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Jason Mackey's sports chat 04.12.24
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Jason Mackey
11:38
Hey, everyone. Thanks for stopping by my weekly Pira ... err, all sports chat. Ha. So much to discuss. Pens, Steelers, Pirates, Pitt, you name it. We'll get going a little before noon.
12:02
And away we go ...
Henry
12:02
Jason, should I contemplate abandoning the TB12 avocado ice cream considering I'm hitting a buck fitty and striking out every other at bat?
Jason Mackey
12:03
Haven't been impressed with the offense, Henry, but I'm not sure it's the root of the TB12 diet. A little perplexed by it myself. The defense has been very good. I know that has been a focus. But hitting .083 against fastballs? Weird.
Geno
12:03
Jason, would we be in this precarious playoff predicament if I had put my folks up in a nice Mt. Washington condo a few months ago?
Jason Mackey
12:04
Would imagine Pens would have a postseason spot secured, Mr. Malkin. Why did you wait so long to solve the problem?
Prince Bob
12:04
I'd bet you're have plenty of questions about what the Pirates will do about David Bednar but in case I'm wrong, what will the Pirates do about David Bednar. Do you think they'll use him in their next save situation? I was hoping they'd have used him in the 8th last night with nothing on the line.
Jason Mackey
12:05
Maybe ... but you're the first. Was really surprised by Shelton's comments on 93.7 The Fan yesterday. They would use Bednar in a save situation? I like Bednar a lot. I caught crap for saying fans shouldn't boo him. But there's zero chance I'd use him in a save situation right now. Isn't that why you paid Chapman $10.5 million? Need to get David right in some lower-leverage situations. I'd leave it to Chapman for now, perhaps work back via matchups. But what if he blows a fourth save? Then what? I wouldn't wanna go there.
Wayward
12:06
Jason, I hope you are enjoying your new gig.  What was the deal with Jackson Wolf?  Pitched one inning in spring training, sent to AA camp and then we released/traded.  I though he was an intriguing arm.
Jason Mackey
12:07
Thanks, Wayward. I am. Very cool. Digging the variety. His velocity was way down. Would imagine the Pirates worried about the root cause there. Or what you're gonna get out of a kid throwing 89 mph. Now, I wouldn't have done it. Not giving up on someone that easily. But I'm trying to provide what I think the reasoning would be based on they've acted prior.
Stash
12:07
Jason, I don't claim to be a hitting instructor, but would not Henry benefit by adopting the KBH approach of trying to drive the ball up the middle, rather than trying to pull every freaking pitch over the left field wall?  Do not our hitting coaches have any ideas to help him improve?  He looks really bad at the plate, I mean really bad.
Jason Mackey
12:09
I think you're oversimplifying here. Baseball -- and its problems -- are rarely singular. Going the other way involves letting the ball travel, which requires confidence. Doubt Henry has much of that right now. Also, the last hard-hit ball I saw off Henry's bat was a single up the middle. He's struggling. I think it's a tough adjustment for him. I've also seen Henry get his A swing off more regularly than he has. But I don't think it's as simple as telling him to go the other way.
Paul
12:10
Is anything about what Eddy O is doing right now unsustainable? He's certainly not going to slug 670 for the year or whatever but he's actually getting kinda unlucky with a few bullets right at people. Pretty consistently crushing those low strikes.

Is there value in having a guy obviously seeking to put a ball in play in the modern game on this team? Mostly kidding, but it is refreshing.
Jason Mackey
12:11
Was writing this all offseason. If you look at OPS+ -- a fairly accurate, all-compassing metric -- Olivares would've been one of the Pirates' best hitters last season. It's why I expected him to remain on the team, despite a lousy spring, and why I think he's doing what he's doing now. So, yes. I do think what he's doing is relatively sustainable. He's been excellent.
J. Bart
12:11
Jason, am I going to be given every chance to prove I'm a legitimate option since Henry is making solid contact about once per week?  And I am not a TB12 acolyte, I should also mention.
Jason Mackey
12:11
Why the TB12 nonsense? Second mention of that. Yeah, Delay is shut down. Henry ain't hitting. Don't have a lot of faith Grandal will stay healthy. Bart will get a chance.
YINZER Tom in NC
12:11
Really enjoy the chats. Love to see you made the Pirates chat into an all Pittsburgh sports chat. What was looking to be a questionable rotation for the bucs has turned out so far so good. To me the future looks great with SP. Like really good. ‘90’s Braves good. Thomas Harrington from Campbell here in NC. Would he project to be a Kyle Hendricks type? Steady diet of ground balls? ‘25 arrival?
Jason Mackey
12:13
Eeeeeaassssy, Tom. I spent the entire offseason answering questions about the Pirates' you-know-what-show of a starting rotation. Now, they're the 90s Braves? My head hurts. Haven't seen enough from Harrington to comp him like that. Also don't wanna do it. But I do know they have some exciting young arms coming. We've known that. The issue was now, and I think we can say they've been better than expected.
Prince Bob
12:13
Seeing Jim Leyland on the opening day broadcast brought back memories of him puffing away in the dugout during games. I'm old enough to remember when smoking was fairly common among baseball players. I assume it's nowhere near as common now as it was then but is that true?
Jason Mackey
12:14
Yes, absolutely true. I don't know many guys who smoke, if any. Doesn't happen a lot. Still plenty who dip. ZYN pouches have become more popular among the younger crowd.
Bednar's Lat
12:14
Jason, did I take the booing personally, or do I reralize it
Jason Mackey
12:14
You're a big boy. Can't see that being taken personally.
Wayward
12:14
Jason, I know it is still early but what are the problems with the guys that have started slowly, Cutch, Suwinski and Davis?  Any concerns?
Jason Mackey
12:15
Davis isn't hitting heat. I don't love the usage of Jack; wish they would let him play more regularly. He has actually been good against lefties. I think it has disrupted his rhythm. Cutch looks too tentative to me. It's coming from a good place. He's trying to work walks and see pitches. But I'd like to see him let it rip a little more.
Bednar's Lat
12:15
Jason, did I take the booing personally, or do I realize it's all part of accepting fickle fans, and convincing myself that they were actually booing Shelty?
Jason Mackey
12:16
Looks like you sent that too early. I don't think you took it personally. You're a pro. I get the Shelty booing. I don't have an issue there. I just have an issue jumping on the two-time All-Star who has done nothing but represent the Pirates in a super positive way after three bad outings.
Guest
12:16
In regards to the booing of Bednar, do you think it was directed at Shelton or Bednar?  I'm a big fan of both, however, Bednar has been struggling so far.  I like what Shelton brings to the clubhouse, but he does seem to pull pitchers early.  I'm not supporting the booing, but don't you think Bednar needs to go on the DL and get this stuff back at Indy?
Jason Mackey
12:18
I didn't like that decision by Shelton. Wish he would have let Perez continue. And he does have a quick hook. I wasn't there, so I'm not going to pretend to try and know who fans were booing. ... I also haven't seen David's medicals. He has denied any major issues, ditto for the Pirates. I would not send him to Indy if he's healthy, but I would move him into a lower-leverage role for a bit while working out command issues.
Guest
12:18
First off, I am a huge fan of Cutch.  He's a Pirate legend and belongs in the Pirates Hall of Fame one day.  However, watching him it seems like he is close to done.  I'm sure he is great in the clubhouse and a leader and mentor to the younger players, but do you think it's time to hang it up after this season?  Get to 300 HR, leave on your own terms instead of injured, then retire a Bucco.
Jason Mackey
12:19
Would have to imagine this is it for Cutch. And there's not a thing wrong with that. Pirates would like some more flexibility with the DH spot. Probably just time for everyone to move on. Not gonna make any broad assertions over seven games. This goes deeper than that, but I went into this season thinking this would be Cutch's last. What we've seen so far only reinforces that.
Prince Bob
12:20
And in honor of your new role, here's a non baseball question. If you're AD or maybe president at U Conn, what are you thinking about your football team? With U Mass and Army headed to conferences in 2025 you and Notre Dame are the only independents in D1A. Obviously it's not working quite as well for you as it is at ND. Evidently U Mass finally figured out that no sport matters more than football and moved all their sports to MAC for football's sake. There's no way U Conn can do that. If it's your decision do you stay independent and maybe never be even mediocre? Do you go back to D1-AA? Do you drop the sport and forsake the exposure having a "big time" football program brings no matter how bad you are at it?
Jason Mackey
12:21
This is the non-baseball question I get? Geesh. Couldn't get anything about the Penguins? ... I wouldn't chase football if I was UConn. I would just lean into the basketball side of things. That being said, what about the ACC or somewhere else? Surely the hoops programs would make UConn attractive.
Cameron
12:21
How can we adequately make Pirates fans understand it’s the middle of April? I can’t handle 162 games of the takes I’ve seen, mainly about bullpen usage.
Jason Mackey
12:22
Ha. If you've got that recipe, lemme know. A battle I've been fighting since 2019. It's also what makes the sport great. Day after day of this stuff, worrying that the sky is falling. Beats real-life concerns, right?
renegade51
12:22
hi Jason… I am drowning my sorrows in IC light and pats cheesesteaks. How is your day going
Jason Mackey
12:22
There are worse ways to drown sorrows.
Prince Bob
12:22
As I blazed the trail on Bednar questions today I'll go one further. I don't agree with the idea of using him in the next save situation but can kinda sorta think that because he's been so good he's earned some leeway. But can they possibly give him a chance after that? How would they justify doing it?
Jason Mackey
12:24
Leeway is one thing. Putting a guy -- and the team -- in a bad spot is another. It's Derek Shelton's responsibility to make the best decision for the group. I don't see how using Bednar in a save situation right now does that. Not saying anything about a month from now. But tonight, he's not their best option.
Justin Fields
12:24
Jason, should I be looking to buy a property right now or sign a year to year lease?
Jason Mackey
12:24
Hey, Justin. Good to meet ya. ... I think I'd go year to year. But I think learning from Russ might be really good for you. I am genuinely curious to see how this dynamic plays out. I'm definitely not in the camp that thinks Wilson is done.
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