Black and Gold: May 2018

Thursday, May 31, 2018

Pirates rookie Meadows making instant impact

By Will Graves

https://sports.yahoo.com/pirates-rookie-meadows-making-instant-impact-213747600--mlb.html

May 30, 2018

Austin Meadows #17 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits his first Major League home run in the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres during the game at PNC Park on May 20, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.(Justin K. Aller/Getty Images North America)

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The ''Wow'' moment didn't come when Austin Meadows received the news the Pittsburgh Pirates were calling him up to the majors.

It didn't come when the outfielder's extended trek to the majors ended when he stepped into the batter's box for the first time as a big leaguer on May 18 in front of an appreciative PNC Park crowd that included hundreds dressed up as ''Star Wars'' characters as part of a promotion.

Instead, it arrived when he woke up in a hotel room across from the ballpark the morning of his debut and peeked out his window. What he saw forced him to do a double take, which tends to happen when you catch a glimpse of yourself on a banner stretched four stories high.

''I didn't really expect that,'' Meadows said with a laugh.

That might be the only thing that's caught the 23-year-old off-guard. Long considered the eventual heir to Andrew McCutchen before a series of injuries at Triple-A slowed his progress, Meadows has been a revelation. He entered Wednesday hitting .417 with four home runs, six RBIs and two stolen bases while basically forcing the Pirates to keep him even after Starling Marte - whose trip to the disabled list opened up a roster spot for Meadows - was activated over the weekend.

Meadows' splashy start led general manager Neal Huntington to stress the decision not to send him back to the minors wasn't so Meadows could simply fill in.

''Austin Meadows isn't here as a fourth outfielder,'' Huntington said. ''He's here as part of a four-outfielder group.''

One in which Meadows will be a vital and versatile part. He's already seen time at all three outfield positions at spacious and quirky PNC Park. Meadows credited Marte and outfield coach Kimera Bartee for giving him a crash course in how to navigate everything from the massive expanse of left field to the 21-foot high Roberto Clemente Wall in right.

When Chicago's Anthony Rizzo hit a solo home run to the first row of seats Tuesday night, Meadows alertly raised his arms to ask manager Clint Hurdle to challenge the call. A fan dressed in Cubs' gear stood at the railing and snagged the ball out of midair.

Though the homer stood upon review, Meadows' presence of mind on his 11th day as a big leaguer - and his second start in right - is symbolic of the player the Pirates thought they were getting. They made the then-teenager from suburban Atlanta the ninth overall pick in the 2013 draft.

Meadows originally committed to play at Clemson before signing a $3 million signing bonus to join the Pirates, a decision that came with a significant amount of expectations. He joined a pipeline that produced McCutchen, Marte and Gregory Polanco, the ''outfield of the future'' when Pittsburgh began its renaissance from afterthought to contender earlier this decade.

Meadows practically sprinted to Triple-A Indianapolis before his progress stalled thanks to lingering hamstring and oblique injuries. He hit just .239 in 2016 and 2017 with the Indians and the clamoring for his promotion quieted. He hired a new trainer over the winter and hit .295 with 10 doubles in 32 games for Indianapolis before Marte was sidelined with an oblique issue of his own.

Meadows' arrival earlier this month - unlike the arrivals of former coveted prospects McCutchen, Gerrit Cole and Polanco - was met with more of a shrug than breathless anticipation. That might not necessarily be a bad thing. It allowed the unassuming Meadows to fit in quickly in a clubhouse that's undergone a significant overhaul since it made three straight playoff appearances from 2013-15, including McCutchen's departure in a trade to San Francisco in January.

Make no mistake: Meadows is not McCutchen and isn't trying to be McCutchen. He does, however, believe he belongs. So do his teammates.

''He looks the part,'' said pitcher and 2010 first-round pick Jameson Taillon, who knows a thing or two about hype. ''He looks like a ballplayer. He's not nervous, he's not scared ... When I got called up, I felt like my head was in my locker, I just wanted to stay out of people's way. Meadows has come up, he's comfortable.''

And he's raking. The player who never hit more than 12 home runs during any season in the minors already has four less than two weeks into his major league career, That includes a shot to right-center on Tuesday night off Chicago ace Jon Lester, the first homer Lester has given up to a lefty all season.

Yet it wasn't even Meadows' most impressive feat of the night. That came in the ninth against Cubs closer Brandon Morrow. Pittsburgh had two on with one out and trailed by four when Meadows stepped in. Meadows fended off four sinkers at 98 or 99 mph before lining an infield single that loaded the bases and kept a Pittsburgh rally alive.

''If you're not impressed by Meadows' at bats, you need to go watch another sport right now,'' Hurdle said.

Meadows is doing his best to take everything in stride. For all his early success, he's quick to point out the team has slumped since his arrival. He's no savior. just one of 25 trying to do his part for a club that believes - if few others do - that it can contend in the stacked NL Central. He probably won't hit .400 all season. He probably won't hit a home run every third game. He's well aware getting up here and staying up here are two entirely different things.

It's a challenge he's been preparing for since the first time he picked up a bat when he was 3. The stakes have changed. His mindset has not.

''You can't have any fear up here,'' he said.

---

More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

Steelers give the fans what they want

By Paul Lukas

http://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers

May 30, 2018

When you cover the uniform world, you tend to hear certain refrains from fans, especially regarding the NFL. Dolphins fans are always saying, "I wish they'd bring back the original 'leaping dolphin' helmet," for example, and a certain contingent of Patriots fans is forever calling for the return of the old "Pat Patriot" helmet.

But that's nothing compared to Pittsburgh Steelers fans, most of whom have spent the past two decades saying -- nay, shouting -- "Bring back the block numbers already!"

This year they're finally getting their wish, at least for one game.

The Steelers on Wednesday unveiled a new 1978 throwback uniform, timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the team's Super Bowl XIII-winning season. The uniforms feature the familiar block jersey numerals that the Steelers wore up until 1997, when they switched to their current sleek, italic number font.

The throwback design, which will be worn for a home game against the Browns on Oct. 28, also includes traditional block lettering for the players' nameplates. It replaces the team's 1930s "bumblebee" throwback uniform, which had been widely derided by many fans since its introduction in 2012.

The 1978 design is sure to be a crowd-pleaser (that noise you hear in the background is Steelers fans saying, "They should wear it every week, not just once!"). But at the risk of drizzling on everyone's parade, here are two small bones of contention:

• Aside from the block typography, and the removal of the Steelers' logo chest patch, the new throwback is the same as the team's primary home uniform -- same helmet design, same pants, same socks. That's not much of a throwback. If the design had been based on the Steelers' Super Bowl IX or X teams, at least the throwback helmets would have had gray face masks. Instead, the new throwbacks will use black masks, just like the team's standard look.

• Some fans, your friendly uniform columnist among them, had hoped that the Steelers' new throwback would be based on the team's old "Batman" design from the late 1960s. Granted, the team didn't win any Super Bowls (or many games, period) while sporting that uni, but it's still a sharp look. Here's hoping it eventually gets the throwback treatment.

But those are ultimately small quibbles, not major criticisms. And it's hard to argue with a team giving its fans what they want. Grade: A-

Paul Lukas has a feeling he may have to wait a long time to see those Batman throwbacks. If you like this column, you'll probably like his Uni Watch Blog, plus you can follow him on Twitter and Facebook and sign up for his mailing list so you'll always know when a new column has been posted. Want to learn about his Uni Watch Membership Program, check out his Uni Watch merchandise, or just ask him a question? Contact him here.

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

A warning to help Mike Sullivan avoid Dan Bylsma's fate

By Mark Madden

http://triblive.com/sports/columnists/markmadden/13701347-74/mark-madden-a-warning-to-help-mike-sullivan-avoid-dan-bylsmas-fate

May 29, 2018

Image result for mike sullivan penguins 2018

In the "Miracle on Ice" game at Lake Placid in 1980, Soviet Union coach Viktor Tikhonov pulled goaltender Vladislav Tretiak after one period with the score tied 2-2 against the United States.

It wasn't Tretiak's best period. He leaked in two questionable goals. But he was arguably the world's top goalie and definitely the best goalie at those Winter Olympics. Tretiak was replaced by Vladimir Myshkin, who didn't stink but allowed one goal too many. The U.S. won 4-3.

Since then, many Soviet players claim that Tikhonov pulled Tretiak to flex his muscle and not to win. To indulge his power.

Fast-forward to 2009. Dan Byslma replaced Michel Therrien as coach of the Penguins. Bylsma's primary qualification: He wasn't Therrien, whose iron fist and sharp tongue had thoroughly wearied the players.

The Penguins felt unshackled under Bylsma, and the result was the franchise's first Stanley Cup win in 17 years.

But Bylsma's ego quickly swelled.

He never embraced the Penguins' star power, which enabled the team's success much more than he did.

Bylsma never had a Plan B: "Get to our game" became his mantra of underachievement.

A decision was right simply because he made it. That led to decisions being less carefully considered and to some lousy decisions.

Bad things happened: Bylsma clearly lost control of the Penguins during a 2012 playoff loss to Philadelphia. He got Jarome Iginla, who had scored each of his 438 NHL goals at right wing, and tried to make him a left wing. This was after Iginla was lured to Pittsburgh at the 2013 trade deadline by the prospect of skating on Sidney Crosby's right wing.

Bylsma was dismissed by the Penguins in 2014. After winning the Stanley Cup championship in 2009, Bylsma never got the Penguins back to the final.

Winning even one Cup title is rare and shouldn't be undervalued. But Bylsma's tenure was nonetheless disappointing given his resources.

That brings us to Mike Sullivan, the Penguins' current coach.

Sullivan's time in Pittsburgh has been amazing: two Cup championships in three seasons.

Sullivan has a knack for having his finger on the Penguins' pulse on a moment-by-moment basis. His line-shuffling is impeccable, especially during games. He keeps his players motivated without being clichéd or oppressive. (Phil Kessel might disagree, but he just doesn't like coaches.) But a few cracks have showed. Are they early signs of "Bylsma's disease?" ("Disco fever" might be a catchier name.) There's evidence of a disconnect between Sullivan and GM Jim Rutherford.

Rutherford signed defenseman Matt Hunwick, but Sullivan dressed him only 10 times after Jan. 1 and not for a single playoff game.

Rutherford traded for enforcer Ryan Reaves by way of protecting the Penguins' stars. Sullivan used him sparingly. Reaves ultimately was sent to Vegas. He got the tying goal that helped lead to Vegas' win in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Rutherford acquired center Derick Brassard at this season's trade deadline. Brassard was the fourth-line center in the playoffs, somehow below Riley Sheahan on the depth chart.

Rutherford and Sullivan are by no means at each other's throats. Quite the opposite, in fact. Rutherford lets Sullivan use the players as he sees fit.

But Rutherford didn't acquire those players to fill such minuscule roles. Players get what they earn under Sullivan. But Sheahan over Brassard smacks of the absurd, especially when Sheahan is centering Kessel.

The Kessel situation is a test for Sullivan. The Penguins will try to trade Kessel this offseason. That's because Sullivan is unhappy with Kessel. It would be silly to pretend there's any other reason.

Kessel is no joy to coach. His quirks and annoying habits are well documented. But he just racked up a career-high 92 points.

Sullivan's job would be easier without Kessel. But it's not supposed to be an easy gig. Sullivan needs to put personal feelings aside. Would the team be better minus Kessel? No, not unless Rutherford gets unexpectedly high return. They weren't lining up to trade for Kessel in 2015 and still aren't.

So keep Kessel and use him on Malkin's line.

Sullivan didn't like doing that this past season. But it's what Kessel wants, and it is a big source of the friction between him and Sullivan.

Sullivan thinks Malkin and Kessel on the same line leads to defensive problems. A) Tell the left wing to back-check like crazy. (See Errey, Bob.) B) Malkin has done fine defensively for the latter part of his career. C) Since when are the Penguins built on defense?

Washington had an alarming number of odd-man breaks in the playoffs despite Malkin and Kessel rarely playing together five-on-five.

The quest for balance, no matter how contrived and artificial, is where Sullivan indulges his stubbornness. Putting Crosby, Kessel and Malkin on different lines doesn't necessarily equal balance. Not when Dominik Simon is on Crosby's line, and Sheahan is centering Kessel.

The best players should play on the top two lines. The third line, with Brassard, will still threaten. Sheahan can anchor the fourth.

It's not important to realize a certain vision. Who the coach likes and dislikes isn't important, either. It's important to win.

This isn't meant to excoriate Sullivan. He's an excellent coach. It's meant to provide a vaccine for "Disco fever." There isn't much difference between "Get to our game" and "Play the game the right way."

If that's not enough warning, Sullivan should remember: The Penguins aren't a coach's team. They're a players' team. Even the legendary Scotty Bowman had to learn that, and he did so the hard way.

Mark Madden hosts a radio show 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WXDX-FM (105.9).

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Monday, May 28, 2018

Marc-Andre Fleury will get the best of Alex Ovechkin again

By Mark Madden

http://triblive.com/sports/columnists/markmadden/13685799-74/mark-madden-marc-andre-fleury-will-get-the-best-of-alex-ovechkin-again

May 26, 2018

Penguins fans enjoy belittling Alex Ovechkin. He's not the player Sidney Crosby is.

Actually, that's not belittling. That's plain fact.

But Ovechkin is, by far, the premier goal-scorer of his era. Given how offense mostly has been choked out of hockey, that puts the Washington left winger among the top goal-scorers ever by any means of estimation.

Ovechkin has 607 goals in 1,003 NHL games. Ovechkin, 32, could get to 800 goals; 802 would place him second all-time.

Until this year, Ovechkin's Capitals never had been past the second round of the playoffs, let alone won a Stanley Cup. The Penguins eliminated them three times in Ovechkin's previous 12 seasons.

But the Capitals' failures weren't fueled by Ovechkin.

Before this spring, Ovechkin had 46 goals and 44 assists in 97 career playoff games. That's elite production.

But Ovechkin never netted that defining goal, the tally that put the Capitals over the top.

In particular, he never scored that goal on Marc-Andre Fleury.

In 2009, Fleury stopped Ovechkin's Game 7 breakaway. In last spring's Game 7, Ovechkin launched a blast from the slot that appeared labeled. But Fleury turned it aside with the shaft of his stick.

Luck? Sure. Winners get lucky.

In these playoffs, Ovechkin has 12 goals and 10 assists in 19 games. He finally got the Capitals past the second round. To the Stanley Cup Final, in fact.

Ovechkin's goal 62 seconds into Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final at Tampa Bay sucked the air out of the building and the life out of the Lightning.

But Ovechkin still hasn't got the best of Fleury in a playoff situation.

Now, he gets another chance.

The Capitals play Fleury's Vegas Golden Knights in the final, enabling Pittsburgh to live vicariously through the beloved ex-Penguins goaltender.

It also enables Penguins fans to root against Ovechkin and to debate ad nauseam whether the Penguins should have kept Fleury, not Matt Murray.

It's not like Ovechkin has been stymied continuously by Fleury. Ovechkin has 22 goals in 38 career regular-season games against Fleury, 10 goals in 14 postseason contests. That's 32 goals in 52 games. Above and beyond.

But he never scored a goal that beat Fleury in a playoff series.

Can he get it in the Stanley Cup Final?

Even though Pittsburgh will be passionately pulling for Fleury, some respect (however grudging) should be accorded Ovechkin.

He has been the worthiest of foes, a gap-toothed pantomime Russian villain straight out of Central Casting, a steamrolling semi-dirty one-timing marksman who might be in a class with Crosby but packs a totally different style and demeanor. The contrast has been a big part of the fun.

Ovechkin plays tough but fair. He is, by all accounts, a good guy.

If his Capitals win four more games, Ovechkin almost certainly gets the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. If not, Fleury gets it. The renewal of this rivalry is an extremely direct showdown.

Fleury has been absolutely amazing all season and in these playoffs. His Golden Knights have been the same.

It's hard to remember a team that has executed like Vegas over the course of an entire season. They started 8-1, haven't had a losing streak longer than three games, and are the NHL's fastest team (like the Penguins used to be).

When a first-year team can coalesce so brilliantly and immediately, it explodes the theory of building chemistry.

GM George McPhee and coach Gerard Gallant should win executive and coach of the year, respectively. The awards should be re-named after them.

It's a classic matchup. Two teams looking for their first Stanley Cup. One has been around since 1974, the other since October. Ovechkin vs. Fleury. McPhee's old team vs. McPhee's new team. Washington's star power vs. Vegas' balance. The Golden Knights have four second lines.

The Golden Knights will cap the most unlikely run in hockey history by winning the Stanley Cup in six games. Close but no cigar for Ovechkin, but he will have proven much.

But probably not enough for Penguins fans.

Mark Madden hosts a radio show 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WXDX-FM (105.9).

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Saturday, May 26, 2018

Joe Musgrove 'fantastic' in Pirates' debut

By Kevin Gorman

http://triblive.com/sports/columnists/kevingorman/13685882-74/kevin-gorman-joe-musgrove-fantastic-in-pirates-debut

May 26, 2018

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Joe Musgrove delivers in the first inning of the team's baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Pittsburgh, Friday, May 25, 2018.(Gene J. Puskar/AP)

The Pirates had seen Joe Musgrove's pitching arsenal everywhere from batting practice to bullpen sessions to minor-league rehabilitation assignments.

The one place where Musgrove hadn't thrown for the Pirates was from the mound during a game at PNC Park.

So there was an eager anticipation for the long-awaited debut of the centerpiece of the Gerrit Cole trade with the Houston Astros, a debut two months later than expected because of soreness in Musgrove's right shoulder.

"I didn't have expectations," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "I just wanted to watch."

Hurdle loved what he saw, calling it a "fantastic" performance in the Pirates' 8-1 victory Friday night over the St. Louis Cardinals.

"It's exactly how I wanted to come out of the chute," Musgrove said.

Musgrove allowed five hits in seven scoreless innings, striking out seven with no walks in an outing that was as efficient as it was effective. This, just four days after he allowed six runs in five innings against Durham for Triple-A Indianapolis.

Musgrove threw strikes on 50 of his 67 pitches, first-pitch strikes 16 times against 25 batters. He retired 15 on two pitches or less, five on three pitches and had only one three-ball count.

"He was relentless in pounding the strike zone," Hurdle said. "If the first pitch wasn't a strike, the second one was."

Hurdle raved about Musgrove's pitching repertoire, from the downhill angle of his cutter and his mixing of two- and four-seamers to his slider to his changeup.

For catcher Francisco Cervelli, it was a virtuoso performance by a pitcher who split last season between the rotation and the bullpen in Houston.

"The important thing about him is he doesn't throw a pitch just because," Cervelli said. "It's got a purpose."

Musgrove pitched with a purpose, especially when he allowed runners to reach third after leadoff doubles by Dexter Fowler and Marcell Ozuna in the fifth and seventh innings, respectively.

When things got hot, Cervelli challenged him to stick with a heater that averaged 95 mph and drew 10 called strikes, two for outs.

"When they got runners in scoring position, I tended to use the breaking ball a little more," Musgrove said. "But they weren't showing me they were doing much with the fastball, so I was able to keep using it until they showed me that they made an adjustment. The night was really good for me."

It wasn't just good for Musgrove. It was good for the rest of the rotation, of which the 25-year-old Musgrove is the final piece to the puzzle.

Jameson Taillon wanted to watch Musgrove's debut from a different angle, so he tuned into the television in the tunnel to the dugout.

"To be able to watch what he was doing, it's a treat to guys like us who work to be able to do that," Taillon said. "To be able to sit back and watch a guy execute perfectly, for us, it's fun to watch."

What impressed Taillon is how sharp Musgrove's stuff was, how tight and defined he worked the strike zone.

"He uses his pitches off each other," Taillon said. "He does a good job throwing a sinker, a cutter then a bigger slider then a four-seamer. Everything compelements the next pitch. He's obviously got the premier stuff. Mix that with the strike-throwing ability and the sequencing, it was fun to watch."

Musgrove was fun to watch at the plate and on the bases, too, as he had a single off John Gant to right field in the sixth inning for his first major-league hit. Musgrove played in the AL for the Toronto Blue Jays and Astros, so he had limited experience.

But Musgrove didn't just start a three-run rally in a scoreless game. He went further, scoring on what Hurdle described as a "slide by home, tagging the plate like he's been doing it forever."

Musgrove felt like he could pitch forever and had a conversation with Hurdle about staying in the game after the seventh. But Hurdle weighed the risk-reward of extending Musgrove's work after two months of rehab.

With runners on first and third when it was Musgrove's turn to bat, Hurdle had Adam Frazier pinch hit. Gregory Polanco drew a two-out walk to load the bases, and Cervelli cleared them with a double for a 6-0 lead.

"Coming in off the mound, I told (Hurdle) I still had more in the tank, and I was ready to go back out," Musgrove said. "I think I did what I needed to do. ... I'll take the win."

It was Musgrove's first win with the Pirates, his first since getting the victory in Game 5 of the World Series last October with the Astros.

No wonder Hurdle talked about how Musgrove carried himself with "an extreme walk of confidence and delivery of confidence."

"I don't think that'll ever leave me. I'll always carry that with me," Musgrove said of his World Series win.

"That experience I gained out there has allowed me to come into a situation like this, where there will be a lot of outside noise going on about expectations. That's where I feel at home, on the mound."

With Musgrove on the mound at PNC Park, home is where the heat is.