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Jason Mackey's Pirates chat: 12.02.20
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GhostOfJayBell
12:44
Speaking of Tucker, middle infield is a nightmare for this team -- Frazier didn't hit last year, Newman didn't hit *or* field last year, EG is at .227/.255/.359, and no one is sure if Cole Tucker is a thing or not. Is this a development issue, a drafting issue, or have the Pirates just been focusing on other positions the last five years?
Jason Mackey
12:46
I agree the major league production hasn't been good, but here are a couple thoughts: Newman was really good last year, at least offensively. One year doesn't suddenly make him a bad player or speak to an organizational problem. ... Gonzalez was actually developed by the Indians, not Pittsburgh. ... And three of their current top-five prospects are middle infielders. ... So, while I agree the production isn't what it needs to be and they certainly have lingering questions, I don't think it's awful. Also, Ke'Bryan Hayes is pretty damn good. I would find it weird for an organization to successfully develop a third baseman but lose its marbles when it came to shortstop or second base.
TPhunter
12:46
As far as the procedural question, I'm not sure myself. Maybe allow more flexibility in player movement between the minor league teams once the season resumes? Basically, something to help the young guys get experience they missed last year in a compressed time frame. Maybe there is nothing that can be done.
Jason Mackey
12:47
Honestly, it's probably the latter. I think everyone tried to do as much as they could. They're certainly not the only ones trying to live life a little differently right now.
TPhunter
12:47
Tell Cole T. to start hitting and he won't have to worry about his girlfriend's tax bracket!
Jason Mackey
12:47
Fine point. Might keep that out of our next text exchange, though.
rubin
12:47
How will it be determined who will play in the wood bat league just announced?
Jason Mackey
12:49
Do you mean the MLB Draft League? They have five teams already: Trenton, State College, Williamsport, West Virginia and Mahoning Valley, with a sixth TBD. Player-wise, here's a passage from Baseball America that should be helpful: "While high school players will be allowed to participate, the league is primarily designed for players who have just completed their junior and senior years of college baseball and are therefore draft eligible. Draft-eligible junior college players (who are eligible to be drafted after each year of college) would also be a potential target for the six-team league."
wvpirate
12:50
Do you think there will be a players strike at the end of 2021?
Jason Mackey
12:51
I do, yes. Unfortunately. Unless something changes -- and I hope it does -- I think there will be major issues when the current CBA runs out.
TPhunter
12:51
Checking out to begin stressing over Steelers-Ravens Jason. Just want to say thanks again for your hard work and insight. You have me interested in what the Pirates are doing, and that is an amazing feat!
Jason Mackey
12:51
Haha. Enjoy the football. I will soon. Thanks so much for participating and the kind words. Always enjoy these myself.
rubin
12:51
Do you expect a good bounce back from Mr. Reynolds?
Jason Mackey
12:51
I do, yeah. I definitely think this season will turn out to be an aberration for him.
Guest
12:51
Closer by committee in 2021?
Jason Mackey
12:52
That's what I think, yeah. I also think it might not be a terribly relevant position for them, sadly.
wvpirate
12:52
Do we know who all of the minor league affiliates will be for the Pirates yet?
Jason Mackey
12:52
Not officially but Class AAA Indy, Class AA Altoona and Greenboro and Bradenton in Class A. I'd be stunned if that's not how it shakes out.
Guest
12:52
Who do you think will be the lone Pirate to play in the all star game in 2021 if its played?
Jason Mackey
12:53
I'm gonna go with who rubin just asked about: Mr. Reynolds.
Ricky
12:53
Another week of no puig. What is going on Jason?
Jason Mackey
12:53
They're just building up the drama. Nothing more.
Gregory Polanco
12:53
Did you see my homerun last night? Have I changed my swing at all since this past season? Any mechanical differences you noticed from the swing last night?
Jason Mackey
12:54
Am I being too much of a smart ass by saying you actually hit the ball? (Yes, probably I am.) But no, honestly. Still long. Still beautiful to watch. You just need to make more consistent contact. Would love to see you shorten it some, though. I think will help with the swing and miss and strikeouts.
Mitch Keller
12:54
How good do you think I’m going to be this upcoming year
Jason Mackey
12:54
I think you're going to be a bright spot, Mitch. I think you still might take some lumps, but I think it's going to be a long overdue step forward for you.
Pirates fans
12:54
When is the role 5 draft and if you had one player to select who would it be
Jason Mackey
12:59
Rule 5 is Dec. 10. It'll be remote this year. I'm rooting for Marshall Kasowski from the Dodgers. Tremendous stuff. Coming off UCL surgery. It's a bit of a gamble, but there may be a significant payoff there. Second choice would probably be Garrett Whitlock of the Yankees or Raymond Kerr, the hard-throwing lefty with the Mariners. I think. Still some time to better sift through everything.
Guest
12:59
Do you think PNC will keep the naming rights to the stadium? Or someone else? Eat and Park stadium perhaps? Is the 20 year old stadium starting to show its age and if so who is responsible for the upkeep?
Jason Mackey
1:00
I've heard nothing to indicate a naming rights change is on the horizon.
Joel
1:00
Hi, Jason. Thanks for your coverage of what I hope will be an interesting off season. Not really a question, but ... I don't know Ashton Goudeau from a hole in the wall, but I like what I see from Cherington in terms of his willing to cut bait with guys who just don't have it and never will. Will Craig was a failed prospect with no real upside from Day 1. I was pleased to see him released. This tells me that the Bucs are being run by someone who knows we need high-end talent and won't settle for mediocrity. I view the Marte trade the same way, not that Marte was mediocre, but the return was guys who might be great. That's what the Pirates need.
Jason Mackey
1:02
Hi Joel. Thank you for the kind words. Here's my take on Cherington, which builds off of what you're saying: He's very matter-of-fact. I don't mean this in a mean way, but it's almost soul-less. Whoever the best player is, that's who Cherington wants. And he absolutely knows what he's doing. I don't think anyone will argue that. I think he needed some time to see what he has. I think he probably has come to the conclusion that he doesn't have much, and he's trying to fix that. That comment isn't so much about Craig as it is -- regardless of what you think of Bob Nutting -- I respect Cherington for the decisions he's made thus far; taking payroll out of it, it's hard to argue with much of what he's done.
emzee
1:02
Without divulging your sources, obviously, can you shed light on what covering a baseball team is like? I'm curious especially about the players: Do you develop sourcing relationships with them beyond asking them questions in the dugout or arranging discrete interviews through the team over the phone? Do you push them for their cell phone numbers and nudge them over text or calls for info, on a background or off-record basis?
Jason Mackey
1:05
I could talk for hours about this, emzee. Because it's not just baseball. Hockey is the same way. Here's what I can share with you: I have most, if not all, players' numbers. A texting relationship with a good number of them. Are they my best sources? Not really. Maybe that's my own thing. And it would definitely be different if we were in clubhouses, where you could chat with guys off-record, get an honest sense of where things are at, build trust, learn how to keep a secret or handle stuff that's told to you in confidence. The team gets this. As a beat reporter, you are there all the damn time. We also have a job to do. I'm going to be fair, respectful and honest. I think the team knows this about me. I'm also going to be aggressive. I'm going to write about Ashton Goudeau, and I'm going to try and get a one-on-one with Nutting and ask him when he's gonna spend more. It's the same thread. The key is to be respectful, which I think I am.
1:08
You can often think of reporting like a circle. Work the outsides first. I have a bunch of other sources that I'll check in with. Maybe talk about families or books or music or hockey or whatever our glue is. Maybe I learn something. Then I check with someone else, then someone else, vetting the information to see if it's good. Sometimes it's bad. You keep this going until you feel confident enough to write. These people, I should add, come from everywhere. All around the industry. They're people you've gotten to known. You've shown them they can trust you. I've found baseball players to be fairly communicative away from the ballpark, more so than hockey players, but there's always a line. You don't want to be weird, annoying or intrusive. Just like normal life, I suppose. Anything else you wanna know, don't hesitate.
Guest
1:08
Not PC but are most players faithful to their wives while on the road? Have you heard any wild stories u can share ..no need to name names...
Jason Mackey
1:10
I'm pushing this through not because I have anything lurid to say but more because I think the Pirates actually have a large amount of really good husbands and fathers in their clubhouse. The Penguins, too. That perception of professional athletes, I was really glad to see that never surface once I started covering the Penguins. And it hasn't since. They're good people. Some don't love the media thing, which, as someone who's often socially awkward himself, I get it. I'm not offended. But they're mostly all great dudes.
DrJackFailla
1:10
It seems Pirates players look out of city (NYC, Arlington, Cinci, etc.) when it comes time for TJ surgery or other. Why doesn’t UPMC or AHN have a big-name orthopedic surgeon for baseball ailments? Tri-State Orthopedics in Allegheny Center got the job done here in the 80s and 90s.
Jason Mackey
1:11
Not sure, Jack. I don't know enough the medical end of that. Would imagine that Dr. James Andrews or Dr. Neal ElAttrache are who they are for a reason. Maybe guys feel more comfortable. Maybe they're better surgeons. I'm not sure.
alan
1:11
Are you excited about any of the recent international signings?
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