May 1—Hello, yinz crazies. Welcome to Jason Mackey’s mailbag, where the Post-Gazette columnist alternates between this and a chat on Thursdays. If you have a question or comment, drop him a line at jmackey@post-gazette.com. Passable array of questions this week. Let’s get started. STATZ N’@ (@STATZ_N_AT): Do you find your approach to writing/reporting is impacted […]
May 1—Hello, yinz crazies. Welcome to Jason Mackey’s mailbag, where the Post-Gazette columnist alternates between this and a chat on Thursdays. If you have a question or comment, drop him a line at jmackey@post-gazette.com. Passable array of questions this week. Let’s get started.
STATZ N’@ (@STATZ_N_AT): Do you find your approach to writing/reporting is impacted by covering a winning or losing team? All major Pittsburgh teams are in such a weird position. I can imagine that can be intriguing but potentially dismal.
Jason Mackey: This is a great question … and something I love to discuss with journalism students.
Short answer is that it has zero impact. As Gene Collier taught me long ago, “They win, we write. They lose, we write.” Now, there are also tradeoffs with that.
If you have a losing team, everybody is usually upset and less willing to chat. You’re probably not going to unearth much detail-wise because the answers are short. You’ll also sift through less fluff, and there’s usually more good emotive reaction.
If you have a winning team, everyone is more participatory. There are naturally more storylines to pursue. It’s easier to do any job when those in your workplace — for us, locker rooms — are in a good mood, right? Again, tradeoffs.
Readership-wise, the upside to a winning team is that people get really into a topic, and interest builds. I think about the Penguins during their 2017 Stanley Cup run, the catfish that was thrown on the ice and what that became.
The upside to covering a bad team is that things can come apart, controversy will likely ensue, more news will break, and those things have never been bad for business.
I think about it this way: When I chose to leave the Penguins beat in May 2019 and move over to Pirates, a lot of people thought I had lost my mind or had been demoted.
These days, as a columnist, I fight the perception that I’m a baseball/Pirates-only guy.
Covering a bad team actually helped my career in a big way because I broke news, found stories, owned another beat, etc. That’s this job. We’re not fans of teams. We root for stories and the stuff to chronicle — good and bad.
——
LetsGoPens (@LetsGoPens4Life): Do you think the Penguins parting ways with Mike Sullivan was essentially about [president of hockey operations Kyle] Dubas feeling they will a bottom-feeder team for the next season or two and Sully not wanting to go lower before going higher?
Jason Mackey: A few different aspects to this storyline — and thanks for the awesome, non-baseball question.
Dubas firing Sullivan — let’s be honest — was never about the coach’s unwillingness to endure a few tough years. The discrepancy likely involved how many of them.
My sense is that Sullivan wanted to prioritize winning sooner, while Dubas has talked about taking longer to build something more sustainable.
There’s also a larger, societal issue here: It’s no one person’s fault, while multiple things can be true at the same time. Sullivan’s a very good coach, one of the best in the NHL. At the same time, things had run their course.
It’s a great time for him to enter the pool of coaching candidates in the NHL. If I had to pick, I’d predict he ends up with the New York Rangers.
Given the number — and quality — of openings, Fenway Spots Group and Dubas might’ve actually done Sullivan a favor. Dubas also likely saw that he could use more of a development-focused coach.
Sullivan will always be a legend here and should be treated as such. The needs for the Penguins and Dubas also no longer aligned with his strengths.
——
Tim Wright (@tawpsu): Going into the season, why did you insinuate the Pirates would be even remotely close to contending in 2025? Was that your personal thought, or were you just instructed to share Bucs propaganda by Travis Williams, Bob Nutting and Ben Cherington?
Jason Mackey: Ah, expressing fan frustration by questioning the credibility of those of us who write about the team. One of my favorite traditions of Pirates baseball.
Look, quibble with my assessment all you want. I predicted the Pirates would win 84 games, and they still could — if they make some changes and do some things (within their grasp) better. My basis has been a pitching staff that has actually been pretty good; they’re tied for the second-most quality starts in the National League (13) and overall have the 12th-lowest FIP (3.77).
The issues, of course, have been offense and poor fundamentals.
It’s possible to for someone to be wrong without being “instructed to share Bucs propaganda” by those in charge. I’ve also spoken to Bob Nutting for a grand total of about 60 seconds in the past year — since the Sheetz announcement. Gimme a break.
For what it’s worth, the Pirates should’ve been about an 84-win team last year. They finished with 76. With some combination of an OK offense, better managerial decisions and bullpen execution, they could’ve turned a 10-game losing streak into 3-7 or 4-6.
What if they also played fundamentally sound baseball? Obviously they didn’t do that. But going from 76 to 80 or 84 wins isn’t insane when you consider Paul Skenes, Jared Jones (he was healthy when I made the prediction), Mitch Keller and Andrew Heaney, plus the changing of a hitting program that limited the effectiveness of several young guys.
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Aileen Bowers (@AileenBowers20): Oneil Cruz seems to be to the Pirates what George Pickens is to the Steelers: young, blessed with a boatload of talent, and yet they both make some dumbfounding plays. Who is working with Cruz on learning to play center field?
Jason Mackey: Thank you for the question, Aileen. Hope you’re doing well. The short answer is Tarrik Brock. But I think the larger comparison is interesting.
Cruz and Pickens are definitely different people. They also struggle with different stuff in-game. With Pickens, it can be letting his emotions getting the best of him, whether that manifests with caring more about fighting in the back of the end zone (versus a Hail Mary), pouting on the sideline or quitting on routes/blocking because he’s ticked about something. It’s obviously not good and needs to change.
With Cruz, it’s more a lack of awareness or focus. If Cruz has had some sort of emotional freakout, I haven’t seen it. He’s a fun-loving guy and pretty chill most times. You could say sometimes he’s a little too relaxed.
(I also think some of his center-field issues stem from a lack of confidence or uncertainty, though that’s not absolving him from the effort- or focus-oriented stuff.)
The upside of both is obviously incredible, which may be why they frustrate us so much, because we get glimpses of what they can do at their best. We also need to remember that they’re young.
I know I wasn’t a finished product in my mid-20s, and I think we need to extend that sort of grace for these guys, as well.
——
Bill (@BV1387): When do you think Nutting will realistically have had enough and dismiss Cherington and Shelton?
Jason Mackey: I can’t give you a magical answer, Bill. But I do think it’s probably worth having a discussion about sample size.
Two months is often viewed as the first real marking point of a major league season. For our purposes, let’s circle May 27, which would mean 56 games or 35% of the season. I also think that’s a little much.
By then, I’d really worry about irreparable damage. I also can’t imagine Nutting wants to experience 25 more games like this.
It’s just one example, but the Rockies in 2009 fired Clint Hurdle after 46 games (18-28 start).
In 2003, Jack McKeon took over the Marlins following a 16-22 start, which gives us another data point at 38 games.
The Brewers fired Ron Roenicke after 25 games in 2015, and the Reds switched from Bryan Price to Jim Riggleman after 18 games three years later. But the Phillies waited 51 games to fire Joe Girardi in 2022.
I think it’s one of those things where you know when you know. And, as I wrote the other night, I do think we’re at the point where it’s no longer just a slow start; it’s what you’ve become. Which should be concerning.
——
Dan Byers (@DByers21): Any alternatives to Tommy Pham on the horizon? What’s the May-June outlook for players returning from injury, especially Nick Gonzales, Endy Rodriguez and Johan Oviedo?
Jason Mackey: There may be some alternatives, Dan. I’ll get to those shortly. But there’s something we need to remember here, as you weren’t the only one asking about Pham.
I get it. He’s hitting .170 with a .460 OPS. That’s not good enough. However …
Pham’s on a guaranteed $4,025,000 contract. You can hate that, but it’s money the Pirates have already spent. They can’t save anything by designating him for assignment. They’re going to try and salvage this.
Also, the Pirates struggle every year to attract quality free agents. Cutting bait on a veteran after 28 games won’t sit well with others considering Pittsburgh as a potential destination. Not saying Pham gets endless opportunities, but he’ll get more than 105 plate appearances.
Now, if they do ultimately go in another direction, the candidates I see include:
—Jack Suwinski has two home runs and a 1.192 OPS in five games since returning to Triple-A.
—Billy Cook has struggled this season (.185 average and .556 OPS) but has played major league outfield before.
—Nick Solak has played 255 MLB games, including 127 with the Rangers in 2021, and has been really good in Triple-A. Small sample size — five homers and a 1.070 OPS in 20 games — but he’s in the mix.
—Ji Hwan Bae could get another shot, but I think we’ve seen what he is (and isn’t) at this point.
Injury-wise, Nick Gonzales is out of his walking boot and will begin minor agility work by the end of the week. He’s still a ways off. Rodriguez will need another week with his right index finger immobilized. Couple weeks total there.
Maybe when Gonzales returns, Adam Frazier plays more outfield. They could use Jared Triolo there when Spencer Horwitz gets back (roughly two more weeks), if his bat warrants it, but I think you’re going to see the Pirates continue to give Pham opportunities to get right.
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The community is rallying around a young athlete who was selected to compete in the U.S. Special Olympic games. Kylah Schlott is the first swimmer chosen from Berks County in more than two decades. State Rep. Jacklyn Rusnock (D-126) presented the Muhlenberg School District water polo alumna with a House citation Wednesday. Schlott will travel […]
The community is rallying around a young athlete who was selected to compete in the U.S. Special Olympic games.
Kylah Schlott is the first swimmer chosen from Berks County in more than two decades.
State Rep. Jacklyn Rusnock (D-126) presented the Muhlenberg School District water polo alumna with a House citation Wednesday.
Schlott will travel to Minnesota to compete in 19 Olympic events this summer. She says she’s most excited to meet other people at the games.
Story Links Williamstown, Mass. – May 15, 2025 – Sophomore Mike Anderson (Cromwell, Conn.) solidified his spot at the NCAA outdoor championships and once again broke his own school record in the 110-meter hurdles this afternoon at the AARTFC championships held at Williams College as Springfield finished 15th overall as a team. Anderson finished […]
Williamstown, Mass. – May 15, 2025 – Sophomore Mike Anderson (Cromwell, Conn.) solidified his spot at the NCAA outdoor championships and once again broke his own school record in the 110-meter hurdles this afternoon at the AARTFC championships held at Williams College as Springfield finished 15th overall as a team.
Anderson finished second overall in the 110-meter hurdles breaking his own school record with a time of 14.23. His time currently sits 15th nationally with the NCAA set to make selections for the outdoor national championships tomorrow. Isaiah Hannah (Ballston Spa, N.Y.) finished 15th overall in the event in 15.44.
The 4×400-meter relay team of Tyler Fabbri (Andover, Mass.), Sam Polley (Feeding Hills, Mass.), Michael Scott (Shoreview, Minn.) and Colin Hansen (Ipswich, Mass.) wrapped up their season with a third place finish in 3:13.10. Hansen went on to take eighth in the 400-meter dash in 47.98, while Scott took tenth in the 200-meter dash in 21.86.
Seth Twarog (Hubbardston, Mass.) also claimed 29th in the 400-meter dash in 49.81 to wrap up his outdoor campaign.
In the field events, Cristian Roman-Koenig (Wallingford, Conn.) threw the javelin 50.88-meters for 17th overall, while Daniel McGlashan (Haverhill, Mass.) leapt 13.18-meters for 22nd in the triple jump.
For the latest on Springfield College Athletics, follow the Pride on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to tune into all Springfield College Athletic events by subscribing to FloSports.
Story Links Williamstown, Mass. – May 15, 2025 – The Springfield College women’s track and field team finished 17th overall at the 2025 AARTFC Outdoor Track and Field Championships held on the campus of Williams College today. Samantha Paul (Albany, N.Y.) had the best finish for the Pride as she took third in […]
Williamstown, Mass. – May 15, 2025 – The Springfield College women’s track and field team finished 17th overall at the 2025 AARTFC Outdoor Track and Field Championships held on the campus of Williams College today.
Samantha Paul (Albany, N.Y.) had the best finish for the Pride as she took third in the triple jump with a mark of 11.74-meters. Katherine DeFosse (Worcester, Mass.) crossed the line fourth in the 100-meter hurdles in 14.36, Jillian Scott (Westhampton, Mass.) cleared 3.59-meters for fifth in the pole vault and Kristina Kyle (Watertown, Conn.) clocked a 2:17.62 for eighth in the 800-meter run. Autumn Bacik (Watertown, Conn.) finished the day 26th in the long jump with a mark of 4.80-meters.
Nationally, Paul ranks 13th in the triple jump, Scott ranks 30th in the pole vault and DeFosse ranks 31st in the 100-meter hurdles.
The NCAA is slated to release selections for the outdoor national championship tomorrow.
For the latest on Springfield College Athletics, follow the Pride on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to tune into all Springfield College Athletic events by subscribing to FloSports.
THE STARTING GUN Friday, May 16 Big West Track & Field Championships Field • 10:30 a.m. • Track • 1 p.m. Jack Rose Track • Long Beach, Calif. Live Stats • Saturday, May 17 Big West Track & Field Championships Field • 10 a.m. • Track • 2 p.m. Jack Rose Track • Long Beach, […]
Saturday, May 17
Big West Track & Field Championships
Field • 10 a.m. • Track • 2 p.m.
Jack Rose Track • Long Beach, Calif.
Live Stats •
Coming off last week’s multis, Long Beach State hosts the Big West Track and Field Championships this weekend. The field events on Friday begin at 10:30, and the track races begin at 1 p.m. The field events start on Saturday at 10 a.m. with the track finals beginning at 2 p.m.
BIG WEST MULTIS RECAP
Claudine Raud-Gumiel broke the Long Beach State record in the heptathlon to win the event while Ryan Gregory broke the decathlon school record to finish second last weekend.
Raud-Gumiel’s 5,698 points broke the previous school mark of 5,671, which Riley Hooks set in 2017 when she became the last Long Beach State entry to win the Big West heptathlon in 2017. Her score ties with Cincinnati’s Juliette Laracuente-Huebner for ninth in Division I this season.
Gregory’s 7,898 points are the fifth-most in Division I this season. The top 24 scores in the multis advance to the NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships in June at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Jenelle Hurley finished fourth in the heptathlon, resetting her career-best to 5,425, the fourth-best score in school history. Tori Plummer was ninth with 4,874 points. Kendra Daniels scratched in the day two events and was credited with 16th (1,960).
Milo Orona finished third in the decathlon with the sixth-best score in school history, 7,369 points. Turner was ninth with 3,793 points despite only scoring in five events.
The heptathlon results have Long Beach State leading the team race with 15 points. The decathlon results have the Beach men second with 14 points.
BIG WEST RANKINGS
Long Beach State features several athletes at the top of the Big West performance list entering this week’s championships.
On the men’s side, Omri Shiff is first in the 400m (50.29), Kyle Jankans is first in the high jump (7-3), while Canaan Wharry is first in the discus (192-11).
For the women, Trinity Barnett is first in the 200m (23.56), Sofia Lavreshina is first in the 400m (53.06) and 400m hurdles (56.64), while Rahni Turner tops the 100m hurdles times (13.18w).
TEAM RANKINGS
In this week’s USTFCCAA TFRI Outdoor Checkpoint, the Long Beach State men are ranked 52nd in the National TFRI Team Summary. In the West Regional TFRI, LBSU is ranked ninth. In the conference TFRI Team Summary, the Beach is third. In the Event Squad Summary, Long Beach State is ranked seventh in the high jump and ninth in the triple jump.
The LBSU women moved 41 spots to 67th in the National TFRI Team Summary. In the West Regional TFRI, LBSU is ranked 11th. In the conference TFRI Team Summary, the Beach is third. In the Event Squad Summary, Long Beach State is ranked eighth in the heptathlon and 10th in the high jump.
Story Links NEW ORLEANS – After a strong start, New Orleans’ Helen Baumgarten sits sixth overall in the women’s heptathlon, while three Privateers qualified for the finals of their respective events after day one of the 2025 Southland Conference Track and Field Championships in Houston, Texas. While Baumgarten will close the multi-day event […]
NEW ORLEANS – After a strong start, New Orleans’ Helen Baumgarten sits sixth overall in the women’s heptathlon, while three Privateers qualified for the finals of their respective events after day one of the 2025 Southland Conference Track and Field Championships in Houston, Texas.
While Baumgarten will close the multi-day event on Friday, teammates Emma Bourg, Annika Metzger and Madonna Favour will compete on Saturday in the finals of the women’s 1500m and men’s 200m events, respectively.
Baumgarten finished the first day of the women’s heptathlon with 2952 points through four events. The junior capped Thursday with a win in the 200m race in 24.53 seconds, following up a 5th place finish in the 100m hurdles in 14.57 seconds. She placed 13th in the high jump and shot put with marks of 1.53m and 9.06m.
Bourg and Metzger finished in the top three of their respective heats in the women’s 1500m prelims to automatically qualify for Saturday’s final. Bourg finished in 4:37.15 in the third heat for the 7th-best time on the day, while Metzger’s 4:38.27 in the opening heat placed her eighth overall. Michela Papalia finished 18th overall with a time of 4:53.55.
Favour booked his spot in the men’s 200m final, finishing second in the opening heat of the prelims in 21.21 seconds. Darryl George Jr. finished 22nd overall with a time of 21.71 seconds, followed by Travian Johnson’s time of 21.72 seconds. Tshilidzi Netshiombo rounded out the New Orleans contingent with a time of 22.47 seconds to finish 34th.
Mason Appleton finished 8th in his heat of the men’s 1500m prelims, placing 19th overall at 4:02.05. Layden Jack finished 21st in the women’s 200m prelims, finishing in 24.96 seconds.
Josh Johnston slashed over 15 seconds from his previous top time in the men’s 10,000m with a new personal-best mark of 33:20.18 to finish 14th in the race. Antonio Delgado claimed 18th, finishing in 34:55.25.
Freshman Petra Imre placed 12th in the women’s 10,000m run at 39:53.49, while Michelle Folk finished 19th at 43:03.06.
In the field events, Jace Phelan set a new personal best, finishing 14th in the men’s javelin throw with a toss of 52.30m. Tyler Mitchell finished 23rd with a throw of 40.54m.
Christina Davis placed 18th in the women’s hammer throw, landing a throw of 36.86m on her third attempt.
NEXT UP
The Privateers set their sights on day two the 2025 Southland Conference Championships at the Wendel D. Ley Track & Holloway Field in Houston.
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Jamie Bahnisch has been appointed as Golf Australia’s new High Performance Director of Pathways. Most recently the High Performance Manager for the Queensland Academy of Sport, Bahnisch brings to the role a wealth of knowledge and experience guiding Australian athletes. In his new role, he will be focused primarily on delivering three key objectives. Focus […]
Jamie Bahnisch has been appointed as Golf Australia’s new High Performance Director of Pathways.
Most recently the High Performance Manager for the Queensland Academy of Sport, Bahnisch brings to the role a wealth of knowledge and experience guiding Australian athletes.
In his new role, he will be focused primarily on delivering three key objectives. Focus on pathway athletes in the US College system, further parent education framework delivery, and create greater focus, engagement, and connection with athletes at the 12-16 age bracket.
Prior to his role at the QAS, Bahnisch also worked in roles at the Victorian and South Australian Sports Institutes, Walford School for Girls and his experience across a wide-variety of sports such as volleyball, football, hockey, rugby 7s, water polo, and archery, and these systems will ensure the successfully delivery of the key objectives.
“It’s going to be really exciting. I’m really looking forward to it,” said Bahnisch.
“I’m very keen to be able to listen, observe, and learn from everyone. For me that’s a really big part, learning from people and understanding from them what’s working, where do we need to get better, and what are the opportunities. It’s an amazing role to help develop and contribute to the foundations for others to succeed in.
“From my experience at the Queensland Academy of Sport, I will bring the learnings from team sport environments, and I guess bigger squad environments.
“Being able to identify what are the skills or what are the transferables from other systems that you could bring into a golf environment will be important.
“I’m very grateful for the development and lessons learned through my time at the QAS, where I look forward to applying these experiences with our team at Golf Australia.”
Bahnisch will be with Australia’s top golf talent from the moment they are identified as a junior, all the way until they have established themselves as a professional.
“We couldn’t be more pleased to have Jamie on board to continue the success of the Golf Australia High Performance program,” said Brad James, Golf Australia’s General Manager – High Performance.
“Working with athletes, parents, coaches and Australian Golf stakeholders, Jamie will work collaboratively to help our golfers realise their potential.
“He brings aligned skills from his previous role in Queensland and other sports and will hit the ground running and be an invaluable asset to the team.”
To find out more about Golf Australia’s High Performance program, CLICK HERE.
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