SI Covers Steelers

The Steel Curtain II is dubbed by SI in another classic cover shot for the black and gold:



Great article too. Maybe this season's defensive performance will be what finally puts LeBeau in the HOF.

Steelers Beat Up Opponents, Rest of NFL Thankful

http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/12/the-week-after-pittsburgh.html

There is a theory among NFL observers that the week-after playing Pittsburgh is a difficult one for teams because the Steelers are so physical that teams get beat up.

The Cowboys certainly got beat up by the Steelers - safety Ken Hamlin (ankle), safety Keith Davis (knee), tight end Jason Witten (ankle), guard Montrae Holland (ankle), linebacker Zach Thomas (cramps), linebacker Bradie James (stinger), nose tackle Jay Ratliff (concussion), cornerback Adam Jones (neck).

So how have teams done the week after playing the Steelers? They're 4-8.

Houston - lost to Tennessee, 31-12 (Texans did not play following week because of hurricane)
Cleveland - lost to Baltimire, 28-10
Philadelphia - lost to Chicago, 24-20
Baltimore - lost to Tennessee, 13-10
Jacksonville - beat Denver, 24-17
Cincinnati - lost to Houston, 35-6
Giants - beat Dallas, 35-14
Washington - lost to Dallas, 14-10 (after a bye)
Indianapolis - beat Houston, 33-27
San Diego - lost to Indianapolis, 23-20
Cincinnati - lost to Baltimore, 34-3
New England - beat Seattle, 24-21

Based on the record of the teams the Steelers have played this year, its over .500, that teams are 4-8 in games after playing the Steelers tells me that the following week's teams should be out shopping for a very nice Xmas present for the black and gold.

Parker laments passing of 'Steelers football'

Wide receivers complain when they don't get the damn ball. Quarterbacks like Ben want to throw because they feel they can make things happen. And running backs want the ball as well. So it's completely normal for players to complain a bit when their part of the offense isn't succeeding or is becoming less integral to its success.

That said, Willie is on to something here and it would be nice, a helpful if you want to see them make a long layoff run, to commit to running the ball more than they do now.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08345/934197-66.stm

Willie Parker pines for the old days, when he would line up behind the fullback in the I-formation and blast through the line, daring a defense to stop the run.

He called it "Steelers football" but said it's disappeared over the past two seasons in favor of more passes and less conviction to use the ground game.

"I just don't think we should give up that quick," Parker said after practice today. "We're the Pittsburgh Steelers, everyone knows wer're going to run the ball -- or they used to think we'd run the ball.

"We pass the ball a lot now. We got away from Steelers football, Steelers mentality."

The Steelers have run 373 times for 1,350 yards, a total that ranks 23rd in the NFL. If they remain there, it would be their second lowest ranking since the team joined the AFC as part of the 1970 NFL merger.

They're not doing much better passing it either because the rank just 20th there, and 26th overall as an offense. The Steelers have thrown 400 passes and their quarterbacks have been sacked another 41 times trying to pass.

Parker, who has missed five games because of two separate injuries, leads the team with 597 yards rushing. He topped 1,200 yards in each of the previous three seasons and was leading the NFL in rushing last season when his leg was broken in the 15th game.

He said the philosophy has changed around the running game, that they don't believe in a lead blocker such as the fullback any more and their two tight end offense has not produced on the ground.

"Yeah, it's definitely a concern," Parker said. "I definitely think about it all the time -- why can't we run the ball? What's the difference between now and two years ago? So it's definitely being a concern, me being a running back."

The Steelers, under new offensive coordinator Bruce Arians in 2007 de-emphasized the fullback, then let their longtime starter Dan Kreider go in free agency. They've tried it with two hybrid players -- Carey Davis, a halfback/fullback, and Sean McHugh, a tight end/fullback.

"We get into two tights now," Parker said. "It's like without a fullback, [defenses] definitely know what's coming and they know where it's going. I don't know what it is but it's not being effective."

Steeler defense video

Nothing gets Steeler fans more fired up than great defense and this video is a great tribute.

The best part is Kevin Greene clearly still wanting to put on the pads and be a part of things and James Harrison's brush off of him. But Greene does look like he could still get double digit sacks.

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80d0fae0

Steelers beat one New England team; fall behind another

http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2008/12/01/daily6.html

The Pittsburgh Steelers slipped from first to third place on an annual survey of sports teams' brands.

The 2008 Eastern Conference champion Pittsburgh Penguins, however improved from 20th to No. 8 on the Turnkey Sports & Entertainment 2008 Team Brand Index.

"Pittsburgh fans get it – they know what makes a great sports team brand," Len Perna, president and CEO of Turnkey said in a statement. "The Steelers finished No. 1 overall in 2007, and actually indexed higher in 2008, but were passed by the Packers and Red Sox," said Perna. Fans rated 122 teams on 21 distinct factors, including how fans perceive entertainment value, how well they like the players, perceptions of ownership, and the team's commitment to winning.

The study also tested each team on 36 brand attributes. Pittsburgh fans rated "hard-working" as the most important attribute for a local sports team. The Penguins ranked most hard-working in Pittsburgh, according to Turnkey.

A separate part of the study asked for fans' perceptions of team sponsors. The 2008 Sponsor Loyalty Index found that Pittsburgh-area fans care who is sponsoring the Steelers and Penguins. "Both team brands ranked in the top 20 of all 122 teams – they both deliver for their sponsors," said Perna.

Heinz was designated the "most-admired sponsor" in Pittsburgh. Giant Eagle tied for second and was the most admired of the non-national sponsors. The study tracked consumer opinions on more than 150 local, regional and national companies that sponsor NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB teams.

Fans rated the National Football League as the "most-admired league" in Pittsburgh.

The team with the largest out-of-market following is the Yankees, the survey found.

Great News for Pitt

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08330/930629-142.stm?cmpid=latest.xml

McCoy to return for junior season.

"Everyone keeps trying to push that idea, that this is my last game at Heinz Field. I'm not going anywhere," McCoy said. "There is a lot of stuff I have to prove and the thing is, I don't think I've done enouhg here at this university and there is a lot of stuff I have to achieve here.

"It is something I want to squash and get it over with and not have to talk about it because I am kind of getting a little fed up with it. When you look at the [NFL] them guys, that's what they do, that is their job. When you play college football, you just come out to have fun and play ball but to those guys, it is their job.

"I feel I am not ready yet. Right now, I'm in school, I'm enjoying myself, I'm not pushing to go anywhere."

How the Steelers are NOT the Steelers of Old

Behind the Steel Curtain has done an excellent review of the Steelers' offensive tendencies in third and between 2-4 yards to go so far in 2008.

The results amount to this:

Pittsburgh Steelers on 3rd and 2 - 3rd and 4

Total Opportunities	Total Runs	Total Passes	1st Down % Running	1st Down % Passing	Sacks
41	3	38	100%	54%	7

My thoughts about these numbers:

• Once again, whenever someone says the Steelers are about running the football first, please turn the channel - those who know anything at all about the Steelers know differently.
  
• Anytime there is a 38-3 discrepancy in play calling, it is a bad thing. Defensive coordinators are very aware of tendencies and these numbers don't put much if any doubt in their heads about what the Steelers will do.
• Only 3 rushes, so the 100% conversion rate is skewed. But when you're only converting 54% of third and shorts when throwing the ball, you have to think about the play calling. That 54% includes sacks counted as passes.
• Steel Curtain notes that Ben has thrown 3 of his 11 INTs in these situations, meaning 27% of Ben's picks have come on just 11% of his passes. Is he forcing things more than normal in these situations? Whatever the reasons, they are something to be considered when making the play calls.
• Seeing them repeatedly fail recently on third and 1, it doesn't make a good case for running on third and two or three. But maybe with defensive coordinators looking at these numbers, running will catch them off guard. And let me also suggest that we see Gary Russell in these situations more and more often.

Overall, these numbers are further proof of the Arianization of the Steeler offense - pass happy and run to set up the pass - that has not proven successful on the NFL level.

Bucci Rocks

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=buccigross_john&id=3696190&POLL374=400000000000000000

AC/DC is good, not great and I'm not a B's fan, but this line as pure genius from Bucci this week:

Humans are born with nearly adult-size irises that we grow into with time. It's why babies appear to have such gigantic, curious eyes as large as faceoff dots. One of life's little secrets is living with large irises long after childhood and finding great joys in little things like a Kessel wrist shot or a 28-year-old AC/DC album. Both were born from great craftsmen, and both can fill us with energy to get us through a day or two.

Rock on, Wayne. Rock on, Garth.

Big Ben vs Eli

So much is being written this week about these two quarterbacks. In reality, taking as objective a view as I can, there is no comparison between the two.

Eli backers only valid argument is that Ben played poorly in the Super Bowl while Eli led the Giants on the game winning drive late in the 4th quarter. But even that point, as it tries to prove that Ben can't play when the pressure is on, overlooks the dominant performances Ben had in the playoffs leading up to the game.

Ben a game manager only when a rook? I disagree quite a bit, but I'd take a rookie game manager who goes 13-0 over a rookie on the bench or failing miserably.

Again, in all objectivity, Eli was about to be run out of New York last season until he put together a nice 6-7 game run. And that is what tops his resume. Not a very long stretch of greatness by anyone's admission.

So, to get to the bottom of this, we will leave it to a site that is quickly becoming a favorite must-read, coldhardfootballfacts.com. Here is what they say:

Big Ben vs. Eli: Complete & Unabridged

Weigh all the evidence and one thing becomes clear: Big Ben quickly established himself as a winner in the NFL, he's put up historic passing numbers, while Eli's have been pedestrian. Big Ben's teams have consistently been better, and he even has a tasty sandwich named in his honor.

Pens Spotlight: Jordan Staal

UPDATE 10/24: The Spotlight (or the presence of his older brother) worked it's magic once again last night as Jordan Staal played his best game of the season so far in the Pens 4-1 win. He finished with only 1 sweet assist but had many scoring chances, set up several great opportunities for his linemates and was all over the ice. It should be a game that turns Staal's confidence around and gets him back to playing the kind of hockey he's capable of playing.

I know, I know. The Steelers are playing a fairly big game this weekend, the World Series is underway, and the Pirates hired a pitching coach! So why Jordan Staal? Because as things currently stand, he is the most perplexing pro athlete in Pittsburgh. Adam LaRoche, Ian Snell and Max Starks aside, questions about Staal and his future are plenty.

When my friends and I used to attend Pens games at the Igloo back in the 80s-90s, we used to "put the spotlight" on a player for a shift. We did this maybe once or twice a game and it was usually focused on a player who we thought needed to pick up their game. We wanted to watch him closely to see what he was doing without getting distracted. So we'd only follow this player during his shift on the ice. More often than not, it provided a different view of the player, maybe nothing super noteworthy, but still of interest. Of course, there were many times we put the spotlight on 66 just because he was so amazing to watch at any time.

So let's put the spotlight on Jordan Staal.

Over at hockeybuzz.com (a generally gossip rag of a site), the Pens writer Brian Metzer stands above much of what appears on the site and today offers up an interesting take on Staal, comparing Staal's situation to the one Markus Naslund faced in 1993 with the Pens:

Naslund was selected by Pittsburgh 16th overall during the 1991 NHL Entry Draft and came with a pretty impressive offensive pedigree. He had been lighting up the J20 SuperElit league in Sweden playing alongside longtime friend Peter Forsberg in Modo. Many in Pittsburgh were excited to add the dynamic forward to an already impressive roster.

Unfortunately, that roster is the main reason that the young Swede wasn’t able to succeed in Pittsburgh. Naslund appeared in 71 games during the 1993-94 season, recording only 11 pts (4G 11A). He was not given much of an opportunity to succeed, as he was cast in a third or fourth line role most of the time and received little to no time on the power play.

We know the end result of this was Craig Patrick making one of the all-time worst trades in pro sports history, giving Naslund to Vancouver for Alek Stojanov. (Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio; Aramis Ramirez for Bobby Hill; those were bad, this was was worse.) Metzer concludes by saying that trading Staal:

is looking more and more like the scenario that will have to play out for Jordan Staal to thrive offensively in the league. We can only hope that Ray Shero is able to make a better deal that his predecessor did 12 years ago.

GBoF doesn't think it's come to trading Staal yet and is still unlikely to happen at any time. Staal is still only 20 years old. Luca Caputi, one of the Pens top prospects, is only 20 days younger than Staal and he's not anywhere close to being NHL ready. Ok, expectations for Staal are much higher, but let's not forget he's only 20 years old.

Also, Staal looks to be a player who easily loses his confidence. Something that happens a lot with 20 year olds. And something that happens more frequently when you see guys named Crosby and Malkin, who are not much older than you, do things that you can only dream of and can't pull off no matter how hard you try. Confidence becomes less fragile with experience and age.

Confidence also comes in the NHL by scoring goals. I'll admit that so far in 2008, he has not generated many quality scoring chances. And he only potted 12 goals last year. But something happened about 2/3 of the way through last season and he began to get scoring chances and he looked like he was ready to emerge. That he didn't was only due to the fact that I believe he just barely missed his spots and hit more posts than anyone else down the stretch last year.

I will also argue that trading any player, no matter the sport, due to position depth is absurd and once you start doing so, you will start building a losing team (except for clear skill differences such as acquiring a goalie or a pitcher). Just look at the Pirates for a clear example fo this. If Jordan Staal is to become a good hockey player, he'll do it and he'll do it whether he plays center or wing, it won't matter. It may take a little longer if he plays wing, but it will come.

This season, Staal has been presented with an opportunity to play on the second line, both with and without Malkin. And he will continue to get that chance - a chance that is like the time Naslund got when he was on 66's wing. The window is there, if he does well, there won't be any talk of Staal not getting enough ice time or being relegated to the third line. If he does well, he'll be a fixture at center or the wing as a top 6 forward.

But he hasn't taken advantage of that chance yet. I see a player who is unsure of himself and whose confidence is low. He looks indecisive at times. What he needs is a goal and, much like the hitter in baseball who gets a broken bat Texas Leaguer and then goes on a hitting tear, his confidence will grow and he will become more comfortable with his place on the team. It may take a few goals but they will come. And only then will we be able to effectively judge Staal.

Now is not the time to decide to trade him. Anytime you beign to think about trading a player, you want to make sure you're trading him when you can get good value in return and not when he's at a low point in value. Right now, Staal is still at a relatively high point because of his age and potential. Another full season of less than 15 goals and that will go down. The key for Ray Shero is being able to judge Staal and what he'll become before other GM's do.

But to do so, he needs to see what Staal can do with a good sizable opportunity, including power play time. 7 games are not a season. If, as I suspect, he finishes the season with 20+ goals, we'll know he's arrived and is likely to keep improving and should remain a Pen, even if his price will go up. If he never finds his touch or it appears only fleetingly, remember he is only 20 years old and he'll be cheaper for the Pens to sign this coming offseason. But also know that if he is presented a perfect chance playing on the second line and the PP and doesn't produce, Shero may decide that he never will.

Personally, I don't think Shero will decide to trade Staal. He's just too young and big and he has scored 29 goals before. But if he does, I agree with Brian Metzer and we'd better see a lot more than Alek Stojanov coming back to the Burgh.

NYT: Eldest Rooney Brother Poised to Buy Steelers

The New York Times is reporting that the Steelers Ownership Issue will likely be resolved by the end of the year and result in Dan Rooney buying out his brothers.

The NYT has been on top of this story from the beginning and what they are reporting is only good news.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Pittsburgh Steelers’ muddled ownership picture could clear by the end of the year, with the team’s chairman, Dan Rooney, buying out his four younger brothers, N.F.L. owners were told at a meeting here this week.
Skip to next paragraph

The league is pushing the Steelers to settle their ownership situation. The four younger brothers are also working against their own deadline: they want to sell before the end of the year because they fear an increase in the capital gains tax rate if Senator Barack Obama is elected president in November.

Although the N.F.L. has not set a deadline to conclude the sometimes contentious intrafamily negotiations — which have now stretched into a third year — some owners have privately wondered why it has allowed three of the younger brothers to continue to own shares of the team while also owning racetracks in Florida and New York that have casino gambling operations, a violation of league rules. That, one owner said Tuesday, is a double standard.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has reported that at least two of the brothers have recently tilted toward selling to Dan Rooney.

Rooney and his son Art II met with the league’s finance committee last week to update it on their offer for the team, which includes outside investors who have not been publicly identified. Each of the five brothers owns 16 percent of the team, and N.F.L. rules mandate that one person own at least 30 percent.

Last month, the four younger brothers rejected a bid from the hedge fund billionaire and Steelers fan Stanley Druckenmiller, who had offered an all-cash deal to buy out their shares of the team. That decision followed a meeting of all five brothers with Commissioner Roger Goodell, after which Goodell made clear that the owners of the other 31 N.F.L. teams would do everything possible to ensure that Dan Rooney retained control of the team — an indication that the owners, who must approve the sale, would reject any other suitor.

When the four brothers rejected Druckenmiller’s offer, they said they wanted to reopen the bidding to others. But the global financial crisis probably means additional bids could be hard to come by in the next few months.

Dan Rooney also has a right of first refusal for any outside offer his brothers receive.

“Dan Rooney made it extremely clear that he was not going to be involved in the gambling business moving forward if he was successful in being able to complete this transaction,” Goodell said. He added, “That is important to our ownership because it is one of the rules that they are not in compliance with.”

Bucs Find Another Way To Not Finish Last

In the all-important TV ratings game, the Bucs finished ahead of the Nationals, Royals and Orioles. Still, they had a 15% drop in viewers from 2007. That's it? I wonder what they were before the trading deadline and hw low they dipped in September.

From The Sports Business Journal and the Pittsburgh Business Times:

Diamond ratings fail to shine
Television ratings for Major League Baseball games were down almost across the board, as the national networks and most regional sports networks suffered significant declines during the regular season. Fox's MLB ratings dropped 13 percent to a 2.0, and its viewership dropped 12.5 percent to average 2.9 million viewers for its Saturday afternoon package.

Fox Sports Net's performance was virtually flat, off 4 percent from last year.

"That's an acceptable variance," said Kyle Sherman, FSN's executive vice president of ad sales. "FSN remained very consistent against strong competition from the Olympics and the presidential primaries. Overall, I think we held up extremely well."

FSN's best performing network was FSN Florida, which saw a 99 percent ratings jump in its Rays games (1.74 to 3.47). FSN also was helped by the Marlins, which were up 21 percent on Sun Sports and 16 percent on FSN Florida.

FSN's trouble spots were in Atlanta, where the Braves' ratings dropped 29 percent on FSN South and 28 percent on SportSouth.

MLB's top concern has to be MASN, which pulled anemic numbers for the last-place Nationals and Orioles. The combined 37,000 homes that watched both teams' games in the Baltimore-Washington market beat only Pittsburgh (32,000) and Kansas City (26,000).

With an average of only 8,000 homes tuning in for each game, the Nationals had by far the lowest audience of any team, and showed a bigger year-to-year percentage drop than any Major League team (down 50 percent).

According to industry data, the Pirates saw their average number of viewers dip about 15 percent in 2008, compared with the previous year. The Pirates averaged about 32,000 households watching each game.

Bengals Fans Will Leave The Light On For You

vs.

The mass exodus has started in Cincinnati. The fans are revolting and hope Steeler fans invade Paul Brown Stadium while they hightail it for the Kentucky hills. I actually was a bit nervous about this game but now without Carson Palmer AND fans, I'm feeling much better.

Remember, these are Kentuckians we're talking about here:

I think no Bengal fans should show up for the game on Sunday. Let the stadium be filled the stupid, ugly, boastful, (i hope their q-back gets knocked out of the game) stealers (correct spelling) fans.

I just can’t wait to turn on the Bengals game this weekend and see more Steelers fans in the stands than Bengals fans... I had Bengals season tickets for 6 seasons and cancelled them after the 2006 season. What I came to realize was that I was going to the games to get drunk before the games and enjoy the camaraderie of spending the morning with friends grilling and drinking beer and not actually enjoying the rest of the day....and spending $800+ per season for the seat was just not worth it. Now I have Bearcat season tickets, pay nowhere near what I paid for the Bengals tickets and I actually enjoy the football itself as well as the time drinking before the games.

Boycott the game November 2! Picket the stadium! Protest outside where security can't take signs away -- it's OUR stadium, afterall!

Pirates are Better Than One Playoff Team...

...over the last 10 years.

Only the Royals and playoff (Devil) Rays are worse than the Bucs.

And only the AL Central has been worse than the NL Central, a weak division where the Bucs are 213.5 games out over that span, more than 21 games behind per year. Wow.

RECORDS SINCE 1998

A.L. EAST

New York Yankees 1074- 704 .604
Boston Red Sox 1011- 770 .568
Toronto Blue Jays 902- 879 .506
Baltimore Orioles 791- 989 .444
Tampa Bay Rays 742-1037 .417

DIVISION TOTALS 4520-4379 .508

A.L. CENTRAL

Cleveland Indians 937- 845 .526
Chicago White Sox 933- 849 .524
Minnesota Twins 909- 871 .511
Detroit Tigers 777-1003 .437
Kansas City Royals 743-1037 .417

DIVISION TOTALS 4299-4605 .483

A.L. WEST

L.A. Angels of Anaheim 958- 824 .538
Oakland Athletics 976- 804 .548
Seattle Mariners 907- 874 .509
Texas Rangers 872- 910 .489

DIVISION TOTALS 3713-3412 .521

N.L. EAST

Atlanta Braves 1015- 765 .570
New York Mets 930- 851 .522
Philadelphia Phillies 909- 872 .510
Florida Marlins 842- 938 .473
Washington Nationals 785- 996 .441

DIVISION TOTALS 4481-4422 .503

N.L. CENTRAL

St. Louis Cardinals 980- 800 .551
Houston Astros 957- 824 .537
Chicago Cubs 881- 901 .494
Cincinnati Reds 846- 937 .474
Milwaukee Brewers 809- 971 .454
Pittsburgh Pirates 766-1013 .431

DIVISION TOTALS 5239-5446 .490

N.L. WEST

San Francisco Giants 942- 838 .529
Los Angeles Dodgers 927- 855 .520
Arizona Diamondbacks 900- 882 .505
San Diego Padres 866- 917 .486
Colorado Rockies 826- 957 .463

DIVISION TOTALS 4461-4449 .501

How To Ruin a Franchise

As we watch this year's playoffs, note that the heart of the Phillies came via a strong run of first-round picks from 1998 through 2002 (Gavin Floyd was their #1 pick in 2001):

2002: Cole Hamels
2000: Chase Utley
1999: Brett Myers
1998: Pat Burrell

Compare that list to the Bucs, who had higher selections in 2002 and 1999 and took pitchers ahead of pitchers the Phillies took:

2002: Bryan Bullington #1 overall
2001: John VanBenschoten #8
2000: Sean Burnett #19
1999: Bobby Bradley #8
1998: Clinton Johnston #15

What a horrible list of picks. Only one player with really any chance of still contributing to the franchise and he's a long reliever at that.

Even worse is their list of their #1 picks since 1993. Really, no other explanation is needed for why the Bucs stink than this:

1997 J.J. Davis
1996 Kris Benson
1995 Chad Hermansen
1994 Mark Farris
1993 Charles Peterson
1992 Jason Kendall
1991 Jonathan Farrell
1990 Kurt Miller
1989 Willie Greene
1988 Austin Manahan
1987 Mark Merchant

When you have to argue about whether Kris Benson or Jason Kendall was your best #1 pick over the course of 16 years, you're in trouble. Just when the #1 picks from '87 and '88 should have been coming up to replace Bonilla and Bonds, we were stuck with Merchant and Manahan, who never made the majors.

But also know that this list spans more than one GM or front office administration. It's not just Dave Littlefield who has ruined the Pirates.

Insanity is Back in the Burgh

It was nice while it lasted but unfortunately, all good things must pass.

And today Burghers were reintroduced to the biggest blowhard this side of Sarah Palin, and not just via one medium, but two.

Big Mark Madden returned to the airwaves and also continued writing his little read column in the Beaver County Times. In it, he writes the kind of inanity that marks him as one of those who rode the short bus:

Penguins GM Ray Shero should trade Jordan Staal for some quality help at wing, and do it sooner, not later. Staal, 20, is a major talent with tons of potential. He plays hard two-way hockey and does everything he’s asked. Staal could play for my team any day.

Unless my team had Crosby and Malkin at center, that is.

Staal is doing his best to contribute on Malkin’s wing, but he’s simply better at center. As long as Staal is in Pittsburgh, he’s never going to get the ice time or the offensive opportunities his talents merit.

Staal deserves a better situation. Here’s betting he tries to find one at season’s end via restricted free agency.

If the Pens need a scoring winger for Sid and if Staal is not the one to do it, then let's get rid of him now. Stupid reasoning from a stupid man.

If Sid needs a scorer on his wing better than Satan, and he does, then how about try Staal there. If Staal is a better center than winger, and he might be, how about trying a guy who finished second in scoring on Sid's wing? Put Geno with Sid and let Staal center the second line with Sykora and Dupuis. Or, better yet, put Sykora with Sid and Geno and team Staal with Satan and Dupuis or Fedotenko.

But don't trade Staal just because he isn't playing the position you need most right now even if he is a talented player with a ton of upside. That kind of reasoning has been practiced for too long inside PNC Park and we know where that has gotten them.

Troy Lights Up LT

Is this a preview of the November Steelers/Chargers matchup? Troy lights up LT here, check it out...

Bengals Going All Out for 1st Win

Here is the latest from Bungland:

Palmer to miss game against Steelers with sore passing elbow

CINCINNATI -- Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer will miss another game because of his sore passing elbow.

Coach Marvin Lewis said Monday that Ryan Fitzpatrick will start against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, giving Palmer another week to rest his right elbow. It'll be the third game Palmer has missed this season because of the injury.

Palmer sat out a 26-14 loss to the Jets on Sunday, then stayed in New York to be examined by Dr. David Altchek, who works with the New York Mets. Palmer was hoping that the second opinion he got from Altchek would be more encouraging and allow him to get back on the field.

The news came out today and it's clear with every passing day that the Bungles believe the only hope they have of winning is pity from the Gods/NFL fans. Already, they've gone 0-6 and now they will play without Palmer.

Don't be surprised if next we hear that Chad 85 plans a TD celebration involving a terminally ill child, or that they are bringing Tim Krumrie and his broken leg back to commemorate their Super Bowl XXIII team.

And it just might work. They will win eventually, right? 0-6 never seemed so scary. Karma is on the Bungles side here.

Or maybe I'm just suffering from not seeing the Steelers this week. If I had watched them win, I'd be much more confident.

Great Balls of Fire Visits Dameshek on Demand

Dave Dameshek and I wrapped up a podcast on Friday talking all things hockey. It was a lot of fun and I hope we can hook up again soon.

Shek is an old friend who is on ESPN Radio in LA and puts up some highly entertaining podcasts each day. You may remember him from his time on the Adam Carolla morning show or from his short stint in Pittsburgh as host of The Sports Contraption, which I visited on a somewhat regular basis.

Check it out at (Dave and I start at about the 15:50 mark):
http://sports.espn.go.com/stations/player?context=podcast&id=3636864

Atlanta Unveils Ugliest Unis Ever

YUCK!

http://www.uniwatchblog.com/

… or does it just seem that way? Definitely a disaster for the ages — the wordmark is pathetic, the chest number belongs in the NBA, the shoulder logos look like they’re lifted from the San Diego Chargers, and the socks are embarrassing-and-a-half. Lots more photos here, if you dare.

Roethlisberger named AFC player of week

The NFL today named Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger the AFC offensive player of the week.

Roethlisberger completed 26 of 41 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns in a 26-21 victory at Jacksonville Sunday. He threw one interception when receiver Santonio Holmes fell down.

Roethlisberger threw the winning touchdown pass of eight yards to Hines Ward with 1:53 left.

After the game, Roethlisberger signed a lucrative endorsement deal with extra-strength Tylenol.

Steeler Fans Continue Domination of NFL

Today it's the unheard of before today Ross Tucker. Somehow he has a column on si.com (apparently he is a former player). But who am I to argue with Ross' latest topic: the passion of Steeler fans.

At this point, it is more surprising if anyone tries making an argument that any fandom other than Steeler fans (I do not like the term 'Steeler Nation'. Too similar to the original 'Raider Nation' and to the despised 'Red Sox Nation'. It's a Steeler Universe in any event, and we're all just living in it). The next writer who claims the Cryboys or Packers or Bears or whoever have fans that are more enthusiastic than the Stillers should, in all seriousness, be forced to watch games in Atlanta or Jacksonville or some other site where the fans are as apathetic as they come.

What is interesting about Ross's argument is that he focuses solely on the impact Steeler fans have when their team is on the road, not at home. Which is interesting in that I don't believe Heinz Field provides a great home field advantage, certainly not as great as Three Rivers did. Maybe the advantages the Steelers enjoy from their fans are greater on the road than at home? Sounds strange but based on how much it can deflate a home team to see black and gold towels overruning their stadium, it just may be true.

In any event, here's some of what Ross thinks of the Black n' Gold universe:

The news out of Jacksonville Monday morning that approximately 25 percent of the fans for Sunday night's Steelers-Jags contest were waving yellow Terrible Towels came as no surprise to me. The Steelers have the most dominant fan base in the National Football League and their ability to consistently travel, en masse, and infest other team's stadiums gives the Steelers a competitive advantage that no other franchise can claim.

And though there are thousands of die-hard fans in Green Bay, Washington, Dallas, Buffalo, Cleveland, New England, and every other NFL city, the simple truth is very evident to every player in the NFL: Steelers fans are the best in the business.

...the fact remains there is nothing quite as powerful in the NFL as Steeler Nation [c'mon Ross, get with the program!].

Secondly, I am well aware that the Packers, Raiders, Cowboys and Redskins, just to name a few, have great fans who pop up in away stadiums every time their team is on the road. Trust me, it does not compare to Steelers fans. I have played for some of those teams and it is not even close. The Steelers have the best fans in the NFL.

Scouts Inc. Says Troy is Back

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afcnorth/0-0-466/Scouts-Inc--on-Troy-Polamalu.html

Here is comprehensive film analysis from Scouts Inc.'s Keith Kidd:

"Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau's 3-4 defense is built to pressure the quarterback from the outside edges while confusing him with coverage designs on the backend. Simply put, strong safety Troy Polamalu is a perfect fit in the Steelers attacking 3-4 defenses and continues to perform at a Pro Bowl-level. One of the main reasons that the Steelers have their swagger back this season is due to a healthy Polamalu. When planning offensively against the Steelers, you must know were No. 43 is aligned. LeBeau loves to incorporate a lot of different looks by moving Polamalu around within his alignment to confuse opposing teams. He has a great knack for being around the ball and has been a difference-maker near the line of scrimmage this season. He is one of the more explosive players in the league and has a rare understanding of the game. His ability to attack downhill run alleys with his deceptive speed is rare for a strong safety. He has also shown tremendous ball skills. Without a doubt, he is still among the elite safeties and defensive players in the NFL."

Steelers Jump Jags; Fans Continue Domination

From today's Florida Times-Union comes an article that really could be reprinted the day after a Steeler road game in any city from Phoenix to St. Louis to San Diego to Detroit and definitely Jacksonville:

The phenomenon happened again on Sunday, the first time the Steelers have played in Jacksonville since the second game of the 2006 season. On a cool night with only a few sprinkles of rain, an  estimated 15,000 Steelers fans mixed in with the Jaguars fans to create almost a college bowl atmosphere.

"You really wish the Jaguars fans would hold on to their own tickets," said Robert Seferian of Hilton Head, S.C., a Jaguars season-ticket holder. "We'd like to have as many as we can on our side."

The high-water mark for Steelers fans in Jacksonville is thought to be Dec. 5, 2004, when some estimates had about 25,000 Steelers fans in the stadium.

The travel habits of Steeler fans shouldn't be news any longer. Since the 70's Steeler fans have traveled far and wide and collectively in larger numbers than any other NFL team. Cities like the above must be accustomed to the black and gold invasion and should appreciate the economic boon to their towns for a weekend.

New York Thinks All other MLB Teams are in their Farm System

Why would the Bucs trade a player who isn't even arbitration eligible yet and who has the potential of McLouth is beyond me. But of course, the Yankees consider everyone to be theirs for the taking. But we have seen from first hand experience this summer that the Yankee farm system does not hold a wealth of top prospects, the kind the Bucs would need to get in return for McLouth.

Clearly, the Yankees feel they can underpay for McLouth, like they did for Nady and Marte this summer. Huntington can't trade McLouth this offseason and let's hope they don't make any efforts for Jeremy Hermida, another move that has been whispered.

NO TALK ON MCLOUTH TRADE, YET

Decision makers in The Bronx and Pittsburgh said yesterday there was nothing to the Yankees acquiring outfielder Nate McLouth from the Pirates - yet.

"We haven't talked about it, it's premature," a Yankees source said.

"Haven't heard a word about that," a Pirates source said.

Pirates GM Neal Huntington has declared nobody is untouchable, and the Pirates are looking to upgrade a poor minor league system and major league talent base, so McLouth's name has been tossed around. The Yankees are in the market for a center fielder.

Though some believe the left-handed hitting McLouth isn't a true center fielder. The first-time All-Star batted .276 this year with 26 homers and 94 RBIs. McLouth, 27 later this month, was 23-for-26 in stolen base attempts and had a .356 on-base percentage.

After trading outfielders Jason Bay to Boston and Xavier Nady to the Yankees, respectively, the Pirates would want a lot for McLouth, who isn't yet eligible for arbitration and made $450,000 this past season.

Another option in center for the Yankees - who haven't ruled out Johnny Damon, Brett Gardner or Melky Cabrera - is Milwaukee's Mike Cameron, a former Met.

The Brewers have a $10 million option on Cameron, who will be 36 in January and had the Yankees interested last offseason. There is a $750,000 buyout. It's not likely the Brewers will pay that after losing pitchers Ben Sheets and CC Sabathia via free agency.

Cameron, a three-time Gold Glove winner who made $7 million this year, batted .243 with 25 homers and 70 RBIs after being suspended for the first 25 games for violating MLB's stimulant policy.

Big Ben One of Top 5 QBs of All Time

Interesting article from coldhardfootballfacts.com.

Now that Ben has thrown more than the minimum number of passes, he can be ranked with quarterbacks in career numbers. And he does very well.

#5 All-Time in Passer Rating:

1. Steve Young – 96.81
2. Peyton Manning – 94.25
3. Kurt Warner – 93.52
4. Tom Brady – 92.91
5. Ben Roethlisberger – 92.52

#5 in Yards Per Pass Attempt (an even better indicator of a winning quarterback):

1. Otto Graham – 8.63 YPA
2. Sid Luckman – 8.42
3. Norm Van Brocklin – 8.16
4. Kurt Warner – 8.14
5. Ben Roethlisberger – 8.10

The article thinks that if Ben can continue this performance for another 4 years, he is a sure fire first ballot Hall of Famer.

The only downside to this is that the trends in Ben's career in both of the above stats are heading downward, no doubt a result of playing behind an awful offensive line and having to exist in Bruce Arians' nonsensical offensive scheme.

Funny how I didn't see Carson Palmer on this list...

No Doubt About It: Frattare retiring

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08275/916581-100.stm?cmpid=latest.xml

Lanny Frattare, the voice of the Pirates for 33 years, is retiring.

Frattare, who began broadcasting the team's games in 1976, has called the team games longer than any other announcer, including the venerable Bob Prince.

"In the 122-year history of this proud franchise, nobody has brought the action to Pirates fans longer than Lanny," Pirates president Frank Coonelly said. "Lanny's positive impact on the Pirates and the Pittsburgh community reaches far beyond the broadcast booth. Whether it was the countless number of appearances he made in the community on behalf of the Pirates or his two decade-long personal push to raise funds for mentally challenged individuals in our area, Lanny is part of the fabric of this community."

33 years is a long time and longer than Myron with the Steelers or Lange with the Pens. But Lanny will never enter the conversation with the other two as great Pittsburgh broadcasters. Prince will remain as the most beloved Bucco play by play man.

To me, Lanny never really captured me. There were times when I got caught up in his excitement but too many others when he just didn't make the game exciting enough. Ok, maybe he had a difficult task considering most of the teams he covered. Still, I won't miss him that much, unless someone like Kent Dierdivanis replaces him.

I will of course miss the "And there was noooooooooooooo doubt about it!!!!" even after a 9th inning comeback.

Bucs Finally Getting Noticed

On a day when the Pirates and their erstwhile #1 pick Pedro Alvarez are watching from the sidelines as others debate whether or not Pedro will eventually don professional black and gold (as opposed to the collegiate black and gold he wore at Vandy), the Bucs aren't letting the day pass without getting in on some national pub.

And you have to hand it to them, it took 16 years, but they have accomplished something that is extremely difficult and rare, one of the rarest feats in sports history.

Of course, we're talking about the years of consecutive losing and as the national media snaps to attention out of its Favre/Brady/NFL week 1 fog, they are beginning to acknowledge what the Bucs have done:

Pirates made the blueprint for consistency, history

Heat Is On Wannstedt

Pitt lost to Bowling Green this afternoon, 27-17. So much for that West Virginia game. But maybe the loss is not as surprising as it seems.

After coming out of the gates impressively, gaining a 14-0 lead, Pitt regressed and looked a lot like the middling 2007 team. Turnovers, penalties and limp defense led to a Bowling Green romp.

A season that had so much promise before it began is suddenly in serious jeopardy. And once again, a Dave Wannstedt team fails to show up and beat a team it should.

Who to blame? Mainly the players, from Shady McCoy fumbling to receivers dropping balls all over the place and an offensive line that allowed a sack and fumble by Billy Stull, who for some reason threw 51 passes!!

But this is the first game and for players to not be ready to play is an indictment of the head coach. Wannstedt can recruit with the best of them (or so we read every offseason), yet it has yet to translate to the field. Maybe these players aren't as good as we hear? Or maybe something happens to the coach on Satrudays.

The season isn't over, the Big East has yet ot begin, but this is no more than a 7 win team. At best. And that's a shame.

Colclough Still Doesn't Get It

What did Cowher ever see in the dear Ricardo? It sure wasn't intelligence. too bad he actually has a Super Bowl ring.

Panthers' Colclough charged with DWI hours before roster cuts

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers cornerback Ricardo Colclough was arrested Saturday and charged with driving while impaired.

Colclough was arrested hours before the Panthers had to make their final cuts. Mecklenburg County jail records showed Colclough was being held on $1,000 bond.

"We're aware of it," team spokesman Charlie Dayton said . He declined further comment.

Colclough, 26, was signed by the Panthers in the offseason but failed to win the punt return and kickoff return jobs in the preseason. It put his future with the team in jeopardy, with Dante Wesley and C.J. Wilson competing for the final cornerback spots on the team.

The Panthers had to trim 22 players from the roster by late Saturday.

ESPN ranks Steeler fans #1

NFL's best fans? We gotta hand it to Steelers

Just a week to go until the Texans invade the Big Bottle, time to fire up the grills...

PG: Pirates' deal with Pedro Alvarez in jeopardy

Is this just another ploy by Boras who may be upset with others getting higher bonuses or is there some justification for this? Either way, it is not good.

http://post-gazette.com/pg/08240/907355-100.stm

The Pirates' deal with first-round draft pick Pedro Alvarez appeared
to be in jeopardy today, with the Pirates issuing a statement saying
that Alvarez's agent, Scott Boras, has said Alvarez will not sign the
contract agreed to on Aug. 15.

As a result, Pirates president Frank Coonelly said in the statement
that the team had asked the commissioner's office to place Alvarez on
MLB's restricted list.

In addition, the MLB Players Assocation today will file a grievance
against the Pirates contending that Alvarez agreed to his contract
after the Aug. 15 midnight deadline.

Farrior signs deal for 5 years

http://post-gazette.com/pg/08235/906231-66.stm

Old guys can dress any way they want, and the 33-year-old Farrior struck one for the graybeards yesterday when he signed a five-year contract worth $18.25 million with the Steelers. The deal -- his third with the team since signing as a free agent from the New York Jets in 2002 -- includes a $5 million signing bonus and will pay him slightly less than $10 million in the first two years and $12.6 over the first three.

The Steelers sure have a strange way of dealing with players whose contracts are coming to an end. And unfortunately, I'm not seeing much of a plan behind their recent actions. Even more shocking, the recent moves by the Pirate front office make the Steelers look like minor leaguers.

And I'll let the Faneca situation go because it's clear that Faneca wanted to cash in on his one big chance and the Steelers didn't think he was worth market value, which given his age and hoe basly the offensive line played WITH him, can be understood.

But some questions about this signing include:

• Max Starks: making him their transition player and signing him to a one year deal at an inflated price of $6.85M for a backup, and one that will be gone after this year, looks to be a panic move made in the uncertainty after Faneca left.
• Focusing on Farrior while allowing two offensive line starters to play this season with unrestricted free agency looming, seems shortsighted. Both Smith and Kemoeatu wil be able to leave after the season. Hard to put a value on Kemoeatu? OK. But Smith? Don't forget the Steelers drafted only one o-lineman this draft - Tony Hills in the 4th - and he is not impressing anyone this camp. Think the line is in trouble this year? Wait til next year.
• One thing you hope from management teams is they learn from their mistakes. In 2002, the Steelers resigned 30 yr old Jason Gildon to a 5-yr deal. He was gone after two more years. Farrior is three years older. It's true that middle linebackers may be able to last longer than pure outside rushers, but Farrior was already being phased out. The team has plans to replace Farrior, possible with Larry Foote, unlike whatever they are doing along the o-line.
• In truth, Farrior will ony play 3 more years, the last two years of this contract won't be seen.
• Farrior's play is not improving and even though he is still starting, if you go by performance, he probably will not be a starter far beyond this year. Timmons is ready to take over one inside spot and Foote, who is younger, can eaasily slide over to replace Farrior. The money spent on Farrior could have been used to spend on an area of need instead.
• This is a defense that needs to get younger and fast. Timmons and Woodley will play a lot this year and that helps. But from what we saw last year, the overall defense wore down as games and the season went along. Adn the defensive line is not getting any younger and is getting older with the signing of Orpheus Roye. There is no young defensive lineman on the team. The secondary features aging Deshea Townsend who has been able to keep his jb over youngerplayers such as Bryant McFadden.

So let's say that I'm not a fan of this signing. The Steelers have done a great job maintaining their competitiveness by being smart judges of talent and shedding themselves of players a year too soon rather than a year too late. It isn't sentimental at all and often raises the ire of fans. But more often than not, only Rod Woodson and Hardy Nickerson truly come to mind as mistakes, they are right in their assessments. Not only does it force younger players to play and develop quickly (which means they have to draft well), but it also frees up money that can be used in more important areas.

Signing players who aren't at the top of their game or about to approach it, goes against what this team has done so successfully for so long. Let's hope this signing stands by itself and isn't a sign of future events. And if the Rooneys ever lose control of the franchise, you can be sure that these signing are what we will see more and more of, and it won't be good for the team.

Pirates trade Bautista to Toronto

This management team doesn't waste time. If they don't like you or you aren't playing well, see ya!

via PBC Blog

The Pirates today traded third baseman Jose Bautista to the Toronto Blue Jays for a player to be named later.

Bautista, 27, was surprisingly demoted last week to Class AAA Indianapolis after batting .244 with 12 home runs and 44 RBIs for the Pirates this season. He went 6 for 20 with two home runs and eight RBIs for Indianapolis.

He originally was a Rule 5 claim of the Pirates in 2004, then was reacquired the following year through trade.

Toronto's Scott Rolen has been troubled by a shoulder injury, so it is likely Bautista will step right into the Blue Jays' lineup.

Pittsburgh is 10th Worst City To Be A Fan

Forbes ventures into unknown territory once again in an effort to make itself relevant to non-millionaires. This time it's to rank the worst sports cities to be a fan. They look at the 29 markets with at least 2 teams in the 4 major leagues using some wacky formula:

we compared the latest median household income figures from the Census Bureau to the Fan Cost Index for each team compiled by Team Marketing. Those metros with the lowest ratios of income to ticket cost were deemed most expensive for fans. Those ratios were then compared to team performance, with regular season won-lost records and playoff outcomes combined for all teams in a given city.

Miami finished as worst, primarily because their teams suck. Pittsburgh is 10th, despite two successful teams, and here is the explanation:

The Penguins reached the NHL finals last season, while the Steelers went a solid 10-6, but baseball's Pirates are always rebuilding. The area's median income is 20% below the average of the 29 major sports metros.

So by that last line, it doesn't just suck to be a Pittsburgh sports fan, but to live there since they make 20% less than everyone else. I'd be at as many games as I could to forget about how little I make.

But really, Forbes (and the WSJ) should just keep it's noses out of sports.

Pitt's Cook denied sixth season

http://post-gazette.com/pg/08233/905744-100.stm

Pitt senior basketball player Mike Cook has been denied a sixth season of eligibility by the NCAA, the university announced. Cook had petitioned the NCAA for a medical redshirt after tearing the ACL in his left knee in a Dec. 20 game against Duke. The NCAA denied Cook on two earlier occasions this summer and his third and final appeal was rejected today.

While disappointing, this isn't surprising. And honestly, Cook was not playing well last year when he got hurt. Gilbert Brown should provide better play at the 3 spot this year. Leadership will be missed but I don't think this is devastating news for Pitt's season.

John Challis

As WHYGAVS, named it, this is a reality post, not the usual around here.

But the news that John Challis died today is worth mentioning. A few weeks ago, it was Randy Pausch, now John. John impacted a lot of people and had the foresight and caring to set up a foundation to help others who may be in his situation: www.courageforlifefoundation.org.

Exactly one year ago today, I was diagnosed with leukemia, so the news hit home. All is looking good for me and I wish John and Randy and all who are stricken were as healthy as I seem to be today.

It's times and circumstances like these that make me glad there is another game tonight at 8 and another tomorrow to take my mind off reality. It can be too harsh.

Bucs Signings Getting Noticed

The plaudits are beginning to come in for the job the new Bucco regime has done so far. First, the tide has begun to turn on the trades they pulled off, and now, people are taking notice of their draft signings and how it sure looks like things are being done differently in the Bucs front office:

• Jayson Stark of ESPN retracts his criticism of the trades:

Out of the Pitts: In the hours after the trading deadline, we were critical of the Pirates for dealing three high-profile players without getting back a single can't-miss, centerpiece prospect back. But in the days since, we've been convinced by executives of several teams that the Pirates actually did better in their two big deals than we originally gave them credit for.

"There are no stars in there, but they need that depth of talent," an official of one club said. "They need numbers. And they accomplished that."

"I think they're on the right track," one NL scout said. "At least they decided they couldn't keep doing the same thing they've been doing and took some chances."

One NL executive even defended them on the widely hammered Xavier Nady-Damaso Marte deal, saying: "If they got three major league pitchers in that deal, and I think they did, then great for them. And all three guys (Jeff Karstens, Ross Ohlendorf and Daniel McCutchen) are either ready or close. So that's a good deal, not a bad deal."

Nevertheless, when asked to name the best player of the eight this team received in those trades, the baseball men we spoke with had a tough time finding a clear-cut Pirates acquisition they'd buy stock in. The name we heard most: 21-year-old right-hander Bryan Morris (3.15 ERA in low Class A). "If he stays healthy, he's definitely the best talent in that group," one GM said.

• Perrotto at the Beaver County Times notes that thing look to be on the right track.
• Wilbur Miller at onlybucs.org details the changes going on
• Baseball America counts two Bucs picks as coups:
  

Biggest Coups, First 10 Rounds

1. Tim Melville, rhp, Royals (fourth round, $1.25 million, No. 15 on BA Top 200)

2. Brett Hunter, rhp, Athletics (seventh round, $1.1 million, No. 51 on BA Top 200)

3. Ross Seaton, rhp, Astros (supp. third round, $700,000, No. 28 on BA Top 200)

4. Robbie Grossman, of, Pirates (sixth round, $1 million, No. 49 on BA Top 200)

Athletic switch-hitter adds to Pittsburgh's burgeoning outfield talent.

5. Ryan Westmoreland, of, Red Sox (fifth round, $2 million, No. 113 on BA Top 20)

Biggest Coups, Rounds 11-50

1. T.J. House, lhp, Indians (16th round, $750,000, No. 100 on BA Top 200)

2. J.P. Ramirez, of, Nationals (15th round, $1 million, No. 155 on BA Top 200)

3. Quinton Miller, rhp, Pirates (20th round, $900,000, No. 158 on BA Top 200)

He shows flashes of a low-90s fastball, plus slider and average changeup.

4. Dusty Coleman, ss, Athletics (28th round, $675,000, No. 185th on BA Top 200)

5. Bryce Stowell, rhp, Indians (22nd round, $725,000, unranked on BA Top 200)

Pirates sign Alvarez for $6M

It became official at 11:59pm last night, immediately making Alvarez the Bucs top prospect. Give credit to Huntington, who has gone down a very different path than Littlefield, with help from Nutting, and has signed 30 of the picks this year. Combine that with the 8 players brought in by trade and he has done a very good job of restocking a depleted farm system with talent including some very high level talent.

Here are the links:
Perrotto at the Beaver County Times
DK on the PBC Blog
The Trib

In case you don't know what all the excitement is about, Wilbur Miller has already updated his page on Alvarez.

And let's not forget to give credit where it's due: Rocco was calling the signing all night and despite a little hedging, stuck with his guns, though his source was wrong on Scheppers.

But the first place to call the signing was TIOPS, who despite some who think it isn't reliable, has proven that it has high level sources. They called it and got the money almost exactly right at 12:26:

12:26 a.m. $6.35 signing bonus for Alvarez? stay tuned.

__________________________________________
Theinsideronpittsburgh.com is repoirting that the signing is a done deal:

10:30 p.m. Done deal - MLB contract. working for confirmation on the numbers

If so, and if Scheppers signs or not, that would cap a very impressive draft and signings for the Bucs.

11:03 - DK says definitely NO deal yet.

Rocco Demaio on 104.7 on the Bucs post game is saying that the deal is done and will be announced shortly before midnight.

2 More Years

For all the excitement that comes with a new arena, and groundbreaking is a sure sign that it's on its way, I for one will be sad to see the old Igloo go. Just as seeing Three Rivers brought down was a passing of an era, not seeing the big steel dome in any shots of downtown, particularly aerial shots, will be jarring.

I've spent many nights in the Igloo, enjoyable and heartbreaking, but that's a list for a future time.

For now, let's focus on the one thing that the Igloo hasn't had but needs before it's gone to make it a truly legendary arena: the passing of the Cup from one Penguin to another.

The two Cup wins were on the road and this spring we saw the chalice skated around the Igloo in the hands of the Red Wings. So while the Igloo will always be able to claim at least one Cup celebration, to truly be an unforgettable barn, the home team needs to be the team celebrating.

There are two seasons left to make it happen and given the state and prospects of the Pens currently, it is very possible that it could happen. And maybe not once, but twice. There is nothing else I'd rather see in the next 2 years.

Let's Go Pens!!

From the Pens website:
Government Officials, Penguins Break Ground on New Multi-Purpose Arena

The ceremonial groundbreaking took place on the future site of “center ice” in t he new state-of-the-art facility, which is being built across the street from Mellon Arena between Centre and Fifth avenues.

“This facility will not only be home to the Pittsburgh Penguins for years to come, but it will also serve as an entertainment centerpiece and economic generator for our entire region,” said Onorato. “We expect the multi-purpose arena to attract world-class concerts, family shows and other events to Southwestern Pennsylvania year round.”

Info on New Buccos

Minor League Prospect Guru Wilbur Miller has updated his site with the stats and analysis of each of the new Bucs acquired in the recent trades. Here are some interesting tidbits:

Jose Tabata

He was considered to have five tool potential, with good speed, a very good bat with the potential to hit for power, and a slightly above average arm for right field. His showing in low A was very impressive for a 17-year-old and left him high up on most prospect lists. Since then, however, doubts have started to accumulate...He finally had the hamate bone removed in August [2007]...hamate surgery can sap a hitter's power for half a year or more...His speed has decreased, too, as his lower body has gotten heavier, which also happened with Jose Castillo.

Brandon Moss

Moss has generally been a good but not outstanding hitter in the minors. He's had good walk totals, but strikes out a lot, especially for a guy who's shown gap more than HR power. Moss has below average speed but plays well enough in the corners and has a strong arm.

Andy LaRoche

For the last five years, Baseball America has ranked him in the top ten prospects in a strong Dodgers' system, including either first or second in each of the last three years. His stock seems to have slipped, however, although it's not entirely clear why...His lack of power this year almost certainly is the result of a thumb injury he suffered in spring training, which required surgery to repair a ligament...there remain concerns that he won't hit for power...Although he was originally a middle infielder, he's probably average or below defensively at third now.

Craig Hansen

When the Red Sox drafted Hansen, he featured a mid-90s fastball and a great slider. The slider deserted him immediately upon his turning pro. He's also had significant problems commanding his fastball. Hansen may have contributed to the problems himself by tinkering often with his mechanics...After coming up to the majors, though, he resumed the control problems. If there's a good sign, it's that the walks have been most of the problem. He's been hard to hit and his K rate has been decent.

Jeff Karstens

Karstens is a finesse pitcher whose velocity doesn't get much above the mid-80s...He profiles as a 5th starter or long reliever.

Ross Ohlendorf

Once he started pitching in relief, his velocity improved to 94 and occasionally better. He's always struggled with LH hitters due to the lack of a useful changeup...history suggests he's most likely to end up as a middle reliever.

Daniel McCutchen

McCutchen started his pro career with a 50-game banned-substance suspension. He blamed it on a prescription drug he took for Attention Deficit Disorder in college and the Yankees reportedly believed him...a very aggressive pitcher who throws a four-seam fastball in the low 90s and a two-seamer slightly slower than that, with his best pitch being a curve. He also throws an improving changeup...BA ranked him the 14th best prospect in a pitching-rich system going into 2008 and he probably hasn't hurt his stock any...he's likely to appear in the Pirates' rotation in the near future.

Bryan Morris

the youngest of the four players they got in the deal and may have the highest ceiling. Morris had Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss all of 2007. He had pitched well in 2008 up through the time of the trade, though, with his fastball reaching as high as 95. He has an above-average curve and is working on a changeup. Baseball America projects him to be a potential 3rd starter.

Bay Traded: What Are They Saying?

Trying to dig beneath the mountain of blather about Manny and the Dodgers and Red Sox and get to what people think of this deal from the Pirates perspective:

• Baseball Prospectus give Neal Huntington good grades:

LaRoche becomes the best truly young player the Pirates have, and with Andrew McCutchen on his way up and Pedro Alvarez entering the system, you can see what might comprise a championship-caliber core in three or four years. The Pirates now have players who may become stars, and stars win championships...If you throw out the three prospects, Bay for LaRoche is still a fair haul for the Pirates. They trade Bay at his peak, coming off of an injury, with just 800 PAs or so to free agency. LaRoche will be theirs through 2013, he plays a more important position, and he is just coming into his prime...Five-plus years of LaRoche is a better option than one-plus years of Bay, which is a better option than two months of Manny Ramirez with an option on future services.

• Jayson Stark at ESPN counts the Bucs as losers but does have this to say:

At least this year went a heck of a lot better than last year's Deadline Day (when they swooped in to trade for the disaster that was Matt Morris, who will be collecting the last two months of the $13 million the Pirates owed him on a beach someplace).

• Steve Henson at Yahoo doesn't give too much thought to things but likes the Bucs' moves.

• Danny Knobler at sportsline.com likes the Bucco Bounty.

• Someone at the PG needed to jump in and bash the Bucs, maybe Smizik and Cook were in Latrobe because this time it's Collier.

• Where Have You Gone Andy van Slyke vigorously defends the deal:

In the end, the return that we pulled for Bay was better than any single one of the rumors I've read online in the past two days. Andy LaRoche is real hitting prospect that was stuck in an awful situation in LA... Bryan Morris is a great buy low pickup. He's a very promising pitcher in A-ball...He's the type of pitching prospect this organization doesn't have and desperately needs. Moss's minor league numbers kind of remind me of Steve Pearce's, possibly with less power but more consistency... Hansen has electric stuff and hasn't put it together for the Sox...Seeing as he's probably the player I'm the least excited about in this trade, I think that makes it a very nice haul for Bay.

Bucs 2011 lineup?

C: Doumit
1B: Alvarez
2B: Sanchez
SS: Bixler (Luis Cruz?)
3B: Adam LaRoche
LF: Tabata/Moss/Pearce
CF: McCutchen
RF: McLouth

3 guys who were on the roster at the beginning of the month.
2 from the Bucs minors, assuming Bixler is the SS and I have serious questions about that position in particular.
2 positions filled by guys acquired in the last week. I'm not sure if Tabata would be up by then since he's still only 19, but maybe a lefty/righty platoon of Moss and Pearce could fill in.
And 1 very big guy who is currently not in the system but should be soon, better be soon - Pedro Alvarez. If nothing else, the recent deals by the Bucs make signing Alvarez imperative and they should be focused on nothing else over the next two weeks.

Rotation:
Snell, Gorzellanny, Bryan Morris, Brad Lincoln, Daniel McCutchen

Bullpen:
Capps, Hansen, Ohlendorf, Herera, Jeff Karstens, Moskos?

The pitching will change a lot so this projection will be way off, but of note is that the pitching in the organization is still thin and Snell and Gorzo rebounding are still crucial. Who knows about the bullpen but at least those guys throw hard.

Missing:
Jumpin Jack Wilson - will be dealt, hopefully sometime before the end of 2009
Neil Walker - .235 at AAA for a 3Bman doesn't cut it.
Adam LaRoche - say bye after 2009
Jose Bautista - gone asap hopefully
Zach Duke - how did 2005 ever happen?
Grabow - too valuable to be kept around, he could bring a lot in return

Nady & Marte Traded: What Are Reasonable People Saying?

Getting out from under the weight of New York garbage, er tabloids, some people put some rational thought into the Nady/Marte deal:

• Perhaps the guru on the Bucs minor league system, Wilbur Miller likes the way things are looking for the Bucs, if not this deal in particular:

The farm system, after six years of neglect, was almost completely barren. The structure of the team was similar to a franchise that has decided to expend all its resources on one or two shots at winning it all. The difference, of course, was that the Pirates weren't built to win it all, they were built to make a low-cost run at .500, and even then the talent level was so low that everything would have to go right for the McClatchy/Littlefield aim-low strategy to succeed. And, with many of their key players set to leave after 2009, they had only two years to do it...Whether Huntington made the right move remains to be seen. What we can say for sure now, though, is that he’s broken from the failed Dave Littlefield strategy of clinging to a losing roster as if it was the 1927 Yankees and trying to tweak it around the edges with penny ante moves. This is the first time in this millennium that the Pirates have made a difficult decision that was aimed at improving the team on the field. By itself, that shows things are different now.

• John Perrotto at the Beaver County Times counters the thought that the Bucs got fleeced, noting that we shouldn't have to endure any more disasters like Luis Munoz and Bryan Bullington getting called up and not pitching at all.

• Joe Sheehan at Baseball Prospectus thinks:

This is the type of deal Neal Huntington needed to make. Considering that he flipped an impending free agent (Marte) and a player having a career half, this is a very good deal for the Pirates’ first-year GM.

• Before this somewhat lost 2008 for Tabata, John Sickels compared Tabata to Fernando Martinez, the Mets untouchable prospect who they wouldn't trade for anyone:

I think Martinez has a slight edge in background/intangibles and in current performance, while they rate even in projection and tools. So overall I think Martinez comes out just a little bit ahead. But it's close, very close, so close that I ranked Martinez at #17 and Tabata at #18 on my Top 50 hitting prospects list.

Bucs Deals: Nady to Yankees

July 31 has come and gone and Neal Huntington has stamped your local baseball team with his own personal stamp, and it looks very different than what Dave Littlefield had in mind or was able to execute against.

Let's look at the deals separately, then the overall haul for the Bucs and then a comparison of where Huntington has differed from his predecessor.

In the end, I think you'll come away more optimistic than you may be right now. So out aside those lingering feelings of doom that has festered for 15 years and know that this is a new regime that had nothing to do with the past 15 seasons and decisions. These are different people thinking different ways, except for the owner, but there are no indications that salary or payroll had any say in any of these deals, unlike the Aramis Ramirez deal to the Cubs in 2003.

[Quick aside: I caught an independent minor league game recently in Bridgeport, CT and the visiting team was the Newark Bears. Upon perusing the Bears roster, I was surprised to see the sausage king of Milwaukee, Randall Simon, listed. But alas, Randall did not play this night. But one Bear who did was none other than Bobby Hill, the prize of that ARam deal. This was a day when ARam had hit a GW HR for the Cubbies that afternoon, which I alerted Bobby to during one on deck appearance and he ignored me until he saw my Bucs hat and realized I shared the pain and he gave a quick point.]]

Nady and Marte to Yankees for Jeff Karstens, Ross Ohlendorf, Daniel McCutchen and Jose Tabata.

Marte was gone no matter what - only teams like the Yankees, Mets and Red Sox pay a middle reliever over $6M per year. Maybe the Bucs could have kept either Nady or Bay. Bay in particular likely could have been signed. But let's forget the notion in this case that the Nuttings refuse to shell out the dough - what would signing one of these guys have done? They are a losing team now and without good players coming up to play alongside them, they would continue to lose. And here's the key and where Huntington differs drastically from Littlefield: both of these guys were at the peak of their trade value and have enough questions around them to doubt their continued performance levels (Nady has never hit above .280 before, Bay's age raises questions) and Huntington realized this and moved while the iron was hot. As opposed to Littlefield, who dealt players at their lowest point in value and got little in return.

Still, in this particular case, I am not a big fan of this deal from the Bucs perspective. For two main reasons:

1. Nady and Marte were two of the more valuable trade chips ANY team had and packaging them together likely diminished the overall return that could have been brought back. We've seen lefty specialists bring back big bounties in the past - Rincon for Giles and Gonzalez for LaRoche for example. Marte is better than those two and while the LaRoche deal looks bad for the Bucs right now, LaRoche was at least as good a prospect as any the Bucs got in this deal.
2. The way the deal negotiations have come out makes it seem like this came together very quickly and Huntington didn't shop around enough to see if he could get a better offer. As soon as he offered Nady and Marte together, he should have offered them to other teams besides the Yankees.

So on this side, I have no problem dealing wither and/or both Marte and Nady. They were going to go. My only issue with this deal is the return and even I am coming around a little on the return. Let's look at them:

• Ross Ohlendorf: On the Yankees pregame show before their home opener this year that eventually got rained out, the Yankee blowhards (announcers) stated flat out: "Ross Ohlendorf is the key to the Yankees this year." I spit out my drink and laughed. Truly, it was nonsense and if he was truly the key, then the Yankees should be in last place right now because he has not been good. Still, it's insightful because he was being counted on to become the bridge between the starters and the 8th inning, then manned by Joba Chamberlain (a key role, but one that should never be considered the key to an entire team). Point is, he has potential and throws hard and one half season of struggles aren't enough to make teams get rid of him. He can still be that middle reliever, late innig guy the Yankees were hoping for.
• Jeff Karstens: If the claims of quantity over quality come from anywhere, they probably come from seeing Jeff Karstens in this deal. No major upside here, he's a 25 year old who can be in a rotation but not at the top. Or he could be a valuable middle guy, certainly likely to be better than JVB or Osorio or...I could go on and on.
  
• Daniel McCutchen: Born two days after Karstens, he is a possible middle of the rotation starter who will begin in the minors. The fact that these two pitchers are both 25, soon to be 26, means they aren't likely to progress significantly and that they are what they are, which isn't necessarily all bad, but it's not like these guys are plus prospects either.
  
• Jose Tabata: the key to the deal and the reason why some people either really hate this deal or really like it. YankeeNation of course, is disparaging Tabata for walking out on his team earlier this year and claiming he would never blossom and that they don't allow his kind of player on the Yankees (another drink spitter!). And there are flags: he left his team earlier this year and has had a bad year numbers wise. But one article recently spoke of how he has rebounded from the early season suspension and getting his confidence back. And as a 19 year old, he won't be the first to have a bad year at AA and rebound (see Hanley Ramirez), but there are lots who don't bounce back as well. I think he is too risky a return for what the Pirates had to offer. Still, he is only 19 and until they sign Pedro Alvarez, he is the best prospect in the organization.

This is a deal that will only get better for the Bucs over time, until the time comes and a fair evaluation of Tabata can be made. The three pitchers can come a blow up a la JVB or Bullington and the deal could still be a good one if Tabata pans out. But to be fair, Tabata has to become a productive major leaguer, maybe not a star, and at least two of the three pitchers need to become contributors. I'm not sure they will.

But maybe this deal helped to get Huntington's feet wet, as his second trade was even more impressive...