You know, we talked a bit in another thread about whether the average player values money over winning and other local intangibles (city, stadium, tradition, etc.). I believe the consensus was, money rules but only up to a point beyond which the other factors weigh in heavier.
The first thought that comes to mind when I read your post is, how long will Skenes stay in Pittsburgh? Yes, I know he's not a free agent until 2030 or so, leading to headlines and videos of commiseration such as this one:
Other talk centers around the Pirates trading Skenes for a bunch of prospects, especially as they near his free agency deadline. My point is, you just don't expect certain cities and franchises to hold onto their stars in professional sports.
But why can't that change? (Other than the persistence of cheap, inept ownership and management, that is.) That is what I think you are referring to in your post; i.e.,
Paul Skenes Gives Quote That Will Have Pittsburgh Loyalists Fired Up for Pirates '25
Quote:
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“I think we owe something to the city,” Skenes said. “We owe a lot to the city. It’s our job to go out and win for the city because this is bigger than all of us. There’s a reason why Cutch keeps coming back, and specifically to Pittsburgh. There’s something about this city. We saw it last summer. We’ve seen it in the videos of the Wild Card Game. I’m tired of watching them because it was a Wild Card Series. The bar needs to be set pretty high. Not taking anything from those guys. The fact that that’s a golden era of recent Pirates baseball, that needs to change. We owe it to the city.”
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Hell yeah, and the city deserves it. Here is a young star who, instead of bemoaning his lot in life and counting down to his big payday in a major media market, is looking to turn things around in Pittsburgh and make the Pirates an honorable and enjoyable place to play baseball again.
A refreshing attitude, if genuine and lasting. And yes, it puts the pressure on where it belongs: ownership and management to stop accepting mediocrity at best.