The Pittsburgh Pirates can’t hit. Some feel like it took too long to promote Paul Skenes. The Penguins fired an assistant coach. And the Steelers essentially admitted they shouldn’t have drafted a running back in the first round three years ago.

There is plenty of room for grumbling in Pittsburgh sports these days, and you have found your ways to grumble to me.

That’s what we are all about at “U mad, bro?”

Bruce wants me to “call out” the Pirates for their “abyssal” hitting. I think he means “abysmal” hitting. But the Pirates have pretty much been in an abyss since 2015 anyway. So let’s not split hairs.

“Please call out the Pirates for their abyssal hitting! The Angels have allowed the second most runs in the league — and they shut you out at home??

This a total embarrassment to cap off a month of crappy hitting. Heads must roll.”

You’re right. I should do that. I should write a column criticizing the Pirates offense. How come I haven’t done that yet? How could I have gone this deep into the season watching this wretched offense and never once written an artic… wait a minute.

Yes, Bruce. If it gets to the point when something goes so wrong with one of the teams in town that you feel the need to pound out an email saying “You need to write about (fill in the blank topic),” odds are … I probably already have.

Now, in terms of those rolling heads, I addressed that, too. But I can just post a column. I’m pretty sure the guillotine has been outlawed.

Although with no playoff series wins since 1979, I can see why you might be rooting for it to make a comeback.

A guy named “Dave” actually sent me a follow-up email on that column.

“I just love the scientific method you guys use to explain the problem the Pirates are having. It’s like posting a video and explaining why dumping gasoline on a fire is a bad idea. Then using scientific evidence to explain why adding gas to a fire causes the fire to get worse. Can we just agree having (garbage) players on a team with (garbage) coaches and a (garbage) owner is why they (are garbage). It isn’t Moneyball. It is incompetence and cheapness. It doesn’t need in-depth analysis. THEY (are garbage).”

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***Note: Dave was actually using a different word than “garbage” … in case you couldn’t tell.

Well, Dave, I’m not sure how scientific my column really was. It was pretty much just stats indicating that the Pirates hitters have been … well … (garbage).

So here’s to you, I guess!

When Najee Harris didn’t get his fifth-year option picked up, I wrote that the Steelers were really indicting the draft choice of Harris in 2021, more so than the player he has become.

Frank doesn’t see it that way.

“Got to disagree with you, Najee is a TOTAL bust for a 1st rounder. If we chose him on the 3rd or 4th … OK. Picking up his 5th year option would have been a mistake. He and the position that he plays simply aren’t worth it.

Slow, no burst, and no vision. At least Omar (Khan) and Andy (Weidl) didn’t overpay him for another average year at best.”

Honestly, Frank, I don’t think we disagree all that much in terms of salary-cap-management strategy. In fact, I think a lot of the things we are saying are the same.

Also, like you, I don’t think Harris has been great. I think he is a bit better than you are implying. But there are certainly better backs in the NFL.

The only thing I’d take umbrage with is when you say “overpay.” Harris would’ve counted $6.7 million on the cap next year. That will be less than 2.5% of the team’s payroll. He got handed and/or thrown the ball on more than 28% of their plays last year.

To me, that’s not overpaying.

This guy didn’t like my column about former Pirate Cole Tucker and future Pirate Paul Skenes.

Wow — never said he was.

I wasn’t making a talent comp between Skenes and Tucker. It was the matter of life experience, which, given Tucker’s marriage to Vanessa Hudgens and Skenes’ relationship with Livvy Dunne, is a pretty unique connection.

To say nothing of both being No. 1 picks in Pittsburgh.

Scalding comeback. You got me.

After Penguins power play coach Todd Reirden got fired, I wrote a column ripping Pittsburgh’s three local sports teams for constantly trying to fix their problems by simply cycling through assistant coaches.

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RJ sent me a reply.

Hmmm. How can a person tell me that they just read the headline, without telling me that they just read the headline?

RJ, the whole premise of the piece was that the assistant coaches are absorbing blame the head coaches and upper management should be taking.

If you don’t want to read the story, that’s fine. But don’t comment on what you haven’t read. Because you’ll usually miss the point.

Obviously, that’s what happened here.

Finally, Kevin sent me a message regarding my column about the Pirates’ plan to call up Skenes. I feel like the move is a little overdue. I suggested the Pirates should “keep the express lane open” to get him up to Pittsburgh as soon as possible.

“Tim, if the Buccos really are in the Paul Skenes express lane, they’re the (idiots) doing 50 mph and backing up traffic for miles behind them.”

Maybe, Kevin, but at least now it’s happening Saturday.

We take you now to live footage of I-70 between Indianapolis and Pittsburgh …

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via X. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.

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