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Jason Mackey's sports chat: 05.24.24
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Cullen
12:29
Has Bart played his way into a long term piece? It seems like he could be a great backup catcher behind Endy. Then Hank could be a 3rd catcher, 1B, RF, DH next year. Unless you see it more likely that GMBC leverages our catching depth for a bat?
Jason Mackey
12:30
I think Bart has been good. Good enough that I want to see more. I can't make that determination off of 21 games, but he's certainly been plenty adequate.
Sad Pirates Fan
12:30
Thanks for these chats Jason, helps me relieve stress. If you had to predict the Pirates final record, what do you say?
Jason Mackey
12:30
Oh, good. Glad to be the dart board. 83-79.
Cullen
12:30
What is the reason why this team can't seem to put it all together at the same time? SP is shoving and we can't score more than 2 runs, bats wake up and suddenly the bullpen implodes. This lack of consistency has been ongoing in Shelton's tenure and never seems to get better...
Jason Mackey
12:31
If I had that answer, I would bottle it and sell it, my man. I'll say this: a good offense often functions as deodorant. They don't have a good offense. They should, but it hasn't been that way. Fix that, and you can kinda patch over some of the other holes.
Zack
12:31
Is it fair to say at this point in Ben's tenure that he's done a fairly good job of talent evaluation and acquisition of arms, but the bats (though I'm certainly not out on Davis by any means) has seemingly brought forth limited results to say the least. Have you seen front offices maybe adjust. Not fire the GM per se, but bring in a higher level person to assist in the scouting, selection, etc of hitters?
Jason Mackey
12:32
I know this isn't going to be a popular opinion, but I don't think we know. My point: Do we have a final verdict on Henry, Triolo, Peguero, Gonzales, Priester, Bae or Suwinski? Those are just a few, but I think we just need more information.
PrinceBob
12:32
Have you had a chance to look over the agreement that the NCAA will allow schools to pay athletes? If so, what's your take on it? Will it be the death of non revenue sports because the money funding them will go to paying football and basketball players? Can schools still claim that the reason they sponsor sports is to develop their students both physically and mentally when it seems like they're only interested in doing it with students who are good at a revenue sport? Will schools need to pay taxes on their athletic revenue now because it's going to be hard to sell the idea that their sports are an extracurricular activity?
Jason Mackey
12:33
I'm sorry. I have not. I had First 10 this morning, this, then ballpark, radio stuff and a game tonight. So, I was playing baseball with my son and went for a run. Have not read much yet today. I do plan on getting to it.
62 Stack Monster
12:33
Any chance of Mr Nutting hiring away Tampa Bay's management team?
Jason Mackey
12:33
Doubt that.
Dan N
12:33
At what point do the Pirates approach Cruz about a position change ? And will he ever learn to hit a curveball?
Jason Mackey
12:35
He's gone through periods of being better against spin. To me, it's more pitch selection. You're over-generalizing, almost in a "Major League" kind of way to say he can't hit a curveball. But I get the weakness. ... Probably not until after the season. I think he deserves a year, though I'm not blind. I can see he's not good at shortstop. Depends how much he produces with the bat when it comes to how much I'm willing to stomach.
Zack
12:35
To make things a little lighter from all the depressing Pirates talks. What sport are you most looking towards covering now that you've moved into your new role, and will be covering sports more widely now? (I count college football, and NFL as different in this regard)
Jason Mackey
12:37
Oh dear God, thank you. ... Yeah, I'm pretty much allowed to bounce around. Really enjoyed getting back around hockey. That was a big one. Then Steelers in August and beyond. Tough to not love that given the attention paid to it around here.
Will
12:37
Trying to process Shelton's BP use. It seems like he sometimes prefers a long hook.  Aside from having enough depth, why let someone sink for that long when their stuff isn't playing?  Starters have given solid innings and generally not forcing pen to be overworked early in games.  Is is carrying the deadweight position spot on 25 man?
Jason Mackey
12:38
*26 man ... I don't know if we know what kind of hook Shelton has. I'd argue that he has too quick of a hook with some guys, then he lets others go too long. Like Stratton last night. Same time, Chapman has been awful lately. Not sure he was committing a crime for hoping Stratton would get out of it. Shelton's bullpen usage hasn't been great, but can we at least acknowledge that his pitchers haven't helped?
Sad Pirates Fan
12:38
Steering away from baseball for a second, I saw the Steelers signed LaMichael Perine. Obviously Artie Smith is gonna deploy a run heavy offense, but is there any reason to believe a WR move is coming?
Jason Mackey
12:40
Thank you for the break. ... I still think so. I don't know how you're calling a bunch of teams about Metcalf, Aiyuk, etc., and don't do anything. Think about it: By doing that, they're admitting a huge hole in their offense. If they want to win -- which they're on record saying there's a large amount of urgency -- then they need to fix said problem, no? I understand that may take some time. I don't care if they get something done in May. But I do think they will do something there.
Mackey Fan
12:40
It seems to me - and I watch a lot of baseball - that the Pirates routinely give up more free bases than other teams. Wild pitches and passed balls yesterday, regularly not holding runners, Reynold kicking the ball in LF the other night that actually cost the game. They also seem to have more trouble with calling fly balls than most. On the other side, they don't seem as successful as other teams at taking a free base.  Do you see the same thing?  Makes them look badly coached. You are killing the new role by the way.  The Mackey writing dynasty is a thing in the PG!  Abby awesome too!
Jason Mackey
12:42
I don't know how you could watch 29 other teams closely enough to know that the Pirates' issues with that stuff -- and they have them, I'm not defending the Pirates -- rank above that of others. It was my job for 4 1/2 years, and I couldn't do it. I know the Pirates haven't graded out particularly well with that stuff. I can see that. But I can't see how the Mariners are defending against the Astros on a random Tuesday night in July.
In any case, I agree they could be tighter there. Just don't know by how much. Thank you for the kind words on the new gig. Trying to find my place. Not quite there.
Ben Cherrington
12:42
Im sure all the rowdy questions are annoying so sorry about that, but how much longer of a leash do I give rowdy
Jason Mackey
12:43
The weekend? I don't know, honestly. Yinz want an answer here, which I get it. But I'm as shocked as everyone else that they're riding it out.
PrinceBob
12:43
What will the Pirates do at catcher if Henry Davis is hitting well at Indianapolis? Can't see them keeping three and they'd lose Grindall (I think?) if they tried to send him down. So it looks like Bart would go. But he's looked pretty decent. Does he have options?
Jason Mackey
12:44
Bart does not have options. It's tricky. I don't think they would want to lose Bart, obviously. We also don't totally know about Grandal's health. Probably just let Henry keep mashing Triple-A pitching, at least for now, then see what information they get in the big leagues.
Will
12:44
Funny -- according to google it's was Jackie Gleason's signature line first :-)
Jason Mackey
12:44
There ya go ... Google knows all.
Hot Corner
12:44
Is Gonzalez here to stay?
Jason Mackey
12:45
If he keeps doing what he's been doing since he's coming up, absolutely.
KDub
12:45
Enjoy your work Jason! Is management and the manager on the same page? The recent move to go with one less reliever seemed to make sense on the surface but then Shelton managed the same way he would have if he had the extra arm.
Jason Mackey
12:46
You bring up a good point. I would say, like them or hate them, Shelton and Cherington pretty much have been. They talk a lot. You can criticize them for plenty, but they're usually fairly in sync. I just think they need to admit to themselves that they can't really handle a seven-man 'pen with the way things have done.
Tyler
12:46
Who is the bigger problem for the Pirates Shelton, or Cherington. Whose job is in greater jeopardy?
Jason Mackey
12:48
I'm not a big believer in blame anywhere being on one person. It's a collective. That being said, I think Shelton would go before Cherington. That's almost always the case. Also, you could have the best manager ever. If the players aren't good, what does it matter?
Zack
12:49
Just to provide my personal insight on the finances of baseball. Yes there are low payroll teams that win, and high payroll teams that lose. What the imbalance does though is allow those high payroll teams to take risks, and if they get burnt by the risks, they have to just use some aloe vera. If the Pirates let's say sign someone to a large contract and get burnt by it, they have to go get skin graphed for 4-6 years. Its not the if for me on the can low payroll teams win, it's the frequency, and process in which they utilize to win.
Jason Mackey
12:49
Thank you for the insight. I mostly agree with you.
TVC15
12:50
Is the plan to extend Tomlin for 2 years and let him continue to underwhelm for the next 3 years and then finally move on?
Jason Mackey
12:50
They might extend him. I'm not sure the second part will be part of the job description. Would hope not.
npc210
12:50
I know you can't control what people say postgame and you said Shelton seemed more direct yesterday, but there seems to be no urgency at least publicly with this team. People who follow this team every day are upset and deserve more than someone saying obvious like "we need to be better" over and over again. It's insulting to people. I guess what I'm trying to ask is there a leader in the clubhouse? Someone who will speak up when harsh words need said?
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