You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Jason Mackey's sports chat: 03.20.25
powered byJotCast
View Full Chat Next Page
Jason Mackey
11:19
Hi everyone, thanks for finding my weekly sports chat. We'll get started around noon, but feel free to leave your questions now. You know the drill.
12:12
Alright, everyone. Thank you for your patience. Let's get started.
PhilinCT
12:12
Mr Mackey, as always, thank you for your time and input. It’s Game 1 of the WS in Pittsburgh and the Pirates have a 3-1 lead. The call to the ‘pen to start the 9th is for Mackey because Bednard cut his finger opening an ICL. 1) What uniform number are you wearing and why (all available)? 2) Walking or jogging from the ‘pen? 3) What’s playing on the loudspeaker? Thanks for the opportunity.
Jason Mackey
12:17
Hi Phil. My pleasure. Thank you for the lighthearted start. Number is 23. Always has been. I don't know. Got it the first time we could pick numbers as kids. I never deviated. I like what I like. ... Jogging, absolutely. I'm not that showy. ... I'd wanna go Grateful Dead, but I'm not sure it would be the right song/feel for that mood. In college, I used Baba O'Reilly by The Who. It would definitely not be metal, something classic rock. Always thought maybe "I Won't Back Down" by Petty or "Whipping Post" by the Allman Brothers might fit. Might try some Hendrix, too. Lot of options.
L.J.
12:17
Hi Jason! Who are you rooting for in March Madness other than RMU?
Jason Mackey
12:18
I always root for schools near where I've been or have personal connections, too. Always root for Maryland. RMU, obviously. My wife went there & used to teach there. Have always been a big Purdue fan dating back to Drew Brees. There's another.
CarraoBracho
12:19
That fast "second opinion" news on Jones sound ominous. Anything new on Jared?
Jason Mackey
12:19
Nothing new, no. But the number of outcomes where we're talking about a pitcher, his throwing elbow and a second opinion and the story ends positively ... it's small.
L.J.
12:19
If you are the Steelers would you just have a bad year and try to select Arch Manning next season?
Jason Mackey
12:19
I wouldn't. I don't blame them for trying or wanting to win. It's the execution of it.
L.J.
12:19
I know I have a lot questions but do you see McCutchen getting into the HOF?
Jason Mackey
12:20
Sadly, no. I'd like to see it. But I have a hard time believing he gets enough of the BBWAA membership to vote for him. Maybe that changes if he can help the Pirates get back into the playoffs again.
Guest
12:20
How long until Chandler is toeing the rubber in a big league uniform?
Jason Mackey
12:21
I don't think long. He need a little more work in spring. There's zero wrong with that. He's made 7 starts at Triple-A. I'll say May.
Guest
12:21
Hi Jason, I’m moving to Austin, Texas in a few weeks and wanted to check out an Astros or rangers game in Arlington or Houston. Have you been to either stadium? If so, which one is worth the trip if you could only do one?
Jason Mackey
12:22
I've been to both -- granted Arlington was for the All-Star Game. So, a little different. I'd go Houston. I think it's a really great/unique experience. Feels a little cozier to me. But I don't think you can go wrong either way.
Guest
12:22
Can you help me understand why 10 million was spend on Chapman last year and 5 million on Heaney this year when that money could have been allocated to help a horrendous offense?
Jason Mackey
12:23
Well, they need pitching depth as we're seeing. I have zero issue with spending $5 million on Heaney. I thought Chapman was an overpay. But we can't talk about that move in conjunction with this year's offense. That's not linear. If you want them to spend more, I get it. I'm also not going to criticize them for signing a perfectly capable major league starter for $5 million.
George T
12:23
Hi Jason, With NYY losing Cole for the season and the Pirates needing hitting should they look to see what the Yankees would what and give up.  They may need pitching and we need hitters.
Jason Mackey
12:24
It's easy to make that leap. It also never hurts to call. But as we've seen with Oviedo and Jones going down, you can never have enough pitching. I'd expect the entire group (meaning offense) to have a different philosophy and perform better.
Fred
12:24
Bob Nutting has beat us down again on payroll.  Is there any reason for optimism - I mean any?  About anything?
Jason Mackey
12:25
Yes. Plenty. But it's not my job to sales pitch on the Pirates, Fred. I think this group can finish over .500 if it pitches well, gets enough offense, improves with fundamentals, has a functional bullpen, etc. You're not going to believe it or think anything of them until it happens, so I'm not sure why I would waste my time now trying to sell something into the ether.
Guest
12:25
Do you think the garbage that is spewn from Travis Williams and Ben Cherington any time they get in front of the mike is actually stuff they believe?  Do they actually in their heart of hearts really believe that they are trying to compete?  Or are they simply trying to keep their jobs and spewing what they are told to spew from the owner?   They can't possibly be that stupid to think Pirates fans believe anything that they say,
Jason Mackey
12:26
You think Bob Nutting is giving Travis Williams and Ben Cherington talking points? Do you think he also gives them fashion advice? It is possible to win without spending a ton. Look at the Rays, Guardians, Orioles, A's, etc. The Pirates just haven't been smart enough in their decision-making.
PrinceBob
12:26
Do you think the A's will really ever play in Las Vegas? If this is a done deal why hasn't construction of the stadium started yet? Why wait? And from what I read the plot of land seems too small for an MLB stadium. I read that there will be parking for only 3,000 cars but a seating capacity of about 30,000. You might be able to do that in an eastern city with a lot of public transit but in Las Vegas? It just seems to me that there are obstacles here.
Jason Mackey
12:27
I do. I think it makes all the sense in the world. I'm not a construction expert, but I would imagine building a place that looks like that, on or near the strip, doesn't just happen overnight. Look at what happened with the Golden Knights and Raiders. The A's will get there.
Mac
12:27
Name the best Steelers draft pick of the last eight years (before TJ Watt basically).   When you think about that question, doesn't it basically describe everything that is wrong with this organization?  They have not developed a true Pro-Bowl, all-pro level talent in the past eight or nine years since TJ.
Jason Mackey
12:29
I'd probably go with Alex Highsmith, but I know that's not your point. And I don't disagree. Their drafting hasn't been good enough. A big reason why they haven't won a playoff game in a long time & there's so much frustration around them.
PrinceBob
12:29
Part II of the stadium questions is what the Rays will do about the early evening rain that is so frequent in that part of the country in the summer now that have no roof? How do the minor league teams there deal with it? And does the death of the St. Petersburgh and the Rays evident future at the Trop make it more likely that Manfred will be less commited to keeping the team in Tampa Bay?
Jason Mackey
12:31
I don't have any creative ways to combat rain, sorry. Tarps? Don't play during it? I don't know what I could come up with here. I'd suggest a rain dance, but I don't know any. ... I do think no stadium in Tampa could open the Rays up to relocation. Manfred wants teams other places. Would not shock me if the discourse became the Pacific Northwest or Nashville. Perhaps even Raleigh/Durham or Montreal.
Pittfan
12:31
Hi Jason. I read that Justin Fields chose the Jets because of Aaron Glenn. Is that an indictment on Mike Tomlin, the coach all players want to play for?
Jason Mackey
12:32
I don't think so. Justin Fields should want to play for his head coach. I'm also willing to bet the Jets offered him more guaranteed money than anyone else. Which is fine. But I don't think that says anything bigger about Tomlin. This also isn't a defense of Tomlin. I just see Fields' comments as a bit sideways of the Steelers head coach.
Gene
12:33
Do you think the Pirates open with 3 catchers on the roster or does one get sent to triple A.
Jason Mackey
12:33
One will get sent to Triple-A. Probably Endy.
Aces High
12:33
If this is a weak class of QBs in the same manner the KP class was, how are they now projecting 4 QBs going to go in the first round and would the Steelers really go that route again when the DL was shredded for 300 yds in a playoff game to the hated Ratbirds?
Jason Mackey
12:33
I hope not. I agree with you -- I'd prefer to see them address defensive line. But, I guess if Sanders falls, they'd have to at least consider it.
GPT
12:34
Other than (most likely) Travis Williams feeding bogus info to Kovacevic, have you ever heard that the Pirates are somehow losing money annually? We generally know what their revenues are and we certainly know what their meager expenditures are at the MLB level. If they're spending pennies and still losing money, then here's hoping Nutting sells the team while we still have Skenes.
Jason Mackey
12:35
I've heard that, yes. I've always heard the assertion that they're making a lot of it. Truthfully, I don't know what to believe. I have not seen their books. I've long contended they should make them public & put this all to rest. I do find it hard to believe that they're losing money, Bob could sell for $1.5 billion, and he resists that idea. If I was losing money on something, I would absolutely sell for that price tag. There must be something in it for him, right?
PrinceBob
12:35
I know spring training numbers don't mean much but sometimes they do. Was there anything Matt Gorski could have done this spring to get him onto the big club out of spring training? Is there anything he can do at Indianapolis to get him called up? And if David Bednar had a normal Bednar year last season I'd just shrug off that spring ERA but given how last season went are people concerned?
Jason Mackey
12:36
More than my wife ... no on Gorski. I think he goes to Triple-A, then has to keep hitting. ... With Bednar, I get it. I'm not concerned. It doesn't matter. He's working on stuff. We've seen guys stink and be really good in spring. There's no correlation to the regular season.
Connecting…