So, the Pirates traded Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte to the Yankees for Jose Tabata, Dan McCutchen, Jeff Karstens and Ross Ohlendorf.  There isn't any way the Steelers could make a six player deal that I wouldn't recognize four of the names, so I should bow out of any further comment.  But I won't. 

I've only read what I've read, but early opinions of Jose Tabata are that he is a talent that has already worn out his welcome with one team.  That the team that's tired of him is the most successful franchise in the history of organized sports has to be troubling. 

So Tabata is young.  And he is from another country, which is probably a challenge for him.  But, the story goes that he quit in the middle of a game once.  Huh?  The last time I heard of that was when my son was in the Altoona Little League.  One of his teammates left his team to go get ice cream with his family.  By the way, that player wasn't allowed back on the team.

Hopefully, the pitchers will be able to help.  The Pirate organization is still throwing John Van Benschoten to the wolves.  It would have to be an improvement to have a young man with two arms, to go to as opposed to another Van Benschoten goring. 

I realize you can't be too picky when the organization is as weak as this one is.  You are always going to have to accept some baggage when you are so far down the totem pole. 

I'm no baseball guy, so understand that I may just be talking out of turn.  But, this kid is troubled in ways that a few more push-ups won't solve.  Not saying he cannot get his act together.  Just saying that if he was a true big time prospect, the Yankees wouldn't have made him available.

Steelers

Thank God, camp has opened.  We need not concern ourselves with bottom rung baseball teams.  The Steelers are in camp and life is good. 

I checked out the Post-Gazette web site and they had video of the arriving Steelers.  Now, there's a group that didn't pick their rides based on gas mileage.  Jeff Reed's fat white short bed truck has to be a guzzler.  And he's just the kicker.

Mike Tomlin is pushing this "battle" between Sean Mahan and Jeff Hartwig at center.  If this is going to be a battle, then the Steelers are in trouble.  Mahan was the most likely to fail on the entire offensive line last year.  Made Chucky Okobi look like Mike Webster.  At least he could warn Ben that trouble was coming, since he was usually facing the backfield shortly after the snap. 

Casey Hapton is too fat.  Usually someone who plays up front, especially nose guard, should be fat.  But, they also have to be strong and able to endure four quarters and 16 games.  Mike Tomlin thinks Hampton won't be able to do that so he's sending Hampton to boot camp.  The further into a lineman's career that they get, the less actual game preparation they need.  But the conditioning must be in place.  Hampton will be prone to all sorts of aches and pains if he isn't ready to take the beating.  Tomlin is right to pull him off the assembly line.  He shouldn't have to.  Hampton needs to act like a pro and get the home work done before reporting to class.

It all boils down to the lines...it always does.  If the center position is solid, the rest will follow.