Being Jewish In America

I've been thinking about writing some variation of this post for many months, but based on two significant events from the last two weeks, I finally sat down to do this. I am Jewish. Not exactly breaking news, I know. It's a big part of my identity like being a father and being from Pittsburgh and a Pittsburgh sports fan. Besides hoping that the tradition of eating pickles during Hanukkah catches on, I don't write about being Jewish very often. It's personal. I mean, sure, some of my posts are personal, but it's more fun to write about the Pittsburgh Pirates or pop music. Actually, it's not much fun to write about the Pirates these days. Through June 2nd, the overall ERA of Pirates starters is 3.66, which is 13th out of the 30 baseball teams. That may not sound impressive, but it's better than the Dodgers, Mariners, Cubs, Padres, Guardians, and Astros, all teams that would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. If only the team spent some money on hitting and the bullpen! Getting way off topic.

Before I get much further, this post may live up to this blog's title, Sean's Ramblings. I'm going to be rambling all over the place. Let's proceed.

On October 7th, 2023, Hamas, the governing body of the Gaza Strip, attacked Israel killing more than 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 hostages. Those killed and captured included men, women, and children from multiple nationalities. They attacked a music festival, burned families alive, and committed sexual violence. Over 600 days later, there are still hostages and bodies of hostages in Gaza. There seems to be no proof of life or Red Cross inspectors to check on the status of the hostages. That's not the point of this post though. Israel's response to this attack isn't the point either. Israel is in an impossible position. How do you respond to the worst attack in the country's history? How do you limit civilian deaths (something Hamas didn't try to do) to defeat Hamas when Hamas militants and leadership hide among civilian areas at places like schools and hospitals? And how do you get the hostages back? It's worth noting that Gaza under Hamas is not a bastion of democracy. They haven't held elections since taking power in the mid-2000s and kill their political rivals. Not a great place for those wanting freedom of speech, freedom of religion, or who are part of the LGBTQ community. Not much freedom of the press either as you don't see the New York Times or Washington Post or BBC or FOX or ABC ever reporting from Gaza. 

Thousands of miles away, protests emerged throughout the United States. You would think it would be about releasing hostages and against Hamas, but that hasn't been the case. Many protests, particularly on college campuses, have been against Israel. And this is where I'll admit that I've put my head in the sand a bit. Although my background is in higher education and student affairs, I haven't worked on a college campus in over 20 years, and my kids are still several years away from applying to schools. I've heard about or read about various protests on campuses and in cities, most notably in Washington DC since I live next door in Northern Virginia, but those haven't impacted me directly. For any protests in DC, I'm not driving near them as I'm more than likely taking my kids to their activities like basketball, scouts or theater classes. 

Of course, some of these protests have shifted from being anti-Israel to being anti-Jews. They have made Jews on college campuses (and beyond) feel unsafe or worse. For example, there were at least two attacks against Jewish students on the University of Pittsburgh's campus. By the way, I don't support someone getting arrested or deported for writing an op-ed in a student newspaper. Free speech is free speech. Inciting violence or actually conducting physical violence is a different matter.

Here's the reality. I don't walk around with a billboard or a sign stating that I'm Jewish. There are people who don't like Jews for whatever reason usually based on incorrect stereotypes. My friends know that I'm Jewish, but it's not something that I advertise. (And yes, while I guess this post is advertising that I'm Jewish, I still try to keep some anonymity here.) My religion/culture/social group, however you define Judaism, shouldn't be a big deal, but there's a long history of antisemitism in the United States and around the world. 

Small example. At our kids' elementary school, the 2nd graders had an activity where they put together slides or posters about their heritage and made items representing the heritage at a market. It's a fun project, and the kids get really into it. Both my wife's family and my family are from Eastern Europe, including Lithuania, Poland, and Russia (though there's some question about what country controlled what area at a specific time). For Luigi's project, he shared his Lithuanian heritage. It was fun researching and learning about Lithuanian food and historic sites, but Lithuanian heritage for him was a bit of a stretch since that goes back generations to his great-great grandparents. I guess the alternative could have been Israel, but we don't have family who lived there and came to the US. While my wife and I never discussed it, I think in the back of our minds, we didn't want to have the potential backlash of kids being mean to Luigi for being Jewish. And this is in 2nd grade! 

Were we being overprotective or overly sensitive? Worrying for nothing? Maybe. However, at his recent baseball game, the mother of one of the kids of the other team wore a T-shirt with the Palestinian flag depicted over the country of Israel (like the picture below), seemingly to go with the "From the river to the sea" sentiment that there should be no Jews in Israel, so maybe not. (By the way, that kid was terrible at baseball.) 

Still, words and taunts are one thing. Physical violence is something else, and that's what has happened recently. During Passover, someone set fire to the Pennsylvania Governor's mansion with the family inside because Josh Shapiro is Jewish. On Sunday, multiple people who march peacefully weekly in support of the hostages in Gaza were set on fire via a flamethrower and Molotov cocktails in Boulder, Colorado. Much closer to me, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were killed at an event at the Capital Jewish Museum a few weeks ago. While the news has highlighted the fact that both were Israeli embassy staff, the assailant wasn't targeting them directly. He just saw two people leaving from an event at a Jewish museum. It didn't matter that the event was for young Jewish professionals working on humanitarian diplomacy throughout the Middle East and North Africa. It also didn't matter that Yaron and Sarah were peace advocates and that Sarah worked for an organization combining entrepreneurial training and conflict dialogue between young Israelis and Palestinians.

Threats or actual violence against Jews is nothing new. Still, I think my belief that it couldn't happen in the United States was shattered when 11 people were killed at the Tree of Life synagogue, a place my family belonged to until I was 16. Today, although my kids are used to seeing security at our synagogue whenever we go and probably don't remember a time when there wasn't security, I'm not a fan. I understand the reasoning, but it bothers me that we live in a society where this is necessary. So do I feel unsafe on a daily basis? Usually, no. But I also can't ignore the massive increase in antisemitic incidents.

The reality is that it's a scary time, and I don't see things getting better. On Monday, the national news covered the incident in Boulder, and a few stories later, shared that several dozen people seeking aid were killed in Gaza by Israeli troops. Except it didn't happen that way. Montana Tucker broke down the incident, and The Washington Post sent out clarifications on social media. Will we find out the truth about what actually happened? Probably not, and it doesn't matter. The headlines blame Israel, and people are right to be upset about civilian casualties. So the cycle of demonstrations and threats or worse will continue against Jewish organizations and groups and places of worship. Most have nothing to do with Israel and certainly not with the Israeli military. Yaron and Sarah were for peace and the victims in Boulder marched for awareness of hostages. That meant nothing to the perpetrators.  

Back to me (since this is my blog), I worry some. It doesn't dominate my thoughts, but it's unavoidable since I try to follow the news. I also know that I can't look at the comments section on Twitter or Bluesky or in articles. I'm curious what kind of comments I get to this post on Facebook and other sites. Even before I publish this, I'm grateful for the support that I'll receive. I also expect some hateful replies and maybe people unfollowing or unfriending me. If that's how someone feels simply because I'm Jewish, please unfollow. Meanwhile, I hope that the war in Gaza ends soon with the hostages released. 

Here are a few articles I came across while writing this post that I think are worth sharing:

An op-ed in The Kansas City Star, hometown of Sarah. (KC Star)

A message from American University's president on Sarah's murder. (AU)

Michael Rapaport sounding off. (Fox News)

How October 7th changed antisemitic attacks in the US. (The Washington Post)

An interview with the University of Colorado Boulder's Hillel Director. (ABC News)

The Mandela Effect: Iron City Beer Edition

A few months ago, we had problems with our washer. Even after the load finished, it continued to run. The only way to stop it was by unplugging the machine. Fortunately, it was still under warranty, so we had someone check it out. He pressed the button, and the machine magically worked again.*

My immediate thought when this happened was a line from an Iron City beer commercial that aired regularly in the Pittsburgh area during the late 80s or early 90s: "Hey, loser, press the reset button!" Unfortunately, I can't seem to find this video anywhere. I remember it taking place in a bowling alley, maybe filmed at Forward Lanes in Squirrel Hill. I contacted Pittsburgh Brewing Company, and they have no record of this commercial. Is this a Mandela Effect thing where people misremember pop culture events? I'm not making this up, am I? Does anyone else remember this?

Pittsburgh Brewing Company did send me an amazing compilation of their commercials from the 1970s going forward. No press the reset button though.

* Running a load shortly after the tech left, the same issue occurred, so pushing the button was not the solution. A new control panel did the trick!

Soccer Referee Story

I don’t usually write about my soccer referee experiences. I’ve worked hundreds of games since becoming certified in 1990 (that’s not a typo), and my games aren’t usually worthy of sharing. I’m making a slight exception today. Over the weekend, I worked at a pretty big tournament in Northern Virginia. Probably against my better judgement, I signed up to work four consecutive U11 boys games. For this tournament, that meant 30-minute halves with just one referee. While keeping up with kids in 4th, 5th, and/or 6th grades isn't a problem for me, 4 hours of game time is a lot. And without assistant referees it’s impossible to tell if a player is offsides or if the ball goes completely out of play. Basically, if it’s close, we’re going to keep playing.

Before the first game, one coach approached me about a goal being set about 2 inches behind the goal line. The goal must have been anchored to the ground since it was impossible to move. I mean, Hulk or Thor could probably move it, but the coach and I could not. Naturally, about half-way through the first half, his team took a shot that hit the post, and he immediately started yelling that it should be a goal. Even with the goal set back, it's unlikely that the entire ball crossed the line before hitting the post. Technology used at the World Cup might be able to determine that the ball crossed the line, but they didn't quite have any video replay for this U11 match. Besides, going over the line and hitting the post didn't prove it was a goal. I could have simply called a goal kick for the ball being out of play. And with no assistant referee, I couldn't make this call from 20 yards away. I'm getting really into the weeds. Besides, I'm completely burying the lede here. This coach sounded exactly like Norm Macdonald except that he was not at all funny. 

He continued to complain throughout the game, and I eventually gave him a yellow card for dissent. This follows a trend I've seen throughout the season. So much complaining by coaches and players. Another player on this team got a yellow card for dissent (complaining about calls) too.

The second and third games were uneventful except that both my calves cramped at the same time during the third game. And right when I awarded a penalty kick. That had never happened to me in a game before, and it was quite painful. I limped around for the next few minutes before they finally felt better. After the game, one of the parents of a player in the game gave me some electrolyte powder that I mixed with my water. It was disgusting, and I'm not sure how much it helped.

Then, there was the fourth game. The first half was fine with nothing remarkable. I still couldn't run as fast as I wanted, but it was fine. Part-way through the second half, after a team scored a goal, I pointed to the center circle and started writing this in my book with my back towards the goal. I completely missed some trash-talking and pushing behind me. As soon as I heard the commotion, I ran over, but it was too late. One team claimed that the other started the ruckus, but without seeing it, I couldn't do anything. Yes, I should have waited to write down the goal, but this also wouldn't have been missed with two assistant referees. Over the next few minutes, there were more fouls and more talking and the team leading having their players stay on the ground longer than necessary. Finally, after one player kicked another, I blew a hard whistle and started to run over to issue a yellow card. Before I got there, one kid pushed the kid who did the kicking to the ground. Ugh. Red card. Things settled down for the last 6-7 minutes of the game, but one coach told his team not to shake hands after the game and the coaches weren't exactly going to get drinks together. 

(For the record, I did have a whistle unlike Ed O'Neill.) 

What's funny is that the tournament had a mentor at the field, and I talked with him both at halftime and after the game. Besides waiting to write down the goal and maybe issuing a card for time-wasting, he thought I made the right calls. He basically said that some things were beyond my control. It was reassuring. It also shows that you can still learn even when you've done something for a long time.

Oh, several days later, my right calf is still tender, and I limp around for a minute if I rest/sit for too long.

Friday Video: Sally, When The Wine Runs Out

Time for a good, old-fashioned Friday video post. Today's video features the singer Role Model and his song, "Sally, When The Wine Runs Out" from his performance on The Tonight Show. There's a nice cameo part-way through too. This song gets regular airplay on SiriusXM's Hits One station (the only place where I hear new music) and is really good. 

Enjoy!

For my Pittsburgh friends, Role Model attended Point Park University and is highly influenced by and his career was kick-started by Mac Miller.

50

Turning 50 is a big deal. Sure, there are other birthday milestones. 13 for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. 16 to be able to drive. 18 to vote. 21 to legally drink. You should be a (somewhat) responsible adult at 25 and certainly at 30. You become a man at 40. But 50 seems different. A half century is a long time. There seems to be a sense of mortality. While I’m in decent shape and my kids help keep me young, there’s a realization that you have lived at least half of your life. I could live to be 100 but that doesn’t seem realistic.

I’ve started reflecting a little bit. Am I where I want to be? The answer is yes and no. I love my family, but I'm not financially secure. I mean, while I'd like a bigger house and more/any disposable income, the kids get what they need in terms of playing sports, being involved in activities, and going to summer camp. They’re certainly not getting designer clothes and shoes. Plus, I am my father's son. Did I go to Costco on Monday hoping to get a discounted Mother's Day cake for my own birthday cake? Just turn the cake upside down and Mom becomes Wow! Oh, the answer is yes I went to Costco, but they didn't have any remaining Mother's Day cakes.

What I’m realizing is that I need to be a better friend. While being busy with work and my kids’ activities is certainly an excuse, I have not done a good job of keeping in touch with friends, particularly those who live out of town. I also need to reach out to my family more. I never had a big family, and it’s even smaller with my parents now gone. 

I definitely want to travel more. My wife and I are planning a trip abroad this summer to celebrate my 50th birthday and our 20th anniversary. In addition, my goal of visiting all 50 states is still a strong possibility after going to North Dakota last year. 

There’s no big ending to this post. I didn’t get any media credentials to cover any awards shows or athletic events in honor of my 50th birthday. I actually spent my birthday itself going to work and then driving my kids to basketball practice and a Scout meeting in the evening. It was just another day with more phone calls and a lot more messages on Facebook. I’m going to celebrate more soon and with the vacation this summer. Overall, I’m glad that I made it to 50, and I know there’s a lot more to do.

Who Are The Cardinals?

With Pope Francis recently passing away, the College of Cardinals is set to meet to select a new pope. While it seems unlikely that Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, and John Lithgow will be part of this process (though maybe the Vatican will allow for special guests!), I've been curious about who makes up the College of Cardinals. Being an American sports fan, I have some questions.

Since we’re considering Cardinals, are we allowing the St. Louis Cardinals, Arizona Cardinals, or a combination of both to select the new pope? And are we considering current players, former players, and/or the owners and front office staff? For example, Ozzie Smith, Albert Pujols, and Adam Wainwright seem to be good representatives from the St. Louis Cardinals. However, they are all retired. Should Victor Scott II or Lars Nootbaar get more consideration as active members of the team? I love including Lars Nootbaar in any blog post!

From the Arizona side, I’m all for Larry Fitzgerald getting a say in the new pope. Actually, of all of the Cardinals, he would get my vote as pope (if I was a cardinal). Fitzgerald just seems like an amazing person and just gave a great commencement speech at the University of Pittsburgh.

I know what you’re thinking. This is the COLLEGE of Cardinals. I identified professional cardinals. Do the University of Louisville Cardinals have a say? The women’s volleyball team has been excellent. What about the Ball State University Cardinals? Actually, that’s the answer. The next pope should be selected by Ball State’s most famous graduate, David Letterman. Done!

Yes, this is one of the dumbest posts I have written in the 20+ years of Sean’s Ramblings. These are the things I think/write about when I'm waiting in line at the DMV!

Photo of Lars Nootbaar by Steph Chambers/Getty.

2025 Steelers Draft Recap

I often post recaps after Pirates, Steelers, and even Penguins drafts. They are generally unique with random comments and facts about players' names and backgrounds. While I'll get to some of that momentarily regarding the newest members of the Pittsburgh Steelers, we have to discuss the Steelers quarterback situation. Prior to the draft, the Steelers had two quarterbacks on the roster, Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson. Rudolph was the Steelers' 3rd round pick in 2018. He has a career 14-14-1 record with 28 touchdowns, 20 interceptions, and 4,615 yards in 29 games. He is an average NFL QB though he gets bonus points for previously dating former Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard. 

I like Rudolph. He can win games in the NFL, but he's not at the same level as other AFC quarterbacks like Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Burrow, and Herbert. Thompson was Miami's 7th round draft pick in 2022 and seems to be early in his career as an NFL journeyman. You wouldn't be surprised to see Thompson as the 3rd quarterback on someone's roster in 2030. You would be surprised seeing him start more than 1 NFL game in 2025. With all of this, the expectation was that the Steelers would draft a QB. And they did in Will Howard in the 6th round. As an Ohio State graduate, I love this pick, but this doesn't solve the Steelers QB situation this season. 

All of this leads to the assumption that the Steelers will sign 41 year-old Aaron Rodgers, a likely first-ballot Hall of Famer. I am not a fan of Rodgers. Everything seems to be all about him. So much drama surrounds him. That's fine when you're the league MVP. It's annoying when you're close to 42 and have been a league average QB at best the last few years. Rodgers seems to love the attention and the mystery. Does he want to sign with the Steelers? Would he rather retire? Will he go on another darkness retreat to decide? 

Those Steelers fans who want Rodgers point to the end of the 2024 season for some type of resurgence. Looking a little closer, the Jets scored 9 points against the Rams in week 15 and lost 40-14 to the Bills in week 16 where Rodgers had 112 passing yards and 2 interceptions. Rodgers had good games in week 14 against the terrible Jaguars and week 17 against the already eliminated Dolphins. Not impressed. I don't want to deal with headlines about Mr. Rodgers' Neighborhood all season (which is an insult to Fred Rogers). I'm resigned to the fact that the Steelers will probably sign Rodgers at some point, but that probably won't happen until Rodgers can get the most possible press. At this point in his career, is he that much of an upgrade over Rudolph? Probably not. There has only been one NFL quarterback over 40 to have any success, and I don't think Rodgers is going to be the second. I'm not looking forward to rooting for Rodgers this year, and I don't think he's going to be very good. I also have a feeling I'm going to use this quote about Rodgers a lot this year.

Okay, enough of that. Let's let to my usual random draft notes. Here's are the 2025 Steelers' draft picks

Round 1: Derrick Harmon, Defensive Tackle, Oregon

Round 3: Kaleb Johnson, Running Back, Iowa

Round 4: Jack Sawyer, Edge, Ohio State

Round 5: Yahya Black, Defensive Tackle, Iowa

Round 6: Will Howard, Quarterback, Ohio State

Round 7: Carson Bruener, Linebacker, Washington

Round 7: Donte Kent, Cornerback, Central Michigan 

* Even though I still don't truly acknowledge Oregon and Washington as being in the Big 10, it's pretty remarkable that every selection until Kent is from that conference.

* I feel like Jack Sawyer's parents were really big fans of the TV show Lost

* I see a red door, and I want it painted Yahya Black!

* Fun fact: Carson Bruener is the son of long-time Steelers TE Mark Bruener. Another fun fact: Carson probably can't catch as well as Mark or he would have played on offense.

* How did Donte Kent go to a MAC school that wasn't Kent State? Missed opportunity.

* Lots of questions about the new Steelers QB. Will Howard have a chance at the starting QB job? When Will Howard sign a contract and start learning the playbook? Will Howard be the Steelers QB of the future? Will Howard like that his first name is the same as a question or is he used to it?

The Steelers also signed the following undrafted free agents:

Sebastian Castro, Safety, Iowa
J.J. Galbreath, Tight End, South Dakota
Ben Sauls, Kicker, Pittsburgh
Roc Taylor, Wide Receiver, Memphis
DJ Thomas-Jones, Fullback, South Alabama
Aiden Williams, Offensive Guard, Minnesota-Duluth
Ke'Shawn Williams, Wide Receiver, Indiana

* I definitely want DJ Thomas-Jones or if he goes by DJ TJ to provide music for a party! Maybe Thomas-Jones will team up with T.J. Watt and they can be DJs TJs!

* Roc is a great name for a wide receiver. Of course, I thought Dwight Stone was also a great name for a WR, and that had mixed results.

* Fun fact: The Steelers didn't draft or sign anyone from an SEC school. South Dakota, Minnesota-Duluth, and Central Michigan, but no Alabama, or LSU, or Georgia. 

Good Job, Gronk

I'm proud of being from Pittsburgh and am quick to praise and point out people with Pittsburgh ties especially when it comes to sports and entertainment. However, even though Rob Gronkowski, a future member of the football hall of fame, graduated from the same high school as me, I never seem to include him as someone from Western Pennsylvania. The Gronkowski family moved to my school district from Western New York just in time for Rob's senior year of high school. As kids say these days, the move was "sus" as there were several eligibility meetings by local and state athletic organizations. Gronk was eventually allowed to play and graduated. His one year in Pittsburgh is why I don't include him with other successful Western Pennsylvania athletes like Jason Taylor and Dan Marino. It might have been different if Gronk went to college at Pitt or Penn State or played for the Steelers, but he went to college at the University of Arizona, completely off the radar for Pittsburgh sports fans, and spent the bulk of his NFL career in New England and Tampa Bay. 

Less than two weeks ago, Gronkowski returned to Woodland Hills High School to celebrate the reopening of the school's weight room. His foundation donated $200,000 and partnered with U.S. Steel and State Senator Jay Costa in this endeavor. I never heard of him spending time in and around Pittsburgh after high school, and I wasn't aware that he still had any ties or allegiances to WHHS. I'm really happy that he's supporting the Wolverines!

In case you're wondering, as a 3-sport athlete at Woodland Hills (soccer, tennis, and swimming/diving) and weighing 120 pounds at graduation, you might be shocked to learn that I spent very little time at the weight room!

More information about this (the weight room, not my high school workout routine) including pictures and a time-lapse video are available on the Woodland Hills School District website.

Oh, and where can I get one of these Team Gronk T-shirts?

Photos by Andrew Chiappazzi/WHSD

April 2025 Random Ramblings

The Moose's 8th grade civics class recently did a mock trial at school. As he was describing his class to us at home, he mentioned the role of the prostitute in the case. It took a minute or two to figure out that he meant prosecutor or prosecuting. So close!

My wife makes an egg casserole with cheese, bread, and eggs. While it sounds simple, it's really good. The Moose recently asked for a piece of the carousel. Again, so close!

I'm late to this, but I started watching Cobra Kai. So much fun. So much nostalgia. My one question is how does Ralph Macchio look so young? He's 63. The first season was released in 2018 which means he was probably about 56 when the show was first made. Macchio doesn't look like he's older than 35 or 40!

I have had the same cleats for being a soccer referee for probably at least 10 years. They are slowly falling apart enough and now the stitching is coming out from the side of the right shoe. That's a nice way of writing that there's a hole in my shoe. I ordered new cleats, and they are a little tight. There's room at the toe and the heel, but it's tight around the rest of my foot. I'm trying to wear them around the house and hoping to loosen them up, but I think I may need to just give up and buy a different pair. (And wear the cleats with a hole for my next group of games and hope that they don't fall apart or that it rains.)

Six13 has a new Passover song. It's really good. 

I might be late to this, but I just watched the movie Casablanca. Really disappointed in the CGI and special effects. 

Photo by Mark Von Holden/Variety

You've Got To Live and Learn

I love 90s music. The 90s were when I graduated from high school and college and became a young professional. I also went to concerts by myself for the first time (not counting seeing Debbie Gibson in the late 80s).This was a foundational part of my life.

Over the weekend, while flipping around stations on SiriusXM, I came across a 90s "Back in the Day Replay" where they played the top 30 songs from this week in 1992. While I'm not sure if the songs in the countdown are the same as the Billboard chart, they seemed to be similar. Let's take a look at the top 30 songs according to Billboard (since I have this and not the SiriusXM list).

1. Save the Best for Last - Vanessa Williams

2. Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton

3. Remember the Time - Michael Jackson

4. Masterpiece - Atlantic Starr

5. To Be With You - Mr. Big

Is this an adult contemporary countdown? These are all slow songs that might be played at the end of a high school dance. Well, no one is playing Tears in Heaven, the song based on Clapton's 4 year old son tragically dying from falling out of a window at prom or homecoming. Not a romantic song for teenagers (or anyone else). Of the other songs, I barely remember Masterpiece. All five of these songs are okay at best. In any event, these were your top 5 songs in the first week of April 1992? Yikes!

6. I'm Too Sexy - Right Said Fred

7. Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes) - Mint Condition

8  Make It Happen - Mariah Carey

9. I Can't Dance - Genesis

10. Beauty and the Beast - Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson

I'll admit that I'm a fan of I'm Too Sexy. It's just fun. And after seeing this, I know you want to tell your significant other that you're too sexy for your shirt or your hat or your car. Otherwise, we have more adult contemporary hits. We have early Mariah, and the absolute worst Genesis song. I also have no recollection of Breakin' My Heart or Mint Condition. Don't remember them getting airplay on B-94.

11. Justified and Ancient - The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette

12. Good For Me - Amy Grant

13. I Love Your Smile - Shanice

14. Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg  TLC

15. Hazard - Richard Marx

The KLF had a great song called 3AM Eternal. They followed it up with a similar sounding song and an extremely odd pairing with Tammy Wynette in Justified and Ancient. Even at the time, I remember being confused about what was happening. Good For Me is fine though the video is um, not good, and makes me dizzy. I Love Your Smile is a happy song, and TLC is just great. Even though my 14 year-old did not like Hazard, I think it's a fantastic song and has been the one stuck in the my head since I decided to create this post.

16. Thinkin' Back - Color Me Badd
17. Human Touch/Better Days - Bruce Springsteen

18. Everything Changes - Kathy Troccoli

19. Missing You Now - Michael Bolton

20. We Got a Love Thang - CeCe Peniston

All five of these songs are completely forgettable. I have no recollection of Color Me Badd having a second song. Human Touch probably doesn't make one of Springsteen's top 75 songs. I really hope that Kathy's last name rhymes with Broccoli. I also remember music videos being better than what I'm sharing in this post. 

21. If You Go Away - NKOTB

22. One - U2

23. Tell Me What You Want Me To Do - Tevin Campbell

24. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

25. Oochie Coochie - M.C. Brains

How about this for a group of five songs? You have two absolute classics by Queen and U2. Tevin Campbell always amazed me since it seemed like he was putting out hits at the age of 10. I'll give New Kids on the Block credit for having massive and catchy songs with You Got It (The Right Stuff) and Step by Step. If You Go Away is not one of these songs. Adding M.C. Brains here reminds me of the part of the movie A League of Their Own where the league makes a reel of its players. And how 'bout M.C. Brains? What a hitter.

26. Live and Learn - Joe Public

27. Romeo & Juliet - Stacy Earl featuring The Wild Pair

28. My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It) - En Vogue

29. Uhh Ahh - Boyz II Men

30. I'm the One You Need - Jody Watley

I thought Live and Learn was an awesome song in 1992. Not sure if it still holds up today. Now My Lovin' absolutely holds up. Just as good as 33 years ago. 

Overall, this is not a very good group of songs. In the top 20, you have some of the greatest selling artists of all-time, but these aren't close to the best songs by Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Springsteen, Celine Dion, and even Michael Bolton. So many ballads. Without looking, I'm just going to hope that the charts later that year were much better!

In case you're wondering, there are some amazing and memorable songs beyond the top 30. Prince's Diamonds and Pearls was #31, Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit was #32, and the one song I remember by Color Me Badd, All 4 Love, was #34 after reaching the top of the chart weeks earlier. Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me by George Michael and Elton John was just outside the top 40. Two other notable songs that debuted in the top 100 that week: Jump by Kris Kross and Under The Bridge by Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Skenes and Dunne in GQ

While I've written dozens of Celebrities in PittsburghGear posts over the years, this might be the first time that the celebrity is actually a member of a Pittsburgh sports team. GQ published an article and photo shoot of Pirates star Paul Skenes and his more-famous girlfriend Livvy Dunne. And in one picture, Skenes is wearing his own jersey.

I'm also curious what Skenes is eating for (presumably) breakfast in this picture. Is it one type of cereal or two? Does he eat cereal without milk? 

Forget about Wednesday's 4-2 Pirates win where Skenes pitched 7 innings giving up only 1 unearned run and 3 hits with no walks and 6 strikeouts. The Pirates and baseball media really need to ask Skenes about his breakfast eating habits!

Photos by Roe Ethridge

2025 Washington Nationals Predictions

I started this blog in January 2005, and the Washington Nationals moved from Montreal and played their first home games at RFK Stadium nearly three months later. While I will always consider myself to be a Pittsburgh sports fan, I have attended dozens of Nats games over the last 20 years including the Max Scherzer near perfect game / no-hitter and Stephen Strasburg's debut. I think I have some Nats credentials here. Therefore, in addition, to my annual Pirates predictions blog post, I decided to create a Nationals predictions blog post this year. I reached out to a variety of people, and I think you'll enjoy their thoughts. Here's the starting lineup.

Well, different starting lineup.

Ryan Clary: Host of the Locked on Nationals podcast and producer of Grant & Danny on 106.7 The Fan. (Twitter)

Frank Hanrahan: WTOP sports reported and fellow Ithaca College graduate (Twitter)

John Domen: Anchor and reporter at WTOP (Twitter)

Richard of The Nats Report: Arguably the best blog covering the Nationals. (Twitter)

Chris Cillizza: Formerly of The Washington Post and CNN, Chris now has his own Substack which I highly recommend. (Twitter)

Marc Goldstein: Northern Virginia native who has his own website and writes for WOUB (Twitter)

Andrew Moses: Host of the podcast Everybody Pulls the Tarp. (Twitter)

Sean: Author of Sean’s Ramblings which you’re reading right now. Still hoping for media credentials to cover a game at Nats Park someday. (Blue Sky)

There are also some special guest participants at the end of this post. 

1. There are high expectations for 2023 #2 overall pick Dylan Crews. What do you expect from him this season?

Ryan: I expect Dylan Crews to be a very impactful defender in right field. He’ll establish himself as one of the best defensive right fielders in baseball, that’s one of my bold takes. I think offensively he will have a middle of the road season, with some highs and lows throughout the season. He’ll have to learn how to hit the off speed/ breaking pitches.

Frank: I would expect Crews to be the every day right fielder for the Nats and be a real threat at the top of the lineup as well as put some pressure on the defense with his base stealing ability.  Team needs a spark plug like him.

John: You always worry about lofty, rookie of the year type expectations.  Just ask Jackson Holliday last year.  But the experience Crews got last year will definitely serve him well.  If he wins Rookie of the Year, then great, though that award isn’t often indicative of stardom.  At 23 you just hope for a solid year.  If he’s simply “good” this year – say .270 and 15-20 homers – then you have to feel great.  But with young guys who have amazing tools, I hesitate to get too specific because you never know when it’ll actually click.  The Nats will feel great if that’s this year, but if you have to wait a year to see him explode, that’s fine too. 

Richard: It will be interesting to see Crews at the Major League level all season. I am expecting big things from him and a breakout year and will live up to all the hype that has been placed on the rookie. However, he will fall short in ROY voting, but it will be fun to watch for Nationals fans.

Chris:.265, 15 HR, 70 RBI if he plays the full year. Which is great!

Marc: I really think that Crews is going to win Rookie of the Year in the NL. Yes, Roki Sasaki brings high pedigree, but Crews already has MLB experience. Additionally, I think Crews has played really well during Spring Training and done a great job of hitting the play to RF with authority. I can clearly see him going 20/20 this year.

Andrew: Big things - 30+ homers, 90+ RBIs. Breakout year.

Sean: Solid season and finishes with 15+ home runs and 20+ stolen bases. (Not quite a 20/20 season.) Finishes top 3 in the NL rookie of the year voting.

2. Who will lead the Nationals in home runs in 2025?

Ryan: James Wood will lead the team with 30 homeruns in 2025.

Frank: I think James Wood is going to have a breakout season and lead the team in homers.

John: Does CJ Abrams take another leap this year and club the crap out of the ball?  On a team lacking a consistently menacing threat – unless Crews takes that big leap this season – it is probably Abrams. 

Richard: I predict James Wood will lead the Nationals in home runs this season.

Chris: Wood. (I hope).

Marc: I think that James Wood will lead the team in homers. He nearly led the team in homers last year despite only being called up in July, so he is the obvious pick. I could also see someone like Josh Bell or Nate Lowe leading in HRs though.

Andrew: Crews

Sean: James Wood with at least 25.

3. Will the Nationals be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline?

Ryan: I think we will be on the fence. I don’t see us selling anyone big outside of Kyle Finnegan, but I also don’t see us moving off of any prospects. I think we stay put for the most part.

Frank: Nationals will be cheap as they usually are and be sellers at the trade deadline.

John: This is a team that has to be sellers again.  They have a few talented pieces for a future playoff run, but not nearly enough just yet.  That said, how many guys look like someone who will fetch you a big return?  Though with what relief pitching commands near the trade deadline, get a dominant arm or two in the pen and you might get a couple dudes who can be pieces in 2027 or so. 

Richard: Sellers

Chris: Still sellers. One more year!

Marc: I don't think that Nats will be buyers or sellers actually. I think they will stand pat or flip some of their veteran players on expiring contracts, if anything. Players like Jorge Lopez, Kyle Finnegan, Amed Rosario and Mike Soroka are all trade candidates if the team decides to sell. That being said, I doubt Rizzo will want to sell based on the last few deadlines.

Andrew: Sellers

Sean: Sellers. Josh Bell will continue of streak of getting traded for the 17th straight season.

4. Will CJ Abrams go to a casino this season? (Sean’s note: CJ Abrams was essentially suspended near the end of the 2024 season for apparently spending all night at a casino. It was a big deal. With that written, I probably should have asked this question differently. At least one person didn’t participate in this prediction post because of this question.)

Ryan: No, CJ and the team has out that in the rear view mirror and we are all good on that front. 

Frank: CJ Abrams better be attending gamblers anonymous meetings and not even thinking about heading back to a casino.

John: Bet you no one cares as long as he’s hitting…

Richard: I just wanted to let you know that I won't be able to answer this question.  

Chris:  GOD I HOPE NOT 

Marc: CJ is going to silence a lot of doubters this season. I have been really pleased with his answers to everything from the press so far have demonstrated he is past the issue. Whether he actually goes to a casino, I am not sure. Maybe he does, but it likely will not be as late with a game the next afternoon or in the public eye.

Andrew: No

Sean: I feel like CJ and the Nationals probably have some type of agreement stating that he can’t go to a casino.

5. Who will be the team's surprise/breakout player this year?

Ryan: I think your surprise breakout will be Jose Ferrer, I think he will be the best bullpen piece that we have and he could look to make his first All-Star game. He’s got all the goods to be an elite arm for the next decade plus.

Frank: Opening day starter McKenzie Gore showed flashes last season as being a pretty solid major league starter but I expect Gore to take a bigger step with a bigger role and dare I say a near 20 game winner.

John: I’m going to say James Wood, not necessarily a huge surprise, but I think he blows up this year.  That’s also partly because a buddy of mine coached him in high school, but he put up good numbers at a young age and as he gets older, you figure he’s only going to get better.  Him and Crews together in the outfield can be really special.  Maybe not this season, but pretty soon. 

Richard: Honestly, this player isn't in the lineup just yet.  

Chris: Wood. I am also a Jacob Young guy.

Marc: A surprise/breakout player, for me, is two fold. Offensively, I think that Jacob Young is going to the next steps to be a contributor outside of his blazing speed and defense. He put on some muscle this offseason and has done well in ST. On the mound, I think that three pitchers will break out. The first is Jake Irvin, who already broke out to a certain extent in the first half last season, but really fell off in the second half. If he limits the home runs, he can be one of the best pitchers in the starting rotation. Another one I think will break out is Mitchell Parker. I really like his stuff from the left side and he has a year of big league experience under his belt already. The third one is Jose A. Ferrer. He is a lefty that throws a 100 mph sinker. How much more needs to be said? I think that Ferrer can become the closer by the end of the season if the Nats trade Finnegan. If nothing else, he will be a strong relief option for the back end of the bullpen.

Andrew: Not sure he's a surprise but Crews will breakout bigtime this year.

Sean: Pitcher Brad Lord. The Nationals bullpen has been an adventure for years. Maybe the rookie can bring some stability. More importantly, lots of potential nicknames. Lord of the Bullpen. Sith Lord. Lunch Lord (for any Girls5eva fans).

6. Which Nats Summer Concert are you looking forward to the most: O.A.R., Natasha Bedingfield, Nelly, Sam Hunt, Ja Rule/Ashanti, or Riley Green (who is apparently not the Detroit Tigers' outfielder)?

Ryan: Gotta be Nelly! Nelly has some big hits so I’m excited for him.

Frank: Sam Hunt is a concert I would stay after to watch. I am a deep undercover country fan and Hunt has some bangers!

John: My heart says OAR, but you gotta have a little nostalgia for Nelly too.  What’s happening now?!

Richard: O.A.R.  Shattered. Duh!! 

Chris: Uh, this is not exactly a murderer’s row of music. Ja Rule probably.

Marc: For the concerts, I am excited for Sam Hunt and Nelly. I am a country music fan so those names are the ones I am most interested in.

Andrew: OAR

Sean: I asked this question to my oldest son who replied Nelly. If we go, I hope he plays Hot In Herre.

7. Finally, what's your overall prediction for the Nationals? (ex. record, finish in the NL East)

Ryan: I think the Nats finish 78-84. The NL East will be too tough for them to break .500 but they will be a sneaky decent team and will be a hard out. Young, fun, scrappy team. 

Frank: In 2025, the Nationals will win 70 games as the cheap rebuild continues and they will finish fourth in the NL East. I need a reason to watch this team and hopefully Crews, Wood or Abrams will play well enough to make the Nats summer time appointment viewing.

John: Thanks to the eternal ineptitude, or apathy, of the Miami Marlins, the Nationals figure to be solidly in fourth place in the division.  If Crews has a monster year this season, maybe they threaten for third, but I think there’s a wide disparity between them and the contenders that have much higher expectations in the division.  This Nats team could be a bit scrappy sometimes, a definite pain in the butt for opposing pitchers if you have to play them enough, but it’s hard to win 8-7 every game.  And with a pitching staff that still seems anonymous and lacking for the most part, it’s hard to envision them being better than a mediocre team this year.  But I also say that as an Orioles fan who knows teams can come out of nowhere faster than you think.  So if I’m wrong, well, I won’t be surprised.  But from out here my expectations aren’t very high. 

Richard: I predict the Nationals finish a couple of games over .500 and will be third in the division.  

Chris: 3rd in NL behind Mets and Braves, 81-81.

Marc: Predictions: I think the Nats finish somewhere between the range of 75-85 wins. In my most optimistic opinion, I think the young core can lead the team to a Wild Card berth, much like the O's in 2023. Conversely, this core has yet to play a full season together and relying on a team that has an average age in the late 20s is a risk. The lack of veteran leaders like Jayson Werth/Scherzer can easily hurt this team in a maturity standpoint. It is easy for me to look at the NL East and say they will finish in 4th, but I genuinely think one of ATL/NYM/PHI will falter and, if the Nats play well, they can finish in 3rd. Every season, a team overperforms and a team underperforms. Who says that team to overperform can't be the Nats?

Andrew: Finish 4th in the NL East

Sean: 75 wins. Slight improvement from last season, but they can’t compete with the Mets, Braves, and Phillies.

BONUS PREDICTIONS:

You may know Mike Ploger as the in-game host for Nationals and Capitals games (as well as being a realtor). While he was unable to provide predictions based on his role in the organization, he shared that the Nationals will go 162-0 and a World Series (with a winking smiley face emoji). (Sean's note: Since the Nationals lost on Thursday, I will amend Mike's prediction to the team going 161-1 and a World Series!)  (Instagram)

Caroline, the lead vocalist and guitarist, for the DC-area band Cinema Hearts also shared this:

I'm just proud to say I was a Nats fan since they started in 2005. My only prediction is I hope everyone has a great summer watching baseball and that I will one day sing in the stadium!

Thanks to everyone for participating. Please feel free to leave your own predictions in the comments below.

Photo Credits:

Dylan Crews by Geoff Burke-USA Today

CJ Abrams by G Fiume-Getty

Nelly by John Amis-AP

Cinema Hearts from their Instagram page by Natania Krebs.

2025 Pittsburgh Pirates Predictions

Baseball season starts this week, so it's time for my annual Pirates post where I ask a group of people for their season predictions. While I probably write this every year, I think it's true that this year includes the best group of participants since I started doing these posts. So with that, I'm proud to introduce the panelists.

Nubyjas Wilborn – Pirates fans will remember Nubyjas for covering the Pirates for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette a few years ago. He currently covers the Tennessee Titans for SI. (Twitter)

James Santelli – The biggest Pitt women’s volleyball fan you’ll ever meet! (Blue Sky)

Ethan Hullihen – Arguably the best person to follow on Twitter for Pirates payroll and transactions. (Twitter)

Josh Croyle – Author of Josh’s World and always up for participating in any of my silly or not silly predictions posts. (Blue Sky)

Jim Lokay – Pittsburgh born and bred and FOX 5 DC anchor. (Blue Sky)

Noah Hiles – Pirates beat writer for the Post-Gazette. (Twitter)

Jim Rosati – You know him from NorthShore Nine podcast (Twitter)

Saxboy – Puts together incredible Pirate-related (and other) videos. (Twitter)

1986-1992 Pirates – The best place on the internet to find pictures, videos, and more of the 86-92 Pirates. (Blue Sky)

Andrew Moses: Host of the podcast Everybody Pulls the Tarp. He recently had a great interview with former Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. (Twitter)

1. Let's start with the biggest star on the team and one of the biggest in baseball. What do you expect from Paul Skenes this season?

Nubyjas: Paul Skenes is one of those rare athletes that I’d happily pay to watch even if it means filling Bob Nutting’s wallet. 😀 But seriously he’s a special talent who if he stays healthy can be a perennial CY Young candidate. I expect a great season.

James: It appears that anything less than a Cy Young Award and the Pirates' first no-hitter in 28 years (and first solo no-hitter in 49 years) would be a disappointment. Is it fair to actually expect those from Skenes? Why not! I would say the sky's the limit, but his limit may put him out of Earth's orbit.

Ethan: It wouldn’t be fair to expect MORE than what Skenes provided last year. Sure, it’s certainly possible—and maybe even likely—I’m just saying we shouldn’t expect it. With this season being his first full campaign, I can’t imagine the team totally lets the reins off quite yet. Other than that, nothing would really surprise me, but again, just don’t expect it. Young pitching is fleeting.

Josh: Fan expectations are insanely high, everyone seems to think he will go 28-0 with at least ten no-hitters. I do not think he will be quite that good. I am thinking 14-7, 2.97 ERA, finishes top five in Cy Young.

Jim L.: He'll dominate once again -- maybe not ASG starter stuff that early on, but there's no reason to think he'll regress.

Noah: The sky's the limit for Skenes. I think it's reasonable to predict he will be well in the mix for this year's National League Cy Young. I personally think he wins the award after leading baseball in ERA and strikeouts. 

Jim R.: I'm not sure it’s fair to expect to see what he did last year, but I do expect him to be one of the best pitchers in the NL this season. Let’s go with something like 15-5 with a 2.55 ERA and he finishes 2nd in Cy Young voting. 

1992: It’s going to be difficult for Skenes to top such an incredible rookie season. But he’s a student of the game and he’s aiming to do just that. In that vein, Skenes has been tinkering with a couple new pitches this spring in an effort to try and induce contact so he can lower his pitch count and thus go deeper into games. I think this approach and adjustment will cause him to take somewhat of a “step back” because the movement on his pitches is just too good. It’s simply hard for hitters to make contact on him. I think he needs to double down on what he does best, go for the strikeout and make batters try and miss his pitches. He’s also going to be without his personal catcher Yasmani Grandal. In 2024, Skenes for the most part allowed more base runners and ran up high pitch counts in his first few innings of starts, but then locked in and became much more efficient as the game progressed. Grandal had a knack of working with Paul to make adjustments during the 2nd and 3rd time through the order. Don’t get me wrong, Skenes is still going to have a very good season. I can envision him with an ERA in the low 3’s, 14 wins, and 250 strikeouts in over 30 starts this season.

Andrew: Huge season. 15+ wins, over 1K/IP, flirts with a no-hitter at least 1-2 times. Cy Young candidate.

2. Who will lead the Pirates in home runs in 2025? (Sean’s Note: My pick of Jack Suwinski in 2024 was so bad that I disqualified myself from participating in this year’s predictions.)

Nubyjas: While he’s not a power hitter I will pick Bryan Reynolds because he at least makes consistent contact. I’d love for O’Neil Cruz or Ke’Bryan Hayes to prove me wrong.

James: I'll call for Bryan Reynolds with the first 30-homer season of his career. Let's get him one before he gets to the sorry end of the age curve.

Ethan: Not much of a choice here—the smart money is either on Bryan Reynolds or Oneil Cruz. I’m going with Cruz, and let’s say somewhere between 25 and 30.

Josh: Bryan Reynolds is a safe pick with just 23 HRs.

Jim L.: Bryan Reynolds?

Noah: I will go with Oneil Cruz. If I have to pick a number, I will guess 33. 

Jim R.: Gonna have to go with Cruz. Hoping the move to CF can allow him to just go out there and play ball. 

1992: Obvious answer is Oneil Cruz. He has the most raw power on the club. But I do not believe he is going to go up there swinging for the fences every time like he did the first season-and-a-half of his career. He’s going to be focused more on putting the ball in play, and getting productive outs. He’ll have a higher batting average but that’s going to limit his homers to 28.

Andrew: Ke'Bryan Hayes

3. Will Derek Shelton be fired as the Pirates manager during the season, fired after the season, or be the team's manager in 2026?

Nubyjas: If you would’ve asked me this before the Jared Jones news I would’ve said no because I believe the Pirates pitching would’ve overcame deficiencies in hitting. But. If Jones is out for a significant time period it could get ugly.

James: Unless he can get the Bucs over .500 and in contention when the Steelers are playing games that matter, nope, he's toast. I'll predict he gets the axe in mid-September and Don Kelly takes over.

Ethan: I’m not sure those making the decision are the type that would make such a move during the season, but I don’t think the club is going to be good enough (see below) to be considered to have taken the next step, so let’s say Shelton goes after the season.

Josh: No, I think he is fired before the end of the season.

Jim L.: There's a difference between being the manager of a bad team and the manager of an underperforming team. It's not his fault that Nutting doesn't give him what he needs to win, but it's easier to fire a manager than it is to admit fault (or sell the team.) So, I think he's safe this year. Next year? That's anyone's guess.

Noah: I don't think Derek Shelton will be fired this season, but I also don't think he will be the manager next year. 

Jim R.: Fired.

1992: I like Derek Shelton the person but don’t believe he is the right manager to lead them to the playoffs. I just believe after 5 years of losing the team needs a different voice. That said, this is an organization that is painfully slow to make changes. Only a complete dumpster fire would cost people jobs (see 2019 season with embarrassing arrests and clubhouse fights). I believe the club will show enough improvement that Derek will keep his job and be back in 2026.

Andrew: Manager in 2026. This is a step forward year for the Pirates.

4. Will Paul Skenes and Livvy Dunne get engaged in 2025?

Nubyjas: Sure. Why not?

James: Yes, aboard the Gateway Clipper Fleet. But not on the Princess or the Duchess. Oh, no. It's gotta be the Empress.

Ethan: I really couldn’t care less about social media “stardom”, so I’ll just say I hope those kids are happy. And if I had to bet…I’m going with no.

Josh: Yes

Jim L.: I don't care.

Noah: No idea. Probably not. 

Jim R.: No

1992: Yes, my guess is it will happen after the season concludes, around the holidays in 2025 before the new year. 

Andrew: 2025 offseason.

5. Who is your surprise/breakout player for the Pirates this season?

Nubyjas: Ji Hawn Bae if for no other reason than it’s time for him to show and prove or move on.

James: Call me naïve, but I'm still a believer in Henry Davis. There's something in the bat that I can't shake. And when Endy or Bart gets hurt, because a catcher always gets hurt, I think Davis will seize the moment and put some punch into the lineup this summer.

Ethan: This really isn’t my kind of thing, like at all, so I’m not sure my answer matters. I would be willing to bet Oneil Cruz would be the popular pick, so I’ll try and come up with someone different. I’ll say that Kyle Nicolas comes up after some bullpen glut gets sorted through, finds some control, and becomes a big contributor to the bullpen.

Josh: Bubba Chandler...I think he comes up early and has a solid year, perhaps finishing in the top 3 for ROY

Jim L.: I'm pulling for Spencer Horowitz.

Noah: I will go with Kyle Nicolas. I expect him to have a really good year out of the bullpen. 

Jim R.: I hope there’s a few, but let’s go with Nick Yorke. 

1992: Someone from the bullpen. Let’s go with Kyle Nicolas. People have been raving about his stuff for a long time, and he is good friends with Skenes and Jones. I think their mentality and preparation will rub off on him, and I could see Kyle emerging to be a solid 8th inning guy on a team that desperately needs a lockdown bullpen after last year’s disasters.

Andrew: Ke'Bryan Hayes

6. Will any of the Dodgers, Mets, and Braves NOT make the playoffs?

Nubyjas: Too much would have to go wrong for the Dodgers to miss the playoffs. Hell, they were without Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts yet had no problem smoking the Cubs in Japan. If anything the NL East gauntlet could eliminate either the Braves or Mets because the Phils are a good team and the Marlins can catch you slipping.

James: Hmm let's go with the Mets missing out. If one of Lindor or Soto gets hurt or has a protracted slump, things could really get interesting -- especially since the Braves are a more complete team in that division.

Ethan: Injuries are already creeping up on both the Mets and Braves already, but in the end, I’d say it’s more likely than not all three make it. However, I’d say the Mets have the worst chance.

Josh: Yes, the Braves miss out this year

Jim L.: MLB is broken. They all SHOULD because they spend the money, but somehow, I think the Mets revert to their old ways and vastly underperform this year and miss the postseason.

Noah: The Mets will miss the playoffs. Not enough pitching. 

Jim R.: No

1992: The NL East is loaded. The NL West is loaded. Outside the division winners, your wild cards will come from those 2 divisions. I could see the Mets missing the playoffs, and the other wild card going to Arizona who just missed out last year.

Andrew: Braves won't

7. What's your overall prediction for the Pirates? (Record, finish in the NL Central, etc.)

Nubyjas: My prediction is pain. It’s hard to see this team finishing higher than third in the Central which is a shame considering how weak the division seems to be this season. Pirates will finish sub .500 again.

James: 77-84 (Some game against the Nationals or the Reds late in the season gets rained out with no re-scheduling), which still winds up being good enough for 3rd place in the NL Central. Maybe I'm just pessimistic because I'm making predictions right after word that Jared Jones is having elbow trouble -- but that news only illustrates how many things must go right, and how little can go wrong, for the 2025 Pirates to be a playoff contender. I'll note that I was two wins on the optimistic side last year with a 78-84 prediction.

Ethan: As anyone reading this hopefully knows, I’m really not one for bloviating or prognosticating, so thanks for bearing with me (I couldn’t even get one numbers question?!). Personally, I don’t think the team is going to be very good—they weren’t very good last year, and didn’t do a ton to get much better. Internal improvement is their only hope, and the list of “if such and such goes right, they may have a chance” can only get so long before there actually isn’t one. Ultimately, I’m not sure they finish above .500, so let’s go with 80-82.

Josh: 74-88...4th place.

Jim L.: 4th place. 78-84. If they open strong as they've done in the past, it'll be short-lived. If they start off sluggish, they'll only turn it around enough to skirt .500. I'm sorry, I want this team to win but I'm just numb to the lack of commitment by the ownership.

Noah: I think the Pirates will finish 82-80. They will remain in wild card contention until the final weeks of September, but ultimately run out of gas down the final stretch. 

Jim R.: 76-86, 4th place 

1992: I think the team will show enough improvement to keep management’s jobs safe but will fall short of the playoffs and .500. They’ll be in “contention” for that last Wild card spot in September but fade down the stretch. My prediction is 4th place, 80-82.

Andrew: 83 wins, 3rd in NL Central

Thanks to everyone for participating!

Photo credits:

Skenes from Pirates Twitter.

Reynolds by Hakim Wright Sr AP

Livvy Dunne by Ben Watts/SI

Ohtani by Mary Decicco/MLB Photos via Getty