By Mark Madden
September 1, 2017
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Juan Nicasio throws in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in Cincinnati. The Pirates won 5-2. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Within a two-day period, the Pirates and Steelers reaffirmed what they really are. It’s impossible to not compare.
On Tuesday, the Pirates placed pitcher Juan Nicasio on irrevocable waivers. Baseball-wise, that move had no logical explanation.
Statistically, Nicasio was the Pirates’ second-best pitcher. He served as their set-up man, racking up 22 holds, fifth-most in MLB. Nicasio’s ERA was 2.85. His WHIP was 1.117. Those are good numbers.
On Thursday, Philadelphia claimed Nicasio. The Pirates lost a solid performer for nothing.
GM Neal Huntington released a statement that was authentic Pirates gibberish.
Huntington noted the Pirates’ “regression in the standings,” but said he didn’t want to trade Nicasio to a “direct competitor.” If you’ve regressed in the standings, what’s the difference where Nicasio goes?
Huntington said he wanted to move Nicasio to “a better situation for him.” That’s not Philadelphia. The Phillies have the worst record in baseball.
When Huntington talks, you can’t even see owner Bob Nutting’s lips move. What a load of excrement funneled down by Nutting.
The reason the Pirates dumped Nicasio was because they’re out of playoff contention, he’s going to be a free agent at season’s end and they didn’t want to pay the $600,000 still owed him on this year’s contract.
Huntington noted the “minimal” savings afforded by ditching Nicasio, and “minimal” is certainly the right word. In MLB, $600K is peanuts.
Nutting wants to keep every nickel, but this is a new low.
As Jeff Passan of Yahoo.com wrote, “I know Pittsburgh is out of the race, but to let a quality (relief pitcher) like Juan Nicasio leave for nothing to save $600K screams of pure cheapness.”
By contrast, the Phillies are worse off than the Pirates. But they’re willing to spend that $600K to better their team.
Joe Haden signs with the Steelers
By further contrast, the Steelers shelled out $7m to sign cornerback Joe Haden on Wednesday. (Haden’s contract with the Steelers pays him $27m over three years, but only this season’s money is guaranteed.)
The Steelers are legit contenders. They had a hole in their lineup, so they took an extreme measure to fill it. The Steelers went all in.
Signing a free agent of repute is something the Steelers don’t often do. But they did so this time, because the Steelers prioritize winning.
The Pirates, at fourth place in the National League Central, are in a much different position than the Steelers.
But in 2015, the Pirates won 98 games. They had an excellent team.
But payroll (ranked just 24th among MLB teams in 2015) stagnated. The Pirates wouldn’t spend to keep a great roster intact.
Inside of a year, eight significant players were no longer on the Pirates. The Pirates entered the 2016 season with a comical starting rotation that involved Jeff Locke, Nicasio, Jon Niese and Ryan Vogelsong, all marginal.
Last year’s Pirates won just 78 games. They’re on pace to win 76 this season.
The Pirates don’t prioritize winning. They maximize profit.
That’s fine. That’s long been evident to non-fanboys and the fraction of the local baseball media that doesn’t stooge for Nutting.
Just don’t spew mindless word-drool like Huntington’s statement. The Pirates lie constantly, the biggest being the promise made near decade’s beginning that payroll would keep up with profit.
Pirates’ attendance dropped last year by an average of 3,100 per game. So far this year, it’s down by an average of 3,400 per game.
Given the team’s naked greed and disgusting lack of on-field ambition, that’s not too bad.
But it’s enough to justify cutting payroll.
The Steelers and Penguins are committed to winning.
The Pirates are committed to picking your pockets.
The Nicasio fiasco serves as a very obvious reminder.
Mark Madden hosts a radio show 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WXDX-FM (105.9)
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