Pittsburgh Pirates superstar Paul Skenes has taken baseball by storm since being called up earlier this season and is now 8-2 with a 2.16 ERA as he earns the National League Rookie of the Year Award and possibly the Cy Young Award as well. :
Fans, members of the media, current players and retired legends alike seem to universally agree that they are watching something special, and one former pitcher recently had a strong statement about Skenes’ play so far this season.
Former MLB player Ron Darling appeared on FanDuel TV and had high praise for Skenes, saying, Power and accuracy are what make great pitchers from Roger Clemens to Tom Seaver … Skeens is on that mission.”
“Paul Skenes is as strong and as big as any of the greats ever was. Power and accuracy are what make great pitchers from Roger Clemens to Tom Seaver… Skens accomplishes that mission”
– Former baseball pitcher and current sports commentator Ron Darling @TheCousinSal: |… pic.twitter.com/3HqYqxw1Ns
— FanDuel TV (@FanDuelTV) August 23, 2024
Darling noted that being a starting pitcher is a marathon, but teams are training pitchers at the 100-meter level these days and putting them in the box so the big ones are never exposed.
Teams put more emphasis on speed and less emphasis on getting deep into games, so the workhorse times aren’t what they used to be.
In 2003, 44 pitchers threw at least 200 innings.
In 2023, that number exceeded only five pitchers.
The Pirates have been cautious with Skenes, but not overly conservative, as he has worked to 100+ pitches in seven of his 17 starts thus far.
Skenes is a throwback ace that brings back memories of legends like Ron Darling decades ago when horse-riding starting pitchers used to be box office attractions.
Fans would fill the stands when the ace was on the mound, there were so many pitchers in the league that had that aura of being the ace.
It’s a dying breed, but Skenes fits the bill.
NEXT:
Pirates Young Ace Makes History Despite First Career Loss
