With phenom flamethrower Paul Skenes likely to join the Pirates in mid-May or a bit later, it’s time to map out the game plan for Skenes’ first MLB start.
It will definitely take place at PNC Park. The Pirates aren’t dumb when it comes to matters of profit.
There’s some catching up to do after the lousy crowds for the recently completed four-game home series vs. Milwaukee: 8.4k, 9.1k, 10.3k and 11.5k.
Not great considering the opposition leads the NL Central. But at least attendance went up by about a thousand for each game. What a great baseball town!
The Pirates are home May 3-12, then May 21-26. Owner Bob Nutting probably won’t want Skenes to start on the road at all. This isn’t charity. But it’s tough to work Skenes into the rotation around that schedule without him making starts away from PNC Park.
So, try this: Let Skenes pitch to a batter or two every couple of games at home. An inning each time, tops.
That’s what the legendary Satchel Paige did in the Negro Leagues. Everybody wanted to see him, so he’d pitch a few innings every day. The money rolled in.
“A few innings every day” is a pipe dream with Skenes. The Pirates don’t want his arm to fall off. (Although Paige’s never did. He pitched his last game when he was 59.)
Skenes can get rest when the Pirates are on the road. Heck, let Skenes stay in Pittsburgh while the Pirates travel. It saves on hotel and per diem.
Nutting is about profit. If Skenes pitches more games, more tickets get sold. Winning is a distant secondary concern. (If winning was a primary goal, Skenes would already be in Pittsburgh and Trevor Bauer would have been signed.)
Skenes will come to Pittsburgh and dominate immediately. He’ll probably be pitching a perfect game in his debut when he gets pulled after 50 pitches.
Or maybe Skenes’ elbow will explode on his first MLB pitch. That would be tragic, but also so Pirates.