You ask. I answer. It’s time for “Mailing It In,” a weekly Q&A that appears Tuesdays at TribLive.com. Most of the questions come via X, but you can also hit me up at jraystarkey@gmail.com. Let’s gooooooo ….
Chris Abt, @Chris_Abt: Why aren’t we considering that the imminent MLB lockout and resulting salary cap will result in Paul Skenes being a career-long Pirate?
Starkey: Because, cap or not, Skenes is going to command upwards of half a billion dollars, Dr. A, and nobody in their right mind could imagine Bob Nutting allocating that kind of money to a baseball player. Even Paul Skenes.
Also, the cap is hardly a sure thing. Baseball in many ways is thriving right now. Revenues are flowing at a record pace. Will owners really want to go dark for a whole season in pursuit of a cap?
Having said that, your question got me thinking. The cap theoretically does help you keep star players, right? It actually does in other sports. And if the floor comes in at, say, $140 million, and you spend $50 million on Skenes, you still have $90 million to spend on the rest of your team, which is what you’ve been spending anyway (is that enough to build a winner around Skenes, who would only want to stay if the Pirates are winning? That’s another question).
I contacted our Pirates writer, Kevin Gorman, who does not believe MLB will get a cap. Skenes’ current contract runs through the 2029 season. Gormie does not think Skenes will be here beyond that and could be gone before that. I agree.
But I’d love to be surprised.
Josh Howard, @jhow2687: At the end September are we more likely to be applauding the moves the Pirates made this offseason, or are we talking at length about the few moves they may not make i.e. Griffin to AAA, not acquiring a 3rd baseman, quality left handed pitcher?
Starkey: Fair question, Dr. Howard. I have them pegged for mid-80s in wins, so I’m going to say we’re talking about the moves they (finally) made, but then, I had the Steelers making a playoff run, so maybe I’m easily fooled.
Also, it’s not too late to acquire a third baseman, although if the players who are supposed to hit do so, Jared Triolo is a luxury they might be able to afford. He does hit left-handed pitching, at least, which is one more hand than Ke’Bryan Hayes hit, and he’s an excellent fielder.
It sure sounds like Griffin is going to Triple-A, based on manager Don Kelly’s recent comments. Let’s hope the stay doesn’t last more than a month (less if Griffin kills Triple-A pitching).
Jake Corcoran, @Jake_Corcoran: This time last year there was hype around the idea of two players breaking through for the Bucs. Endy Rodriguez (before he got hurt again) and “Shaquille” Oneil Cruz. Does their lingering potential finally take that big step forward with this newly shaped lineup?
Starkey: Rodriguez once was one of the Pirates’ prized prospects, Dr. J, but injuries and poor performance have relegated him to an afterthought as he approaches age 26.
I loved his energy when he first came up. It’s a shame, really. I hope he rebounds — it was nice to see him hit the team’s first home run at spring training — but I’m not seeing a big step forward.
As for Cruz, I’m not sure people realize how bad it got in the final two months last season. He hit like a pitcher. He batted .133 in August and .167 in September with almost no power. I’m highly concerned about him.
Hopefully, with more bats around him, he’ll feel less pressure and see better pitches. For all his wondrous power and potential, he was barely above an average player last season. I fear the answer is no on him, as well, if the question is will he take “a big step forward.”
I hope I’m wrong.
Dave Hendrickson, @futbalhooligan: If you could relive one 24-hour sports day in history, which day would you choose?
Starkey: Maybe the day of Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, Dr. fut. The tension leading up to it. The celebrations that erupted all over Western Pennsylvania afterward.
I remember doing a piece on Skip Prosser, the Wake Forest basketball coach from Carnegie, after he tragically passed away. People who knew him told the story of how Prosser was in elementary school at the time, and his teacher let the kids listen to Game 7. When Maz hit his legendary home run, everybody just ran out of the school in celebration.
What a day that must have been.
Rich Radomski (via email): Joe, Love the mailbag. I think you should rethink your world series prediction for the Pirates in 2027. Don’t think there will be MLB in 2027. Maybe 2028 if Skenes is still here. That’s doubtful too!!!!
Starkey: If there is no baseball in 2027 and the Pirates win it all in 2028 I absolutely get credit for that prediction, Dr. Radomski.
Don’t I?
Some Guy, @SomeGuyBry: Do you think the Penguins will take a serious run at signing McDavid after his current deal expires (and he gets fed up with losing in Edmonton)? Or possibly even trading for him before it runs out?
Starkey: I do not, Dr. Guy, although I suppose you are referring to the Bleacher Report piece from July. Connor McDavid has a two-year deal that takes him to age 31 in Edmonton. I suppose anybody could take a run at him then (or try to trade for him before then).
Will Sidney Crosby still be humming along at that point? McDavid referred to Crosby as his “idol” during the Olympics, so that would be the selling point. That and a presumably good Penguins team.
I suppose we can always dream, kind of like Skenes staying here.
Bob Sposito, @Sposito331: Ben Kindel, Konnor Griffin, Zach Frazier. Better chance that zero or all three make the Hall of Fame.
Starkey: Holy ostrich milk, Dr. 331. Much better chance for zero. Even with Halls of Fame becoming “Halls of Very Good” these days, they aren’t easy to crack.
That’s no knock on any of those guys. Griffin has obvious Hall of Fame potential, but a lot of things have to go right to make that happen.
BTW, can you milk an ostrich?
Zach Brink, @Zbrink23: You got 2 WR to pick in first 4 rounds. Who are you picking ? (Realistically)
Starkey: I’m not exactly a draftnik, Mr. (Season on The) Brink. But if pressed I’ll go with red-zone weapon Denzel Boston in the first round and Oklahoma’s Deion Burks later on. Here is Pro Football Focus on Burks: “Brings NFL-level acceleration and long speed to the slot receiver position. Though small in stature, he leans into his strengths, especially his quickness and ability to separate consistently. He’s a highly competitive player whose energy shows on tape, even as a blocker. Pound-for-pound, he’s very strong and was featured in Bruce Feldman’s College Football Freaks List.”
I like the sounds of that.
BoomBox Billy, @b1llyboombox: Good Evening Professor Starkey. Which are you most excited to watch coming up this year? WBC, March Madness, NHL playoffs, NBA playoffs, Masters, NFL Draft?
Starkey: In order, it goes this way, Dr. Boom Box:
1 — NBA playoffs
2 — NHL playoffs (specifically if the Penguins are in them; if not, they fall below March Madness)
3 — March Madness
4 — NFL Draft
5 — Masters
6 — WBC
RyanG, @M1ngoG: Why was Alika Williams on my TV the last 2 days?
Starkey: It’s only spring training, Dr. G, but I thought the same thing. I honestly didn’t know he was still in the organization.
I’ll say this: Williams is a really good fielder and has actually been a respectable hitter at Triple-A. But so are a lot of guys. I can’t imagine he’s in the plans, if you’re concerned about that.
James Vogel, @JamesVo71121566: Dr. Starkey, if the Immaculate Reception had been performed by a Detroit Lion or Cleveland Brown, would Steelers fans consider that the greatest moment in NFL history? Also, what statue would be at Pittsburgh International: Santonio, Harrison, something else?
Starkey: First of all, the Franco statue needs to be put in a place where everybody can see it at the newly designed airport, Dr. Vogel. I traveled this past weekend and never saw it. People should be FORCED to walk past it, like they were before. Come on!
Meanwhile, no, Steelers fans likely would not consider that play the greatest moment in NFL history if the Browns had pulled it off, but the Browns didn’t pull it off. And it remains a play of fascination around the NFL, not just in Pittsburgh.
In Pittsburgh, however, it marked the end of decades of incompetence and helped launch a dynasty.
Tim McAloon, @tjmcaloonsr: Let’s play a hypothetical game…if Grimm was hired instead of Tomlin, would the Steelers still have six Super Bowls? My take, they would have more. With LeBeau, Butler, Arians, et al, 43 is also a win for Grimm. And, I think he gets more out of Ben during the rest of his prime.
Starkey: I think you’re nuts, Dr. T, but to each his own. (The Steelers did win Super Bowl 43, BTW). What makes you think Grimm gets more out of Ben? I’d need you to elaborate there. And would Art not have fired Arians if Grimm were here? The idea was to keep Ben upright into his later years, a plan that worked fairly well even though the Steelers forgot how to win playoff games.
Mike Dudjak, @CoachDudjak: Professor Starkey, Does Pitt (MBB & WBB) move on from Jeff Capel & Tory Verdi? Would love to golf with you.
Starkey: OK, let’s golf.
As for the Pitt basketball programs, things aren’t going very well. The men’s and women’s teams are a combined 4-26 in the ACC. So your question is pertinent.
Capel’s contract — it runs through 2029-30 — likely will keep him here at least one more year, Dr. D, but Verdi’s program has fallen apart amid controversy and allegations. He is 1-15 in the conference.
Verdi reportedly has three years left on his deal. I don’t love his chances of finishing it.
Bigglesworth, @studhorse76: Was Paul Coffey or Connor McDavid a better skater?
Starkey: Well, you just picked maybe the greatest skating forward and defenseman of all-time, Dr. 76 (and yes, I know of Bobby Orr). I’ll go with McDavid, because of how fast he is with the puck on his stick. Not that Coffey was slow in that scenario, but I’ve never seen anything like McDavid.
Whether he should have been Olympics MVP is a different question, and the answer is an emphatic no. But you didn’t ask that.
Joey Bag of Donuts, @joeybagovdonuts: If Sidney Crosby plays that gold medal game, Canada wins, right?
Starkey: Easy to say, Dr. Donuts. Impossible to prove. I keep thinking about that 5-on-3 and how Crosby might have helped there, but I can’t take anything away from the American win. They earned it. Canada blew it. Both are true.
Burke O’Toole, @BurkeMan513: Dr. Starkey if you could play any golf course and invite any three people in the world. Who is in your foursome and where are you playing?
Starkey: Pebble Beach with Mullsy, Pomp and Tiger Woods.
And thank you for asking.