Paul Skenes is simply getting into his second season with the Pittsburgh Pirates and he already appears determined for the workforce to change into aggressive. He additionally threw down the gauntlet this weekend and set increased expectations and targets for the workforce 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 workforce needing to win — and win now — as a result of town of Pittsburgh deserves it.
There’s a lot to unwrap from that remark, starting from the “we owe it to town,” to additionally expressing a frustration of nonetheless listening to in regards to the workforce’s 2013 wild-card win towards 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 count on from the workforce or what they need to see. It’s all the time imprecise platitudes about “working towards a championship” or “attempting to get higher” and “doing it the suitable approach.” There’s by no means a agency expectation. There’s by no means a significant objective. It’s all the time simply imprecise vacancy, which is adopted by a workforce that by no means has the roster to significantly 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 greatest years with the Pirates), the group has been a totally non-factor for the reason that 1979 season. They by no means compete, not often end with a profitable report and principally function as a farm workforce 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 likely one of the greatest 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.
Which means the Pirates solely have perhaps 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 nearly 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 probably the Pirates will waste one other of the few seasons they’ll have with Skenes.
Followers don’t need to see that occur. He doesn’t need to see that occur. He additionally appears to care extra in regards to the scenario than anyone concerned within the entrance workplace.
