You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Jason Mackey's sports chat: 05.29.25
powered byJotCast
Jason Mackey
10:52
Hello, everyone. Welcome to my weekly sports chat. We'll get started around noon, but feel free to leave your questions now.
11:48
Alright, gang. A few minutes early. Hope you don't mind. Let's get started.
GPT
11:48
Seems like Kelly sticks with players that are playing well instead of randomly yanking them out of the lineup due to 'analytics' like Shelton did. I'm sure the players appreciate that. Is that how you see it as well?
Jason Mackey
11:48
Yes. There's more of a human feel with Kelly. Seemed Shelton (and still others) believe that a player will perform the same regardless of circumstances. Baseball isn't like that. I don't know what sport is. Glad to logic making a comeback.
Guest
11:48
Mason is a true professional, solid player, great locker room guy, and is there working hard.  Rodgers is only a good player.  Yet Tomlin is chasing Aaron.  Tomlin also has a long history of players with red flags.  Does he value the talent over the person way too much?  It seems the previous coaches developed leaders and teams.  Mike seems to focus on talent only, as if he is building a fantasy football team.
Jason Mackey
11:50
I'm not sure why Tomlin feels the way that he does, but I don't think he sees how this has affected his team and the conversation surrounding it. Rodgers isn't worth the trouble. I don't know if Mason is legitimately good or not. But I know he's not a nuisance. Either outcome he produces helps the Steelers.
Guest
11:50
While I know it could go on longer, hopefully the Tomlin era ends after three more years.  With all of the damage that has been done by him, how many years after he's gone do you think it will take to get back to what the Steelers were before him?  The culture, discipline, fundamentals, preparation, and accountability have all gone away on his watch.
Jason Mackey
11:50
This question is being asked from the perspective of someone who clearly hates Mike Tomlin, which is fine. But you're acting like he's left the Steelers in massive disrepair. He has not. He has underachieved. Big difference.
Guest
11:50
Even if Rodgers showed up today, don't you think Mason would be better prepared to start?  He's working with the team and knows the system much better.  I think Mason would win 4-5 more games than Rodgers would.
Jason Mackey
11:51
No, I don't. I think Rodgers is still a better quarterback. A bunch of accolades. I think there's still something left in the tank. But ... (1) I don't think he's showing up today and (2) I don't think Rodgers is worth the headache he's currently creating.
Paulie
11:51
Do you think if the Pirates would be willing to sign Skenes to an extension, he would actually sign here? Does he like being in Pittsburgh?
Jason Mackey
11:53
He likes being in Pittsburgh. But I don't think either of those first two things are remotely possible. Skenes wants to win. Until the Pirates are good, the rest is a moot point. Why would he give up prime earning years for a questionable-at-best ability to win? Why would they pay a massive amount of money with the current state of arm injuries when they can kinda go year-to-year with arbitration? It's the system. I hate the system. But both parties are just kinda playing by it.
Guest
11:53
Do you think the main reason that Tomlin wants Rodgers is to have a new scapegoat w
Jason Mackey
11:54
No. I think Tomlin -- right or wrong -- legitimately thinks he can win with Rodgers.
Momo
11:54
What do you think Don Kelly brings to the table as Pirate manager that Derek Shelton didn't or couldn't?
Jason Mackey
11:54
A little more human feel. Guys like him. I think that started to wane with Shelton. I think they want to do well for him because of that. A little more appreciating the game from a player's perspective because Donny was one.
Matt
11:54
Glad to see Henry Davis hopefully figuring things out at the plate. I am curious, though, about why Paul Skenes appears to avoid having Joey Bart catch for him. Last year Grandal pretty much always caught for him, and this year it's Davis. Is there something about the way Bart calls a game that Skenes does not like?
Jason Mackey
11:55
No, it's Bart's ability as a catcher. He's not very good. Numbers will tell you that. It's pitch-calling and ability as a defender. I think Paul just feels more comfortable with Henry, but Bart has also struggle to handle Skenes.
Cullen
11:55
Hey Jason. I saw Noah report that Cherington tried to trade Bednar near his peak value and Bob vetoed it. I have to say that I've been harsh on Cherington lately because the rebuild failed, but trading Bednar was 100% the right move. That is on Bob. Assuming Bednar keeps working his way back to his old self and they get an offer theyre happy with, will Bob let Cherington pull the trigger this deadline?
Jason Mackey
11:58
I sure hope. It's the right move to move Bednar now. I was not in the trade Bednar camp before, and I'm not going to pretend that I was. If you wanna criticize me for that, go nuts. But he was a different pitcher in those days, for a different salary. The Pirates were getting a bargain if you look at WAR obtain versus money paid. You can make the argument that they should have sold the stock high, which is fine. But it's not crazy to think the Pirates should have kept him.

Absolutely you do it now. Expiring deal. Overpaid as a setup guy. No question.
Cullen
11:58
Pirates: Luisangel Acuna, Brett Baty. Mets: Mitch Keller and maybe Kebryan Hayes. Who says no?
Jason Mackey
11:58
Fake Trade SZN!
12:01
I would be completely in favor of trading Hayes, believe me. But I'm not sure this deal makes sense for the Mets.
Tom
12:02
Jason, I have an incredible amount of respect for Mike Sullivan but I was left wondering the past 2-3 yrs why he didn’t hold players accountable for boneheaded and/or stupid plays.
Phil Bourque would regularly say when asked that there had to be accountability & a loss of a shift it 2 to send a message
Jason Mackey
12:04
I'm not in the dressing room & would be guessing. My thought knowing Mike Sullivan decently well: He did as much as he could. Sure, he could bench Erik Karlsson every time he made a mistake, but did you want Ryan Shea playing a ton? They needed the good from these guys. It's what happens when your roster isn't deep enough.

Accountability is also a two-way street. It's not all Mike Sullivan's fault. I guarantee you he coached and addressed things as aggressively as he could. Sullivan would still be incredibly pissed after games. Do you think he suddenly turned all laissez-faire when dealing with players? Come on.
Buckeyes
12:04
Mason has gotten the love from Steeler fans (deservedly so, the man is a true gentleman).  Who are some of the other career back ups Pittsburgh fans have embraced over the years (ex the Flower, who probably doesn't count as a true back up)?
Jason Mackey
12:05
This is a fun one. Charlie Batch saw plenty of love. Byron Leftwich to a degree. Mike Tomczyk did pretty well for himself. Flower. Frank Pietrangelo ("The Save"). Mr. Game 1, Jeff Zatkoff. Brent Johnson (wouldn't fight him). You might have led me to a column, Buckeyes.
Buckeyes
12:05
What were your first impressions of Jack Sawyer?
Jason Mackey
12:06
Bigger than I thought. Moves well. I expected to see someone who was a tad undersized around NFL defensive linemen. He was not that. Can obviously move well. It's also tough to tell with football in shorts.
Gene
12:06
When is Nick Gonzales coming off the IR?
Jason Mackey
12:06
Can't imagine it's too much longer. This weekend? Upcoming homestand? He's close.
Guest
12:07
Hi Jason, for the purpose of discussion, let’s assume the Pirates somehow manage to extend Skenes for whatever amount of time you’d like at an appropriate but reasonable price. Do you think that single-handedly cures 20 years of ownership ills with the fan base? If the answer is “yes”, do you think ownership realizes that?
Jason Mackey
12:07
They're not going to extend Skenes. Skenes isn't going to sign an extension. We're wasting our time. But ... no, I don't think it does. Paul is one player. We have generations of people who've grown up mad about the baseball team. That's not good (or solved by signing one guy). Gotta win.
PrinceBobin Montana
12:07
I'm in Missoula visiting my son. There's an independent minor League team here in the Pioneer League. We were at a game last night. It was tied after nine innings. They don't play extra innings. They have a home run derby. Each team picks a batter who gets two minutes or five outs to hit as many home runs as he can. If the score is still tied after the first batters teams select a second, a third if still tied, etc. Pitches are thrown from in front of the mound behind a batting practice screen. I've never heard of anything like this. Have you? Does it sound appealing to you?
Jason Mackey
12:08
I have not, and no it does not. Not in the least. I would prefer they use baseball as a way to end a baseball game. Maybe it's just me, tho.
PrinceBobin Montana
12:08
Do you think Don Kelly gets the manager's job permanently? If not who are some likely candidates?
Jason Mackey
12:08
Yes, I do. Unless something goes horribly wrong.
House
12:08
Good afternoon.  The Pirates have a plethora of young pitchers with controllable years at the major and minor league level.  Do you see them ever tapping into that and trading it for a bat(s) whether it be this summer or in the offseason?  Understanding, injuries happen, but it seems like they could deal from the one area of depth this organization seems to have in order to improve the club.
Jason Mackey
12:09
Good afternoon. They did that this past offseason, didn't they? Not well. But they did it. ... I guess I could see them doing it again, but I would rather trade a Mitch Keller and spend $15.4 million differently and back-fill with some of those young guys.
epiballo
12:09
Hi Jason! Thanks again for the chats! I know it is a small sample, but with the recent surge by Henry Davis (his throws to nail base stealers is impressive) possibly supplanting Joey Bart, what does that do for Endy Rodriguez? He seems to be completely blocked at the catcher position.
Load More Messages
Connecting…