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Jason Mackey's sports chat: 03.20.25
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Aces High
12:37
DK has a really good article saying the Pirates are actually losing money. If they are losing money, why doesn't Mr. Nutting sell when he is probably the most unpopular person in town? Have the Pirates taken over as the worst run organization in sports now that the Browns and Bengals aren't  the laughing stock they once were?
Jason Mackey
12:38
I don't rank poorly run organizations throughout sports, and I'm not going to start now. I had the same question after reading Dejan's piece: If it's this bad, why keep doing it? Also, again, they CAN win this way. I hope at some point it sinks it. If they draft a bunch of young pitching, if they spend smartly, if they find players, if they develop, all this stuff small-market teams do, they can win. They just haven't done it well enough.
PrinceBob
12:38
Why do you think no one has signed Alex Verdugo? Attiude issues? Other guys with questionable attitudes get signed all the time if they can hit. Had a poor season last year? One poor season is almost never keeps some team from hoping to make a guy a reclamation project. It's kind of the Pirates mode of operating. Which I suppose leads to this. Do you think he'd have been a better signing than Tommy Pham except for the fact that he'd probably have cost more.
Jason Mackey
12:39
I'll take Pham. I don't know enough about Verdugo.
34russellhof
12:39
Sandy Koufax said years ago that the reason  young pitchers get hurt so often is they grew up playing baseball whenever leagues running and playing video games most of the time. Baseball fields were empty most of the year. The old time pitchers played in pasture fields and used whatever they could find to play ball. These pitchers threw 300 plus innings and completed over half their games. Your opinion?
Jason Mackey
12:40
Pitching is different now. I'm not going to solve baseball injuries in one chat response, believe me. Not gonna try. But I don't think what is asked of pitchers -- throw it as hard as you can every pitch, snap violently and do it from a young age -- puts people in position to stay healthy. I do agree that the arm should be used regularly ... and also in moderation. We've gotten away from that.
Jlm
12:40
Should the Steelers consider Carson Wentz ?
Jason Mackey
12:40
For what?
Greg in Greenville
12:40
Jason, Hi and thanks for the chat. I don't always agree with you but you make me think and I feel that you are an excellent writer. Any how, do you feel that Pitt coaches Jeff and Pat are on the hotseat this year
Jason Mackey
12:41
Thanks, Greg. If everyone agreed with me all the time, I would be doing a terrible job. ... I don't. Maybe they should be, but their buyouts are extremely prohibitive.
Guest
12:41
The Penguins are most likely not going to make the playoffs and in the last two years have accumulated a high amount of draft picks for the next three years that can help accelerate the process. Do you trust Kyle Dubas to rebuild this roster into a successful one? This is the man who despite all the red flags still wont fire Mike Sullivan and thought it was a good idea to hand Tristan Jarry and Ryan Graves fat contracts despite never coming close to deserving them based on their actual performances. Not to mention, trading for Erik Karlsson and hamstringing their cap space as a result. I don’t mean to be negative but there’s nothing from Dubas or even Fenway based on their decisions that they want or know how to turn this franchise back into a success again. It’s all mediocrity in my opinion just like the Pirates.
Jason Mackey
12:43
They're not going to make the playoffs. You can remove the "most likely." ... Also, do you really think this has been Sullivan's fault? I understand the idea that, early on, they could have made a move for a spark. But I can't sit here and say, with basically full context, that they're going to miss the playoffs because Sullivan is a bad coach. That sounds like what you're saying. I don't know on Dubas. I liked what he did in Toronto. The Graves/Jarry/Karlsson moves obviously weren't great. I can see having a split opinion there.
Tim
12:43
If Jared Jones is out for an extended period of time, it seems devastating to me for the Pirates, second only to a Skenes injury. How well do you think they can plug and play one of the young guys in terms of getting similar results?
Jason Mackey
12:44
Reasonably well, honestly. They have solid pitching depth. I've liked Harrington. Bubba will be ready soon. Maybe Mlodzinski sticks. Don't get me wrong. It sucks Jones is hurt. But I think they can back-fill decently well.
Guido
12:44
Jason, did AR Deuce lose yet more credibility (i.e., after vowing to fix the run game for almost a decade) when he publicly stated his at least partial affection for one RW?
Jason Mackey
12:45
A right wing? Ryan Whitney? Ryan Winn? What are you saying here?
Ray O/C
12:45
Hello Jason, Big Fan.. My questions are the 'burg announcers for the Bucs and Pens.  Josh Getzoff, who makes every goal call sounds like the Game 7 winner is horrible, yet he  replaced the very good Steve Mears  I buy the Hockey package and listen to the other teams feed.  The worst is Joe Block, how did he get hired? Again I buy the package and cant take him.  What is management thinking with  these 2 guys?  Thx Jason..
Jason Mackey
12:47
Thanks, Ray. I couldn't disagree with you more. I actually don't know what your question is. But I watch/listen to a lot of hockey and baseball. It's been my job for 10-plus years. Josh and Joe are two of the best I've heard. They also prepare so darn much; I think it adds a lot to the broadcast. They're also tremendous people. You're allowed to feel however you want, including about me, but I have a very different opinion.
Gene
12:47
If the Steelers don’t add another QB in FA who would you like in the draft?
Jason Mackey
12:47
If Jaxson Dart falls, I'd be intrigued. I don't think he will. My next choice might be Will Howard.
Henry Hill
12:47
Greetings Jason; the Steelers still haven't heeded your excellent advice to sign Jameis Winston, what gives?  Do you think it will ultimately come down to resigning Russ? I think ARrod is going to announce his retirement right before the draft and the Steelers will look like chumps who got dumped the night before the prom.
Jason Mackey
12:48
They're waiting on Rodgers. I do think they would consider Winston, but they're clearing allowing Rodgers to decide. Have a hard time believing it will be Russ based on how things ended. If they want Russ, they could sign him right now.
Sunglass Bob
12:48
Jason, is your average yinzer really going to buy the argument that we are struggling financially? My cool shades alone would seem to indicate that this proud Appalachian is doing just fine, thank you.
Jason Mackey
12:49
I have no idea. All I'm saying -- and I'm just trying to be honest here -- is that it's not the first time I've heard the assertion that the Pirates don't make as much as people think they do.
Jimmy
12:49
How do you feel about that "lets trade from out pitching depth" to get a bat now?
Jason Mackey
12:49
It would depend on the bat, but I'd probably be against it. You need pitching depth. We're already seeing the need for it with Jones & Oviedo down. And the season hasn't even started yet.
Mike from MD
12:50
Hello Jason.  I am, really kind of over the Pirates for the time being.  I used to really love watching the team, and followed every move for decades.  I just do not see much real hope there.  I am not arguing that anyone else should not care.  The only thing that I am curious about are the two reports that came out talking about Pirates finances.  I understand that this has always been a topic of much discussion. I have always thought that they were a franchise that was more incompetent as well as dealing with market size limitations, but would be interested to know if you have any thoughts on the accuracy of the report on the PG (https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2025/03/16/bob-nutting-pit...)
Jason Mackey
12:52
Mike, guessing your question got cut off. I'm not interested in comparing the conflicting reports if that's what you're asking. I don't comment on other reporters' work, and I wasn't intimately involved with Belko's story other than answering a few questions via text to help him find information. You're allowed to be over the Pirates. You're allowed to think whatever you want. But I find it odd in general the need for people to declare that they're over something.
Guest
12:52
Those teams haven't won anything.  They just compete.
Jason Mackey
12:52
Absolutely. Which teams?
Ryan
12:52
Good afternoon Jason with opening Day Next Week who will be Joey Barts backup i am thinking that it will be Henry Davis LETS GO BUCS
Jason Mackey
12:52
That would be my pick.
YINZER Tom
12:52
Jason, one Steelers and one Pirates question. Steelers? I thought we wanted volunteers not hostages? Would #2 be the epitome of a volunteer? Are we not being held hostage by someone else? Pirates? Read the financials on Sunday. I buy into the PBC side of the story. So safe to say they are running the right “strategy” but horrible execution? Should Manager or GM take the responsibility?
Jason Mackey
12:53
Agree on the Steelers/hostage point. I would give Rodgers a deadline. A lot of the ugliness here is on them for allowing them to be dragged around by a player. You don't have to put up with it. In or out. Simple as that.

Not sure what you're saying about the Pirates. My points above stand. You can win in this market, on a budget. They just have to be smarter. Those guys have taken responsibility. They also just need to be better.
YINZER Tom
12:53
Jason, one more….Gorski? Why do we never hear of him as an OF/1B. He seems to have had a good spring?
Jason Mackey
12:54
It's been in the second half of games, against minor leaguers. Until they're giving him more prominent reps, that path almost always leads to Triple-A. If he keeps hitting there, great. Maybe we have something. But little of his production has come against guys who are gonna be in the big leagues to start.
Jlm
1:00
I assume you don’t think much of arson
Jason Mackey
1:00
Very much against it. ... Unless you mean Judge, of course.
1:01
OK, folks. That does it. Thanks so much for participating. Appreciate the patience, again, on the dental side of things. Had to have two permanent crowns put in. Mailbag next week -- which will publish from Miami for opening day. Crazy.
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