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Madden’s Brutal Take: Skenes’ Nosedive Sinking Pirates
Why the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Season Is Falling Apart: The Paul Skenes Problem
Introduction: A Typical Bad Night
Imagine your favorite baseball team loses a game 8-7. That’s frustrating enough. But what if the way they lost tells you exactly why their whole season is going wrong?
That’s what happened to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night in Cincinnati. They didn’t just lose—they fell apart in ways that have become painfully familiar:
- The relief pitchers (the "bullpen") collapsed — they couldn’t stop the other team from scoring
- The fielding was terrible — like a group of kids playing T-ball who don’t know where to throw the ball
- But the real trouble started much earlier — with their supposed "best player," Paul Skenes
The Usual Suspects: Bullpen and Manager
Fans Are Mad at the Bullpen (And They’re Right)
Important Point: The Pirates’ bullpen is bad. Fans have every right to complain.
What went wrong with the relievers?
- Dennis Santana went from a decent "closer" (the pitcher who finishes games) to being DFA’d (Designated for Assignment — basically cut from the team)
- Gregory Soto was horrific in June — he couldn’t get anyone out
But here’s the thing: The bullpen was never supposed to be great. The team didn’t build it to be elite. So while it’s bad, it’s not a surprise.
Manager Don Kelly: Popular Scapegoat, But Handcuffed
Fans love to blame the manager, Don Kelly. And yes — the team often looks sloppy and uninspired (like they don’t care or don’t know what they’re doing). Kelly isn’t a legendary manager like Danny Murtaugh (who won World Series for Pittsburgh in the 1970s).
But Kelly has his hands tied by two big rules from the front office:
- Analytics — decisions must follow computer models and data
- Pitch counts — protecting pitchers’ arms is more important than winning any single game
Important Point: The organization values long-term arm health over winning right now. The manager can’t just "go for it."
The Real Villain: Paul Skenes
He’s Supposed to Be the Ace — But He’s Not Acting Like One
Paul Skenes is the Pirates’ #1 starting pitcher (the "ace"). He won the Cy Young Award last year (given to the best pitcher in the league). He’s the most popular player. Fans buy his jersey.
But this year? He’s been terrible.
| Stat | Last Year (Great) | This Year (Bad) |
|---|---|---|
| ERA (Earned Run Average — lower is better) | ~2.00 (elite) | 3.90 (below average) |
| Fastballs at 98+ mph | 863 | Only 95 |
| Team record in his starts | Should be great | 9–14 (lost more than won) |
Important Point: Skenes’ velocity (speed) has dropped dramatically. He used to throw 98+ mph all the time. Now? Barely ever.
He Looks Exhausted and Out of Shape
A Pirates radio host, Dan Zangrilli (who works for the team!), didn’t hold back after Friday’s game:
"The ace didn’t ace. He looks like an out-of-shape, lumbering yeti sucking wind on a hot day. He looks fatigued. He’s lumbering. He’s overheating. Like a St. Bernard out there, marching around the mound."
Translation for non-baseball fans:
- Yeti / St. Bernard = big, slow, clumsy, overheating
- "Sucking wind" = gasping for air, totally gassed
- "The ace didn’t ace" = your best player didn’t do his job
This is huge. When a team employee roasts the star player this hard on official radio? Things are bad.
The Oscar Marin Mystery: Did Skenes Get the Pitching Coach Fired?
Last year, the Pirates had:
- 4th best WHIP (Walks + Hits per Inning Pitched — fewer baserunners = better)
- 7th best ERA in all of baseball
- Skenes won the Cy Young
Then they fired pitching coach Oscar Marin.
Important Point: The coach helped build a great staff. Then he got fired. Many believe Skenes pushed for it.
Now the pitching is worse. Marin looks like he was the solution, not the problem.
Is Skenes Hurt? Or Just Bad?
The Velocity Drop Is Alarming
- Last year: 863 pitches at 98+ mph
- This year: Only 95
That’s not a small dip. That’s a cliff.
Two theories:
- He’s injured — but the team would shut him down if so (his agent would demand it)
- He’s out of shape / lost it — and the "he pitched through injury" excuse might come later as a cover-up
Important Point: The author doesn’t care why. He only cares that Skenes is pitching like a "bum" (terrible player) and it’s killing the team.
The Math: Skenes Cost the Pirates the Playoffs
The author did a simple calculation before the season:
- Skenes starts 33 games
- To make playoffs, Pirates need to win ~25 of those
- Actual record in Skenes starts: 9–14
- Expected record (if he were an ace): 17–6
That’s 8 missing wins.
Important Point: Those 8 extra wins would put the Pirates in the top Wild Card spot — 5.5 games ahead.
The numbers don’t lie. The bullpen isn’t elite. The manager isn’t the best. But Skenes was supposed to be the best pitcher in baseball. He’s nowhere close.
Summary: The Ace Didn’t Ace
- The bullpen is bad → but it was never supposed to be good
- The manager is flawed → but he’s handcuffed by front-office rules
- Paul Skenes is the problem → he’s the one paid to be elite, and he’s failing
- His velocity is gone, he looks exhausted, and the team is losing because of him
- A team radio host called him a "lumbering yeti" — on the team’s own station
- If the Pirates miss the playoffs, it’s on Skenes
"The ace didn’t ace. For any of this to work, he has to." — Dan Zangrilli
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
What does "ace" mean in baseball?
An ace is a team’s #1 starting pitcher — the best one, who you count on to stop losing streaks and win big games.
What is ERA and why does 3.90 matter?
ERA (Earned Run Average) = average runs a pitcher allows per 9 innings. Lower is better.
- Under 2.00 = elite (what Skenes did last year)
- 3.90 = below average for a starter (what he’s doing now)
What is "velocity" and why does 98 mph matter?
Velocity = how fast the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand.
- 98+ mph = extremely fast, very hard to hit
- Skenes threw 863 such pitches last year → only 95 this year. That’s a massive drop.
What does "DFA" mean?
Designated for Assignment — the team removes a player from the 40-man roster. They have 7 days to trade, release, or send him to the minors. It’s basically being cut.
Why would a team fire a coach after a great season?
Good question. The Pirates had a top-10 pitching staff and a Cy Young winner — then fired the pitching coach. Many think Skenes wanted him gone, but now the staff is worse. It backfired.
Final Thought: Baseball is a team game. But sometimes, one player holds the key. For the 2024 Pirates, that player was Paul Skenes. He didn’t turn the key. And now the season is stalled.
