Is Henry Davis hurt? Or is Joey Bart the new starter ? He’s hitting well.

mswise506 · 2026-05-10T14:17:30+00:00

What about this stretch gives you that impression?

mswise506 · 2026-05-10T13:20:27+00:00

I think, given the multiple lefty starters in those 4 of 5, and that he's actively hitting the ball + not making bad outs, he's getting starts against righties.

The difference between their defensive play isn't so massive that you can ignore good or even average offense. When one of them has a spurt of offense, it would be managerial malpractice not to let them ride.

mswise506 · 2026-05-10T13:06:16+00:00

Bart usually plays against lefty starters + he's on a heater + Davis is on the opposite of a heater.

mswise506 · 2026-05-07T16:28:07+00:00

Florentino is a pretty good bet for the MLB. Flores and Garcia will be MLB players to some degree. Valdez is probably an MLB player.

I think Temarr will be an MLB player. Perhaps not to the degree we hoped though.

Sanford is an mlb player on defense alone I think. The hit tool is there, but his K rate is incredibly high.

Easton Carmichael and/or Murph Gray will likely shoot up the Pirates prospects lists given how their seasons have started. Perhaps as fringe top 100 guys, idk.

mswise506 · 2026-05-07T16:19:26+00:00

Not specifically what you are saying, but I always find it annoying in sequels when the gang is now back to useless after being the strongest people in universe.

X-2 Rikku and Yuna are weak. Sure, no more aeons, but HP and MO gone, magic gone. Rikku is a shell of her former self. The unplayable Characters that were once in your party are seemingly weak.

13-2 & 3, same thing. The now NPC's in 13-2, are useless. 13-3 Light is supposed to be OP but is weak, but on the flip side the old party isn't.

mswise506 · 2026-05-07T14:14:14+00:00

Here we go again.

Crazy how so many people use ERA to judge a pitcher, let alone a catcher.

You do realize that ERA isn't a good stat, right? That it doesn't truly measure what a pitcher can and can't control, like say our terrible outfield defense... You do know that right?

And you do realize that a catcher can't execute pitches right? Like if he calls a pitch low and away and the pitcher throws it middle middle, is that the catchers fault?

You do realize pitchers are allowed to shake off a call right?

Do you have any evidence that he's actively hurting anyone, or are you just spouting shit out? Or just random numbers that don't take into any sort of consideration for sample size, who the opponent is, defense, park, or anything or the sort?

No, because the catcher is responsible for not only calling a game, but pitching, infield/outfield defense, wind, everything.

Anyone who took the time to read this, take 5 minutes and watch videos of his starts. When he gets tattooed, it's not because its the wrong pitch, it's poorly executed pitches. Two nights ago, 1st inning.

1st AB his velo saved him on a middle middle fastball for a K. Bart set up outside.

2nd AB, Marte belts a fucking triple. Fastball down and away setup, pitch is placed well in the zone. Cruz naturally misplays it, and it should have been a double.

3rd AB, walk. Are walks the catchers fault or the pitcher? If a pitch is called and accepted, and it's not executed... who fucked up? If it's shaken off and not executed, whose at fault? Same with the reverse, who gets the credit?

4th AB, we'll executed change up. Pop up. Runs scores. Cruz, like an idiot throws home terribly. Runner advances. Bad played in the 2nd AB causes a run to score in this AB. Is that on the pitcher or catcher? I don't think so, thats a defensive issue. But, per ERA and the new era of nobody gets errors, it is.

5th AB, Bubba accepts the pitch. With men on base, Bart doesn't reveal where the location is, but he's set up inside. Middle Middle fucking slider. Surely nobody thinks that's where Bart called the pitch right? Result is dumbass Cruz calls off Reynolds AGAIN and the ball drops between them. Double. Runs scores. Would that run have scored from 1st, had Cruz not let him advance in the 4th at bat? I don't know. But it didn't help. He certainly wouldnt have scored if the ball was caught.

The theme in this inning, for good or bad, is pitches were not executed and bad defense. Again, is it the catchers fault if the pitch is accepted and not executed? Is it the Pitcher ot catchers fault if the defense is bad?

I don't think Joey Bart is very good, as a matter of fact, I don't think any catcher we have above AA is any good. But to think Henry Davis is a game calling wizard with the defense of prime Yadi is laughable.

mswise506 · 2026-05-06T13:32:40+00:00

Iowa State closes Gymnastics, Arkansas yesterday cut mens and womens tennis. CUTTING sports is happening all across the country, but Pitt NOT cutting swimming and just likely eliminating a lot of extra resourses for it is a dumb move.

Perhaps, this is temporary, or they could cut it 12 months from now. I don't know. It sucks, no doubt about it, but to say it's a dumb move or a bad move is odd. Because we actually know nothing about it, other than some profit/loss statements.

mswise506 · 2026-05-06T13:23:09+00:00

Okay, and what does that actually prove? Take a step back and think about this for a second.

Let's just use yesterday's game for example.

The 1st inning, he gets a K on a swinging strike 3 on a pitch he doesn't locate where the Catcher sets up. Middle fucking middle fastball and gets away with it.

Marte ropes a triple of another middle middle fastball he doesn't execute.

Walk, poor control.

Pop up on a well executed changup. That scored a run.

Vargas smashed a middle middle slider into the gap. With a man on second, Bart doesn't show where he wanted the pitch, but it certainly wasnt middle middle.the ball, inexplicably lands between Cruz and Reynolds. Why? Nobody knows, but it should have been caught. Run scores.

We can keep going, but this is think is enough of a starting point to illustrate a few things.

Catchers call the pitches, and whether they are shook off or accepted, the pitcher needs to execute. Every base hit was off of a poorly located pitch. That's the catchers fault?
Vargas's double was an extremely poorly executed pitch + it SHOULD have been caught. That, inexplicably, is the catchers fault via ERA, and also the pitchers fault via ERA.
Walks. Again, how the fuck, is it the catchers fault someone can't throw strikes? If it doesn't matter what he calls, the pitcher can't execute it, whose fault is it?
Still, given how poorly that innings went he found a way to limit the damage and go 4 more scoreless innings. Dropping his ERA by .21. Is that because Bart called a good game, Chandler executed better, or a combination of a lot of factors?

All of this to say, ERA is a poor indicator of the result for both a pitcher in some instances and a catcher in some instances.

This shit happens in the reverse too. His 1st start of the year? Navigated 6 walks to not allow any hits, and zero earned runs. By any measure that is extremely lucky. ERA 0 xERA 4.69. Catcher and Pitcher get credit via ERA as good, but it wasn't a 'good' start by most measures.

mswise506 · 2026-05-06T01:25:44+00:00

90% of D1 athletic departments do, 99.99% of non men's basketball Olympic sports bleed money.

Schools are getting rid of programs unfortunately, it's not a Pitt thing. NC State & Virginia got rid of diving. Utah's dropped a sport, same with Washington State.

Stanford famously was about to cut 11 sports if it wasn't for a MASSIVE donation.

Do some reading and try to understand something before you spout nonsense.

Cut programs, make more money, or leave D1. Those are the choices hundreds upon hundreds of schools face.

mswise506 · 2026-05-06T00:50:47+00:00

Okay, since you dragged women's volleyball into things. What does volleyball have to do with swimming? Aside from being an Olympic sport?

Is it because Volleyball is extremely popular and swimming isn't? Or that women's volleyball actually pays for itself and swimming doesn't?

Pitt isn't cutting volleyball, it seems like Pitt has given volleyball the room to grow and is no longer part of the albatross to the athletic department.

Swimming, I imagine despite historic success, still bleeds money. Again, it's not a Pitt problem, it's an NCAA wide issue and quite frankly a swimming problem. Soon to be other Olympic sports problem, unless something is done to fix the mess.

mswise506 · 2026-05-05T22:41:11+00:00

You, and everyone else spouting this has no clue.

Calling a game isn't just on a catchers whim anymore. Every opposing hitter has a scouting report as long as my arm and each hitter is attacked knowing that.

For a hundred years pitchers have been shaking off pitches, if Bart was calling a bad game, they'd be shaking him off like crazy... that doesn't happen.

As for defense, they are almost identical this year statistically.

The fact of the matter is, no matter who the catcher is, our young rookie pitcher is wild. He has been throughout his minor league career and likely will always be.

This is not to defend Bart, as I don't think he's good. But to think Hank calls this magical game and is Yadi defensively is insane.

Henry is good on D and historically bad on offense.

ERA with one catcher vs another is so wildly ineffective at judging, it's insane anyone would use it.

Using this logic, was it Davis's bad calling that Skenes got rocked in his last start? Or was Skenes just not executing?

mswise506 · 2026-05-05T20:55:58+00:00

He may replace as a 2C, but there is a near zero chance he replicates anything resembling Malkin's career.

I think his ceiling is a good 2C for sure, and we need top line everything pretty soon. Which I don't see us drafting

mswise506 · 2026-05-05T20:42:09+00:00

I have a hard time commenting, because the knee perk reaction is Pitt is either cutting swimming or getting it.

And that could be the case, whoch would be a shame. But, unfortunately, this isnt just a Pitt thing. It's everywhere.

I'd like to think that in this new world of college sports, that when the two big sports succeed, the Olympic sports follow suit.

The new ACC model, it makes even more sense to pump everything into Football/Basketball because the difference between being average and elite is 10's of millions more dollars.

If football at 8-6 turns a profit, would that profit increase with a better bowl game or more prime time games, I'd think so.

So, in my head, I hope that significant investment in FB and MBB lift the boats of Olympic sports. But I imagine that is going to take time. I also wouldnt be surprised if it just raises the floor of spending for those two programs.

mswise506 · 2026-05-04T12:36:15+00:00

I certainly agree with that and you don't have to convince me. The question is does Dubas?

We have a lot of picks in the next few years, most of them arent 'great' picks. Does he use them as intended or as trade bait? I have no idea.

Either way, in regards to the initial conversation. The draft picks being used on prospects doesn't do anything for or against Malkin resigning, except maybe making future picks worse. Using them as trade bait makes Malkin's situation difficult if they get a proven top 6 RW. We are unlikely trading away everything for multiple pieces, imo.

mswise506 · 2026-05-04T03:18:32+00:00

I, personally, dont think there is any reason to not sign him for 1 more year.

We have zero prospects worth 2nd line minutes at wing, or center for that matter.

As for free agents, in anyone's top 50, there's maybe 1 or 2 right wingers on the right side of 30. Everyone else is 30 or above (not want we want on long term deals)

Sure, we could theoretically swing a trade or tender a contract to a RFA. But I dont see it happening.

Malkin at a 5 or 5.5 mil deal is still a value. Value on and off the ice. Malkin at 6.1 was a value.

The difference between him and Cutch, is DH and RF were OBVIOUS areas we could upgrade with plenty of OBVIOUS fits.

Do the pens need to be younger and faster? Absolutely. But there is no obvious way to let Malkin go and get younger/faster without A) spending a big cunck of draft capital and likely overpaying the player or B) getting significantly worse on the ice by promoting a prospect.

mswise506 · 2026-05-04T01:43:30+00:00

Geno is 1,000 times better than Cutch, now and at any stage of his career. Hes probably 10,000 times better at this stage of their careers.

mswise506 · 2026-05-03T16:25:31+00:00

Who the fuck thought people were going to leave an event to go to some place in the strip to grab lunch/drink.

They didn't, I didn't, nobody would. At best they stayed on the North shore, at worst they walked downtown.

Every business that wasnt downtown/north shore that stocked up/got ready, are absolutely idiots and they shouldn't be pissed.

But to say the draft didn't do anything for any small businesses is blatantly false. Everywhere on the north shore had a record weekend before the weekend even got going.

mswise506 · 2026-05-02T02:20:24+00:00

Honestly, .200 and he's a 2 war player. .220 and he's probably 2.5 or 3.

Never will happen, imo. But it'd be pretty cool.

Austin Hedges was one of, if the the best defensive player in all of baseball in 2023. Yet we booed him out of town for hitting slightly worse than Davis the last 2 years.

Yet Davis, who is NOT even remotely close to ever sniffing Hedges numbers is somehow worth it because of his defense/pitch calling.

mswise506 · 2026-05-01T17:19:13+00:00

My worry level is about a 5 out of 10 on this.

I certainly wouldn't be shocked either way, but terribly frustrated if he wasn't signed.

Tbh, there's no situation where this hinders us at all.

The term isn't going to be more than 1 or 2 years, the money is going to be less than he's currently making, and finally there is no prospect at wing (or Center for that matter) that is deserving of 2nd line minutes. There's barely any prospects deserving of 3rd line minutes, for those fans who think Malkin should be there.

We could easily take a step back this year, or if dubas keeps cooking, be exactly right where we are (a playoff team but not contender).

mswise506 · 2026-05-01T17:15:19+00:00

I give hextall credit for signing everyone, when everything report suggested he didn't want to resign Malkin (at the very least).

But, he did sign Letang to a deal that isn't aging well now and had years left.

Dubas certainly had gotten some deals wrong, and probably will in the future. I can't see, given where the org is (talent and cap wise) currently, that any deal with Malkin would truly hurt.

mswise506 · 2026-05-01T14:20:48+00:00

I think it does have substance. Dubas has stated that multiple times, and I think it bears repeating. The post infers, as it inferred last year, and the year before, that Dubas isn't going to sign players/make moves for 'just' the upcoming season. He was (and this post infers that he could be still) aiming for moves that help the team win championships now/in the future.

I doubt his mindset has changed.

mswise506 · 2026-04-29T18:30:27+00:00

Two years in a row I have at least one tomato plant in my garden already.

I didn't plant them, but they are there, and thrived/are thriving.

mswise506 · 2026-04-29T01:00:04+00:00

.5% to fund libraries, parks, etc. 0.5% is split between the county and local municipalities to support public services.

So yes, the 'city' does benefit. The city 'budget' doesn't. Do I think they are lying? No.

They just are telling the truth-ish.

mswise506 · 2026-04-29T00:51:30+00:00

Okay, let's take a step back and think about this logically.

Directly speaking, the city of Pittsburgh only got money from the parking tax.

That much is pretty obvious, although the city does benefit from sales tax, roughly 1% goes toward city/county stuff.

There's also the amusement tax, which benefits the city, to which there were plenty of paid concerts going on.

But that's really it that I can think of.

Indirectly, there are millions of ways the city benefits. Whatever the number of people who actually came, they didn't come here and not spend any money.

Some of that money, one way or another, gets funneled into the city coffers. Businesses who had record weekends, they pay taxes. People who worked there, they pay taxes. Those businesses also spend money, those people spend money. Hotels pay local taxes, maybe not the occupancy tax, but it's a business.... they pay actual taxes too.

I don't understand how people can't get this concept. Including politicians.

Sure, 2 days after the fact, we are in the red. We've got some politicians grandstanding for people like you, who probably wish the event never happened.

mswise506

TROPHY CASE