Paul Skenes is barely getting into his second season with the Pittsburgh Pirates and he already appears determined for the crew to turn out to be aggressive. He additionally threw down the gauntlet this weekend and set increased expectations and objectives for the crew than anyone throughout the group has voiced in years.
In response to a query from MLB.com author Alex Stumpf, Skenes gave a passionate reply in regards to the crew needing to win — and win now — as a result of the town of Pittsburgh deserves it.
There’s a lot to unwrap from that remark, starting from the “we owe it to the town,” to additionally expressing a frustration of nonetheless listening to in regards to the crew’s 2013 wild-card win in opposition to the Cincinnati Reds as if it was a significant accomplishment to win a single playoff recreation.
It’s such an eye-opening remark as a result of no person within the Pirates entrance workplace ever speaks definitively about what they anticipate from the crew or what they wish to see. It’s all the time obscure platitudes about “working towards a championship” or “attempting to get higher” and “doing it the proper approach.” There’s by no means a agency expectation. There’s by no means a significant aim. It’s all the time simply obscure vacancy, which is adopted by a crew that by no means has the roster to noticeably compete.
Exterior of a short three-year window between 2013-15 (Andrew McCutchen’s peak), and a short three-year window between 1990-92 (Barry Bonds finest years with the Pirates), the group has been a totally non-factor because the 1979 season. They by no means compete, not often end with a successful document and principally function as a farm crew and participant improvement group for the remainder of the league.
Nearly as good as Skenes is, and he already seems to be like he is among the finest pitchers in baseball, if not the most effective pitcher in baseball, there’s already an expectation that he’s going to cost his approach out of Pittsburgh throughout the subsequent 5 years. It already occurred as soon as with Gerrit Cole, and appears more likely to occur once more right here.
Meaning the Pirates solely have possibly 4 or 5 years to construct a winner with him.
This offseason, coming off a second straight 76-win season and sixth consecutive dropping season, the Pirates did virtually nothing to meaningfully add to their roster. The beginning rotation on paper seems to be sturdy, however the lineup is brief on influence gamers with few on the horizon within the farm system. Barring some dramatic and surprising enhancements, it appears doubtless the Pirates will waste one other of the few seasons they are going to have with Skenes.
Followers don’t wish to see that occur. He doesn’t wish to see that occur. He additionally appears to care extra in regards to the state of affairs than anyone concerned within the entrance workplace.
