PIRATES CHAT
Highlights from Jason Mackey’s Pirates chat, which you can join weekly at postgazette.com. Questions and answers have been edited for clarity:
• Scott: Why is money always a problem in baseball? This is getting ridiculous. I completely understand wanting to get your worth amid the health risk, but taking a pay cut for half of one season can not be the worst thing to happen to these guys. Gerrit Cole can survive on $9 million a year and play baseball if I can go work at Walmart everyday risking my health making far less. It’s time to get this plan agreed on.
Jason Mackey: I think a lot of people feel that way, Scott. You’re not wrong. It’s a terrible look for the sport. I also see the players’ side, where they think they agreed to something already. They’re also wary of owners who are saying they’ve lost a ton of money and don’t offer incontrovertible proof of that, specifically as it relates to those losses including only baseball revenue. There’s a lot of distrust there and has been for some time. It’s sad. Why it’s always a problem likely has more to do with that than the present; years and years of sniping, screwing each other over, etc. One thing I don’t understand is why the sport isn’t willing to just move on for a year. I like Gerrit Cole a lot. Think he’s a tremendous pitcher. This isn’t meant to insult him. But if you think the deal sucks for you, OK, fine. Sit out. No harm. Come back next year. But let’s try to put a product out there with the people who want to play and feel it makes sense for them. I feel like the dude making the league minimum who is trying to make an impression and provide for his family is naturally going to be willing to assume more risk than those who make $30-plus-million/year. Anything wrong with that?
Wayward: I know you can’t know which players kept themselves in the best condition, but who do you see the season delay helping and who do you potentially see it hurting the most?
Jason Mackey: Individually, that’s a good one. Honestly, from what I know, I don’t worry about whether Pirates players are doing enough. They are. I could see a shortened season really helping someone like Jarrod Dyson, because of his age. (He’s not old but obviously a vet who I think would benefit from fewer games.) Less injury risk for Polanco. That’s something. Someone like Keller might benefit from more starts and learning throughout the year. Could make developing a little tougher, I suppose.
Alan: Odds that PGH gets the first pick in 2021 if there is a season?
Jason Mackey: I don’t gamble or bet, so I have very little conception of “odds.” However, I would say “not very good.” I’m sure some of you think I’m nuts for thinking this, but I honestly think they will improve a pretty decent amount in 2020. Why do I think that? Because things got really bad in 2019. Guys didn’t wanna play for that group. Players were underprepared, especially when it came to pitching. The clubhouse was just ... blah. It was the polar opposite of the environment Derek Shelton has cultivated this spring. Are the Pirates deep enough? Not for 162 games. But they have enough talent to be respectable, I believe.
Butch: Do you think Mitch Keller can still be a top of the rotation starting pitcher?
Jason Mackey: I do. I think there’s still some development in there, which is completely normal for his age/stature. But the stuff is there. The talent is there. He just needs someone to help him figure it out. I’m a lot more confident with this group’s ability to do that than I was with the last one.