JotCast | Jason Mackey's Pirates chat: 03.30.22

Jason Mackey's Pirates chat: 03.30.22

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Jason Mackey

1:07

I would have to imagine they thought about it. But, shoot, even if he comes up in June to avoid Super 2, he still could conceivably win it. What are they gonna do, tell him to not hit home runs? The kid is clearly close. A good argument can be made for him starting with the big club. I think there's only so much of that stuff you can worry about.

Matt from LA

1:07

As a writer, is it difficult to cover a team that will probably be bad again this year? I imagine coving a winning team would be a lot easier?

Jason Mackey

1:08

I've covered both -- Penguins winning the Stanley Cup, Pirates losing 101 games. It makes absolutely no difference. I get paid the same. My job is to write.

1:09

I will say, I like baseball as a sport more. The access, too. It's also harder from an hours and missing my family standpoint, while I like the warm weather and travel better. There's give and take. But the performance of the team matters not at all, other than knowing I'm gonna have to deal with a bunch of negativity all the time.

Joey

1:09

Why do Travis Williams and GMBC seem so to avoid answering questions? I figured when they both joined they’d promote transparency, but so far it seems they’re just like the old cast of characters.

Jason Mackey

1:10

Ben has been good about talking. No issue there. It's largely in line with his peers. Travis Williams was last available to the Pittsburgh chapter of the BBWAA more than a year ago. That is not in line with his peers.

Lee

1:10

Cruz has been in organization since 2016. Most young stars skip AAA today or spend about the time he already has. If he needs more “development “, then they have done a poor job his career in minors to date. Does he really need until June?

Jason Mackey

1:11

Thought he's been in the org since 2017? I don't think Cruz needing more time is a referendum on their development, if he does indeed need more time. It's a business decision. But, shoot, even if he needed more time, they do need to work with him on the outfield. No issue there. That takes time. If they were doing that the entire time and needed more, so be it. I'll be patient. But they haven't done anything with outfield and then said he needed more time. That doesn't track with me.

Guest

1:11

Hi Jason! Are you surprised by the Cruz move?

Jason Mackey

1:12

I am not. I don't agree with it -- that's just my opinion, others feel differently -- but I'm certainly not surprised. In my roster analysis, I had him starting in Class AAA for this exact reason, because it's what I expected them to do.

Justin

1:12

I'm no scout, but do you agree with me that it looks like Cole Tucker has a lot more leverage in his swing than ever before? Did he bulk up at all?

Jason Mackey

1:13

He didn't bulk up a ton, but I know what you're saying. He's sturdier. We talked to him about that. He uses to be a bunch of limbs flying everywhere. No longer. I like his new swing. More repeatable.

Matt from LA

1:13

The beauty of baseball is that there is no timeclock. The problem is that, for a lot of people, that is also its biggest detriment. Can MLB do anything to really address this issue?

Jason Mackey

1:14

Yeah, absolutely. Put a clock on it. Seriously. I'm all for a pitch clock, and I don't give a damn about what tradition anyone wants to talk about. This isn't 1956. People don't live like it's 1956. Pick it up or people will tune out, which they've already done. More balls in play, faster pace.

Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus

1:14

I know you've not talked to Nutting this year, but you get the sense that he understands how much contempt that the fans have for him? Does it bother him? Does he simply not care? Also, he's said in the past that the economics don't work for the Pirates. That's true. Then just sell the team. But he won't presumably because the economics of the game work really well for him personally.

Jason Mackey

1:15

I wonder this a lot. Asked Bob last year. He downplays it -- the fan resentment. To a degree, I think he's telling the truth. He's a businessman and surely has encountered situations where people are mad at him. He's also only human, right? It can't be fun. Then again, spend more on the team or sell it and those problems are solved.

Justin

1:15

Does Alford break camp with the team, or do they replace him with another experiment player DFA'd from elsewhere / someone internal? I know it's just 14 spring PA, but jeez, 9 K is pretty ridiculously bad.

Jason Mackey

1:16

As of now, yes. I think he breaks camp with the team. If someone else comes along and they can upgrade, yeah, I could see them giving that a shot. I wouldn't base everything off spring, but it's true that Allen has become a better option out there. Even Cole Tucker. That said, it's a long season.

Will

1:16

Hello Jason, I know you're trying to get an interview with Nutting and have a number of questions about the decision to go to arbitration on Reynolds, why Nutting voted in favor of the CBA, etc. I've seen several accounts that speak of Nutting advocating "behind the scenes" for small market clubs. Are you aware of what he's advocating for (if anything), or have you actually heard anyone talking about his efforts? I think it would be a good question to ask him. In my humble opinion he's fine with the status quo and I seriously doubt he's actually advocating for much, if any, changes.

Jason Mackey

1:17

I asked Rob Manfred this exact question at the All-Star Game and he largely blew me off. I asked in what ways does Bob advocate for small-market owners. It was frustrating that the commissioner brushed that off because I think it's important to people in Pittsburgh. Yes, we've requested Nutting. Yes, I've heard and written what said -- that he's been an advocate for small-market clubs. But I wanna know how he's doing that and why that was a better route than voting no.

Big Willy

1:17

Hey I'd like to talk with Bob Nutting. I have a message from the fans for him. Is he still in Florida ? Would he meet me in Miami ?

Jason Mackey

1:18

This was well-played. Side note: You can't help but smile thinking about Nutting tooling around Miami, right? Come on. We all need to lighten up and have some fun.

Con Man

1:19

So if Reynolds isn't signed and is traded, and Cruz isn't brought up before July 1st is there anymore proof we need to prove once and for all the Bob Nutting is in it to steal the money from MLB, taxpayers and fans and has zero interest in winning ?

Jason Mackey

1:20

If ... the Pirates had a winning record? Ha. I know it's not at all likely, but it's possibly for the Pirates to view Reynolds as better traded, for Cruz to be better off in the minors (and preserve a year of control) and for Nutting to still be interested in winning. I mean, he is a business man. He makes more money if they win. They are doing a lot of good things with smart people in the minors. I don't think he's an ogre walking around, hoping the Pirates lose.

Brian

1:20

Have you seen the other ROY NL candidates? Cruz may finish top 2 and Bucs lose his extra year of control even if he misses a month or 2

Jason Mackey

1:21

You've gone down many roads, Brian. I love watching Cruz as much as the next person. There's a long way between two MLB games and Cruz becoming the NL Rookie of the Year.

John

1:21

So Nutting voted yes with every other owner. So he's in agreement with the way things are. So go win. He would have been better off voted it down, showing the fans here that he really cares about bringing change in MLB. A lone wolf. Once again go win, Bob. But he won't if stuff like this happens : Haggling over a mere $650 Gs with your best player - ridiculous!

Jason Mackey

1:22

Understandable opinions, John. Like we've been saying, I'd eager to hear Nutting explain why he voted the way he did, what he's doing to advocate for small-market teams and why that was a better route to go.

Guest

1:22

My question is not easy to answer. I think the current fan base would accept a move like Cruz going to AAA if they saw the current lineup as bonafide major leaguers, even if they are castoffs like Gamel and Yoshi. Let's be honest. With the current players who are still free agents, you could construct a roster that could win 40% of the time. THE PROBLEM IS that when you have a Bryan Reynolds and Kebryan Hayes in the mix, now you have the future mixed into that lineup. Why not pay Reynolds and Hayes now? That says that you are committed to the future, and then fans would accept the Cruz demotion as "waiting." I cannot believe this is entirely a "Nutting" situation. Am I wrong?

Jason Mackey

1:25

Yeah, you're not. That's not easy to answer because I only sorta know what you're asking. There are many parts at play here. Do Hayes and Reynolds want to sign? Why would they? Have the Pirates established enough trust? Are the Pirates paying a going rate or would they be better off getting to FA? Remember, the Pirates don't have to pay those dollars -- and theoretically could repurpose that money into other places -- while players are under team control. I agree, they should spend more. That's what you're getting at right? And I don't have a good answer for why they don't, at least until they open their books and show everyone where said money is going. We're looking at an incomplete equation otherwise.

Seferg

1:25

I have watched some of the 71 pirates games and retrospectives, and even the 79 team. They seem to have had major league talent, talent being properly trained in the minors and an owner willing to spend to get the key parts needed to compete for......a championship. Of those 3 items (major talent, minor talent and proper ownership) how many do you think we have?

Jason Mackey

1:26

I would say 1 1/2. There's talent in the minors. There's some talent in the major leagues. Objectively, it's hard to say Nutting has been a good owner if you base things on and wins and losses alone. I think he does care. I don't think he's a mean person. But the results have not been good enough on the field.

How ?

1:26

Honestly Jason how do some of these people on this chat and in other mediums keep buying the con that this owner and his lackeys keep shoveling ? Are there really that many fools in this region ?

Jason Mackey

1:27

Do you see people endorsing Nutting? My God. Every single question is people complaining about him. It's honestly getting tiring. I mean, I get it. Can we move on?

Justin

1:27

A lot of plodding 1b types seemed to go for much cheaper than what the Pirates got Yoshi for, such as Vogelbach. Obviously they could've gone cheaper than they did, if they so chose. Since they did NOT choose to go maximum cheap by giving Yoshi $4 mil, do you think they have a big belief that he's gonna mash like he did last summer for them?

Jason Mackey

1:27

Oh thank God. An actual baseball question.

1:28

Yeah, Yoshi showed an ability last year to hit velocity. I think there's a belief that he really made progress with his pitch selection and swing in the minors last year. I'll give him and them this: If they're right, Yoshi could become an extremely valuable commodity. Dude has power. Just needs to get to it consistently.

Justin

1:28

What's going on with Luis Oviedo? I haven't heard his name at all this spring.

Jason Mackey

1:28

He's got an ankle injury. Shelton did say yesterday that he's supposed to get into a game this week, however.

Wvpirate

1:28

Who is the surprise player to make the team?

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