Another week has passed and the newest edition of Flavell’s Five has some topics that will write themselves this week. However, I think we have to start with the most dominant athlete in Pittsburgh right now and his front office’s inability or carelessness to build around him.
Away we go.
Screw trading Skenes, spend some money and build a team
Baseball was my first love as a kid. I played it from tee ball clear through pony league before my obvious lack of ability prevented me from going any further. I’ve resorted to a wiffleball league to fill my baseball sweet tooth.
If you’re reading this, you clearly care enough about Pittsburgh sports to have an interest in the baseball team. This notion floating around that the Pirates should just trade Skenes, kickstart a rebuild and move on with their lives is silly to me.
They sucked enough and lucked out in the lottery to get Paul Skenes. Small market teams don’t go out and have the capital to acquire a pitcher like him without hitting on him in the draft. It’s a lot harder to figure things out with your rotation than it is to sign a few bats or trade for them.
Not only do they have Skenes but they’ve got Bubba Chandler waiting in the wings. Mitch Keller is pitching very well and, like Skenes, gets no run support. Jared Jones will be back next season and a question mark coming off of elbow surgery but still intriguing nonetheless.
So please, for the love of god, quit signing Adam Fraizer and Tommy Pham-like players and acquire a real bat. Christian Walker hasn’t been very good but he would’ve inspired a lot more confidence than Spencer Horwitz at first base. It is simple things like that.
Everyone in the city of Pittsburgh - and probably beyond for the matter - likes Andrew McCutchen. But he’s probably playing his last MLB season. There is absolutely no reason that he should be anchoring as the number two hitter in your lineup at this stage. You could do a lot worse than McCutchen as a complementary piece.
You know what they say, though…Spend Nutting, Win Nutting.
Let’s have fun and play GM, however
There is a good chance the Pirates are going to allow Ben Cherington to run the draft and trade deadline again this season. If you’re worried this could set the Pirates back even further, you’re not alone. As a fun exercise, let’s at least look at some things the Pirates could do.
Trade Ke’Bryan Hayes: I don’t know how much this guy even wants to be here. Not that the Pirates need to shed more payroll but maybe they’d be more inclined to spend money elsewhere if they off-loaded the Gold Glove, not-so-silver-slugger third baseman and called up Malcolm Nunez while they’re at it.
BATS, BATS BATS!: I would assume the Pirates will trade one of Bailey Falter or Andrew Heaney at the deadline. Keller could go but I don’t know if that’s smart. Dennis Santana, Isaiah Kiner-Falefa, and Adam Fraizer feel like safe bets to find new homes. I don’t want any pitchers back. Get hitters and build up some sort of possible future hitting pipeline beyond guys like Konnor Griffin and Termarr Johnson who are still multiple steps from MLB.
I am aMUSEd by the Pens’ head coach hire
If your name is Dan or Mike, you should consider throwing your name into the ring next time the Penguins have an opening behind their bench. But, in all seriousness, Kyle Dubas’ hiring of Dan Muse is a home run on paper in my eyes.
This was a silent assassin move by Dubas and Co. in the Pens’ front office and it is one that should excite the fans. Much is being made about how the older guys in the locker room will feel about it but come on.
First of all, winning cures all. I’m not saying the Penguins are in a position to do that this season but let’s pretend like everything comes together perfectly. Do you really think any of the core guys are going to be upset if the Penguins contend for a playoff spot this season?
Second of all, the move was 100% about helping to develop the crop of young guys the Penguins will be employing this season anyway. Unless they’re dreadfully bad and show less improvement than Derek Shelton’s Pirates did, there’s a good chance Muse is going to be given a lot of cushion as the Penguins coach.
I’d be hard-pressed to believe that any amount of heat would be applied to Muse’s job status until at least the middle of his third season behind the bench. Any success before that is gravy.
His background as a US National Team Developmental coach and his coaching a team that was captained by Rutger McGroarty likely isn’t a coincidence either. Dubas went his own way in this instead of hiring the flashy toy (Mitch Love) or another retread head coach (Jay Woodcroft, D.J. Smith, etc.).
Jonnu Smith rumors
The Steelers and Miami Dolphins engaged in a trade surrounding tight end Jonnu Smith early in the weekend. Those discussions tabled for a few days until Donald Parham Jr. tore his achilles in OTA’s and suddenly the rumors were back.
Tight end is arguably one of the deepest positions on the roster. However, “pass catcher” is questionable as a whole across the roster. Smith would add an element to that. However, feeding all the mouths they would have to could also become a problem and something the Steelers must be aware of.
It also casts a bit of doubt over the role Connor Heyward would have on the team. I personally don’t think he brings much more than some special teams acumen. However, do you piss off Cam by cutting his brother? I know it’s a business and I really don’t care about making him mad at the end of the day but it does add another layer to the conversation.
All in all, Smith would be a good add for a mid-to-late round pick but nothing more. He isn’t a necessity by any means and the Steelers should look to add an Amari Cooper or Gabe Davis (even though I’m not a huge fan of him either) before another tight end.
The NHL & NBA need to coordinate better
This is an opinion that I've long had and decided to hash out in Flavell’s Five this week. I don’t watch a lot of NBA truthfully. I think I would be more inclined to do so if Pittsburgh had a team. I just struggle to sit and watch entire games. However, I try to watch the Finals every year because nothing brings out the best in players like playing for a championship.
While they are on alternating nights this year, I find it very annoying that both leagues play the exact amount of games, starting on the same week and ending at the same exact time seemingly every year. Why?
It isn’t like basketball couldn’t be played literally any time of the year. Why do their seasons have to mirror each other? Imagine spreading it out a bit more so we get the four major U.S. sports at different times of the calendar year instead of two of them bunching up at the same time.
The NHL could also stand to have their season end a month or so earlier as it has stretched into mid-June now. It’s just something I’ve long been peeved by and had the perfect platform to share that opinion.
See y’all in the same Yinz place at the same Yinz time next week.
(photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated)