The Fallen Appel

Just a little observation about the Pirates' first round pick from this year's amateur draft, who, by the way, stunk up the College World Series shortly after being drafted by the Pirates and haughtily refused to talk to the media or show any enthusiasm (let alone interest) for the opportunity to play for the Pirates:

Stanford right-hander Mark Appel reportedly plans to return to college? 

Good.  Let him.  If he does, the Pirates will get a compensatory pick, ninth overall, in addition to their other first-round pick -- which, the way things are going, might well be, oh, about No. 32 overall.  At this point, we'd rather have next year's No. 9 pick instead of Appel, who "fell" to No. 8 this year.

Here at Joey Porter's Pit Bulls, we've seen all of about four video clips of Appel pitching at Stanford, and our instant analysis says his pitching motion is forced, mechanical and sloppy, and that he falls off the mound way too far toward first base in his delivery follow-through.  There.  That's it. 

But when he refused to speak to the press after being selected, instead issuing a prepared statement (no doubt crafted by agent Scott Boras) to the effect that he "needs to concentrate on his studies at Stanford."  Puh-leeeze.  We don't want him.

On the positive side, in stark contrast to the attitude shown by Appel ...

Mark Appel could learn a thing or two from A.J. Burnett. He likes it here, and the fans love him.

There's A.J. Burnett, a winner.  

Contrast Appel's reluctance with the enthusiasm shown by other draftees that evening, but more to the point, with the love that longtime veteran A.J. Burnett has shown Pittsburgh and his pride in being a Pittsburgh Pirate, as described on Monday by Dejan Kovacevic in the Tribune-Review:

A.J. Burnett walked off the PNC Park mound, the ball now in Clint Hurdle's hand, his work done. The 28,954 on hand, clearly aware that this is The Man on this team, stood and roared, loudly and lovingly.

In turn, Burnett raised his right arm.  Not for a tip of the cap.  Not even for a fist-pump.  No, that fist stayed up, triumphantly, dramatically.

"I don't know what got into me," Burnett told me afterward. "I looked around ... the fans cheering for me, for us ... they brought it out. I'm proud to take the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates. I'm proud, man. I'm proud to pitch for these players, these fans. I could ..."

He paused.

"I'm not really going to do a good job of putting this into words. I'm just happy to be a Pittsburgh Pirate."

The Pittsburgh Pirates: In First Place at the All-Star Break

Say it loud, say it proud:  "The Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place at the All-Star Break."  

And that's the first time in 20 years we've been able to say that.

We're going to enjoy it while we can.  And you know what?  It's fun.  Feeling good about this team.  We're going to enjoy this special moment of a season and be grateful for it.  It's great to believe, to wake up in the morning and have something good to look forward to -- to see what miracles will unfold next and see what the path ahead has to show us.

And this is a fun, exciting team, one that is having truly starting to believe in itself, and one that is actually proud to be the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Twenty years?  That's done.  Done and gone, and it's not about how far you've fallen or how long you were gone.  It's about how you pick yourself up. 

The Pirates have picked themselves up.  And it's just a start.  No anvils are going to fall this time.  That's not going to happen.  There's no reason to think this good vibe, this karma, this collective goodness is going away.  And all of that -- believing, enjoying the moment, having fun, finding affirmations, visualizing success, looking forward -- is more important than the seamhead minutiae of over-analyzed details involving stats, Sabremetics, WAR,  Zone ratings, BABIP, etcetera, ad nauseaum.  Forget the naysayers.

We'll take what we've got, and what we've got is first place.  At the All-Star Break. It's fun again.  Keep it going.

Happy Birthday to Bob Prince, The Gunner

A hearty birthday salute to Bob Prince, "The Gunner," legendary voice of the Pirates and a one-of-a-kind Hall of Fame baseball announcer. 

And a big Thank You to whomever compiled this collection of Gunnerisms.

The word "Colorful" doesn't even begin to describe Bob Prince and his larger-than-life persona.  He lived large: He was the walking, talking, living embodiment of incisive commentary, laser-sharp wit, encyclopedic baseball knowledge, kindness and generosity.

"He'd a needed an oar to hit that one."  Here's to ya, Gunner.

Summertime, and the Living is Easy

Three months of the baseball season done; three to go.

It's June 30, the Pirates have 42 wins and are just a game out of first place.  We haven't been able to say that for the past 20 years.  Although they played well in 2011 and actually were in first place in mid-July, this season feels more solid than last year.  It feels like they're in this thing to stay.

This year, the Pirates not only averted the June swoon, which has plagued them in past years, but they closed out the month with four wins on the the road, two victories over the Cardinals and breathing down the necks of the first place Reds.  The Bucs are 22-11 in their past 33 games and posted back-to-back winning months for the first time in 15 years.  They got to 42 wins faster than at any time since their last winning season (1992).  Good for the Pirates, and good for their long-suffering fans.

Packing weapons.

The pitching's been solid all season, but for the past month, the hitting has been among the best in the majors.

In June, the Bucs led the majors in runs scored and the National League in home runs, punctuated emphatically today by Pedro Alvarez's first-inning grand slam in sultry St. Louis.

Let's hope Andrew McCutchen is okay.  He injured his wrist making a clutch, great catch of a sinking liner off the bat of Carlos Beltran, and let's hope it's not serious.  No revelation here, but McCutchen is definitely the team's MVP and best player, by far. Clint Hurdle says McCutchen will get the day off tomorrow, and hopefully his wrist heals quickly with no long-term ill effects.

 

For real?

For the Bucs, it was a solid win today, with Alvarez's grand slam in the first inning, an extremely encouraging start by starting pitcher Jeff Karstens and a very good showing from reliever Jared Hughes, who appears to be back on track.  Catcher Mike McKenry's been playing well, too, in place of the injured Rod Barajas. 

Having won the first two games of their series in St. Louis, they've already won this three-game series.  Entering this series, the Cardinals probably figured they'd bury the Pirates, but the Bucs have gained two games on them in the standings, with the Cardinals now three-and-a-half back, in third place. 

Better yet, the Bucs are 9-1-1 in their last 11 series, and they're on a roll.  It makes for a good, fun summer. Laissez les bon temps roulez.

Finding Ways to Win

We'll say it again:  Clint Hurdle is the right manager for this Pittsburgh Pirates ballclub, the best manager by far this franchise has had since Jim Leyland, and a guy who merits being in the conversation for recognition as Manager of the Year, at least for the first third of the season.

How is Clint Hurdle making this ragtag team legitimately competitive?  This ragtag collection of misfits, castoffs, never-wases, semi-prospects, fledgling major leaguers, and one legitimate star position player (Andrew McCutchen) -- how is Clint Hurdle  pulling this team together, herding cats and actually putting them ahead of bigger-payroll teams like the Cardinals, Brewers and Cubs?

People around here are so used to complaining about the Pirates -- rightfully so -- that many fans may not appreciate how good a manager Hurdle is right now.   Just some of the things we like about him, totally apart from his baseball acumen: He's genuine, down-to-earth and it shows.  He communicates well.  He keeps it real, giving credit to the other team when they play well.  He's steady.  He reads books.  He goes against the book -- like issuing an intentional walk to Jay Bruce, the winning run, in the bottom of the 10th inning the other night in Cincinnati, just because it felt right -- and it was. The Pirates then closed the deal to register probably their best win in years.

Thanks, Lucinda Williams, for the picture.

They won again last night, at home before a sell-out crowd in the first game of interleague play this year.  Somehow, we get the feeling they are going to keep winning at a pace that will keep them competitive for much of the summer.  It's good to see.

Some fans, seam-heads and stat geeks often get so wrapped up in statistics, Sabremetrics and wins-and-losses that we forget the people in uniform are people, too.  Clint Hurdle is a good baseball man, yes, but we get the impression he is a good person, too.  We appreciate that Hurdle has a life outside of baseball, that he has a special-needs kid, and that he contributes a lot of time off the field to the Children's Institute in Squirrel Hill and other worthwhile organizations.

Clint Hurdle is an easy guy to root for, never mind the dangling prepositon.  It's good to see the Pirates competitive again, and playing like the scrappy, hustling team that Pittsburgh desires and deserves.  It's fun to have baseball back.

Gratuitous Music Note

Tons of good free concerts in the city this summer ... just this past week, People of The Burgh were treated to free concerts by Joan Osborne, the Average White Band,  Dawes, the Carolina Chocolate Drops and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, plus a multitude of other free concerts courtesy of the Three Rivers Arts Festival, the County Parks Free Concert Series and JazzLive.

Tonight, another real treat, with a free concert by the Del McCourey Band.  If you've never seen a living music legend, now's your chance.  Even if you don't think you'd like bluegrass, go check it out.  Good bluegrass music played live is as good as it gets.

Memorial Day Thoughts, Small Ball ... and Clint Hurdle for Manager of the Year?

With gratitude and never forgetting: Every one with a name; from a family.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend. 

Last night vs. the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park, the Pirates had 30 at-bats and scored three runs.

During those 30 at-bats, the Bucs struck out seven times but scratched out: 

• Six hits (all singles) 
• Eight walks (two intentional)
• Three stolen bases (two by Andrew McCutchen, one by Neil Walker), 
• Two sacrifice flies, and 
• Two hit batsmen (Jose Tabata and, the game-winner, rookie newcomer Matt Hague in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded).

Small ball. Epitomized. Walks, singles, stolen bases, sacrifice flies, solid defense, opportunistic baserunning, hit batsmen.  Base-to-base, station-to-station baseball.  Not many runs, but somehow, with consistently good pitching, somehow, the Pirates carry a 22-24 record into today's game vs. the woeful Cubs, who are 15-31 with an 11-game losing streak.

Clint Hurdle for Manager of the Year?  On the eve of Memorial Day, it's early, but if the vote were held today, he deserves to be in the conversation.

We'll see a Sunday lineup today -- hold your breath -- but with another win this afternoon, the Pirates could sweep the holiday weekend's three-game series with the Cubs -- and the two teams will have another 13 games this season.

Then, it's the Reds in town tomorrow afternoon for a Memorial Day game.  Hopefully, you get the day off work, just as national holidays are intended, or at least were intended in concept.  

In any case, let's remember what this particular holiday is all about.  Take a moment to reflect upon the fallen dead who perished in service, in uniform, mostly in war, for the United States of America.  

Originally known as Decoration Day, Monday's holiday should be a day for refection, even if only for a few moments.  The people buried in those graves across the nation and around the world -- they are why we have this holiday for picnics, cook-outs, fireworks, discount sales, parades and, yes, afternoon ballgames in the sun.  
  
Enjoy all the holiday has to offer, but take a moment to offer thanks, too.

Memorial Day Links 

• John Farmer, The New Jersey Star-Ledger: "Remembering the nation's vets, even as Memorial Day importance seems to fade"

• Memorial Day History

• Wikipedia Entry on Memorial Day 

Happy Mother's Day!

"I Love You Mom" card and image of pit bull mom with pup courtesy of artist Ginny York, Amherst, Va.

 Wishing all mothers
everywhere
love, thanks and happiness
on Mother's Day.

So far, so good

Where we're at 'n 'at ...

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are thrilled about slam-dunk first-rounder David DeCastro; guardedly borderline-hopeful about Mike Adams; a bit mystified about the selection of third-round linebacker Sean Spence; and glad that Alameda Ta'amu doesn't have to play against DeCastro, who reportedly ate him alive when Stanford played Washington.  As for fifth-rounder Chris Rainey, running back out of Florida, this is all we know about him. Let's hope he can return kicks and pass-block.

The Steelers moved up 10 spots to draft Ta'amu in round four.  To do so, they gave the Redskins their own fourth-round pick (No. 119 overall) and their sixth-round pick (No. 193 overall).  The Steelers have four seventh-round picks this year, so they must have figured, okay, why not throw away the sixth-rounder and get Ta'amu, who is 6'2", 348.  We're happy to get a nose tackle, but a little wary of this pick, if only because we heard the radio interview with DeCastro's offensive line coach, who was laughing about how DeCastro held Ta'amu to no stats and forced him to the sidelines several times, "so he could re-think this game."

Sean Spence sure seems small and light for an inside linebacker, which is where the Steelers say he will play (although he played OLB at Miami).  Mel Kiper or one of the thousands of talking heads we've been watching the past few days -- somebody said Spence played at about 218 pounds or so last year, although he's listed as 231, at 5'11".  Only 218, eh?  And just 12 bench reps  at the Combine?  That doesn't sound good.  He'd better be fast, instinctive and slippery, or he'll get run over.  And let's hope he can cover big tight ends down the middle.

While the Steelers say Spence will compete with third-year veteran Stevenson Sylvester (6'2", 231) to back up Lawrence Timmons, is it possible the Steelers envision Spence more as a special teams player than a regular linebacker?  At first, sure, but spending a third-round pick on a special-teams player seems a bit of a reach.  Let's hope Spence can play linebacker, but he's going to have to prove himself (duh).

As for Mike Adams, we're not sold on him as a football player.  That's all.  Is he tough enough?  Will he maintain concentration?  Will he stay interested?  Will he stay off the weed?  Will he get eaten alive by the likes of Tamba Hali?  Time will tell (duh). 

Looking elsewhere, the Cincinnati Bengals are having a tremendous draft.  The Houston Texans are also having a terrific draft and are going to be a formidable team this fall -- perhaps the team to beat in the AFC.  The Texans are fortifying an already stout defense.  Whitney Mercilus steps in for Mario Williams, and they keep adding depth and potential starters.  They're going to be good.  Just sayin'.

Slam Dunk

David DeCastro:  Pro Football Weekly rated DeCastro No. 9 among NFL prospects this year.

It took the Steelers about five seconds last night to turn in their first-round draft choice.

Nobody thought David DeCastro, the big, mobile guard from Stanford, would be available at No. 24.  Nobody.  DeCastro wasn't even in the discussion of pre-draft prognostications and mock drafts.  Nobody thought he'd be there.

But there he was, thanks to a series of unexpected and, uh, shall we say, curious (questionable? quirky?) selections by teams such as Jacksonville, Seattle, Cleveland, St. Louis, the Jets and, yes, even the Patriots.

Now, DeCastro pulls into Pittsburgh as a plug 'n play starter at a position of need, and dire need at that.  He will fortify the left side of the offensive line and conceivably could even improve the play of fellow linemates Maurkice Pouncey and Marcus Gilbert.  If Ben Roethlisberger want to move around, and he will, no problem.  DeCastro is used to doing that -- after all, Oliver Luck was a mobile quarterback at Stanford, which used a lot of moving-pocket formations.

David DeCastro:  The next Alan Faneca, and a most welcome addition.

Welcome to Pittsburgh, Mr. DeCastro. 

Link: Shutdown Corner offers a terrific profile of DeCastro here.

Top o' the Morning to You and a Happy St. Patrick's Day

"If you're lucky enough to be Irish ...

you're lucky enough."

St. Patrick is no doubt wondering, like the rest of us Steelers' fans, whether Mike Wallace will be in Black 'n Gold this year.  

When Joey Porter's Pit Bulls saw reports of the big free agency deals given to wide receivers Vincent Jackson and Pierre Garcon the past few days, we blanched and said, "Faith 'n begorrah, sure as a shamrock, Mike Wallace's days as a Steeler are behind us."

Now, however, a few days later, no other team has stepped forward with an offer, so far as we know.  Wallace remains a Steeler.

Mike Wallace: About to haul in mucho moolah.

It could be that teams not named the Washington Redskins are reluctant to part with a first-round draft choice, which the Steelers would receive if Wallace takes another team's offer.  Still, the difference in money between what the Steelers plan to pay Wallace ($2.742 million) this year as a restricted free agent and what he is (still) likely to be offered by another team ... well, that difference is vast and great.  

Granted, the Steelers would have the right to match any offer.  One is still likely to come in before the April 20 deadline, as noted in this excellent piece by CBS Sportsline's Clark Judge.

Still a Stiller, but for how long?

How much money are we talking about?  ESPN's Jamison Hensley offers an excellent analysis of the pay scale established this off-season for some of Wallace's peers.  If he were truly a free agent, rather than a restricted free agent, Wallace would probably get about $22 million over the next two years.  

Wallace, who is 25, may not get $22 million, but he almost surely will receive an offer worth considerably more than $2.742 million.  The Steelers will have a decision to make.

It must be nice to be Mike Wallace.  On that note ... 

An Irishman walks into a pub in a small town in Ireland and orders three beers. The man takes the beers to a table where he sits alone and polishes them off in about an hour. He gets up, orders three more and does the same thing. Another hour later, he gets one more round of three, drinks them and leaves.
 

This scene repeats itself the next evening and then the next, and pretty soon this pub is abuzz about the man they're now calling Mr. Three Beers. When he comes in again, the bartender's curiosity is overwhelming, and he asks his new favorite customer what the deal is.

The man replies that he has two brothers who are no longer in Ireland, they're worlds apart, and they all vowed that each would order an extra two beers whenever one of them went drinking to keep the brotherly bond.

The bartender and the tavern regulars bought the story, admiring the brotherly love, and Mr. Three Beers became a pub favorite.

But one day he came in and ordered only two beers. The bartender poured them and the pub crawlers took immediate notice, thinking the worst -- that one of the brothers had passed away. This went on for several days.

One day, finally, the bartender haltingly offered his condolences on behalf of himself and the pub regulars. The man thanked him for the thoughtfulness but said his two brothers were alive and well.

So what's with ordering only two beers? the barkeep asked.

"It's Lent," the man replied. "And I, myself, have decided to give up drinking until Easter."

The Mike Wallace Waiting Game

Moving on to Chicago? New England? Cincinnati?  Baltimore?  San Francisco? Washington?

Now the Steelers wait.  By deciding to withhold the franchise tag on Mike Wallace, the Steelers have placed their bet on losing Wallace to free agency -- possibly to New England, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Chicago, San Francisco or another team with salary cap flexibility, first-round draft choice and money to spend.

Wallace, who is "Fast Money" in the Steelers' Young Money trio of receivers -- will be getting Big Money.

Rather than bidding against themselves and setting the market for Wallace, the Steelers are going to let other teams bid against each other and set a price that the Steelers will have the opportunity to match.

As general manager Kevin Colbert said on Steelers.com, "He could get an offer from another team, but ultimately we get to make the decision on Mike."

Dicey, and a calculated risk.  The odds are fairly good that another team will make Fast Money a BIG MONEY offer that the Steelers will decide they just cannot match.

Beginning next Tuesday, March 13, offers to Wallace will start to come in from other teams.  If the Steelers choose not to match, they will lose Wallace and receive, in turn, the signing team's first-round draft choice.

One team in the running for Wallace could well be, gack!, New England, which owns two first-round draft picks and six picks in the first three rounds. The Patriots need a deep threat. They just applied the franchise tag to Wes Welker, however, so they now have a lot of cap space tied up at the receiver position already.  Another option for the Patriots is free agent wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, who has already expressed an interest in playing for New England and reuniting with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who was head coach in Denver while Lloyd was with the Broncos.  Llloyd, however, is not nearly the deep threat Wallace is.

Wallace going to New England would be a worst-case scenario, matched only by the possibility of Wallace going to Baltimore.  The Ravens last week signed running back Ray Rice to a big-money contract, however, and are working on a new deal for quarterback Joe Flacco, so they may not be able to afford Wallace.  Or they might go after him just to jerk the Steelers around.

Another AFC North Division rival, Cincinnati, presumably could afford Wallace.  The Bengals are $60 million under the cap and already have one of the best young receivers in the game, A.J. Green. Bengals fans must be drooling at the possibility of seeing Green paired with Wallace.  It could happen.  Like the Patriots, the Bengals have two first-round draft choices.  There's almost no reason for the Bengals not to make an offer to Wallace, except ... they're the Bengals.

Paydirt!

Another team with cap space and a need at wide receiver is the Chicago Bears. This team worries Joey Porter's Pit Bulls.  The Bears have cap space, a glaring need at wide receiver and must do something splashy to stay competitive with NFC North rival Green Bay.  The Minnesota Vikings are in that category, too, although they need to rebuild from the ground up, so signing Wallace may not make as much sense for the Vikings as it would for the Bears.

San Francisco would be a great match for Wallace, too, and the 49ers also have a glaring need at receiver, as do the Washington Redskins.

New Orleans is a dark-horse candidate to sign Wallace, who is a native of the Big Easy.  The Saints have other big problems just now, however, including the task of signing franchise quarterback Drew Brees and All-Pro guard Carl Nicks.  Having let receivers Marques Colston and Robert Meachem hit free agency, the Saints have a need at wide receiver.  If they cannot sign Brees, which seems unthinkable, they will have money to spend.  And it is Wallace's hometown. 

It's going to take Big Money to sign Fast Money.

One saving grace for the Steelers is that this is a deep year for wide receivers in free agency, including Vincent Jackson, Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Marques Colston, Brandon Lloyd, Mario Manningham, Robert Meachem, Laurent Robinson, Josh Morgan, Plaxico Burress and -- gasp!  say it ain't so-- Hines Ward.  We didn't just say that, did we?

Wallace is the best of the bunch, however, and more than one team will bid for his services and drive up his price. Complicating the situation for the Steelers is the pending contract situation, next off-season, for fellow receivers Antonio Brown ("Fast Money") and Emanuel Sanders ("Easy Money").

So much for sentiment.

The Steelers' purge/makeover/transformation continues, then, and may not be over.  Fare thee well, Hines Ward, Aaron Smith and James Farrior -- great players, all -- and, uh, oh yeah, you too, Chris Kemoeatu.  Good luck to all, and thanks for the memories.

It's going to be tough not having those guys around anymore.

Let's just hope Mike Wallace doesn't join the group of departures.

Big Ben Chimes Thirty

For whom the Ben tolls:  Today, March 2, is Ben Roethlisberger's 30th birthday.  Imagine that.  Happy birthday.

This isn't how we wanted it to end, either, Hines.

"This isn't how I wanted this chapter of my career to end,'' Hines Ward said in a statement.

Neither did we, Hines; neither did we.

"I want to thank the organization, my teammates and coaches and everyone who made my run as a Steeler the best years of my life. To Mr. Rooney, thank you for allowing me to play for one of the greatest organizations in the world. To my fans and in particular, Steeler Nation, thank you for your support and all the great memories."

No, thank you, Hines; many thanks.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls remember being thrilled when the Steelers selected Hines in the third round of the 1998 draft.  We'd seen him shine as a wide receiver/running back/quarterback/kick returner in college, especially in the 1997 Georgia-Florida game, which he took over and more or less won single-handedly.  At the time, we said, "Now, that's a football player.  That guy would look great in black 'n gold."

He was, and he did.  Ward's game was never about pure speed, but he had enough speed for 1,000 receptions, 85 touchdowns and 14 years (so far) in the NFL. 

Hines Ward's game was about leadership, productivity, reliability, clutch catches, blocking, finding open spots on the field, setting an example and finding the end zone.  He did all of the above, and arguably did all of them better and longer than any receiver in Steelers history.  Not to mention what he did off the field, both within the Steelers' organization and for various humanitarian causes, charities and civic organizations. 

This ain't no obituary, but we'll miss you, Hines.  Best wishes for continued success.

Hines Ward is an all-time great Steeler and deserves to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.

Mike Wallace, Wherefore Art Thou (going)?

Mike Wallace going 95 in Arizona last year.

Like Steelers fans everywhere, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls continue to wring our hands and watch with concern, exasperation and frustration the developing story that is The Mike Wallace Contract Situation.

Like everybody else, including Mike Wallace and the Steelers, we wonder how it will play out.

We wonder whether the Steelers have a plan and if so, what it is.  Do they plan to let "the market" determine Wallace's contract?  Probably.  One lesson the Steelers have learned over the years: Do not bid against yourself; i.e., let other teams establish the market price for a player.

Not a one-trick pony, as many fans suggest.

Wallace would be a welcome addition to just about any other NFL team.  Any number of franchises might step forward and offer him a blockbuster of a contract that the Steelers would have the opportunity to match -- or, alternatively, receive a late first-round draft choice.  The merits of that position are being debated ad nauseum, and the Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette, makes a valid point:  An extra first-rounder would help the Steelers fill needs on the both sides of the line of scrimmage.  Maybe.  But, still ...


How did it get to this point?  

Neal Coolong over at Behind the Steel Curtain wrote a spot-on critique asking that very question and raising the possibility -- gasp! -- that the Steelers' braintrust in charge of such issues (Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin, Omar Khan, etc.) -- fumbled the ball on this one.

And, at the risk of incurring The Wrath of Khan ... we should point out that somebody needed to write a post like this and call out the Steelers for how they’ve handled (or mis-handled) the planning of their cap situation the past two or three years.  Neal's write-up is much more thoughtful, detailed and better written than anything JPPBs could have crafted, but the same damn thing occurred to us a few weeks ago when news leaked that St. Louis was making overtures to Omar Khan.  Not looking to blame anybody in particular here —  lots of people get involved in these decisions — but how is it that the Steelers are in this mess?

Mike Wallace is entering his prime years.

Why Willie Colon Instead of Mike Wallace?

Signing Willie Colon instead of Mike Wallace last off-season probably wasn't an either/or choice -- or maybe it was? -- but to Joey Porter's Pit Bulls, the Willie Colon contract extension last year was a head-scratcher at the time and looks like an absolutely terrible decision today, even in light of the “restructuring” announced last week.

The team committed a five-year, $25 million contract to Colon but let Mike Wallace twist in the wind?   What’s Willie Colon ever done? … hang out with Big Ben in Milledgeville?

It's a fair question to ask: Did the Steelers commit money to Willie Colon that could have gone to an extension for Mike Wallace?

In any case, here we are.  The Bengals — never a model of how to run a pro football franchise — are $60 million under the cap.  Yeah, they are perennially mismanaged and subject to ridicule, but here they are: SIXTY MILLION UNDER THE CAP!   You think the Bengals wouldn’t like to sign Mike Wallace?  Or the 49ers?  Or the Ravens?  Or, most worrisome, the Patriots?

The Patriots always seem to find a way to sign whomever they want.  They may well have won the Super Bowl if Tom Brady had been throwing deep to Mike Wallace instead of hobbled Rob Gronkowski.

Now the Steelers have tough decisions to make.  Chuck Noll used to say — after he learned his lesson in the late 70s and early 80s — that it’s better to let a player go a year early than to hang onto him a year late.

Who would you rather have? Wallace, or a first-rounder?

The Steelers are going to have to make those kinds of decisions during the next few weeks, as painful as they will be. Players we love, too: Casey Hampton? Aaron Smith? James Farrior? Charlie Batch? Larry Foote? Decisions will need to made on these players and others.

To Joey Porter's Pit Bulls, though, the Willie Colon contract is Exhibit A of a well-intentioned mistake that is having ripple effects that may result in the loss of Mike Wallace.

Hopefully, the Steelers will work out something with Wallace. But it should never have gotten to this point

Food for Thought:
Could this be the sort of deal be a model for what the Steelers are trying to devise for Mike Wallace?  Probably not -- the franchise tender for Mike Wallace would be much higher than for Jermichael Finley -- but it's an interesting solution to a similar problem.  And the Packers have proven very adept at dealing with the salary cap.

More Food (literally) for Thought:
Patty Tascarella's "The Fish Sandwich Chronicles" in The Pittsburgh Business Times

Sunset Gun:  "Every Day Needs a Little Otis Tenderness"

We Win! YinzBurgh BBQ for Everybody!!

In a bit of revisionist near-history, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls declares victory in the 4th annual Best Pittsburgh Sports Blog hosted by Sean's Ramblings ... never mind that the Post-Gazette's awesome Empty Netters blog annihilated trounced bested edged us by a vote of 132-51 in Round One, Part II, Kip Miller Division.  Close enough, and it's a fine day for all.

Thanks to all who voted for Joey Porter's Pit Bulls, and we can revel this Fat Tuesday in our 28 percent of the vote.  Everybody wins, and what better way to celebrate than with a visit to YinzBurgh BBQ for some seriously tasty, finger lickin' ribs, brisket, chicken, 'n fixins' such as black-eyed peas like you've never seen, greens and macaroni 'n cheese.  

Seriously, folks, this is good eating, and you know it's good 'cause it's where are all the cabbies and jitney drivers go for ribs 'n such.  
 

Check it aht.  YinzBurgh BBQ has the tenderest, most succulent, fall-off-the-bone ribs, plus Addictive Brisket, and pulled pork sandwiches, wings, barbecue chicken, sides, and even some weird stuff like smoked tofu and smoked paneer salad.  
 

Plus, and this is for real, YinzBurgh BBQ carries Natrona Bottling products, which is like the cult zenith of soda pop, especially their Red Ribbon Cherry Soda or Vanilla Cream or Pennsylvania Punch. 
 
Good stuff.  
 
Visit YinzBurgh BBQ, at 4903 Baum Blvd. between Morewood and S. Milvale Ave., across the street from the Get-Go and adjacent to KFC.  YinzBurgh BBQ is good food.  Call 'em at 412-621-YINZ (9469).

And put in your vote at UrbanSpoon.

Just asking ...

If the Steelers had not signed Willie Colon to his five-year, $25 million extension before last season, would they be at risk of losing Mike Wallace today?  Does Colon's contract affect what the Steelers can do with Wallace?

Just asking.

A Shameless Plea for Votes in the Best Pittsburgh Sports Blog Tournament

Visit Sean's Ramblings and vote for Joey Porter's Pit Bulls!

Thanks to Sean at the always excellent Sean's Ramblings for alerting us that Joey Porter's Pit Bulls somehow got drafted as a candidate in the 4th annual Best Pittsburgh Sports Blog Tournament.  It is an honor, certainly, and very humbling. And very possibly humiliating.

With voting already underway today and continuing until 8 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday), we are here today to shamelessly shill for votes.  Not sure why, but that's what we're doing today.

As the humble No. 8 seed in the Kip Miller Division, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are massive underdogs pitted (?) against the eminently worthy top-seeded Empty Netters blog.

So, there we are:  Your chance to vote is here -- you'll have to scroll down to the Kip Miller Division -- but we implore you to join the one other misguided soul who has already voted for Joey Porter's Pit Bulls ... so vote early and often!

Past Performance is No Guarantee of Future Results

A.J. Burnett in pinstripes

Which version of A.J. Burnett are the Pirates getting?
 
The pitcher whom the Yankees thought was good enough as recently as 2009 to give a five-year, $83 million contract?  Or the pitcher who, at best, was the eighth option in New York's projected five-man rotation entering this year's spring training? ... the pitcher who, over the past two seasons in New York, had a 5.20 ERA and lost 26 games for a team that finished 60 games over .500 in that span?
 
The Yankees couldn't wait to get rid of Burnett and paid $20 million of the $33 million remaining on his contract to do it.  Many Yankee fans also seem to be happy to see him leave the Bronx, judging by comments on various Yankee-related blogs ("Our long national nightmare is over!"),  or this one from BomberBanter.com:  "By now, you’re aware that A.J. Burnett has been traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates due to his extreme suckiness for marginal prospects and salary relief."
 
None of that deterred Neal Huntington, Pirates general manager, who likes to yak and blab about the team's "portfolio" of on-field talent, as if individual players are commodity items like natural gas, alumina futures and pork bellies.
 
Huntington should know, then, that the fine print at the bottom of 10K prospectuses (prospecti?) and other portfolio disclosure statements typically reads, "Past performance is no guarantee of future results."  Ya think?
 

Any idea what that tattoo means?  "Glad to be a Bucco"?

This caveat, which applies neatly to so many things in life, is apt for a 35-year-old pitcher who's lost his fastball and may be looking forward to a post-baseball life enhanced by his own "portfolio" of more than $100 million in career earnings.


It's fair to ask: Will Burnett go through the motions with the Pirates?  Or will he summon personal pride to perform to his best, even if that's not much at this point, just because he has something to prove? Does it matter?
 
Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
 
Joey Porter's Pit Bulls expect Burnett will do his best -- but he appears to be past his prime. 

If the past two years indicate anything, his best days are behind him.  He surrenders a ton of walks, throws a lot of wild pitches and gives up a ton of gophers -- 31 home runs last year.  Thirty-one home runs!  Burnett's ERA is well north of 5.00.  Studious seam-heads like the guys at Pinstripe Alley, who really study the byzantine minutiae of baseball statistics, have been able to mine all kinds of other data that point to a general decline in Burnett's performance, from the velocity of his fastball to the number of wild pitches he throws to the location of the home runs he surrenders and where they are hit.  Here is Pinstripe Alley's Lord Duggan had to say ...

"These last two seasons, A.J. Burnett has been an unmitigated disaster.  Even if there were a way to line up the numbers to feel more hopeful about 377 innings of 5+ ERA, I wouldn't bother.  There's a problem here and there may not be a solution."

The solution for the Yankees, apparently, was to trade Burnett to the Pirates.

Our new leader at the top of the rotation.

Defenders of the trade will say Burnett's a top-of-the-rotation guy -- which tells all you need to know about the Pirates' rotation -- and that he will benefit from pitching in the National League Central (as opposed to the American League East), that he should be able to relax away from the glare of the New York media.  They say he will fare better in PNC Park, and that he's an innings-eater.

What good are innings pitched if they are bad innings?


Joey Porter's Pit Bulls don't trust the Yankees, and we trust the Pirates even less -- at least their "braintrust's" ability to make smart decisions involving on-field talent.

This trade doesn't look like any kind of a bargain.  People are saying things like, "Well, for $5 million $6.5 million a year for the next two years, it's worth it for the Pirates to take a shot at Burnett to see what he has left."

Last we looked, a $5 million $6.5 million salary is still a lot of money.  Worse, it seems Burnett is in fairly serious decline.  For some reason, his appeal at this point appears to be that he is an "innings-eater."   That's just great.  His ERA the past two years is something like 5.15 ... which means that for every nine innings he pitches, the Pirates had better score six runs. 

Sorry, but the Bucs just don't have that kind of bat production.  Couldn't they find a pitcher at the league minimum to give them a 5.15 ERA kind of pitching performance?  

Again, what good are a bunch of innings pitched if they are bad innings pitched?  

As noted on Big League Stew, at least Burnett's time in New York was "interesting," so it may be entertaining in Pittsburgh, as well.  Let's hope in a good way.

This deal reeks of Frank Coonelly and Neal Huntington saying, "See? We told you we'd spend some money."

Past Performance is no indicator of future results -- except in the case of the Pirates' front office.  Oh, and since Neal Huntington loves to talk about his "portfolio," he should like the following graph showing the purported decline in Burnett's fastball over the past few years, at least according to Pinstripe Alley ... 

For what it's worth: A.J. Burnett's fastball velocity, according to Pinstripe Alley.