Welcome to Steelers Takeaways! – Page 129 – More than 1,000 interviews of Steelers players, coaches, front office staff, media and more with those that played in the 50’s through today’s current roster.

Tyronne Stowe, Steelers linebacker, 1987-1990

First, can you let readers know about your post-NFL career as a pastor. Tell us how you get started and why?

Well I was raised in a Christian household and going to Church was not optional. I was going and yet was not really living the life I was being taught. I believed in God. I loved God, yet I did not develop the disciplines required for a life pleasing to God. I was lost in the world in a world of sex, drugs, drinking, lying, cheating and Football…

I didn’t really know who I was and what was I called to do, and I tried allot of things and yet was none the better. Growing up and discovering was challenging. One thing I did know, I wanted to play football.

Continue reading “Tyronne Stowe, Steelers linebacker, 1987-1990”

Donnell Woolford, Steelers Cornerback, 1997-1998

First, can you let readers know about the Greater Chicago Flag Football League and other post-NFL endeavors? How did you get started in these and why?

The Greater Chicago Football League is an Organization that is solely interested in building self-esteem among its players. I am also very actively involved with The Boys and Girls Club. I became a part of these Organizations because I have a passion for children and want to give them the same opportunities I was given by The Boys and Girls Club as a youth.

Did the NFL give you any post-NFL career help/guidance – and did you find it useful as you transitioned from the game to non-NFL life?

I had no ” Post NFL Guidance, therefore this transition was a little difficult for me.

Continue reading “Donnell Woolford, Steelers Cornerback, 1997-1998”

Jim Leyland Talks About his Life in Baseball Over the Past Years

By: Caitlin Miller

When Jim Leyland was a young boy, one of five boys in his family, his dad a semi-pro ball player, would come home from work and play catch with him and his brothers in the yard until his mother would call them in for supper.

He used those daily sessions to learn the game he’d be involved in all his life, but especially remembers lessons on life that his parents instilled in him.

“My parents were the biggest influence in my life, I think that’s a good thing, that’s where your roots start, where you learn right from wrong, and family values,” says Jim Leyland.

Now 68 years old, having spent all of his adult life in the game of baseball where he won two World Series as a manager and coached some of the legends of the sport. He says how it’s great to have major athletes and stars as your heroes and role models but to him his parents were his and that was what was really important to him.

Leyland was raised in Perryburg, Ohio, he was signed out of high school and was signed as a minor league catcher for six seasons in the Tigers organization in September of 1963. While he was an adequate defensive catcher, his inability to hit professional pitching doomed his playing career at level AA, with a career bating average of .222 in all his minor league games.

Leyland didn’t set out to be a manager or even a coach, but when he realized he was not going to make it as a player, he changed his paths.

“I had no intentions of being a big time coach, even a manager,” he said.

That chance occurred in 1970 after he played just two games for the Montgomery Rebels, then made his debut as a coach for the rest of that season.

In 1982, Leyland left the Tigers organization when he got his first shot to coach in the Big Leagues when he became a third base coach for Tony La Russa with the Chicago White Sox for four seasons. Leyland said that La Russa had a great effect on his career. He said La Russa gave him his first big chance as his third base coach. He said that walking onto a Big League field for the first time was unbelievable; he never thought he would have the chance to do that. He said that it was an Easter Sunday and they weren’t supposed to play because it was snowing. But they did and they won both games.

His career as a Big League coach blossomed until 1985 when he got his first opportunity to manage a Major League team, the Pittsburgh Pirates.

While his father was from Butler, and he had heard a lot about the city but he had never been here until he became the 33rd manager for the Pittsburgh Pirates. This was a thrill he said, even though the Pirates were in dismal shape.

General Manager Syd Thrift, who gave him his first shot, famously said about the moribund franchise at the time, “It ain’t easy resurrecting the dead.”

But that’s exactly what Leyland did during his ten years of skippering the Pirates.

Starting with a team that lost 98 game in 1986, he and Thrift built a team that included Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla, Andy Van Slyke and among others, Doug Drabek. which took them to the National League Championship Series, first in 1990, then in 1991 and 1992. Even though they lost all three years, this was still a turning point in baseball for not only for the Pirates but Leyland as well.

Leyland’s favorite memory during his eleven seasons with the Pirates, he said his favorite moment was when they clinched the division championship by beating the St. Louis Cardinals in 1990 on a Sunday afternoon.

“That was the best celebration I was ever involved in because we worked so hard. We were so bad when I first got here, we came so far and it was so satisfying.” He talked about how this was the first step; he took the Pirates to win their first championship. He said it was hard work though. At the time the Mets were very good, and they were the hardest team to get by. He mentioned that it was very rewarding.

Coming from a middle class family that instilled a work ethic in him as a child, Leyland diligently paid attention to every detail of his job. He soon realized that no matter how hard he worked, if he did nor have quality players, there was little he could do. He still loved his job, but when the mass exodus of talent occurred after his eleventh season, he saw the end of his tenure with the buccos had come.

Leyland’s tenure with the Pittsburgh Pirates ended the last game in 1996.

Martin Daniel, A long time Pirates fan, was there.

“As soon as he walked out everyone stood up and cheered for him, for a long time,” Daniel said.

While Daniel and almost everyone present were upset about losing Leyland as a manager, just about everyone knew his time to leave had come.

“It was an emotional game, we were playing the St. Louis Cardinals and Tony La Russa, who was one of my best friends, was managing the Cardinals. It was a long day; I had met with some fans, and neighbors. Some media people came out to my house that day and followed me to the ballpark and everything. Ill never forget it, the only problem was we lost the game, which was a heartbreak. I didn’t want to go out that way, but it was a very emotional day.”

Many people were very sad and angry with Leyland for leaving the Pirates.

Ryan Douglass, a former Washington Wild Things player, realized the inevitable.

“Leyland leaving the Pirates was just part of the business in baseball. I know that since I play professionally, but it was a bittersweet moment when he left,” he said.

Leyland took the intense feeling of the fans as a compliment.

“That made me feel like they must of thought I was a good manager if they were mad about me leaving. But the other thing behind that, I was also upset about is that I thought that it was totally unfair. I could see where the Pirates were going at that time, and I think now people realize that proved out to be right. It was 20 years before they won again. I would have been fired about four times before that so that hurt me a little bit.”

Not only were people upset with the fact that Leyland was leaving the Pirates at the time, but they were also afraid of they might leave town.

“So this was just a bad and awkward time for the city,” says John Meyer, former sportscaster for WTAE.

While the team would not leave, Leyland was right about the franchise’s fortunes, as it had losing records for the next twenty years.

“I mean you had to be a fool to think I wanted to leave Pittsburgh,” he said.

This was the place him and his family called home, his wife and children were here. Leyland says, “I met my wife here and we fell in love with Pittsburgh, and she was a Pittsburgh girl. I loved it here and I couldn’t find any reason not to stay here.”

But alas, he soon found a new job as manager for the Florida Marlins, a team that had traded or acquired a wealth of talent through spending millions.

His first season with the Marlins in 1997, Leyland led his team to a record of 92-70 and won his first World Series.

“To win a World Series is the ultimate memory,” Leyland said, adding it’s always great to know your team is the last one standing.

Steve Bates, former National Football League player for the Indianapolis Colts and the Orlando Thunder, says, “I think he did a good job as a manager. He did what he needed to do. He won a World Series.”

In 1998, Leyland left the Marlins with a record of 54-108. He was hired as the manger for the Colorado Rockies in 1999, but soon walked away from a two-year contract. Later that year, he became a Pittsburgh based scout for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Leyland says that the key to being a good manager is communication. He talks about how you have to be able to communicate with all people. He says this because in baseball there are people from all over the world, and you have to learn to communicate with all of them.

“You have to be able to communicate with people from all walks of life and all different cultures, and I think that’s the biggest thing to being a manager,” he said.

Jason Cannon is a long time fan of the Pirates and Leyland.

“He was the definition of what a manager should be. His players loved and respected him, and he was tough on his players when he needed to be. ”

Over the past years Leyland has been known to hire some of his former players as coaches. Counted among them are former Pirate manager and current Seattle Skipper, Lloyd McClendon and Andy Van Slyke.

“They have a good pulse for the game, and they normally know how tough this game is to play so they understand players pretty good because they’ve been though it. They know what its like to succeed, and they know what its like to fail,” he said

He says a manager must have a good relationship with each of his players. He says how you have to just use common sense with them and talk to them like they are real people.

“The only guys you have a problem with are the guys who don’t have any reasoning power, and fortunately most of the players do, theY’RE good guys.” Leyland also talks about how he just let the players play. He said, “The manager is not the show, the players are the show.”

Leyland always wore his intensity and emotions on his sleeve. He would stand up to recalcitrant stars, laugh with them, and cry with them. The worn look he acquired by the end of each season was legendary, even though he suggests his motives were otherwise.

“Don’t get to emotionally high or low, you have to stay even keel.” He says you are going to win some and lose some. You just have to be careful not to wear yourself out.

Throughout Leyland’s baseball career there have been many changes. He says the thing that has changed the most since he started has been the relief pitching. Leyland says, “It used to be that the starts went mostly all the game and the relievers were really the guys that weren’t good enough to be starts, but nowadays the relievers are specialist.” This has really changed the game of baseball for Leyland over the years of his career in baseball.

Managing the Pittsburgh Pirates was a great start for Leyland, but he says he would never go back to work for them. He says that the Pirates have a new direction, a good direction and are under good management. He doesn’t feel the need to be a hanger on just because he managed them for 11 years. Leyland says, “The Pirates don’t owe me anything, they gave me my first opportunity to manage in the big leagues and I’ll never forget that.” That was a big start for him, but he says they don’t need older people like him hanging around.

Leyland goes on to say that though he retired from managing that doesn’t mean he totally retired form baseball. He says that he will still do some work the Tiger’s and some work with the Commissioner of baseball. He says, “I feel real good about it and I have no second thoughts, its time to start a new chapter.”

Fan, Barb Herington, says, “I was happy for him, he did his job, it was his time to go and he knows he did what he needed to do.”

Leyland’s son, Patrick Leyland, is now taking a shot and following his father’s footsteps in a career in baseball. He currently plays for Detroit’s Minor League Baseball team as a catcher. Leyland says, “It’s probably unlikely that he will make it, but it was a dream to take a shot at it and why not.” Patrick Leyland is taking online classes and playing professional baseball. Jim Leyland says, “I’m proud of him!”

Doug Croft, a fan of the Pirates and Leyland, says, “He was a great manager; he was a positive force anywhere he went.”

Though being a manager for the Tiger’s may be over for Leyland, he was still known as one of the best and always will be. No matter where life takes the Leyland family now, Jim Leyland will always be known and missed as one of the best baseball managers in his time. Steve Flaven, fan of Leyland, says, “He was fantastic, he treated everyone great. He will be in the hall of Fame some day, you all just wait and see.”

“I’m just getting to old to manage,” Leyland says.

Jim O’Brien: Here’s how Pitt can improve Its men’s basketball program

Jim O’Brien: O’Brien
column for The Valley Mirror

The University of Pittsburgh men’s basketball team completed its home schedule and first season in the Atlantic Coast Conference at the Petersen Events Center playing North Carolina State this past Monday night.

Before they start the 2014-2015 season next November I would suggest that Pitt embark on a mission to clean up its act, clear up some obvious oversights and calm down its head coach.

I am a fan of Jamie Dixon, and believe he is the best coach Pitt could have at this time. The Panthers have won 20 games overall and ten league games for the 12^th time in the last 13 seasons, so Dixon has directed one of the most successful programs in the country. They have done much better in the ACC than I anticipated or predicted they would in this column space.

I said they lack a star player, a go-to guy, and they lack the lineup that can go far in post-season play. I still believe that.

But we can all get better.

I don’t expect Pitt to win a national championship. I am happy if they are in the Top 25 in basketball and in football.

But I think Dixon is overdoing it these days, as far as coaching is concerned. He is over-coaching. He is not the only college basketball coach guilty of thinking he’s a puppeteer, pulling strings on his players every run up the floor. Penn State’s Pat Chambers behaves even worse on the sideline, but he has beaten Ohio State twice this season so he is doing something right.

For starters, Dixon is on the floor, on the playing surface, a lot more often than his counterpart Mike Tomlin of the Steelers, who gained fame and was fined by the NFL office for being on the playing field this past season. The referees should chase Dixon back to the bench. John Wooden of UCLA was hailed as the greatest college basketball coach of all time, and he sat on the bench with a rolled-up program in his hand.

When I covered the NBA championship New York Knicks in 1970, their coach, Red Holzman, often said, “You coach in practice and you let them play in the games.”

Dixon calls time out at the worst times in the closing minutes, make that seconds of games, as if he is going to impart some wisdom that will win the day for Pitt. It hasn’t worked that way. More often than not, the Panthers turn over the ball when they get back on the court. Dixon has been criticized recently for calling time outs at inappropriate times against Syracuse and Notre Dame.

He is constantly screaming at his players from the sideline. He has five men in suits next to him on the sideline and I am not sure what they do. You only need six men in suits if you’re carrying a casket in a church, synagogue or cemetery. If I’m a coach, I want players sitting next to me on the bench so I can make observations – and teach them – during the game.

Players should know what to do in crunch time.

Pitt pays honors to Don Hennon at every opportunity these days. He was on the greatest All-America team of all time as a junior back in

the late ‘50s. Hennon, by coincidence, scored 34 points in his debut as a sophomore against North Carolina State.

That All-America team, by the way, included Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, Guy Rodgers and Bob Boozer. Hennon was second-team All-America as a senior. Dixon needs to recruit a kid like Hennon who can shoot and score from outside. Pitt has no such player on its present line-up.

Some people are critical of the kind of players Dixon seems to recruit, but I figure he is getting the best players he can sell on coming to Pitt. Most of the best players still want to play for Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Kansas, Indiana, Arizona, Memphis, Michigan, Michigan State, Connecticut, Notre Dame, even Wichita State and San Diego State, for different reasons.

I was standing near the top of the Petersen Events Center late this season and I found myself checking out the retired game jerseys in the rafters. Hennon is there, of course, along with Charles Smith, Billy Knight and Brandin Knight.

Isn’t it about time that Pitt corrects an oversight and honors Doc Carlson and Charley Hyatt in the same manner?

Carlson coached Hyatt and many other terrific Pitt players for 31 seasons and won 367 games. His name and victory number should be on a banner the way they honor Holzman and St. John’s coach Lou Carnesecca on the ceiling at Madison Square Garden.

Pitt has used the excuse that they didn’t know what number Hyatt wore because it didn’t show up in any old photos. George Von Benko, a sports broadcaster in Uniontown, Hyatt’s hometown, says he discovered in his research that Hyatt wore No. 15. Hyatt was a three-time All-America back in the late ‘20s.

Here’s the unreal part of this situation. Carlson and Hyatt were honored in the charter class of the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. How can they not be similarly honored at Pitt?

While we’re at it, I also think that Dick Groat should have his Duke number up in the rafters or somewhere on display in the building after serving as Pitt’s radio basketball analyst to Bill Hillgrove for more than 25 years. Groat’s jersey was the first one that was retired at Duke, and he’s in the College Basketball Hall of Fame. I think that broadcast team, along with some of Pitt’s greatest players, should be pictured on the walls throughout the Petersen Events Center.

I remember seeing large photos of Carlson and Hennon above the stairway leading into the Pitt Field House. I think Arnie Sowell, the great middle distance runner from nearby Schenley High, was also pictured.

Pitt has a proud sports history. I know there is a Hall of Fame in the building, but the casual visitor doesn’t see it.

Pitt needs to improve its non-conference schedule. Sometimes you’d think they had joined the MEAC instead of the ACC because the Panthers have played so many MEAC schools in recent seasons.

The building is half filled when Pitt plays Savannah State, Cal Poly, Prairie View, Albany and Howard because no one cares to see those games. The tickets cost the same as the games against ACC schools.

There are schools Pitt can count on beating to keep its “Our House” home record impressive but have more significance to sports fans here, such as Army and Navy, Bucknell, Fordham and Manhattan, and I think they should play Penn State and West Virginia – don’t tell me it’s not possible – and some former Big East foes.

The scene at Pitt basketball games is great. It’s so much fun. The Pitt pep band, the cheerleaders, dance team, Golden Girls and The Oakland Zoo all contribute to a circus-like atmosphere. Showing fans dancing and singing and such on the big screen is great theatre.

Pitt added some really entertaining half-time shows this past season and it added to the amusement factor.

But I think the way the Oakland Zoo welcomes visiting teams to the building makes the call-for-sportsmanship announcements a farce. When each visiting player is announced over the p.a. system the Pitt students respond by shouting, “Sucks!” When the visiting coach is announced, the students shout, “He sucks, too.”

Then they toss the student newspaper sheet they had been hiding their faces behind up into the air and the game is ready to start. Then they jump up and down and to their best to distract the opposition and support the home team.

I think Pitt officials should put a stop to that. If I were a visiting coach I would tell Pitt officials you don’t want your team announced. Just start the game. Why subject your kids to such verbal abuse. Sucks what? What are they really saying?

No visiting coach has ever asked that his team not be announced, according to associate athletic director E.J. Borghetti, who handles public relations, and he told me that the administration is reviewing the situation about the students shouting “Sucks” during pre-game introductions.

Pitt officials should also quit moving the seats of season ticket holders each year depending on their giving level. The original agreement struck by athletic director Steve Peterson in his first stint at the school was that if you maintained the required giving level you would maintain the same seats ad infinitum. Jeff Long, the next a.d., said there was a misunderstanding about that. No, there wasn’t andy misunderstanding. He and his staff simply changed the rules. They broke a contract with their patrons. Peterson should rectify that and restore the original agreement. Pittsburghers don’t like to move. They like permanency.

I miss seeing the Pitt basketball players line up across the floor, arms over arms, swaying to the playing of the National Anthem. The ACC, I have learned, dictates that the players should be lined up on the sideline during the playing of the National Anthem. Pitt should appeal that with ACC officials and find a way to restore that formation on the floor. So get the players on the floor and the coach off the floor; that’s the final message for Pitt today.

March Madness is here and it’s the best time of the year for basketball fans.

Valley Mirror columnist Jim O’Brien has a book called “Chuck Noll – A Winning Way,” that is available on Amazon.com or through Jim’s website at www.jimobriensportsauthor.com

John Mehno, Pirates Reporter, Altoona Mirror

First, can you let readers know about your coverage and what they should expect in 2014?

I have daily Pirates notebooks in the Altoona Mirror, plus two columns per week there. My Sunday column is in the Beaver County Times.

What do you say to those that feel so much went right for the Pirates last season – banner seasons from Alvarez, McCutchen, Liraiano, etc. – that duplicating the team’s success of last season seems unlikely?

I agree with the first part of the premise. A lot of things fell into place for the Pirates in 2013. I used the expression more than once that the season seemed to be sprinkled with magic dust. But there were also things that didn’t work out — Wandy Rodriguez was done on June 5, Neil Walker had a home run surge in the last month but otherwise disappointed offensively, Garrett Jones added very little, right field was never very productive, Jeff Locke wasn’t very effective in the second half. Some of what happened last year wasn’t a fluke. Alvarez is a legitimate home run hitter. McCutchen is capable of MVP-worthy numbers.

Winning can produce pressure. Now the Pirates are a “team to beat”. Do you get an early sense that this team can handle that pressure and who are the “locker room leaders” on this team?

I don’t think that’s an issue. They played important games last year and were fine. They finally shook the two consecutive late-season collapses. I’m not big on leadership. Sometimes guys who are cited as leaders don’t do much more than lead guys to a great bar on the road. AJ Burnett was perceived as a leader for the pitchers, but he set a bad example by complaining about defensive shifts and throwing a fit when he found out he wasn’t pitching Game Five in the playoffs.

The 2013 team was always prepared and almost always gave its best effort. Between Clint Hurdle and self-policing, I don’t think attitude was ever a problem.

First base is still a bit of a hole for this team, especially with Jones’ departure. How do you see that position shaking out, ultimately, and can Andrew Lambo become a big part of the solution?

I still think they’ll get a lefthanded hitter who can play first base. As other teams start to shape their rosters, some players who aren’t available now might become available. There’s definitely an opportunity for Lambo if he can take advantage of it. But it appears he’s just learning the basics of first base, so I don’t think they’re going to feel comfortable with him there.

People think first base is easy, but that’s not necessarily the case. The Pirates tried to put Dave Parker at first early in his career, but he couldn’t do it.

Who are some of the biggest characters on the team? Any examples of team hijinks/humor you’ve seen?

Gerrit Cole has an interesting way of looking at things. As he settles in and gets more comfortable, I believe more of that personality will show itself. Sports in general have fewer characters than they did in the past. There’s so much money involved now that I think players take things more seriously.

I guess Jason Grilli and Mark Melancon were behind getting that shark tank in the clubhouse last year. That was about as wacky as it got unless you consider the shaving cream pie wild and crazy.

Lots of opinions on the lack of substantial moves by the front office so far this offseason. Especially after the comments on the success of their tv rights deal. Any thoughts on why the front office has made few moves so far?

Let’s start with the idea that this is not the typical Pirates offseason. They’re not looking to get past 75 wins, as they have been forever. They won 94 games last season, which means they must have some pretty decent talent. That said, they needed to add to the starting staff even if Burnett came back. They’re taking a shot in the dark with Edinson Volquez. It’s doubtful they’ll hit the jackpot they way they did with Liriano.

A Jonathan Sanchez scenario is more likely when you take a chance on guys who have been failing elsewhere. They apparently made competitive offers to a couple of free agents (Josh Johnson, James Loney) who went elsewhere. They won’t ever say this, but I think they’re counting on the in-season additions of Jameson Taillon and Gregory Polanco to upgrade the roster.

Who were some of the unsung heroes on this team last season. And who do you see stepping up this season and contributing more?

Tony Watson got a lot of big outs and helped them get to the Melancon-Grilli final two innings. Vin Mazzaro and Jeanmar Gomez were two pitchers who exceeded expectations. The biggest thing in 2014 is seeing younger players continue to develop. I’d put Marte and Cole at the top of that list.

The front office has placed a great deal of emphasis on defense – seemingly more so than most other teams do. Is that accurate, first of all, and is that due to the stadium dynamics or other issues?

They do emphasize defense, but I don’t know how the value they place on it compares to other teams. It’s important, and often overlooked. The Pirates showed last year you can win games with good pitching and so-so offense. Part of good pitching is good defense. One of the underrated aspects of the winning teams in the early 1990s was the defense. Jay Bell and Jose Lind were solid in the middle of the infield. Van Slyke and Bonds were better than most in the outfield. Mike LaValliere won a Gold Glove. Jeff King and Sid Bream were above-average defenders.

Last year Russell Martin was huge. His ability to throw out base stealers not only took runners off the bases, it made teams reconsider whether they wanted to attempt to run. Teams ran almost at will the year before. There are aspects to defense that aren’t always readily apparent but they have an impact — hits that could have been outs with a better defensive player, double plays that should have been made.

How much can we realistically expect from prospects like Tailllon and Polanco this season? And any other prospects you feel will be ready to contribute this season?

Jim Leyland used to say, “A prospect is someone who hasn’t done anything yet.” Barry Bonds was as good a player as the Pirates have had, but he hit .223 as a rookie. There are always hopes, but the reality is inexperienced players almost always need time to adjust to a better level of competition.

This front office has invested a good deal in international talent/players. Why has it done so and how successful has this approach been, to date?

You need to look everywhere for talent. The Pirates used to be successful in Latin America, but that was a different era. You don’t sign players for $500 and a plane ticket any more. They’ve gotten Marte and Polanco from the Dominican Republic, as well as Alen Hanson, who’s one of their better prospects. If you’re adding players of that caliber outside of the draft, it’s worth the effort.

What will surprise fans most about this upcoming season. do you think, and why?

They’re going to need some surprises, especially on the pitching staff. I’m always a Charlie Morton booster, so I’ll say that he steps up and settles in as a reliable starter.

Any last thoughts for readers?

Keep your shirt and shoes on at the ballpark, please. Stop spitting on the sidewalks. Remember that it’s a very long season, with plenty of changing plots along the way.

Charlie Batch, Steelers Quarterback, 2002-2012

First, can you let readers know why you started the Best of the Batch Foundation and how has it gone so far?

I lost my sister to gang violence in 1996. At that point I promised that if I was ever in a position to give back I would. That opportunity presented itself in 1998 when I was drafted by the Lions and I started the foundation in 1999 and am proud that we now have over 2,300 kids in the foundation.

We’re based out of Munhall, Pa. I’m excited to make a difference and people can help us by contributing at //batchfoundation.org/

Continue reading “Charlie Batch, Steelers Quarterback, 2002-2012”

Anson Whaley, Editor, Cardiac Hill

First, can you tell readers a bit about Cardiac Hill – what’s in store for readers in 2014 and what you’re looking forward to covering?

I started the site back in 2008 as mostly a place for me to vent after frustrating losses and such, and was approached by SB Nation to move the blog there in 2011. The site started out mostly as me commenting on games and news links. These days, we’ve got seven writers that cover almost everything related to Pitt sports, attend and cover games as credentialed members of the press, have a podcast, and post several times a day.

In 2013, we took a big step forward in beginning to do some coverage of the non-revenue/Olympic sports. Other than the official athletics department page, we were maybe the only site that covered the baseball team from start to finish last year, recapping basically every series. We also took a bigger step into the recruiting world. A big focus this year is to do more of those things. Pitt has an amazing wrestling program that’s always ranked and now in the top ten. The gymnastics program was ranked in the Top 25 last year. The baseball team had a school record 42 wins and was ranked. The women’s basketball team hired Suzie McConnell-Serio and was recently a Sweet 16 team. Programs like that deserve coverage and we’re one of the few sites that does much with those sports. And while we’ll never be a site geared fully towards recruiting, that’s a huge market obviously. We’re going to continue to do more in not only announcing when recruits have committed, but providing a bit more insight onto individual players and their backgrounds.

One thing I pride myself on is running a site that gives clear opinions but lacks homerism. We try to be as realistic as possible and while all of us are Pitt fans, my goal is for us to be as even-handed as possible.

First – Let’s talk Pitt basketball. How deflating was the Duke loss for Pitt? And considering they struggled against Maryland as well, should fans be worried bout this team moving forward?

The loss to Duke certainly hurt since a lot of fans, myself included, thought it was a game Pitt should win. This year, Pitt has struggled in their big ‘spotlight’ games when they’ve been in front of the entire country. Many poll voters have likely only seen Pitt against Syracuse, Cincinnati, and Duke … and the Panthers lost each game. But as I wrote afterwards on our site, it’s all got to be kept in perspective a bit. Pitt had an uncharacteristically bad night against Cincinnati and still lost by only one on a neutral court. The Syracuse loss was by only five and they were on the road and neck and neck with the No. 2 team in the country. Duke has NBA players and just shot lights out, playing their best game of the year. No reason to panic at all if you’re a Pitt fan. All three losses were to ranked teams and only one of them was at home. The Panthers don’t have the marquee win everyone wants, but beating Clemson by 33, Maryland by 20, Wake Forest by 15, Stanford by 20 … those are all better than average victories. Pitt doesn’t have a great win yet, but they have plenty of very good ones.

What are your thoughts on Patterson – is he the type of player than can be aggressive enough and carry this team deep into the NCAA tournament, or is his game too limited? And do you see him getting drafted?

Patterson certainly has the ability to take the team deep into the tournament, but Pitt’s question is going to be if they can find others to consistently support him. He had an off night against Duke and things like that are bound to happen. The Panthers are going to need other guys to step up and not only hit their season averages in the box score, but handle an even bigger load on nights that Patterson is limited. Because of that, I’m not sure I like their chances for a deep tournament run – all it takes is one bad game and Pitt is relying quite a bit on freshmen.

Earlier this year, I didn’t think there was a chance he’d get drafted. But he will have a legitimate chance to win the ACC Player of the Year award and if he does that, he’ll get even more attention. Patterson’s biggest flaw is that he’s a bit undersized for his true position at small forward. That’s especially true in the NBA when teams are playing bigger and bigger guys there. A guy like Mike Dunleavy, Jr. is 6’9″ and plays small forward, and teams will find it hard to play Patterson against players that long. All of that said, he does a lot of things very well and I continue to be amazed at how well he passes every game. At this point, I’d lean against him being taken but it’s hard not to see him getting into someone’s summer camp as a free agent.

Who are the current roster players that you really see stepping up this season and next?

A guy like Talib Zanna is stepping up this season and getting better, but the one that’s really improved is Cam Wright. As a freshman, Wright looked out of place on the court and struggled quite a bit. He got a little better last year, but still wasn’t more than a role player who could come in and get minutes based on solely his defense. This year, he’s more aggressive offensively and even though he’s not a great jump shooter, he’s a very efficient scorer because he often gets to the basket or takes high-percentage shots. I did an entire article last year about how he could take a Brad Wanamaker-type leap this year as a junior and that’s proving to be true.

When it comes to next year, Cam is going to have an even bigger role with both of Pitt’s top two scorers, Patterson and Zanna, graduating. Ditto for James Robinson, who might also have to do a little more scoring. The interesting thing to me will be the roles of the trio of freshmen that are playing this year – Mike Young, Jamel Artis, and Josh Newkirk. Those guys are getting their chances this year, but will have even more of an opportunity to do something next season.

What recruits should fans be most excited to see next year and why?

Pitt has three players coming in with center Shaquille Doorson, local forward Ryan Luther, and Vanderbilt transfer, Sheldon Jeter. Doorson could play right away just out of the sheer need for size on this team but Jeter is the one who could make the biggest impact. Next year would be his third year out of high school and he’s the kind of guy that will step in and get minutes immediately. There’s also Top 50 recruit Detrick Mostella who had committed to the team, but we don’t know what’s really going on with his qualifying status and even if he’ll be here at any point.

Should Artis be starting over Young, in your opinion? Why? Why not?

That’s a question that’s going to keep coming up as long as Young struggles. Right now, I wouldn’t make the move for a few reasons.

First, Pitt is playing well with the way things are right now and Jamie Dixon has never been a coach that likes to rock the boat. Young may lose minutes, but I’d expect him to still start unless he becomes absolutely unplayable. Another issue with a switch right now is that Pitt’s bench production is often nonexistent with the loss of Durand Johnson. Artis is sometimes the only guy doing much of anything there and if you make that switch, the bench could get even weaker. Lastly, Dixon has to be careful with how he handles Young on a personal level. He sustained some criticism (likely, unfairly) with the Khem Birch debacle and some of the other transfers Pitt has had, and while he’s not playing all that great right now, Young isn’t a guy the Panthers want to lose. To me, it just makes more sense to leave him where he is for now.

On to football….What players do you see stepping up in 2014

True sophomore Tyler Boyd instantly becomes the focal point of the offense. Most of 2013, he had Devin Street on the other side attracting a lot of attention and as a freshman, he was still a bit of an unknown to teams. But next year, there’s no Street, the line will still be making adjustments, and he has a new quarterback in Chad Voytik. I expect a big year out of Boyd, but he will have some things to overcome. The running back situation is also an interesting one. The top three rushers all return, but that unit often had its share of struggles last season. They really need to have a bigger year to take some pressure off of the passing game.

The defense is really taking a hit next season, too. There’s not only the enormous loss of Aaron Donald, but fellow lineman Ty Ezell, middle linebacker Shane Gordon, and K’Waun Williams and Jason Hendricks in the secondary are all gone as well. Because of that, a lot of pressure will go to the returning linebackers, Anthony Gonzalez and Todd Thomas, who really will be counted on to help stop the run AND drop back into pass coverage since the line and secondary lose quite a bit.

What do you think of this years’ recruiting class and who should fans be most excited to see play in 2014?

This year’s class is a bit of a mixed bag. Pitt landed some very solid offensive players but really missed on most of their bigger defensive targets. It’s a pattern we’ve seen with Chryst’s staff as most of their bigger talent has been on offense. The linemen, Alex Bookser and Michael Grimm, are very strong ‘gets’, but we might only see them sparingly next season as true freshmen. The guy to watch is Adonis Jennings, a four-star wide receiver. He’ll have a shot to start opposite Boyd because of Street’s departure and could be an impact guy immediately. Running backs Chris James and Qadree Ollison could also make some noise, but they’ve got James Conner and Isaac Bennett fighting them for carries.

This program has struggled to recruit successfully in its own backyard, and the struggles seem to have gotten worse as PSU and WVU make greater inroads. Why is this and how o they rectify it, do you think?

We’ve written quite a bit about this recently, but it’s due to several factors. For one, Pitt has been a very average program for three years now, winning only six regular season games each time. Right now, the football program just reeks of mediocrity due to the coaching changes. Another issue is that some kids just want to leave town. Pitt isn’t going to get every single kid they want because often, local players want to just get away – no matter how much they may like Pitt. That’s particularly true in the cases of Penn State and West Virginia since those are rural campuses while Pitt is a decidedly urban one. Kids attracted to a more rural locale aren’t always going to find it easy to come to Oakland. The other issue is that Chryst just doesn’t appear to be a dynamic recruiter. There have been statements from some parents/family members that they’ve, in a few words, just not been really pleased with the staff. By all indications, Chryst could probably use a couple of guys on his staff that are real ‘go-getters’ and ruthless when it comes to landing kids.

The best thing Pitt can do right now, though, is just to win. The Panthers have two good chances to do that over the next couple of years as the 2014 schedule is a fairly mild one and in 2015, a lot of the younger talent they have (particularly on the offensive line) gets a little older. Winning 9-10 games a year will cure a lot of those recruiting woes and show some of the bigger talent that Pitt has missed on that by coming to Pitt, they can compete for a BCS game.

Has this program finally recovered from the numerous coaching changes, do you think?

They’re just now getting there. The changes really set them back as Graham’s only class was built with specific players not really suited for Chryst’s system and Chryst’s first class was thrown together mostly within a month with Graham’s departure. A huge problem was that the offensive line was really understocked for what Chryst likes to do, which is run. Chryst has had success in bringing in some big offensive talent, but we’re kind of in the waiting period where those guys are just getting adjusted. 2015, as I mentioned above, is kind of his make or break year.

Outside of Aaron Donald, what other Pitt players do you see being drafted in 2014?

Devin Street should be picked as long as he can prove that he’s healthy. There were some mock drafts that had him as a draft pick last season before he announced he was coming back. Without looking at the projections yet, my guess is that he’s mid-round pick. A guy like Tom Savage probably gets taken, too. His decision-making has to get a little better as he was plagued a bit by interceptions, but he has what NFL teams look for – a strong arm and an NFL frame. I’m not sure how his game will translate at the next level, but him getting drafted wouldn’t surprise me. Others, such as K’Waun Williams, should get a look as an undrafted free agent, if he’s not a late pick.

Any predictions for the program for 2014?

My early pick is that Pitt gets to eight wins. As I said earlier, the schedule is just too easy and even despite the losses on both sides of the ball, it’s hard not to like their chances. Fewer than eight wins would be a disappointment and fewer than seven would be a disaster.

Any last thoughts for readers?

Hail to Pitt!

Charlie Wilmoth, Editor, Bucs Dugout

First, can you let readers know about the Bucsdugout.com website and what they should expect in terms of coverage and new features in 2014?

David Manel and I plan to cover games from PNC Park this year, Wilbur Miller will cover the minor-league system, and David Todd and I will continue to run the Bucs Dugout Podcast. My book about Pirates fans will be out this spring. That’s my main focus right now.

I don’t agree that Alvarez had a banner season, but in general, I agree with those people, whoever they are. The tendency of teams who win as many games as the Pirates did last year is to regress to the mean, particularly when they don’t upgrade. Losing A.J. Burnett’s 2013 production — assuming the Pirates actually do lose him — will really hurt.

Where are the greatest opportunities for “upside” for this team in 2014, and do you see those actually happening?

I could see Gregory Polanco joining the team in June and upgrading the Pirates’ outfield defense even more. Wandy Rodriguez was a very solid pitcher fairly recently, and he seems to be a forgotten man. I’m not sure how optimistic to be about his health, however. I’m also interested to see how Stolmy Pimentel will do out of the bullpen. Probably the Pirates’ best shot at a big upside season, though, is Gerrit Cole pitching all year like he did down the stretch in 2013.

How do you see first base ultimately shaking out this season? Can Lambo be a al part of the solution?

Maybe, but I still think they’ll acquire someone, perhaps shortly before spring training opens. If I had to bet on someone, it would be Ike Davis.

What are your thoughts on the starting rotation? In a recent article (//www.bucsdugout.com/2014/1/13/5304568/a-guess-at-the-pirates-25-man-roster), You projected that to be Cole, Liriano, Rodriguez, Morton and Volquez. Will Rodrguez be healthy, and how successful do you see Morton and Volquez being?

Morton will go as far as the Pirates’ infield defense will take him. As for Volquez, your guess is as good as mine. The Pirates must have thought they could fix him. If they can, Ray Searage will have pretty firmly established himself as one of baseball’s best pitching coaches.

Currently, there are no left-handed SP’s after 2014. How do you see the Pirates addressing this issue?

They’ll have Gerrit Cole switch pitching hands. No problemo! Well, either that, or maybe they’ll just have Jeff Locke pitch a few innings.

How much does this team lean on statistical analysis compared to other MLB teams? And how exactly does it do so, from your perspective?

Most teams lean on statistical analysis to some degree, and the Pirates are no exception. Their main stats guy, Dan Fox, helped design the last season’s very successful approach defensive shifts.

At this stage in the offseason, what realistic moves would you like to see this team make to help this team contend in 2014, taking into account the team’s payroll, free agents left, and potential trade prospects?

Oh man, I don’t know. There isn’t much left on the free agent market, especially offensively. Re-signing Burnett would probably be the single best thing they could do. There are still some pitchers available. I expect a lot of them will sign soon now that the Yankees have signed Masahiro Tanaka, but maybe someone will come cheaply.

Any fear that we are overhyping Polanco? And outside of Polanco, what other prospects do you see contributing substantially to this team in 2014, and how so?

You never know for sure how a prospect will perform until he actually does it, but Polanco is worthy of the hype. He’s always had a million tools, and he’s done a great job turning them into skills these past two years.

Any last thoughts for readers?

Thanks!

Dave Bryan, Editor, Steelers Depot

First, can you tell readers about Steelers Depot and what you have in store for 2014?

It’s draft season right now and that means we are currently hard at work breaking down several draft eligible players. We are watching as much tape as possible and writing up player profiles complete with videos and animated gifs that highlight the strengths and weakness of each. We also plan to have several draft experts on The Terrible Podcast leading up to the draft to discuss players that the Steelers may or may not have interest in drafting. In addition to all of that, we will also have plenty of mock drafts from myself and several of my writers along the way.

Leading up to the start of free agency and OTA sessions, we have several series planned. Some of these are already well underway as we not only take a look back at the 2013 season, but also what we think will happen during free agency and beyond. As usual, the site will always be up-to-date with whatever topical Steelers news is taking place. Once training camp gets underway, we will have our usual daily updates as the 2014 season draws closer. In season, we will provide our usual in-game and post-game analysis complete with stats and animated gifs.

From your point of view, what’s to blame for the running game issues. Is it scheme, play-calling, OL play or RB play?

I really think that it was a combination of several things. For starters, the Steelers were without the services of Le’Veon Bell, Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth to start the season in addition to losing Maurkice Pouncey just eight plays into the opener. In addition, the offensive line took forever to gel and the outside zone scheme we expected to see more of with then-new offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. was quickly abandoned for whatever reasons.

I’m not one that easily points to play-calling and I really don’t think that was as big of issue as most do. More than anything else, the tape shows that execution was lacking when it came to the running game during the first half of the season. Once the offensive line shuffling settled down in the second half of the season and Spaeth finally returned to action, the arrow really started to point up. Bell looked like he adjusted to the speed of the game and the execution at all five spots on the line improved as well. The success that the running game had down the stretch was certainly encouraging and there is no reason to think that it won’t take a giant step forward in 2014.

You’ve analyzed Jarvis Jones’ play over his rookie season. What does he need to do to improve, especially as a pass rusher, and do you think he has the capacity to do so?

Jones played exactly like I thought he would during his rookie season. I broke him down extensively following the draft and it was easy to see that he lacked strength and a pass rush repertoire when it came to counter moves. While he had nice sack stats at Georgia, they were mostly a result of him beating lesser competition to the edge as there weren’t a lot of instances him beating tackles with a bull-rush or dip and bend.

As the season progressed, Jones looked a lot more comfortable in the Dick LeBeau scheme and that is encouraging. Moving forward, however, he must get stronger and work on developing his counter moves in order to increase his pass rushing effectiveness, which was pretty much non-existent in 2013.

While not great against the run to start with, Jones really improved in that area late in the season. Getting stronger should help with is ability to hold the edge and he should only get better when it comes to reading his keys and reacting quicker.

Jones has a lot of upside, but we have to see it on tape before we get too excited about his future. He has a lot of work to do during the offseason and judging by his post-season comments, he knows it. His progress will be easy to see as early as training camp and the preseason.

From your analysis, were the run defense issues a matter of NT play, LB play or scheme? How do you see this being rectified in 2014?

While most everybody is trying to point the finger at nose tackle Steve McLendon as the reason why the run defense suffered in 2013, I don’t. In fact, the Steelers run defense was pretty good against runs scored as going right up the middle when McLendon was on the field, outside of about six or seven explosive plays of twenty yards or more. I dedicated a post to that very topic that you can read here.

The poor tackling in the secondary surely did not help out, nor did the constant shuffling of the buck linebacker position. Like it or not, I really believe that the Steelers missed Larry Foote when it came to their run defense. Losing him in the season opener resulted in Vince Williams having to learn on the job. In addition, Troy Polamalu was used quite a bit at inside linebacker and that’s something that hasn’t happened since early on in his career. In addition to Williams and Polamalu having to play inside, Kion Wilson and Terence Garvin also took snaps alongside Lawrence Timmons. Yes, there were still some issues along the defensive line throughout the season and they aren’t totally off the hook.

The run defense uncharacteristically allowed seven runs of 20 yards or more in 2013 and five of those went for 40 yards or more. Runs that long will easily ruin an average and usually result in points for an opponent as well.

What do you attribute the second-half of the season’s offense success to? What did they do to improve?

As I mentioned in an earlier answer, getting the offensive line settled down and bodies back healthy certainly didn’t hurt things. In addition to that, the use of the no-huddle combined with a more rhythmic, quick passing game helped tremendously. By using more no-huddle, Ben Roethlisberger was able to get a good pre-snap read of the defense and personnel that was on the field and check to another play when the need presented itself.

In addition to the above, the running game improved and Bell also became more and more involved in the passing game. At times, the offense would even use an empty set with Bell lined up outside as a receiver in order to try to take advantage of personnel mismatches.

Keeping Roethlisberger properly protected also played a big role in the offense being able to move the ball better. Kelvin Beachum really was one of the best left tackles in the league over the course of the final seven games of the season when it came to pass blocking efficiency. When times called for it, Roethlisberger was able to extend plays and there’s no question that he’s the best in the league at doing just that.

Another major factor was that red zone production got a lot better down the stretch. In the last six games the offense was 14-of-20 (70%) inside the red zone when came to scoring touchdowns.

With today’s offense-oriented NFL, in your opinion, should the Steelers’ defense be looking more aggressively for the turnover rather than playing a more conservative style of defense?

When it comes to the Steelers defense and turnovers, it all starts with an effective pass rush and stopping the run on early downs. In my opinion, the personnel hasn’t carried out the scheme well over the course of the last three seasons when it comes to doing both of those primary things effectively.

Keeping opposing quarterbacks in predictable situations when it comes to down and distance is a must and having a lead in the fourth quarter also helps in that area.

As far as playing more press versus off coverage, I think you might see a little more of that next season, but not as much as many fans will want. The Steelers generally draft cornerbacks that tackle well as opposed to those that are effective playing man. Why? Well, in order to get a big, physical corner that plays man well, you have to draft them in earlier rounds.

LeBeau’s defense is simple, but mighty effective when the personnel execute it correctly and don’t try to do too much. Stop the run, tackle the catch, don’t get beat deep and get after the passer effectively. Everyone will agree that they failed miserably at all four of those phases last season.

The draft is still a good deal away, but who would you like to see the Steelers draft in the first few rounds that will realistically be there?

I hate to focus in on just one player. Yes, I do mock drafts, but they’re more of an exercise as opposed to me wanting one specific player. I will say, however, that I do not believe that the Steelers will draft a tackle early and I won’t be surprised if they don’t draft an offensive lineman at all. As far as the first round goes, I think the Steelers will draft either a wide receiver, cornerback, linebacker, defensive end or tight end. Yes, it’s that wide open as there are so many needs.

It’s so hard to predict who will fail to 15 as we sit here in January, however, if either Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack or Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins slip, either would be hard to pass up. Picking at 15 should afford the Steelers the opportunity to really go best player available at one of those five positions I listed above.

What free agents do you think the Steelers could and should realistically look at signing this offseason?

Based on their salary cap situation and history, I think that it will be another quiet offseason for the Steelers when it comes to signing outside free agents. As usual, the priority will be re-signing their own free agents that they wish to retain. This includes Jason Worilds, Jerricho Cotchery, Ziggy Hood, Al Woods, Fernando Velasco and Cody Wallace to name a few and the priority will likely be in the order that I listed them or very close to it.

Outside of their own free agents, I don’t expect any big names to be signed. If Ryan Clark and Will Allen are not re-signed, I could see them perhaps looking to see if a free agent free safety type can be added for depth, but I wouldn’t hold your breath for that to happen. In addition, I could perhaps see a back-up running back added to compete for a roster spot and maybe a journeyman offensive lineman to add competition. Any other free agents that they might add will be for the minimum with no guarantee they will make it out of training camp.

Was Worilds really that much better than Woodley when Woodley was healthy? Why/why not? How do you see that playing out?

It seems like so long ago that Woodley had five sacks through the first six games. In addition, he was effectively providing pressure in those first six games as well. Once he suffered his first calf injury against the Buffalo Bills, you kind of knew at that point that he would have problems overcoming it. Was he good at rushing the passer during that six game span? I thought so. Was he the 2009 version of LaMarr Woodley during those six games? No.

As for Worilds, he’s always been better on the left side as opposed to the right. In addition, he appears to have finally mastered that spin move of his and developed a few more subtle counter moves on top of it. It probably didn’t hurt that it was a contract-year for him as well.

Worilds really got into a groove as the starter once Woodley went down and the numbers back it up. Was his best better than Woodley’s best in 2013? I would have to say, yes.

While many believe that releasing Woodley during the offseason should be a priority if Worilds is re-signed, I currently believe that there is a pretty good chance that both will be retained if at all possible. Woodley needs to heed the advice of Ike Taylor and train with Tom Shaw down in Florida during the offseason. He needs to learn how to run, and how to properly strengthen those hamstrings and calves of his. If he does that, I believe that he still has another productive season or two in him. If he doesn’t, well, there is no reason to think that he will be able to make it through another season without missing games.

Will I be shocked if Woodley is cut loose at some point during the offseason? No, but you have to remember that the Steelers would have zero depth at the outside linebacker position should that happen. Chris Carter certainly won’t be the answer to the depth issues and while they might draft an outside linebacker in May, it would be asking a lot for that player to contribute a much during his rookie season.

Rest assured, the Steelers have a big decision ahead of them and it starts with getting Worilds locked up prior to the start of free agency. If that happens and Woodley is still on the team come the start of the new league year in March, I think it will be a sign that they intend on keeping him around at least another season. In other words, I think we will have a definitive answer as to the status of both within seven weeks from right now.

Does this team need a new OT? Or do you think Beachum and Gilbert are solid enough? And what are your thoughts on Mike Adams in 2014?

I did not think that Beachum had the ability to play left tackle in the NFL and so far he has proved me wrong. As I mentioned in an earlier answer, he really played well in the second half of the season, and especially when it came to protecting the blindside of Roethlisberger. After studying the tape from those games and knowing how dedicated Beachum is to his craft, I have now changed my tune. I do believe that he should be considered the starting left tackle moving forward and he will be hard to beat out for the position. At the very least, he’s earned the opportunity to call the job his for a while.

As for Gilbert, his career thus far can be best described as very inconsistent and that inconsistency can be seen from one play to the next during some games. For an offensive lineman that has already played just over 2,100 snaps at one position in the NFL, he has not lived up to being a second-round selection.

With the above being said, I still believe that Gilbert has not reached his upside as a right tackle. I think he remains very technically flawed and don’t believe that he has committed himself to being in the best physical shape. He can be a mauler in the run game when he wants to be and we’ve seen that. 2014 is a contract year for Gilbert and a lot will be expected from him.

As for Adams, I am on record as saying that I didn’t like the pick from day one. In my opinion, he is soft and not yet comfortable in his own skin. He has all of the tools needed to be a quality starting tackle in the league, but those tools are all scattered about and never used all at one time.

During Adams’ rookie season, he showed some promise as a run blocker on the right side, but when asked to start the 2013 season as the left tackle, he played like an undrafted free agent that was in over his head. Like Gilbert, he needs to dedicate himself more to his craft and perhaps new offensive line coach Mike Munchak can fix his footwork and hand usage problems. Regardless of how good of coach that Munchak is, Adams has to want it for himself and right now I see that as the biggest obstacle that he has to overcome.

Where do you see Shamarko Thomas and Markus Wheaton fitting in this upcoming season?

Both Thomas and Wheaton were able to get valuable playing time early on in the 2013 as rookies, but injuries quickly caused both to fall back in their development. Once recovered from his broken finger, Wheaton really didn’t have a chance to show what he has because of the players that were ahead of him on the depth chart. Wheaton comes off as a very smart kid and I believe that a full offseason of OTAs and mini camps will put him right where he needs to be. More than anything else, he just needs to stay healthy. He has all of the tools needed to succeed in the Steelers offensive system.

With Thomas, I see him more as a strong safety than I do I free safety. While he did play 193 snaps on defense as a rookie, he didn’t play a single snap after suffering his ankle injury way back in Week 10. While on the field, he looked unsure of his assignments several times, so he still has a lot to learn.

It will be interesting to see how 2014 plays out for Thomas as it looks like Polamalu will indeed be back. Do the Steelers think that the Syracuse product can step right in and fill Clark’s shoes at free safety? I’m willing to bet they don’t. If not, Thomas’ second season could consist of him mainly playing a lot in the slot as a dimeback in sub-packages while he is further groomed to eventually take over for Polamalu. We just haven’t seen enough him on Sunday’s to know what he is or isn’t. We do know that he is a big hitter and that’s about it. We still have a lot to find out about him and it will be interesting to read about his offseason development. What happens during free agency should also provide us some clues as to what the Steelers have planned for him in 2014 as well. He is a good special teams player, so at least we can count on that for now.

What do you think Mike Munchak’s hire will mean for this OL/offense?

The Steelers really did good by hiring Munchak and it will be hard to find anyone that will argue against that. I firmly believe that his primary focus will be to develop Adams, Gilbert and Beachum for starters. Let’s face it, they have two second-round draft picks tied up in those three players and are not getting the proper return on the investment.

In addition to those three players, Munchak ought to love being able to work with Pouncey and David DeCastro. DeCastro is a technician just like Munchak was during his playing days and I fully expect the Stanford product to be the best right guard in the league next season.

Munchak is fully versed in both the inside and outside zone schemes, so you can expect that it will be taught correctly right from the start. He is stickler for proper footwork and spacing, so this young unit has a lot of hard work ahead them.

During his time as the Titans offensive line coach, Munchak had some very good offensive lines that produced several 1,000-yard rushers. Le’Veon Bell’s running style closely resembles that of Eddie George, so you can’t help but get excited about having Munchak on board coaching the offensive line that will block for him. One thing is for certain, this offensive should be able to run first next season and pass second. Like everyone else, I am very excited about this hire.

Any last thoughts for readers?

As many already know, I am a very polarizing individual and that’s because I am mania bipolar. This causes me to be very abrasive on Twitter and as a result I often offend people easily. In other words, don’t take things that I say personally and I invite you to learn more about that disorder and how to deal with those that have it. I also have obsessive compulsive and sleep disorders in addition to being bipolar, but have learned how to channel all of this into working tirelessly on my site and I hope that it shows. I have some great writers that contribute to the site daily and we work around the clock seven days a week to be as compressive as possible. Our podcast will be entering its fifth season in 2014 and you can download it on iTunes or hear it on Steelers Nation Radio. During the offseason, David Todd and I do two shows a week and once the season starts we bump that up to three a week.

Tim Williams, Editor, Pirates Prospects

First, can you let readers know about Pirates Prospects – and what they should expect in terms of coverage and new features in 2014?

Pirates Prospects has been covering the Pirates for five years, with a focus on the minor league system. The past year has been exciting in that regard because we’re now starting to see top prospects arriving in Pittsburgh and helping the Pirates to become contenders. The 2014 season will see two big arrivals in Gregory Polanco and Jameson Taillon. We will be providing daily updates for both players during their time in Triple-A, along with live reports on those two and every other player in the system. I don’t know yet what kind of new features we will have, but we will continue our usual coverage of every level of the system, including the majors.

When it comes to young players like Alvarez and McCutchen, I don’t buy into the theory that a good season can only be a career year. A lot of people said that McCutchen wouldn’t repeat his 2012 season in 2013, and the Pirates would struggle as a result. McCutchen actually had a better season in 2013. Does that mean I expect him to match his 2013 numbers, or improve on them? No. But I don’t think it’s a given that all of the players who had good seasons last year will see their numbers decline this year. A lot of the projection systems that have come out are giving favorable numbers to the top performers in 2013, which is an encouraging sign that says the numbers for these players won’t decline.

First base is still a bit of a hole for this team, especially with Jones’ departure. How do you see that position shaking out, ultimately, and can Andrew Lambo become a big part if the solution?

I think Andrew Lambo can be a short-term solution. It’s definitely not as comfortable of a situation as adding a “name” player at first base. But Lambo combined for 33 home runs last year in his age 24 season. The Pirates are always going to be a team that has to give chances to guys like him with those types of numbers. It looks like they’ll be going with Lambo and Gaby Sanchez in a platoon, with Chris McGuiness as a Plan B to Lambo. Long-term, I think that Josh Bell could be the answer at first base. He still needs to realize his potential with the bat, but once that happens, he could arrive in the majors quickly, after getting some work at first base.

How much does this team lean on statistical analysis compared to other MLB teams? And how exactly does it do so, from your perspective?

I’m not sure how they compare to other teams. I know the Pirates do rely on stats in a big way, and you can see that on the field. Last year the defensive shifts were a big part of the success the team had, and those shifts were largely due to the stats department. The fact that they have an entire department for statistical analysis shows that this is a big part of their decision making process.

Are fans and the media too unappreciative of the job Mercer has done at SS. He seems to be a solid player there and a position that’s not easy to fill. Thoughts?

I don’t know if anyone is being unappreciative of Mercer. If anything, I think that people don’t realize just how thin shortstop is across the league. That’s not just in the majors, but in the minors. It’s hard to find a shortstop who can hit and play good defense. Most teams are choosing between a guy who can do one of those things. Mercer doesn’t bring a lot to the table defensively, but he does have a good bat for the position. His defensive skills are also good enough that he won’t be a liability at the position. I don’t think he’s the long-term solution, but I do think that a lot of teams would like to have a guy like him as a short-term solution.

Is the media overhyping OF Polanco and his potential impact for this team when he joins the roster this season? And when do you expect that to happen?

I view Polanco’s arrival in the same way that I viewed Andrew McCutchen’s arrival back in 2009. He’s a potential impact player who could immediately start to produce when he arrives in the majors. A big difference between the two is that McCutchen was a first round pick and spent many years as the top prospect in the system. Polanco was signed for $150,000 and has only been a top prospect for the last two seasons. So people were anticipating McCutchen’s debut for a lot longer. If you look at where they both were right before arriving in the majors, you’ll see that they both profiled as potential impact guys. I think Polanco could arrive in mid-June.

Just like the stats question, I can’t really speak to the strategies of other teams. But I would agree that the Pirates place a big emphasis on defense. I think that the stadium dynamics create a need for a good defensive outfield. You pretty much need two center fielders due to the spacious left field at PNC. However, the infield has the same dimensions in every park, and the Pirates have placed a big emphasis on infield defense. They signed Clint Barmes for two years, then brought him back. They’ve signed a lot of guys off the bench who have no value other than defense. Then there’s the defensive shifts and the focus on ground ball heavy pitchers. Add in the focus throughout the entire system on catcher defense and pitch framing and you can see that they’re placing a big focus on defense all over the field.

Will Taillon, as you’ve written, be this season’ s Cole? Can he contribute that much to this team this season?

As far as a top young pitcher who could arrive in mid-June and provide a boost to the rotation, I think Taillon is comparable. Cole came up and had immediate success, and looked like an ace by September. I think Taillon could have the immediate success, but expecting him to reach his upside by the end of the year might be a bit much. If the Pirates only get “Gerrit Cole June-August” numbers from Taillon, that would be a good thing.

This front office has invested a good deal in international talent/players. Why has it done so and how successful has this approach been, to date?

The approach is just starting to show success, which makes sense as they didn’t really start investing until 2008/2009. Last year Starling Marte made an impact in the majors. Gregory Polanco is next. Alen Hanson won’t be too far behind. They also added Dominican left-hander Joely Rodriguez to the 40-man roster this off-season, and have Colombian outfielder Harold Ramirez breaking into the top ten prospects this year. I think a big part of the success hasn’t been the spending, as much as the scouting in areas where teams don’t usually scout for players. That is why four of the five players I just mentioned received $150,000 or less when they signed. As for why they’re taking this approach, all you have to do is look at the production from Marte, and imagine the future production from Polanco to answer that question. Those two cost a combined $235,000 to sign, and could make up two-thirds of the best outfield in baseball over the next several years.

Many look at the teams’ poor performances as an excuse for the team’s solid drafts, as they were able to pick high up in the draft. But you’ve shown that many of their big successes were not top picks. Can you shed more light/detail on this?

The Pirates have the top farm system this year, but it’s not a product of high draft picks. In the top ten, they have some first round picks (Jameson Taillon, Austin Meadows, and Reese McGuire). They have just as many picks after the first round (Tyler Glasnow, Nick Kingham, Josh Bell). They also have several international prospects in the group (Gregory Polanco, Alen Hanson, Luis Heredia, Harold Ramirez). If you take away the first round picks, they still have a lot of impact talent. Gregory Polanco, Tyler Glasnow, and Alen Hanson would be top five prospects in almost any system, and could challenge for the top spot in most systems (especially Polanco). Guys like Kingham and McGuire aren’t top five prospects in the system, but would be top five prospects in a lot of other systems. The Pirates are getting talent from all avenues. It’s not just first round picks.

What will surprise fans most about this upcoming season do you think, and why?

After the 2013 season, I don’t think it will be as surprising if the team contends in 2014. But there have been some feelings that the 2013 season was a fluke and they could revert back to losing in 2014. Or there have been feelings that they didn’t “act like a contender” this off-season and didn’t spend the money needed to contend. I see this team as a group that could make the playoffs once again. It’s basically the same team, minus A.J. Burnett, and plus an extra half a season of Gerrit Cole, Charlie Morton, and an extra month of Francisco Liriano. Add the mid-season arrivals of Taillon and Polanco, and this team can definitely contend. Anyone expecting the Pirates to go back to losing might end up surprised.