00:00Conor Griffin, who didn't like the world on fire, had some power, hit under 200, I get it.
00:04But you want to get this kid as many at-bats as you can because he could be a future
00:07superstar, Tom.
00:08And of course, they sent him down to the minor leagues, not because the Pirates have expectations of a World
00:13Series.
00:13The Pirates have expectations. They don't want to pay this guy and start his clock.
00:17Can we please just start here with baseball? Why is this guy not at the major league level, day number
00:22one?
00:24I would like to know that answer as well.
00:26Obviously, I want to see him, like you said, he hit under 200 in spring training.
00:30The power is clearly there.
00:32A lot of people are saying, is this about service time manipulation?
00:35Here's what I don't understand.
00:37There are reports out there by multiple people, high-level reporters, saying that the Pirates are in talks and considering,
00:44with Conor Griffin, a nine-year, $100-plus million contract.
00:49So if they're going to pay him, or those conversations are at least started, then his service time doesn't matter.
00:55Because if you're just going to pay him and give him that contract extension, whether he starts or comes up
01:00on April 1st, May 1st, June 1st, that service time is irrelevant if you're just going to extend him.
01:04And then that gets him out of awe.
01:07So he should be there.
01:09The Pirates last year were in the bottom five for average attendance.
01:13So even if he does struggle at the plate, there's something about starting the year on a good note for
01:18the fan base and starting the year with some level of optimism for your Cy Young pitcher and now a
01:25future franchise shortstop to be in there and have them coming up at the same time.
01:30That's what you want.
01:30Because Paul Skeen said in the WBC, he said in an interview after he pitched at the pool play, that
01:36it was great to pitch in front of a stadium with a full crowd, which is obviously he was alluding
01:40to.
01:40That's not what he gets in Pittsburgh.
01:41So to see him slightly unhappy and not have another star player alongside him, to me, it just seems like
01:48the days for Paul Skeen's are numbered.
01:50And Conor Griffin, if his days aren't numbered, when is he going to sign the contract?
01:54Yeah, it's a good point you bring up, too, because maybe it's a little bit of leverage that Pittsburgh's using,
01:58which they try to do on everybody before they get up to their final arbitration year and have to trade
02:02him at this point.
02:03But if you do bring him up, maybe the agent goes, oh, now he's already up.
02:05His clock has started.
02:06Have it a couple extra more million dollars because you already started.
02:09Like, no, no, no.
02:09Before that contract is signed, you're going back down to the minor leagues.
02:12But I always like to equate it to, like, the NFL, Tom.
02:14Like, imagine the number one overall pick is, like, you know what?
02:17We don't want to pay you on that sooner than later fifth or sixth year.
02:20If we keep you out of competition for the first year, then we get six years with you instead of
02:24five.
02:25It's ridiculous.
02:25It makes no sense.
02:26And I wish baseball would change it.
02:27But here we go, Tom.
02:29Paul Skeen's looked really good in midseason form out there in the WBC.
02:32He's going to take on Freddie Peralta, who just came over from Milwaukee, as now the de facto ace of
02:36the Mets.
02:37Stay up here, Tom.
02:38Minus 116, minus 102 split as the slight favorite to the New York Mets.
02:42Skeen's on that mound, Tom.
02:43As you pointed out, maybe just like a first five look.
02:46But these two pitchers should be able to get after it on opening day.
02:49They really should.
02:51You know, some of the same feelings they have for Yankees-Giants, where it's not going to be warm.
02:56It may be nice out for, you know, a game in Queens on a Thursday in late March.
03:01It's not going to be warm.
03:02It's going to be cooler.
03:03You know, looking towards a first five under, potentially, once we get those lines posted.
03:07But there are very few chances to get Paul Skeen's at close to even money and or plus money, if
03:13that's what he gets posted at, when it comes to the first five.
03:15So, I would expect a lack of offense, at least in the first five.
03:19Listen, if the Mets offense gets rolling, it's going to be against the Pittsburgh bullpen.
03:22It's not going to be against Skeen's in the first five.
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