First Call: Overlooked Steelers angle before training camp; love for Paul Skenes, not much for NHL
MLB
First Call: Overlooked Steelers angle before training camp; love for Paul Skenes, not much for NHL
After a week off at “Breakfast With Benz,” there is plenty of catching up to do. We have a lot to preview as NFL training camps begin and the Pittsburgh Pirates get back into divisional play this week.
For our initial “First Call” back from break, let’s get recalibrated by hitting on a lot of topics we missed, and start reorienting ourselves with an eye toward Saint Vincent College for the Steelers’ arrival on Wednesday.
What’s the rush?
As we approach Steelers training camp, it strikes me that for as much scrutiny as has been paid to just about every position group this offseason, perhaps the one that has gotten the least amount of attention is outside linebacker.
Understandably so. After all, the starters are set with T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. Watt’s under contract through 2025. Highsmith is locked up through 2027. The primary backup is clearly Nick Herbig.
So, while things are set there to that extent, I’d still like to see a clear-cut replacement for Markus Golden as the other top reserve. And we can’t forget how much of the quarterback pressure is reliant strictly on Watt and Highsmith.
This year the Steelers have to generate more pass rush in other ways than just relying on those two to do all of it. Of the team’s 47 sacks (11th in the NFL), 26 came from the starting OLBs. No one on the roster this year had more than three in 2023.
That needs to change, as does Highsmith’s performance. He was limited to just 2.5 sacks over the last nine games of the 2023 regular season.
Obviously, Cameron Heyward’s injury was a big part of that equation. There is no guarantee, however, that he is going to return to his All-Pro form.
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Misty water-colored memories
The best day of training camp last year was Aug. 6, although it had nothing to do with the NFL.
That was the day Erik Karlsson was acquired by the Penguins. The buzz about the trade was palpable from all the media and fans in attendance.
Little did we know at that time how little would come of it.
But what a welcome departure it was from the monotony of never-ending practices we hyper-fixated on at the time, only to be long forgotten by September.
I’ve got no idea what potential move of consequence the Penguins could possibly make of similar — or even remotely reasonable — consequence this year that could give us a similar hockey respite during the summer grind.
Perhaps a Sidney Crosby contract extension on his birthday of Aug. 7 (8/7)?
Everyone seems to view that move as a formality. From simply reaching an agreement, it probably is. But from the standpoint of the team’s next chapter, it’ll give every Penguins fan a clearer timeline of what to expect when it comes to turning the page.
It’s either that or holding our collective breath for a big Pirates trade before July 30.
I’ll go with the former.
Where’s the love?
I noticed some people getting bent out of shape about Crosby only being ranked 22nd on the ESPN.com list of top 100 athletes since 2000. I rolled my eyes when I saw some of the people who were ranked ahead of him, as well.
But the bigger “dis” is how few hockey players in total were on the list. The only other two were Alex Ovechkin at No. 54 and Conor McDavid way down at No. 98. Those rankings, as well as the overall lack of NHL presence, are what agitated me.
Especially from an outlet that’s a media partner of the league. For instance, the sun never came up on a day when Adrian Beltre was a better baseball player than Ovechkin was a hockey player.
Then again, the list involved skiers, swimmers, MMA fighters, race car drivers, and some guy who plays cricket. Any list that broad is completely frivolous anyway. And if the top three (in any order) aren’t Tom Brady, Tiger Woods and LeBron James, then the list should be considered irrelevant.
Since none of them were even in the top 3, that’s definitely how we should view it.
No vacation from Skenes-mania
Normally I try to unplug as much as possible on vacation. That wasn’t hard to do on a boat in the British Virgin Islands this week.
However, I made sure to find a place in town with a television Tuesday in hopes of catching Paul Skenes start the All-Star Game.
Kudos to him for seizing the moment in the manner he did. Even in an exhibition contest, that was a lot of pressure to have on his shoulders, with the entire sport watching to see if he would live up to the hype of facing the game’s best hitters.
He did. With aplomb.
You could tell by Aaron Judge jumping on the first pitch, and shaking his head after he grounded out, he wanted to take the rookie phenom deep sooooo badly. That wasn’t just any All-Star Game at-bat for Judge.
That’s the kind of attention Skenes is bringing to himself, the Pirates as a franchise, and the sport overall.
Speaking of that ESPN.com list, they added a “next 25” if they were to put together another poll in the year 2050. Skenes and Juan Soto were the only baseball players on it. The likelihood of Skenes making that list as a lifelong Pirate, or even playing the majority of his career here is minimal given baseball’s economic climate. But the hope is, unlike Barry Bonds or Gerrit Cole before him, Skenes will at least stay here long enough — or accomplish his biggest goals — in Pittsburgh as opposed to after he moves on.
Until then, enjoy him while he’s here.
Now it really counts
Taking two of three from the Philadelphia Phillies this weekend was great for the Pirates (50-49). At 63-36, Philadelphia has the best record in baseball, the Pirates got their record above .500, and there were at least 38,000 people at PNC Park for each game.
But this week’s games for the Pirates are even more important. In fact, looking at the schedule, you can say that all the way through the first week of August.
That’s because the St. Louis Cardinals (52-47) are in town for three games starting Monday night. Entering play on Monday, the Cards have a two-game lead on the Pirates for second place in the National League Central. They also sit in the second wild-card spot, while the Pirates are a half-game back of the Mets, Padres, and Diamondbacks for the third wild-card berth.
Speaking of the Diamondbacks, they host the Pirates for games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Arizona once the Bucs and Cards wrap up at PNC Park. After a quick trip to Houston for three interleague games against the Astros, the Pirates then welcome Arizona and the Padres for six consecutive games.
In other words, 12 of the Pirates’ next 15 games are against clubs that are in direct competition with them for the wild card positioning.
Now would be a good time to reboot after Philadelphia halted the Pirates’ win streak at six on Sunday.
Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via X. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.
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