DK's Daily Shot of Pirates: How Skenes sees management

[@jerryyeager1307]

Thank you DK. Paul Skenes on another level knows talk is talk. Bottom line results matter. Great show DK

[@deniscunningham3059]

Skenes is challenging his teammates to improve, just as he has. He wants to be part of the solution. He's a leader.

[@DCPGHfan]

Skenes' level of emotional intelligence, as well as the depth of his personal character, are practically unreal. He's not only locked in as an extremely talented pitcher, he seems extremely locked in regarding his environment, the people around him, and a self-cultivated drive to do the right thing in whatever situation that presents itself. In my view, Skenes is using a "good faith" approach to influence those around him so they will become better-- which may trigger a few organizational improvements. Those in management will likely be forced take a good look at themselves in ways they haven't dared look before. Skenes is setting a strong personal example and a professional tone, while subtly holding others accountable to do the right thing through the use of his own public statements. Skenes' comments are incredibly savvy. The Pirates do have a good core. He stated that he's bought in on the idea of getting the players better (as Cherington has repeatedly said). Communicating that he's bought in on Cherington's messaging and then specifically saying that the front office and coaching staff are also bought is an extraordinary way of holding management accountable well before the 2025 season begins. (Management members probably don't even realize what just hit them.) The second part of Skenes' comments about being intentional and conscious about winning -- rather than just talking about it in rote ways -- is also an example of his astuteness. Skenes is the adult in the room. He's a natural leader, and he'll know exactly how and when to utilize his leadership skills. People like Skenes can be forces of nature-- and can also be the catalysts for genuine change. He's already demonstrated that he's the best thing that's happened to his current teammates, Pirate fans, and professional baseball in the city of Pittsburgh in quite some time. The pivot point for Pirates ownership and management may have just been very gently and politely established through Skenes' recent comments. The question is whether Nutting, Williams, Cherington, etc. are motivated enough, competent enough, and possess the energy that will be required to finally pivot. Winning on a consistent basis demands hard work.

[@sikwilly45]

@DCPGHfan I really like everything you said. But you touched on it at the end: competent. They are simply incompetent. Cherrington can't adapt away from his process, and Nutting can't run the ship. When Paul Skenes leaves, which he will, he will bring a championship to his new team because he will be a "force of nature" as you so aptly put it. He'll just never do it under this ownership.

[@RayManzarekRocks]

Skenes is too smart and competitive not to know where his future lies. It's in Los Angeles as the staff ace with a perennial World Series contender. Until then, the Pirates are nothing more than a Pitt stop along the way.

[@47AndyT]

Ppossibly who and what Paul Skenes is can be an example to his teammates! That's what I could see him adding to this team in 2035!

[@sikwilly45]

Skenes wants to win because he's a competitor. He wants to win here because he's loyal. Cherrington will take full advantage of this while simultaneously doing little to nothing to help him.

[@DavidKfilmmaker]

Didn’t we pick tallion over sale?

[@melmann357]

They picked him over Machado.

[@steelhammer103]

I haven't buy a Skenes jersey because I bought a Cole jersey 12 years ago, and I've learned from that. He's loyal now because of his military background but money talks. He'll leave when the owners of deeper pockets offer him more money after the final year of his contract. Buy his rookie baseball card now, because that will be worth more in the long run than his current Pirates jersey.

[@DavidKfilmmaker]

My mom really really really wanted the Steelers to win….but wouldn’t have a clue how to win. That’s cherrington.

[@ethanmcclelland4872]

So what do we have to do to keep skenes from the pitching staff and management?

[@richardwize4460]

We were all that innocent and hopeful many years ago. Those were the days. He will come around...😂

[@billzitsch6995]

That huge smile on his girlfriends face is because she knows that finishing first or second for rookie of the year means that he'll be out of Pittsburgh and in LA at least one year sooner. Maybe New York if he's willing to shave his beard for the Yankees.

[@mactheknife7049]

He'll be loyal until the next to last year of his contract, when the Pirates trade him for four guys no one's ever heard of before. Same as it's been for decades.

[@47AndyT]

Sounds about RIGHT!

[@mcconlogue1898]

His fiance is a beast. Sign her up.

[@edwarddickson7731]

He shouldn’t defend this incompetent management team. Just make his start every 8 to 10 days and RUN as soon as he’s eligible for free agency. And in all likelihood he’ll be gone before his first year of arbitration eligibility, they’re not going to risk having to triple their annual salary budget to pay him.😂

[@glockensig]

Keeping Raygun Shelton shows they don't want to win! They don't even care about the embarrassment Raygun brings to the organization!!

[@CraigTomlinson-y9y]

Skenes is on year one....of course he is buying into it....I say year 3 he'll finally come to three realization of false promises of the pirates. He'll then get shown huge money after year 4 that these pirates will never in a million years be able to match because of how unequal and unfair pro sports is salaries and cap, and will be gone to ummmmm I'll say either a team just north of us or west coast.

[@edwarddickson7731]

Cleveland?

[@joshl.685]

DK. I honestly think he wants to win in Pittsburgh but with these jabroni's running this organization it wont happen. I'm surprised he hasn't asked for a trade. To get a generational talent and not go all in is such a pirate thing. It makes me laugh but a little sad at the same time.

[@jordanoddi7123]

Can his girlfriend hit?