TIOPS Daily 5
*Rumblings, Musings, Opinions*
1. Here come the Pirates!
Another come from behind win, this time a 4-run sixth inning fueled by a 2-run Josh Harrison homer as the Pirates rallied from a 3-0 deficit for a 4-3 win over the Brewers on Tuesday night at PNC PArk.
On a night where they got Starling Marte back from an 80 game suspension, the Pirates are surging.
Winners in 9 of their last 11 games, Pittsburgh has moved to five games back of the surprising Brewers.
The Pirates during this run are finding ways to win in games that easily could have went the other way.
They could have been swept against the Cardinals last weekend but instead took 2 of 3.
Tonight vs Milwaukee, the Pirates were out-hit 13-6 and overcame a start from Ivan Nova who struggled with his location, highlighted by the Shaw homer on an 0-2 count.
A testament to this club with their season riding on the line to continue finding different ways to win.
Pittsburgh now has Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon going the next two games and are in great position to take 3 of 4.
Things are starting to get interesting at least.
2. A Pirates sweep of the Brewers would put the Pirates 3 games back. The Brewers take the next two games, the Pirates would be back where they started the series, seven games out.
These next two games will obviously have a major swing.
Pirates split they come out of the home stand with an accomplished goal of 5-2.
The Pirates have won 9 of 11, have a 2.79 ERA in July and just got Starling Marte back.
Things are setting up where Neal Huntington at least owes it to this group to add some complementary parts and those type of moves should be happening right away. You don’t have to sell the farm to add a bench piece or another bullpen arm or make an Ivan Nova type trade from 16.
If a surge in July continues, it has to take Harrison, Mercer and McCutchen off the market until the winter than anything, but there’s still 11 games to go before July 31.
The sense is what we’re going to see is a near identical trade deadline game plan as last July.
You move a pending free agent like Tony Watson and whether in the Watson deal or another separate deal, you then add another reliever with term.
That’s what the Pirates are surveying the market for.
Some players being made available are tied to what the Pirates do the next 7-8 games. Others are available regardless.
2 games or nine games back by July 31, some veterans like Watson and even To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
3. The Pittsburgh Steelers will always be willing to pay their stars and in many cases handsomely. Some in the case like Cam Heyward where they’ll overpay players their identify as core players.
Pittsburgh wanted to get the Le’Veon Bell deal done Monday to open up some things with others like Alejandro Villanueva and Stephon Tuitt this summer.
Failing to come to an agreement, Bell will play next season on the franchise tag ($12.1MM). The Steelers won’t be seeing him showing up to camp until Mid-to-Late August either. His camp told the Steelers Monday he won’t be signing his tender anytime soon.
Pittsburgh made a substantial offer to Bell, 5 years with the total value of the contract worth $62.5 million, a source confirms.
Other details have leaked on some of the key numbers:
[hide]
Le’Veon Bell was offered a 5-year, over $12M a year deal and did not take it.
DETAILS | via @RapSheet + @TomPelissero pic.twitter.com/m6UGnnEd2Q
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) July 19, 2017
Per the NFL Network, Pittsburgh offered a deal that would have netted Bell $30 million over the first two years and $42 million in total over 3 years.
However, indications are there was a sizeable gap in guaranteed money. Bell’s camp sought as much as $30 million guaranteed in year one.
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4. NHL agents have been advising players to be cautious with their money as another stoppage is coming in a few years from the owners.
Interesting enough, there is also a big play among a group of players/agents for the players to be willing to strike.
The work has already begun on trying to get players strongly on board to pushing hard for a change to the [hide] salary cap system to a soft cap + luxury tax system — And pushing hard enough where they’ll strike to get it. —
It would take a strike to get any movement but with so many stars like Sidney Crosby and others already locking themselves into longer deals than they should have, one agent involved in this push fears when the time comes to negotiate, the soft cap system won’t be a hill the star players will be willing to die on.
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5. The Penguins will learn on July 22nd what Brian Dumoulin’s camp is requesting in arbitration and vice versa for the Dumoulin camp on what number/term the Penguins are requesting.
A sidebar on Dumoulin is the agent did engage early this month in talks with an Eastern Conference team regarding an offer sheet for Dumoulin, league sources say.
The identity [hide] of the team has not been confirmed but the scuttlebutt around the league is the team involved is believed to have been the New Jersey Devils.
Offer sheets rarely happen but talks between interested teams and agents of RFA’s happen a lot more often than it gets out there before a player elects for arbitration.
This has happened here.
2017 RFA COMPENSATION
$1,295,571 or less – No compensation
$1,295,571 to $1,962,968 – Third-round pick
$1,962,968 to $3,925,975 – Second-round pick
$3,925,975 to $5,888,960 – First and third-round picks
$5,888,960 to $7,851,948 – First, second and third-round picks
$7,851,948 to $9,814,935 – Two firsts, a second and third-round picks
Over $9,814,935 – Four first-round picks[/hide]
Bell will play 17/18 on the tag and then he’ll play 18/19 on the tag and then he’ll be let go. They won’t be trading him and they won’t be giving him a 5 year deal as a 27 year old rb with injury and drug history. Conner is a nice #2, but probably not a #1…..and I LOVE the guy. Use the money on Tuitt, Shazier, Dupree, then draft Saquon Barkley.
Barring the unlikely trade for a better SS, Jordy Mercer is not available. Simply because they have no one to replace him for at least a year and a half. Their best prospects are no higher than AA and they value middle infield defense too much to trot out someone like Frazier everyday.
I love James Conner just as much as the next Pitt fan, but hes no LeVeon Bell. If healthy, he’ll run his way to Canton.
I disagree–if Conner is healthy–he’s a tough runner and and a very good receiver. He may not be the equal of Bell, but he doesn’t have to be in this offense.
I hope Conner flourishes which will make trading Bell at the end of this season much easier.
IMO, Bell showed his “greedy” ass to the entire organization, players and fan base; I worry he plays soft next season worrying about his body, not his yards gained.
He’s created a huge and harmful distraction when it wasn’t necessary.
But, he wants “more money, more money.”
couldn’t agree more with what you said. this actually could save this organization huge money in the long run. trade him for a high draft pick plus. get bens replacement and possibly another rb in the draft. problem kinda solved if you ask me. there will always be some boneheaded team willing to give him large sums of cash.
James Conner shouldn’t even be mentioned in the same breath with Le’Veon Bell. Not a soul here even knows if his skillset even translates to the NFL at this point. He could legit be out of the league in 18 months.
He has every roght to want more money. RBs have a short shelf life and he plays almost every single down because he is so valuable. He should max out his contract before his talent maxes out.
he will run only as far as his olineman block for him. if Big Al doesn’t get a new deal then the left side isn’t good. the steelers are in a precarious position tbh. the rooneys do NOT budge on this crap. end of story. you show up to camp in shape and earn your keep with them. they aren’t the jerry jones organization of nfl. players don’t run them they run the players. imo conner was drafted in case this crap happened with bell. point is this, if he wont budge on his demands then he will get his… Read more »
They budged on Antonio Brown. Enough said.
he also had an expiring contract and the front office had to pick between him and bell. they picked brown and he signed a nice deal. didn’t hold out or spout off at the mouth with the its not enough crap. he wouldn’t hold out either while trying last year to get a new deal. he publicly said it would have hurt his chances and look what happened for him and his family. highest paid receiver in the game. now look at bell. ive read that he has told front office that he wont report to camp on time. therefore… Read more »
Brown reported because the Steelers paid him more money up front the past 2 years. The Steelers found a loophole to not “renegotiate” until 1 year left in his deal.
And Bell wont report to camp because hes not obligated to until he signs the franchise tag. As for him being “selfish”, the NFL cap is ridiculous anymore and Bell’s agent knows it. The fact that they will comfortably pay him top RB money proves this. It wont hurt the team one bit. Stop worrying about the Rooneys wallet, theyll be OK.
The offense is significantly better and more dangerous with Bell in the lineup. Pay the man.
Bells’s days as a steeler are numbered if he holds out like its being reported. drug suspensions in back to back years. bad PR for Pittsburgh . and then if this idiot thinks he is worth 15 mill per year he is insane. hello James Conner. Bell has yet to prove that he can even stay clean or healthy for a darn year.
Not to knock James Connor, but he’s not exactly a picture of health either, even if you take the cancer out of the mix. He’s blown out his knee. Hamstring problems. Not to mention he hasn’t taken a snap in the NFL.
I agree with what your saying BUT, if bell wants 15 per year then you tag his butt next year and then work out a draft day trade. huge savings for the team plus maybe an opportunity to move up in the draft. (ben’s replacement?) also, I think conner is going to take time to learn the system but can be very valuable to the team. I don’t see bell here another year. esp after reading what is said in recent articles. how do you turn down 62.5 million dollars? and you cant even play a full season? or stay… Read more »
I AGREE HOW DO YOU TURN DOWN $62 million….he is injury prone and a pothead who smokes pot driving down Mcknight road in broad daylight with a teammate and smoking pouring from the car…another stupid athlete…i agree trade him on draft day for a nice haul..and maybe James Connor can be that guy…why isn’t De angelo Williams a Pittsburgh Steeer anymore?
Trade a Hall of Fame caliber talent because he wants more money that doesnt come out of my wallet!! Argghhhh
Yeah – but he’s a running back. An injury prone running back. With a weed problem. I’m fine trying to get something done. Not sure I’m budging much. He’s a generational talent at a devalued position. Locking him up for 5 years, when you’re likely going to have some shithead throwing the ball in Year 3/4? Seems like a waste. If it makes sense, I’m all for it. I’m not bending over backwards for a RB.
This team has far bigger things to worry about beyond this year and maybe next than Le’Veon Bell. They need a Ben succession plan. Stat. Or the rest of it is just background noise. Can’t win in this league sans QB.
Id rather this team worry about their next QB after Roethlisberger is gone. Put all your resources into supporting this team while the championship window is open.
I can’t completely get behind that. I dont’ fully disagree re: put your resources into getting this team to a championship, but you need to figure out a way to find another viable option, or this team goes right into the fuckking shitter once he’s gone, with two overpaid useless turds in AB and LB, because they’re 100% dependant on someone either A) getting them the ball, or B) the threat of delivering the ball opening up running room, respectively.
Well if they tank, hopefully an elite QB is waiting for them early in the draft.
Maybe. Either way – that’s the number 1 priority. Or you’re the Browns, trying to fake your way through it for 20 years.
Some shithead could look like a pro bowler if most of what he has to do is hand or dump the ball off to Bell. And I think we are seeing the value rise in RBs again. 2 RBs were taken in the top 10 in this years draft, and 4 in the last 3 years. The injuries are a concern, but its a risk I would take to keep the NFLs best RB on a championship caliber roster.
I disagree with you on the first point, and agree on the second. No shithead that can’t actually complete a pass is going to look like anything but a shithead when they stack the box vs. Bell. ANd he’ll look incredibly pedestrian once they do (all RBs do). But I do think you’ll start to see a RB surge.
I was using their terminology, but realistically thinking a mediocre/game manager type who can make the necessary plays and keep the defense honest. That probably wont win them a Championship, but they would contend.
Just whistling dixie doesn’t interest me – and there’s no point sinking all that money into a RB just to pretend.
Its not ideal, but id rather they have the missing piece needed to win another championship than a talented backup QB that we hope can take over when Ben retires.
That’s why I’d franchise him this year and next. But I’m not “budging” to give him obscene RB money when it’s not gonna matter in 3 years. I’d do it on my terms.
kinda makes you wonder if Colbert had an inkling that Bell would want huge dollars. maybe that’s why he drafted conner. but if he plays good this year then you tag him and draft day you trade away his rights for draft picks. very high draft picks which could lead to ben’s replacement. bell is a good back but his head isn’t in this right. the rooneys do not budge on this crap. never have and never will. look at Wallace, woodson, . at recent memories. heck hines even held out and look at how that worked out for him.… Read more »
Look at Antonio Brown. Rooneys budged on him because he is a generational talent. Moved his money up to keep him happy while using this loophole to maintain they dont extend players before 1 year is left on their contract.
The $62M is largely irrelevant. What was the guaranteed number? Because they could make that number $2 billion, and if he’s only guaranteed $25 or so million of it, it means nothing.
Forget Dumoulin – how did nobody engage in serious talks to offer sheet Parayko? I’d have gladly given a 1st, 2nd and 3rd for the right to pay him over $6M and be our 2nd pairing (and ultimately, first pairing, once Letang inevitably gets hurt) anchor.
A soft cap would be the worst thing that could every happen to the NHL period. The league doesn’t generate the revenues the NBA generates and the owners have already shown most can’t manage their organizations in a non cap system. Within 10 years 3-4 teams would have ALL the marquee players in the league in their organizations and half the league would be bankrupt.
Prices for NHL tickets are too high now. If they get the soft cap the prices will be driven even higher.
Doesnt help when the assholes in the media say stupid shit like “locking themselves into longer deals than they should have”. In the end the fans suffer, the players don’t care and we know the owners don’t because they have a ton to fall back on. They also keep their mouths shut when work stoppages occur unlike the players who tend to insert feet into their collective mouths (and sams mom collective anus).
D isnt a member of the media.
There is no point getting even remotely excited about the Pirates. It will all be for naught in the end, and any idiot that thought it would be different, is just that, an idiot.