Latest / Bucco Territory: A Pittsburgh Pirates Podcast / Mailbag: Mlodzinski Narrative, Wilber Dotel, & Trade Targets

Transcript

Mailbag: Mlodzinski Narrative, Wilber Dotel, & Trade Targets · Bucco Territory: A Pittsburgh Pirates Podcast

• 0:09
  Speaker 1: What's up, everybody? Welcome back to another episode of Bucco Territory,
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: presented to you by the Foul Territory Network. IM Noah Hiles.
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: Joining me as always are my co hosts, Josh Harrison
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: and Platinum Key aka Mark. It's Wednesday, which means it's
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: time for another Buco Territory mail Bag. We've got four
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: questions today, getting into a lot of topics I'm sure
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: you're interested in hearing about. So Mark, get us started off.
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: What's our first question? Yeah?
• 0:34
  Speaker 2: Our first question comes to us from Ryan, who asked,
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: do you think Dotel gets some spots starts to lighten
• 0:39
  Speaker 2: the innings load on Ashcraft, Chandler, Jones later in the season,
• 0:43
  Speaker 2: and how upset will Carmen Majensky be about this?
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: I mean, I'll start here from the back end of
• 0:50
  Speaker 1: that who cares? I mean apparently a lot of people care,
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: which we'll discuss later in the show. But I don't
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: know if he gets starts. I just think he's really
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: really pitching well in this bulk roll. And I think
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: rather than throwing off the routines of starters like Ashcraft
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: and Jared Jones, then even Bubba Chandler, who might just
• 1:15
  Speaker 1: need long relief help despite workload restrictions. Keep those guys
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: in their routine, keep them starting, and then just have
• 1:23
  Speaker 1: Wilbur you know, kind of known like, hey, you're probably
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: gonna go two to three ups on this day, expect like, hey,
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: we're only letting bracks and throw five innings today, So
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: this is this is a day we're gonna need you
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: be ready, And I think that's the right way to
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: go about it. I don't know if you need to
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: move him into the starting rotation right now. I think
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: I think there are plenty of people who want to
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: be starters, but they have their five.
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think Dotel's starting. Then we've seen a lot
• 1:53
  Speaker 2: of injuries pile up very quickly, so I don't think
• 1:57
  Speaker 2: that's going to be his role. I think we're going
• 1:59
  Speaker 2: to see him in the role that they're using with
• 2:01
  Speaker 2: Carmen mcjinski as well, where it's that like Noah was saying,
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: that bulk relief one because he's done really well in
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: that and two you don't want to have like the
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: reason why they're having Jared Jones start, even if it's
• 2:13
  Speaker 2: only gonna be for you know, four innings on a
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: certain day is because of that routine and not throwing
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: that off so that you want to maintain, especially with
• 2:22
  Speaker 2: those younger guys. So yeah, I think Sotel is a
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: great option out of the pen. It's nice that if
• 2:27
  Speaker 2: things were to come to it, I would trust him
• 2:29
  Speaker 2: to start a game. I think he would do all right.
• 2:32
  Speaker 2: But yeah, I don't think the Pirates need him to
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: jump in at any point this year yet, barring injury.
• 2:40
  Speaker 3: Yeah, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Especially with
• 2:44
  Speaker 3: the young guy. You know, he's having a little bit
• 2:47
  Speaker 3: of success out the pen in this role, so you
• 2:49
  Speaker 3: you kind of want him to kind of you know,
• 2:51
  Speaker 3: flourish in that row and stay in it. And that
• 2:53
  Speaker 3: doesn't mean that if something arises where you know, they
• 2:56
  Speaker 3: have to skip a start or they just want to
• 2:58
  Speaker 3: spot start one day. That's not to say that, hey,
• 3:01
  Speaker 3: you know today is that day that but they still
• 3:04
  Speaker 3: may want to keep him in that role because you know,
• 3:06
  Speaker 3: it's always the nice to have a guy that can
• 3:08
  Speaker 3: kind of be that bridge guy that can you know,
• 3:10
  Speaker 3: as you say, give some relief to a guy that
• 3:13
  Speaker 3: may be on the innings you know limit or pitch
• 3:15
  Speaker 3: limit and you know he's kind of done well in
• 3:18
  Speaker 3: that situation, just you know, being in the you know,
• 3:21
  Speaker 3: getting those bulk innings. So I think, especially with a
• 3:23
  Speaker 3: young guy, you want him to be comfortable in the
• 3:26
  Speaker 3: position that he is. And as you mentioned those other
• 3:28
  Speaker 3: guys being starters, you want them to continue a routine.
• 3:31
  Speaker 3: The same thing for Wilburt. You know, baseball players are
• 3:34
  Speaker 3: really big on routine, and the quicker you can get
• 3:38
  Speaker 3: into one, the better off it is for you and
• 3:40
  Speaker 3: also the team.
• 3:42
  Speaker 2: And I'll just also throw in I don't think I'm
• 3:45
  Speaker 2: not saying we're ruling out Wilbert to Tell as a
• 3:47
  Speaker 2: starter at some point.
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: Yeah down the line, right right, no, no, no.
• 3:51
  Speaker 2: Right, But for this year, for this team, right now,
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: they need him in the pen. But we've seen, you know,
• 3:57
  Speaker 2: those young starters the Pirates both like Ashcrat and Majinsky
• 4:00
  Speaker 2: had both started in the pen and then transitioned into
• 4:03
  Speaker 2: the starting rotation as need be. So don't write off
• 4:06
  Speaker 2: Wilberdotel as a starter down the line. But I think
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: for twenty twenty six he's going to mostly just stay
• 4:12
  Speaker 2: in this bullpenroll.
• 4:13
  Speaker 1: Yeah, at least for now, for the foreseeable future. So
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: all right, we got more questions. First, A quick word
• 4:19
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• 4:23
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• 5:24
  Speaker 1: All right, next question mark yeah.
• 5:26
  Speaker 2: Next question comes to us from Pittsburgh Kid, who asks
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: early trade targets you have heard of heard or that
• 5:32
  Speaker 2: you like.
• 5:34
  Speaker 1: All right, well, I haven't heard any trade targets yet.
• 5:37
  Speaker 1: Like it's June. We're recording this on the afternoon of June. Second,
• 5:41
  Speaker 1: But what perspective I could give is this, I mean,
• 5:44
  Speaker 1: depending on the severity of Connor Griffin's injury, that's going
• 5:49
  Speaker 1: to heavily influence how they go shopping this July, because
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: right now, you really only need one thing. If you're
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: the Pirates, it's right handed relief pitching. Everything else you're
• 6:00
  Speaker 1: assuming Connor.
• 6:01
  Speaker 2: Griffin's fine catcher.
• 6:03
  Speaker 1: But maybe I mean, but like, do you do you
• 6:07
  Speaker 1: if you're if you're catching group is getting these results
• 6:12
  Speaker 1: out of your pitching staff. I don't think you're gonna
• 6:14
  Speaker 1: get any defensive value from a mid season catcher trade.
• 6:18
  Speaker 1: And I mean offense, I guess, but like they don't.
• 6:21
  Speaker 1: It's crazy to say, yeah, yeah, they don't need offense,
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: Like I mean, if you're gonna go if you're gonna
• 6:27
  Speaker 1: trade for like a col Rawley, sure, but do you
• 6:29
  Speaker 1: really like give up everything? Yeah? But uh, it's right now,
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: assuming Griffin's okay, they just need right handed relief pitching,
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: which is like the easiest thing to go out and
• 6:42
  Speaker 1: get that's it. That's always available, and I don't think,
• 6:46
  Speaker 1: I mean you could go get like a superstar. But
• 6:48
  Speaker 1: I feel fine with Soto as their closer. You need
• 6:51
  Speaker 1: seventh and eighth inning guys.
• 6:52
  Speaker 2: Exactly.
• 6:54
  Speaker 1: You're trading away high A or low A prospects for
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: those types of players. So you're fine there. But if
• 6:59
  Speaker 1: Griffin goes down, it changes the calculus of everything You're
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: now you're looking at all, right, well do you want
• 7:05
  Speaker 1: Triola to be a prey shortstop? And then like Gonzalid,
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: like you're you're looking for a short stop, you're looking
• 7:13
  Speaker 1: for left side infield help, and depending on how that
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: shifts the lineup, maybe you are looking for offense now,
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: Like it's that's kind of the big influence as I
• 7:22
  Speaker 1: see it.
• 7:24
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean you kind of hit the nail on
• 7:27
  Speaker 3: the head and another thing that would make a tricky
• 7:30
  Speaker 3: obviously depending on what happens with Connor is then it
• 7:34
  Speaker 3: really makes you or makes them in a tough position
• 7:37
  Speaker 3: upgrade and offense o Zuna, you know, like that's just
• 7:42
  Speaker 3: another thing to where complicates things. But I do believe
• 7:48
  Speaker 3: that they're gonna have to do their due diligence one. Obviously,
• 7:52
  Speaker 3: you know there's a need for the bullpen, but they
• 7:55
  Speaker 3: have to take precaution and at least start, you know,
• 7:59
  Speaker 3: perusing what's out there in case, you know, Griffin is
• 8:04
  Speaker 3: you know, on the you know, injured list for some time.
• 8:07
  Speaker 3: But and I think you have to be not necessarily aggressive,
• 8:11
  Speaker 3: but I think they need to start looking into that,
• 8:14
  Speaker 3: just to be on the safe side because as you said, no,
• 8:19
  Speaker 3: that changes everything on that left side. It's not just
• 8:22
  Speaker 3: one position, it's two positions, because do you really leave
• 8:25
  Speaker 3: Triola short or do you So it's like what are
• 8:28
  Speaker 3: we going after? Are we going after shortstop, middle dfield
• 8:31
  Speaker 3: help or are we going for this corner? And I
• 8:33
  Speaker 3: mean that changes what you need and how you approach
• 8:35
  Speaker 3: it and what you're willing to give up. So I
• 8:39
  Speaker 3: think they are definitely, you know, having some conversations, but
• 8:43
  Speaker 3: at the same time, you know, being optimistic to say,
• 8:46
  Speaker 3: you know, hopefully we just only need some relief pitching.
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: And the one trade that I have seen floated around,
• 8:53
  Speaker 2: I don't think this is going to happen. Your Don
• 8:55
  Speaker 2: Alvarez to the Pirates has been floated. I think we
• 8:59
  Speaker 2: can knit that one in the bud. I mean, who knows,
• 9:06
  Speaker 2: but yes, true, but he's his feels expiring this offseason, right,
• 9:12
  Speaker 2: is he just a no?
• 9:13
  Speaker 1: No, I think he's got multiple years of control. Oh wow,
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure, keep talking. Wow, I finish. I haven't
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: seen him.
• 9:21
  Speaker 2: On the free agent list, but I mean I was
• 9:23
  Speaker 2: just throwing it out as like the that's the one
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: other name that's been circulating. I don't think that's going
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: to happen. Obviously we're going to see him this series
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: up against Houston. So but yeah, I just wanted to
• 9:37
  Speaker 2: throw that out there and say I don't think there's
• 9:40
  Speaker 2: much smoke around that, So you don't mark No, no,
• 9:46
  Speaker 2: I'm going to take going on a big limb here
• 9:48
  Speaker 2: and say I don't think that's a serious, uh serious
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: trade proposal. But who knows?
• 9:55
  Speaker 1: Oh okay, well you know what.
• 9:58
  Speaker 2: Where does he have like a years?
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, he's got he's got two more years. He
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: doesn't Yeah, he doesn't hit free agency. They bought out
• 10:06
  Speaker 1: his arbers, so yeah, he uh, he hits free agency
• 10:09
  Speaker 1: in twenty twenty nine. So if you're trading for your
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: Don Olvarez with two more years of control after this one,
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: you're giving up probably seth Fernandez in at Yeah. Yeah,
• 10:19
  Speaker 1: so I mean, but like, I don't know, I'd consider
• 10:24
  Speaker 1: it like it's one of the best hitters in the sport.
• 10:28
  Speaker 2: If they're willing to spend the money, they have the
• 10:30
  Speaker 2: assets to make it happen.
• 10:32
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, he's making twenty six zero point eight
• 10:37
  Speaker 1: three million this year and the next two years per
• 10:41
  Speaker 1: spot Track. So one other thing I'll I'll say before
• 10:45
  Speaker 1: we wrap this answer up is like, let's say Griffin
• 10:49
  Speaker 1: is injured, right, and they do have to go through
• 10:52
  Speaker 1: the scenario B of what we're talking about, depending on
• 10:55
  Speaker 1: the severity of his injury, is also like how you're
• 10:58
  Speaker 1: approaching it. If it's something where it's like, Okay, well
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: we think we can get him back in August, you're
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: probably more inclined to hold down the fort. If it's
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: something where he's just out for this season but they
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: think he will be out next year or he'll be
• 11:13
  Speaker 1: good next year, you're all right, you're looking for a rental.
• 11:17
  Speaker 1: But if this is something where it's like, okay, let's
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: say he needs a major operation and it's bleeding into
• 11:23
  Speaker 1: next year, would you be better off looking for someone
• 11:26
  Speaker 1: with multiple years of control because you're already losing Lal
• 11:29
  Speaker 1: in free agency. It's it's hard to imagine them keeping
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: him with the price tag that he's gonna have. And
• 11:36
  Speaker 1: I mean, you don't have an amazing long term option
• 11:39
  Speaker 1: at third, so you can just go long term infield shopping.
• 11:42
  Speaker 1: If Connor Griffin's going to be down and whenever he's back,
• 11:45
  Speaker 1: that's great. But now if you go get someone who
• 11:46
  Speaker 1: can play short or second and you're short in third,
• 11:50
  Speaker 1: now you've made your team better and you don't have
• 11:52
  Speaker 1: to rush your twenty year old superstar prospect back from
• 11:55
  Speaker 1: an injury. That Again, this isn't me reporting anything. This
• 11:59
  Speaker 1: is just going through that doomsday scenario because that is
• 12:02
  Speaker 1: really right now the only thing that's going to influence
• 12:06
  Speaker 1: their trade deadline activity because they're kind of solid on
• 12:10
  Speaker 1: all their fronts.
• 12:11
  Speaker 2: I was gonna say they don't really need any major
• 12:13
  Speaker 2: moves outside of bullpen help, which.
• 12:16
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean they'll take it. Yeah if you if
• 12:18
  Speaker 1: you can go get someone who's a superstar. But it's
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: kind of like, I mean, aside from assuming Connor Griffin's fine,
• 12:28
  Speaker 1: where are you playing someone like yeah, like you who's bat?
• 12:32
  Speaker 1: Are you taking out Reynolds O'Hearn Cruz Griffin law Horowitz.
• 12:38
  Speaker 1: I mean, you can make the argument for third and catcher,
• 12:41
  Speaker 1: but they've been fine with those guys as with. So
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: we'll see next question.
• 12:46
  Speaker 2: Mark all right, Our next question comes to us from Andrew,
• 12:50
  Speaker 2: who asks, why do you feel they sent Ezmulin Valdez down.
• 12:54
  Speaker 2: Is it strictly because of injury to Connor Griffin? Yeah, yeah, I.
• 12:59
  Speaker 3: Would say, yeah, he doesn't play in the field, does.
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: He No, I mean he plays first, but like, but.
• 13:07
  Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, they need somebody that plays middle infield, and
• 13:10
  Speaker 3: I mean odd man out, not anything he did. Is
• 13:14
  Speaker 3: just that's the nature of the game, nature of sports.
• 13:18
  Speaker 3: There not that there isn't a need for vald I mean,
• 13:22
  Speaker 3: but like the need for him isn't as big as
• 13:26
  Speaker 3: the need for a middle infield with you know, Connor
• 13:28
  Speaker 3: being down for for however long that is. You know,
• 13:31
  Speaker 3: even if it is for the ten days, that's ten days.
• 13:34
  Speaker 3: You don't want to go without somebody that's going to
• 13:36
  Speaker 3: catch the ball in the middle. And that's too Yeah.
• 13:40
  Speaker 2: Now you just don't have as many at bats to
• 13:43
  Speaker 2: give as really valid as and he's twenty two. You
• 13:46
  Speaker 2: want to continue to develop and get those at bats.
• 13:49
  Speaker 2: So I don't don't worry about him like getting sent
• 13:53
  Speaker 2: to Triple A at all, because it just means he
• 13:56
  Speaker 2: gets to play and continue to develop, which I don't
• 13:58
  Speaker 2: think he would be doing right now, especially with jo
• 14:01
  Speaker 2: Justins and Garcia filling in a similar role on this
• 14:04
  Speaker 2: roster right now.
• 14:05
  Speaker 1: Yeah, And the only difference between Garcia and Valdez is
• 14:08
  Speaker 1: Garcia play centerfield. M hm, as Merlin is not a centerfielder,
• 14:12
  Speaker 1: so like you're getting defensive value from Garcia, and Garcia,
• 14:17
  Speaker 1: to his credit, is a high rated prospects, So it
• 14:19
  Speaker 1: makes sense if they're going to keep one guy up,
• 14:21
  Speaker 1: you know, call a guy up and want to keep
• 14:23
  Speaker 1: him here, it should be Garcia's he has the higher
• 14:26
  Speaker 1: ceiling of the two, although I mean Valdez seems to
• 14:29
  Speaker 1: you know, kind of be like a rocket ship right now.
• 14:31
  Speaker 1: But yeah, I think I think that is a very
• 14:35
  Speaker 1: easily explained move. That's exactly how they explained it to us,
• 14:39
  Speaker 1: and I believe them. It makes a ton of sense,
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: especially now with Griffin and like Mark pointed out o'hearne, like,
• 14:46
  Speaker 1: where where are you going to play him right now?
• 14:48
  Speaker 2: So I'm guessing we'll see as Merlin back at some
• 14:50
  Speaker 2: point this year.
• 14:52
  Speaker 1: Maybe I mean, it depends, yes, but it depends on
• 14:56
  Speaker 1: what they need. Like that's that's a good luxury to have.
• 14:59
  Speaker 1: That's again, like that's the sign of a good playoff
• 15:02
  Speaker 1: team is when you can pull a guy up from
• 15:04
  Speaker 1: the minor leagues and it's like all right, like we'll
• 15:07
  Speaker 1: we'll bring you up here if you can help us,
• 15:09
  Speaker 1: but if not, like we need you to keep getting
• 15:11
  Speaker 1: good at bats because like asmlinvald is going to be
• 15:13
  Speaker 1: a big part of next year's team out So yeah.
• 15:17
  Speaker 2: That's right. Final question now comes to us from Gripping
• 15:23
  Speaker 2: Rips sport Cards, who asks, why are the Plirates trying
• 15:26
  Speaker 2: to control this Carmen Mazinsky narrative. It's clear as day
• 15:29
  Speaker 2: to me that they are trying to cover up what
• 15:31
  Speaker 2: really happened, and in my opinion, they're doing a terrible
• 15:33
  Speaker 2: job at it. Very frustrating as a fan watching this
• 15:36
  Speaker 2: all unfold.
• 15:40
  Speaker 1: All right, I'll handle this, So for those of you
• 15:45
  Speaker 1: guys who didn't see the story, obviously, Karma Macgensky was
• 15:50
  Speaker 1: placed on the restricted list on Sunday, and that came
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: after the news of him being moved to the bullpen.
• 15:56
  Speaker 1: He didn't want to go to the bullpen. He was
• 15:58
  Speaker 1: very frustrated with that. He told the team that he
• 16:00
  Speaker 1: wasn't in a place to pitch, so they put him
• 16:02
  Speaker 1: on the restricted list. We were told Sunday, less than
• 16:07
  Speaker 1: an hour probably after that news was made public, that
• 16:11
  Speaker 1: this was going to be a short thing, that he
• 16:13
  Speaker 1: would be bit back with the team in Houston on
• 16:15
  Speaker 1: Tuesday and he would talk to us all there, he
• 16:17
  Speaker 1: would give his explanation. Ben Cherrington went out of his
• 16:20
  Speaker 1: way to talk to all the reporters in the press
• 16:22
  Speaker 1: box Sunday midgame. I can't recall another time where that's
• 16:27
  Speaker 1: happened where something required the general manager to pull all
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: the media away from the game as it's going on.
• 16:34
  Speaker 1: I mean, Ben wants to watch the game. We are
• 16:36
  Speaker 1: there to watch the game and write about the game.
• 16:39
  Speaker 1: But it was the big enough story where that was
• 16:40
  Speaker 1: bigger than the game on the field, was what the
• 16:43
  Speaker 1: hell is happening with Carla Maginski right now? So we
• 16:46
  Speaker 1: had to talk to Ben midgame and then yeah, we
• 16:48
  Speaker 1: were all kind of told on background like he'll be
• 16:51
  Speaker 1: in Houston Tuesday, prepare your questions, he can talk about this.
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: And then Monday night, the Pirates released an article and
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: this was how they essentially announced that Carmen Majinsky was
• 17:05
  Speaker 1: removed from the restricted list. They optioned camp standers Sunday night,
• 17:10
  Speaker 1: so they had the clear roster spot there, and yeah,
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: on Monday night they announced that Carmen's back through a
• 17:18
  Speaker 1: one on one article with Jason Mackie, who is their
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: team employed writer. And there was a lot to break
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: down in that article, which I don't necessarily care to do,
• 17:34
  Speaker 1: but the buzz surrounding it was the fact that the Pirates,
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: rather than giving independent journalists who work for outlets that
• 17:44
  Speaker 1: pay a lot of money to travel on the road
• 17:47
  Speaker 1: tens of thousands of dollars a year, sometimes even more
• 17:49
  Speaker 1: than that, to go on the road to get their
• 17:51
  Speaker 1: own individual questions, asked to find unique stories to cover
• 17:56
  Speaker 1: their team accurately the good, not just the bad, but accurately.
• 18:04
  Speaker 1: Before those journalists had an opportunity to talk to Karmen
• 18:07
  Speaker 1: macginski about this, the team sent its own message out
• 18:12
  Speaker 1: and kind of tried to fan the flames and all right, well,
• 18:15
  Speaker 1: here's what here's the real reason why this happened. And
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: you don't want to suggest that that's all bs. You
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: don't want to suggest that that was just all a spin.
• 18:26
  Speaker 1: But that's the point of a free press, is to
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: have multiple people there asking multiple questions from multiple angles
• 18:34
  Speaker 1: and to get the answers. And the Pirates I mean,
• 18:38
  Speaker 1: I'm sure we're recording this Tuesday afternoon. I'm sure they'll
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: have Carmen talk to the reporters that made the trip
• 18:43
  Speaker 1: to Houston and they'll give He'll give whatever answers he gives.
• 18:47
  Speaker 1: But the fact that they gave access to their own
• 18:51
  Speaker 1: narrative first, and they tried to push out the narrative,
• 18:54
  Speaker 1: they tried to spin it. It seems it didn't sit
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: well with me. It didn't sit well with a lot
• 18:58
  Speaker 1: of people in Pittsburgh media, and for good reason. And
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: I don't I don't like to talk about the media
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: ethicacy or ethics of the world that we live in.
• 19:08
  Speaker 1: People come here for baseball talk, So I'm not gonna
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: make this just, you know, a media versus pr thing.
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: But as Pirates fans, you should know that that team
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: tried to spend probably its most controversial story of the season.
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: They tried to put their own spin on it before honest,
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: non biased, non team affiliated media had a chance to
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: ask them proper questions, and so I'm not going to
• 19:34
  Speaker 1: tell you where to consume content. There is so much
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: to consume around this team. There are so many talented writers,
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: there are so many talented people on TV, analysts, on
• 19:45
  Speaker 1: the radio podcast space. There's so much to choose from.
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: And I like everyone who creates things for the Pittsburgh Pirates,
• 19:54
  Speaker 1: all of their team employees, from people who work from
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: Sportsnet to Jason Mackie, who was a mentor of mine
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: when I was coming up. I have no ish you
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: with Jason Mackie, but you should know when you consume
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: something from the Pittsburgh Pirates, if it's highlights, if it's
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: something on SNP, if it's on their TV broadcast, if
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: it's something written and that's on their website with a
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: team employee's name on it, it's what they want you
• 20:18
  Speaker 1: to see. And if that's a feature story, if that's highlights,
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: if that's you know, breaking things down on the field
• 20:27
  Speaker 1: x's and o's, that's great. But in a situation like
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: the one with Carmen where that was wrong. But Karmen
• 20:35
  Speaker 1: Maginski did. He chose not to play baseball for his
• 20:39
  Speaker 1: team that needed him to play baseball. And if you
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: can't recognize that then I have nothing for you. They
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: tried to ensure they tried to tell you that something
• 20:49
  Speaker 1: wasn't wrong when it was, and that's not okay for me,
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: and it shouldn't be okay for you. And I'm not
• 20:54
  Speaker 1: saying that you shouldn't like the Pirates. I want people
• 20:58
  Speaker 1: to like Pirates Baseball. That's how I pay for rent,
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: that's how I make a living, that's how well this
• 21:03
  Speaker 1: show exists. And I'm not saying this should turn you
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: away from it. I'm just saying moving forward, people need
• 21:10
  Speaker 1: to understand because as we move into this new age
• 21:13
  Speaker 1: of information and technology, more teams are going to hire
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: more writers, and you have to do what your bosses
• 21:20
  Speaker 1: tell you when you are in this position, and if
• 21:23
  Speaker 1: they tell you to ask certain questions and don't allow
• 21:27
  Speaker 1: you to ask certain questions, they're your boss. That's how
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: it is. And when people in power can control the narrative,
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: that's how problems exist. So at the end of the day,
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: it's still sports. It's not a big thing. Kind of
• 21:41
  Speaker 1: feel like a nerd having gone on this long diet
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: tribe here, but it is something that's passionate to me
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: because I care about Pirate fans I've dedicated a large
• 21:49
  Speaker 1: chunk of my life to giving them accurate, well sourced information.
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: And sometimes that information makes the pirates look really good.
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: Sometimes it doesn't make them look good. And it's not
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: my job to do either one of those things. It's
• 22:01
  Speaker 1: my job to report the truth and the facts, especially
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: when things aren't going according to plan. Fans deserve to
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: know the truth, and the pirates tried to hide that
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: truth from them. Yeah, and that's why I took issue
• 22:11
  Speaker 1: to that on Twitter.
• 22:13
  Speaker 2: Yeah, Nala, just follow it up. I think you made
• 22:15
  Speaker 2: a great point, Noah. The most frustrating part about all
• 22:19
  Speaker 2: this is this is the one situation this year where
• 22:22
  Speaker 2: we really needed the independent media to cover this story,
• 22:27
  Speaker 2: even if it doesn't portray Carmen Majinsky in the best light.
• 22:31
  Speaker 2: I think that was necessary for the situation for fans
• 22:35
  Speaker 2: to feel like they got a fair shake at what
• 22:38
  Speaker 2: actually happened, rather than how the team wants to portray
• 22:41
  Speaker 2: what happened. And so it was frustrating. You saw a
• 22:45
  Speaker 2: lot of fans express just what are we doing here
• 22:48
  Speaker 2: with this? We have great reporters in Pittsburgh media that
• 22:54
  Speaker 2: will cover this in an unbiased manner, in a fair way,
• 22:57
  Speaker 2: and I'm looking forward to reading all that Tuesday after,
• 23:01
  Speaker 2: like before the game or whatever, when the media actually
• 23:04
  Speaker 2: has a chance to talk to Carmen. But undercutting that
• 23:09
  Speaker 2: opportunity with a Monday night story released, I had already
• 23:13
  Speaker 2: gone to bed. It was like nine to nine thirty,
• 23:16
  Speaker 2: and on an off day, it just it felt weird.
• 23:20
  Speaker 2: It felt unnecessary, It felt like an over correction. Possibly yeah,
• 23:26
  Speaker 2: and it just felt like, if you respect your fans,
• 23:30
  Speaker 2: just let this story be told by the people who
• 23:33
  Speaker 2: are paid to do that. And I appreciate, like, I
• 23:37
  Speaker 2: think Mackie's roll with the Pirates, there are stories that
• 23:42
  Speaker 2: would be great to hear his perspective. There's a lot
• 23:46
  Speaker 2: of you know, those personal pieces and inside like getting
• 23:50
  Speaker 2: like the Jake Mayncomb story, like with those kids that
• 23:53
  Speaker 2: that's perfect, Like I love that. But as far as
• 23:57
  Speaker 2: like breaking news, especially controversial news that's been dominating MLB's
• 24:02
  Speaker 2: media landscape, I just thought it was a misstep and
• 24:06
  Speaker 2: should have come from the Pittsburgh Post exec or dk
• 24:10
  Speaker 2: Sports or somewhere else like that.
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: Real quick. I just want to wait in two things. One, yes,
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: there's absolutely I'm not saying don't read Jason mckie's stuff. No,
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: Like I love the idea of a team being like,
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: you know what, we can give you things like, yeah,
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: the team can't fly me on their plane. They can't
• 24:29
  Speaker 1: pay for me to stay in a hotel room that
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: their team is staying in. That breaks at the code
• 24:37
  Speaker 1: of a journalist like I have to. I can't take
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: those oper I can't take those things from them. But
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: if they want to employ someone to do that, to
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: shine light, I mean, this could end up being a
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: very special season for the Pittsburgh pyorate And to have
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: someone employed to document those things, who can tell stories
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: with words to the level that Jason Mackie can, I
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: think that's great. But like Mark said, it's not even
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: a sense of having someone break news. I mean, that's
• 25:04
  Speaker 1: its own thing. Yeah, they intervened, they tried to they
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: tried to hijack a narrative here where if Carmen refused
• 25:13
  Speaker 1: to talk to us, didn't say anything. That's also okay.
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: I can't hold someone hostage and make them give me
• 25:22
  Speaker 1: the answers that I want or even make them talk
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: to me. He could get fined for not talking to me,
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: and that's fine, but that's what he wants to do.
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: That's great, Or he could give me the Marshawn lynch.
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: I'm just here so I can't don't get fine answers,
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: or he could give me the cookie cutter cliches that
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: the PR team force feeds him. And that won't be
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: the first or last time that happens with any player
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: in any organization. But the fact that they went out
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: of their way to kind of manufacture something it felt
• 25:50
  Speaker 1: like the Wizard of Oz, don't look behind the curtain,
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: ignore that man behind the curtain, and it was it
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: was insulting. And I don't care if it's an insulting
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: to the people who cover our deal is the role.
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: Our part of the deal is rolling with the punches
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: is good or as bad as it can be. But
• 26:07
  Speaker 1: they tried to manipulate the fans, and that's that's bullshit.
• 26:11
  Speaker 3: Mm hmm, well, that's that's that's obviously what a lot
• 26:16
  Speaker 3: of teams will do in moments of you know, controversy
• 26:22
  Speaker 3: that they feel maybe shedding bad light on the organization
• 26:26
  Speaker 3: is what you would consider damage control, And honestly, in
• 26:30
  Speaker 3: my eyes, it probably caused more damage than anything, because
• 26:35
  Speaker 3: the damage that would have been done was more on Carmen.
• 26:40
  Speaker 3: But maybe that was them trying to protect Carmen. You know,
• 26:44
  Speaker 3: maybe maybe they say, you know, with everything going on,
• 26:46
  Speaker 3: because because at the end of the day, when you
• 26:49
  Speaker 3: guys ask questions on Tuesday, how he responds is going
• 26:52
  Speaker 3: to be an outlook on him. He was the one
• 26:55
  Speaker 3: that you know, decided not to pitch. You know, the
• 26:58
  Speaker 3: pirates put them on restrictedly. That's that's something that they
• 27:01
  Speaker 3: had to do because he forced their hand. And yes,
• 27:04
  Speaker 3: it might not look good for the team, but you know,
• 27:07
  Speaker 3: this was probably them thinking, let's get ahead of this
• 27:09
  Speaker 3: and try to you know, save any damage that we can.
• 27:12
  Speaker 3: But in retrospect, it probably made things worse because fans
• 27:15
  Speaker 3: want to hear from Carmen's perspective where they can tell
• 27:18
  Speaker 3: he's been frustrated. But you know, maybe it's something that
• 27:21
  Speaker 3: that lights a fire under him or something that hey,
• 27:24
  Speaker 3: maybe we do gotta get rid of this guy. I
• 27:27
  Speaker 3: don't know, and not saying Karen is a bad guy
• 27:29
  Speaker 3: or whatever. You know, everybody has their moments. But you know,
• 27:32
  Speaker 3: I'm just saying the damage control that they tried to
• 27:35
  Speaker 3: do probably cause more damage because you know, you you
• 27:38
  Speaker 3: almost got to let this play itself out.
• 27:41
  Speaker 2: A little we get everywhere.
• 27:43
  Speaker 3: Yeah, we get everything going on. You got moves that
• 27:47
  Speaker 3: had to make you put you know, Conn on the
• 27:49
  Speaker 3: injury list, and it's oh man, we got this is
• 27:51
  Speaker 3: something that really could have just it became a bigger
• 27:54
  Speaker 3: than what it really should have been.
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: Exactly. And if the reality is if they would have
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: just let him talk on Tuesday and as long as
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: he you know, then double it would be awesome if
• 28:06
  Speaker 1: he doubled down and be crazy, right, But.
• 28:10
  Speaker 3: Even then he would have had a couple of days
• 28:12
  Speaker 3: to cool off by.
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: The end, right exactly exactly, you know what I mean.
• 28:15
  Speaker 3: It's not like that would have been like say this
• 28:18
  Speaker 3: or don't say that. However, you're like a couple of days.
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: And if they gave him cookie cutter answers to say,
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: that's fine, that's part of their job. Is media trained, Josh,
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: I'm sure you were taught that that's the damage control
• 28:35
  Speaker 1: right there. Yeah. But when you try to just be like, actually,
• 28:41
  Speaker 1: this is how it actually is, it's like.
• 28:43
  Speaker 3: Come on, It's like when your kids starts explaining what happened.
• 28:48
  Speaker 3: But yeah, see I got I didn't get that homework
• 28:50
  Speaker 3: grade done. It's like, no, why are you explained him
• 28:53
  Speaker 3: before we got to hear you know, and it's just
• 28:56
  Speaker 3: one of those things. It's like, hey, you should have
• 28:58
  Speaker 3: just let it play out. But yep, see how Tuesday,
• 29:02
  Speaker 3: you know, see how it goes. Maybe he does answer question,
• 29:05
  Speaker 3: maybe doubles now, maybe he doesn't. But you know, I
• 29:07
  Speaker 3: think it's more of any it might cost for more questions,
• 29:11
  Speaker 3: awkward questions for him to answer now, you know.
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, but you know, and and I to their credit,
• 29:18
  Speaker 1: I think the pirates kind of realized they stepped in
• 29:19
  Speaker 1: it here. Yeah. And and honestly, like, no one likes
• 29:25
  Speaker 1: talking about this, like we're here to talk about baseball.
• 29:27
  Speaker 1: We're here to talk about Connor Griffin and Paul Schiens
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: and the Pirates and their trip to Houston. And that's
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: why we do this show. I don't I don't want
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: to talk about, you know, the state of media and
• 29:38
  Speaker 1: censorship and controlled narratives and pr versus independent reporting. And
• 29:43
  Speaker 1: I mean, that's stuff that I'm passionate about, but that's
• 29:46
  Speaker 1: not why people come here to hear me talk to
• 29:50
  Speaker 1: hear you guys talk. It's here to talk about the Pirates.
• 29:52
  Speaker 1: And it's unfortunate that we had to spend time on
• 29:56
  Speaker 1: this but after the things I posted to my social
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: media Monday evening, I'd feel like a fraud if I
• 30:03
  Speaker 1: didn't stand a little bit on business here and use
• 30:06
  Speaker 1: my platform to talk about it. And also on that note,
• 30:09
  Speaker 1: I did make a sick catch in softball. I tweeted
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: about that as well. That was the big story to
• 30:15
  Speaker 1: truly come from Monday night, and there was no doctor
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: in that story.
• 30:18
  Speaker 4: It was a.
• 30:18
  Speaker 5: Sweet Before I give everyone the chance for final words,
• 30:24
  Speaker 5: want to remind everyone to hit that subscribe button if
• 30:27
  Speaker 5: they have it already.
• 30:29
  Speaker 1: We're on a mission to three thousand subs, whether we
• 30:32
  Speaker 1: get to ask the tough questions or not, and we
• 30:34
  Speaker 1: need your help to get there. And check out our
• 30:37
  Speaker 1: Bucco Territory team store as well. We've got all the
• 30:41
  Speaker 1: good stuff for you. Mark's always wearing it. He's got
• 30:44
  Speaker 1: I believe he's got a hat on. Oh yeah for
• 30:46
  Speaker 1: us today. But yeah, we got a lot of good stuff.
• 30:50
  Speaker 1: I smooved. Maybe I can upgrade my wardrobe with some
• 30:53
  Speaker 1: Bucko Territory stuff. Guys. Any final thoughts.
• 30:57
  Speaker 2: None for me, Just ready to check out some my
• 31:00
  Speaker 2: This Houston series. Bubba Chandler going against Mike Burrows so
• 31:04
  Speaker 2: a couple pirates pitching prospects dueling it off. Thank you
• 31:09
  Speaker 2: to Mike Burrows for Brandon Loo, Mason Montgomery and Jake Maingum.
• 31:13
  Speaker 2: Yeah will always be a fan favorite for doing that
• 31:16
  Speaker 2: for us this year. And uh yeah, just excited to
• 31:19
  Speaker 2: watch that tonight.
• 31:22
  Speaker 3: I got nothing other than you know, what solves all
• 31:24
  Speaker 3: this when yep.
• 31:26
  Speaker 1: When down they've been doing, Yep, that's what they've been doing.
• 31:30
  Speaker 1: Got to keep winning, Carmen pitch as well. All this is,
• 31:34
  Speaker 1: you know, hopefully water under the bridge. So for Platinum
• 31:36
  Speaker 1: Key and Josh Harrison, I'm no ohio signing off saying
• 31:39
  Speaker 1: thanks for tuning in to another episode of Bucko Territory,
• 31:41
  Speaker 1: presented to you by the Foul Territory Network. Take care