Letters: Tracy most deserving

Saturday, 1 a.m.

Q: What do you think of Jim Tracy being named National League Manager of the Year? Did the Pirates give up on him too soon? And how many games can a manager realistically win for his team?

Bobby Fitzmaurice

Bob Smizik: Tracy was very deserving and I’m not surprised he received 29 of a possible 32 first-place votes. No, I don’t think the Pirates gave up on him too soon. I think Tracy was a bad fit for the Pirates. I think he is best with a veteran and more talented team.

As for how many games a manager can win, it depends on the situation. Tracy, for example, took over a good team that had tired of former manager Clint Hurdle. The Rockies were ripe for a new voice. In a situation like that a manager can make a big difference. But in normal circumstances, I might give a manager five wins a year.

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Q: If Brett Keisel and James Harrison are great special teams players, and the Steelers were leading, 14-7, in the fourth quarter with a minute left and having just scored, would Mike Tomlin send them out to supplement the special teams? If not, why not? 

Jack Huber

Bob Smizik: I don’t think you can use the present tense in describing the special team play of Harrison and Keisel. Past tense would be correct. If Keisel and Harrison had not been practicing with the special teams, no, I definitely would not send them out. If they had been taking an occasional turn, but nothing serious, in practice, I’d still probably not do it. The only case in which I might use them is if the special teams had had another bad day.

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Q: After The Bengals went ahead 18-12, the Steelers threw long on first down and we know the rest of the story. That was the time when they needed to get it together and begin putting some first downs together and getting a winning score. Was it too much Monday Night Football or did the Steelers blink?

Dave Hogan

Bob Smizik: I think it was too much bad play-calling by offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. I’m slow to criticize play calling because I don’t know all that’s going on, but that series of plays made no sense. The Steelers had enough time that they did not have to try low-percentage long passes.

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Q: Has the Big East approached Penn State about joining since the defections of Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College? It only makes sense because before it joined the Big Ten, Penn State dominated this region. But now I see them as a second-tier team. They're biggest losses are in recruiting from this area. In the late 1980s, the good recruits went to Penn State or maybe Notre Dame. Now Pitt and WVU are recruiting well in the area, along with Ohio State. I think Penn State returning to play football locally and the dominance it would have in Big East would guarantee them 10 wins almost every year and a BCS bid every other year. Wouldn't a return of Penn State benefit everyone locally (Pitt and WVU)? It would also bolster the reputation of the Big East in football.

Joseph Polinsky

Bob Smizik: I think Penn State is happy in the Big Ten and would not be interested in joining the Big East. Obviously, Penn State would be a great addition but I think the Big East knows it is set in the Big Ten and will not be making any overtures. Penn State won the Big Ten and played in the Rose Bowl last year. They have a good chance of playing in a BCS bowl this year. That is not the mark of a second-tier team.

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Q: It would seem that Pitt could offer an outstanding high school quarterback the “opportunity” to start for four years at a school on the upswing?

D. Conn

Bob Smizik: It is rarely a good idea to promise a high school player a starting role as a freshman. That’s particularly true since Pitt will have two quarterbacks who have been waiting their turn -- Pat Bostick and Tino Sunseri. I'm sure any good high school quarterback knows there's a chance for early playing time at Pitt with Bill Stull leaving, but first he'd have to win the job. No coach will guarantee that.

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Q: Unbelievable! Pitt is 9 and 1, the best record it has had in 27 years, heading for a conference championship game in a couple of weeks against a team that they can beat and all people want to do is complain about how they weren't perfect. This team and program is on the verge of something special that we have not seen in 27 years. Enjoy it.

I think that some can't stand the fact that Bill Stull is the quarterback and particularly that he is proving them wrong. I, too, had reservations at the start of the season about him being named the starter. But I admit that I was wrong Get over it. He is playing well enough to win and that is all that matters.

Enjoy the ride! Hail To Pitt!

D. B. Kohan

Bob Smizik: It’s tough to please some people but in fairness to Pitt fans, not being happy with success is common with almost all teams. Fans love to have something to complain about.

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Q: Joe Girardi came in last among all of the AL managers who won anything (in Manager of the Year voting). Sometimes you get third place because the guy that placed fourth didn't do anything. And it's not a given any manager would have won 103 games with the Yankees. Almost any manager would have done very well, but 103 wins is really a lot.

Kyle Moylan

Bob Smizik: My problem was not so much that Girardi finished third but that he got four first-place votes. I don’t understand that.

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Q:  Thanks for passing along the info on the  Buccos money. Looking at the team's young talent, we could have a lot of good players that can help us win. Do you think the Pirates will use this money down the road for signing these talented players to long-term deals? 

Wil Hrovat

Bob Smizik:  I'm not quite sure what young talent you're talking about.  Other than Andrew McCutchen and possibly Garrett Jones, who's not so young, I don't see a ``lot of good players.''   As for signing good players to long-term deals, there is no indication the Pirates will do that when the time comes.  But you never know.