Cup of Joe (Starkey): Caitlin Clark, WNBA thriving despite destructive opportunists
Move over, NFL. The WNBA has become America’s most volatile sports battleground for societal conflict. Everybody wants a piece of the WNBA these days. Not for the basketball, of course, but rather to score political points or prop up a podcast or just spew a little venom. The media (and...
Joe Starkey’s Mailbag: Have the Steelers lost their minds by giving contracts to everyone but Joey Porter Jr.?
You ask. I answer. It’s time for “Mailing It In,” a weekly Q&A that appears Tuesdays at TribLive.com. Most of the questions come via X, but you can also hit me up at jraystarkey@gmail.com. In the mailbag two months ago, we suggested the Steelers sign Nick Herbig. Within hours, they...
Cup of Joe (Starkey): Steve Blass’ most remarkable accomplishment wasn’t that Game 7 win in Baltimore
We’re coming up on the anniversary of one of the most incredible accomplishments in Pittsburgh sports, authored by one Stephen Robert Blass. And no, it wasn’t his World Series Game 7 masterpiece in Baltimore in 1971, although that was pretty good. Rather, it was the day Blass made two holes-in-one...
Cup of Joe (Starkey): Drew Allar, Will Howard aced 1st test for Steelers — but let’s not lose our minds
Yes, I’m going to be that guy. At least for a minute, after watching Will Howard and Drew Allar light it up Thursday night in their NFL debuts. Somebody has to be. I’m going to be the guy who reminds you that Skylar Thompson went 20 of 28 for 233...
Cup of Joe (Starkey): At this rate, Pirates might as well shut down Paul Skenes
Back at the All-Star Game, Pirates reporter Jason Mackey asked Paul Skenes what he thought of all the questions regarding his fastball velocity. It had been slipping all season and has only gotten worse. “I think it’s funny that they only ask when I have a bad outing,” Skenes said....
Joe Starkey’s Mailbag: Is this the most disappointing Pirates team of the 21st century?
You ask. I answer. It’s time for “Mailing It In,” a weekly Q&A that appears Tuesdays at TribLive.com. Most of the questions come via X, but you can also hit me up at jraystarkey@gmail.com. In the mailbag two months ago, we suggested the Steelers sign Nick Herbig. Within hours, they...
Cup of Joe (Starkey): A long-lost letter to Willie Stargell
Evelyn Starkey died of natural causes Sept. 25, in my arms, at the age of 92. I was with my brother Johnny and sister Sheila at a small hospital in Fredonia, N.Y., just outside of Buffalo. I had my hand on her stomach as she took her final, tiny breath....
Beyond the Bylines: ‘Nobody even knows if Ville Koivunen is an NHL player’Video
When Joe Starkey and I planned for “Beyond the Bylines” this week, there were a few things we weren’t prepared for: • The Pirates being in last place when they opened their series against the Mets. • Luke Weaver not being allowed to pitch in a game since being acquired....
Cup of Joe (Starkey): Injuries are killing the Pirates but might save GM Ben Cherington’s job
Ben Cherington waited so long to address his rotten bullpen that by the time he addressed it, the rotten bullpen was no longer the issue. If you check the numbers since the All-Star break, it’s the rotation and lineup (and defense) that are killing the Pirates, who are 7-12 since...
Joe Starkey’s Mailbag: What is Ben Cherington’s grade for Pirates’ deadline moves?
You ask. I answer. It’s time for “Mailing It In,” a weekly Q&A that appears Tuesdays at TribLive.com. Most of the questions come via X, but you can also hit me up at jraystarkey@gmail.com. In the mailbag 1½ months ago, we suggested the Steelers sign Nick Herbig. Within hours, they...
Cup of Joe (Starkey): Something is wrong with Pirates ace Paul Skenes, whether he admits it or not
Anybody remember Paul Skenes? Let me refresh your memory. Pitching prodigy from LSU, first pick overall, tore through minors in 10 seconds, bombing hitters with 102-mph fastballs and devastating breaking pitches, including one he invented — a “splinker,” which nobody could hit. It’s not hard to find footage of Skenes...
Beyond the Bylines: ‘There is no defending’ Don Kelly’s decision in Pirates’ latest lossVideo
After a brief hiatus, “Beyond the Bylines” is back. Joe Starkey returned Friday morning to join me for our weekly TribLive livestream. As was the case before Joe left on vacation, we are still opening the show talking about Don Kelly’s bullpen managerial decisions. The only difference is, now we...
Cup of Joe (Starkey): Could somebody please notify Don Kelly that the Pirates are in a playoff chase?
Some of Don Kelly’s decisions this season have struck me as downright senseless — twice using a minor leaguer to pinch hit for Brandon Lowe springs to mind — but I have often defended him, especially on his bullpen usage. Usually, my feeling is this: What is he supposed to...
Cup of Joe (Starkey): Baker Mayfield would look great in Steelers black and gold
As Pittsburgh Steelers training camp heats up, a harsh reality hovers: This franchise still does not have a long-term replacement for Ben Roethlisberger. Drew Allar is a long shot. Will Howard is a pipe dream. May I interest you in a gently used Baker Mayfield? It’s not a likely scenario,...
Cup of Joe (Starkey): Mike McCarthy’s 1st sharp departure from Mike Tomlin is a sensible move for Steelers
A bunch of storylines emerged from report-to-camp day in Latrobe, including the fact that the Pittsburgh Steelers will refrain from live tackling in practice sessions, just like they do in playoff games. New coach Mike McCarthy made that clear Tuesday, in his first sharp departure from The Mike Tomlin Method....
Joe Starkey’s Mailbag: Has Pirates catcher Henry Davis finally found his way at the plate?
You ask. I answer. It’s time for “Mailing It In,” a weekly Q&A that appears Tuesdays at TribLive.com. Most of the questions come via X, but you can also hit me up at jraystarkey@gmail.com. In the mailbag 1½ months ago, we suggested the Steelers sign Nick Herbig. Within hours, they...
Beyond the Bylines: A different take on T.J. Watt’s decline; moving on from Mitch KellerVideo
Two major points of conversation dominated this week’s “Beyond the Bylines” with Joe Starkey and me. 1. How can the Pirates fix their leaky bullpen? 2. How can Joe Starkey fix the bags under his eyes? I have more significantly more faith that the first thing will happen. Then again,...
Joe Starkey: The battle everyone will be watching at Steelers camp
The Steelers have had some pretty juicy quarterback controversies over the years, sometimes involving as many as three players. The Terry Bradshaw-Terry Hanratty-Joe Gilliam circus from the early 1970s springs to mind, as does the Kenny Pickett-Mason Rudolph-Mitch Trubisky battle of recent vintage. There were plenty in between, usually involving...
Cup of Joe (Starkey): Don’t let Jared Jones outrage distract from what’s still killing the Pirates’ season
I’m not sure there’s a team in baseball that would have let Jared Jones pitch much longer Wednesday, even if he was throwing a perfect game. Jones is coming off major arm surgery. This was just his eighth start. At most, he would have pitched one more inning. And even...
Cup of Joe (Starkey): Did Ryan O’Hearn just have the single greatest game in Pittsburgh sports history?
I was listening in my car when Ryan O’Hearn stepped to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning Tuesday night at PNC Park — and I won’t soon forget Greg Brown’s call when O’Hearn smashed a three-run home run, his third homer of the game, to bring his...
Joe Starkey’s Mailbag: When will the Pirates let Jared Jones pitch longer into games?
You ask. I answer. It’s time for “Mailing It In,” a weekly Q&A that appears Tuesdays at TribLive.com. Most of the questions come via X, but you can also hit me up at jraystarkey@gmail.com. In the mailbag one month ago, we suggested the Steelers sign Nick Herbig. Within hours, they...
Cup of Joe (Starkey): Brandon Lowe’s All-Star snub is outrageous, but Pirates’ mediocrity didn’t help
Paul Skenes said he was surprised to be the Pittsburgh Pirates’ lone representative for the All-Star Game, pending late adds. He shouldn’t be. The Pirates are the poster team for mediocrity, having hit .500 a league-leading 15 times. They were stranded at 45-45 going into Sunday’s game at Washington, 101⁄2...
Joe Starkey: Without changes, pitchers like Paul Skenes should balk at World Baseball Classic
Paul Skenes took the World Baseball Classic quite seriously. I’m not sure the same could be said for his team. Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal quit the U.S. team in the middle of the tournament, prioritizing health and financial concerns in a contract year. Also, after a win against Mexico,...
Beyond the Bylines: Paul Skenes is broken; the Penguins have ‘other brother syndrome’ again
This week’s “Beyond the Bylines” with Joe Starkey and me dives into Paul Skenes’ recent issues. We also attempt to figure out why he has fallen off a cliff and how to fix him. We talk about the Pittsburgh Penguins and what they’ve done so far on the free agent...
Joe Starkey: Paul Skenes situation goes from worrisome to alarming as Pirates’ rotation implodes
Last offseason, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes implored management to find some bats. This offseason, it might be Pirates hitters imploring management to find some arms. And so it goes with our Pittsburgh Pirates. Patch one tire, another one pops. That’s how you go decades without a playoff series win,...
