was spurred by the ongoing disappointment of Gerrit Cole's season and the corresponding rise of Jameson Taillon, who has now made 11 major league starts.
The question was ultimately pointless, though.
You don't designate an Oct. 4 starter on Aug. 21. Too many things can happen over that time.
Depending on how Taillon is used over the rest of the season, he may be at his innings limit after missing two seasons of competitive pitching.
The question also presumes the Pirates will be able to ease into the wild card game and set up a preferred pitching rotation. They may have to win the last game of the season just to qualify, so the wild card starter could be the next man up.
So, aside from killing hours on sports talk radio, the question serves no real purpose. Just something to fill the time between commercials for libido problems and bars with $2 draft specials.
---
--BIG SPLASH
You can get all weepy about the stories of courage and perseverance that are part of the Olympics, but this is reality:
The headlines can be easily hijacked by a band of drunken swimmers who misbehave, then lie about what happened.
People love a scandal, and that's why the story of the partying pool boys took over for a few days.
---
--SCARY STORY
ESPN is running a "30 for 30" film called "Darryl & Doc," a look back at the disappointing careers of Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden.
It's a story of what could have been. They had the ability to be Hall of Fame players, and their team, the Mets, had the ability to win more championships than the Bill Buckner-aided World Series victory in 1986.
The takeaway from the show is that Gooden, who is 51, appears to be at least 20 years older than that.
It's been a hard life.
---
--INTRODUCTORY PRICING
Pirates rookie utility player Adam Frazier did an autograph signing Saturday.
The promoter ran radio commercials announcing it was Frazier's first appearance in the area.
The tab was $19 per signature.
Seems like that's a lot for a guy who has fewer than 100 major league at-bats, whose career arc may wind up resembling that of Rob Mackowiak.
Makes you wonder what the price would be for a star's autograph.
---
--SUBTLE FAIL
The Pirates have had a number of disappointments this season, large and small.
One that's mostly gone under the radar has been the lousy season of Jared Hughes.
He was valuable as a sixth or seventh inning reliever, especially coming into situations where he inherited runners. He had an almost Houdini-like ability to escape those jams with minimal damage.
There's been none of that this year, and his failure has been a factor in the need to reconfigure the bullpen on the fly.
---
--BAD IDEA
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred seems amenable to just about any bad idea that's proposed.
When he was initially asked about reconsidering Pete Rose's case, he offered some hope. Thankfully it turned out to be false and Rose remains rightfully banished from baseball.
Agree now, think later seems to be his philosophy.
It was recently suggested that in the ongoing zeal to trim game times, MLB might consider limiting the number of relief pitchers a team can use.
When the Players Association gets done laughing at that one, it will disappear. The union won't stand for a measure that deprives its members of opportunities to work.
---
--FACE THE NATION
You have to love it when Le'Veon Bell posts a video apology and directs it to "Steeler Nation" as though it's a sovereign state unto itself.
Come to think of it, it may be.
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