PHILADELPHIA -- One veteran theorized to me that pitchers would no longer be careless throwing inside if players start charging the mound with more regularity.
There have a been a few brawls around the majors this season, one of which included the Yankees and Red Sox. That didn't happen when a pitch broke Josh Harrison's left hand last weekend in Miami, but the Pirates' position players are clearly frustrated, especially after Harrison was lost for six weeks.
They're not the only ones, either.
It's become a problem around baseball, as evidenced by the Braves' Freddie Freeman avoiding a serious injury on a hit-by-pitch Wednesday. If my conversations are any indication, the Pirates might respond with a different form of retaliation if another incident occurs.
It's interesting this is happening now. Remember, it wasn't all that long ago Andrew McCutchen was hit on a regular basis with no retaliation from the Pirates.
When Harrison was hit, Ivan Nova hit the Marlins' leadoff batter the next inning with his first pitch in the behind. That elicited a warning to both teams, but it earns respect in the clubhouse.
MORE PIRATES
• In addition to Felipe Vázquez being former teammates with new Pirates reliever Enny Romero, he was once the consolation prize when the Nationals were in search of a left-handed reliever. Vázquez told me last week he was traded to the Nationals from the Rays in February 2014 after they failed to acquire Romero, then a top-100 prospect, according to Baseball America. He knows this because the two relievers used to share the same agent. "Funny how things work out," Vázquez said with a laugh. -- Lysowski
• To have hitters visualize getting the ball in the air with more regularity, the Pirates placed tall protective screens around the infield during batting practice in spring training. The thinking was it could work for some hitters who learn visually, although Clint Hurdle admitted they could not credit the practice for the offense's fast start or if it helped any of his hitters. Well, it didn't help Josh Bell. "I had no idea why those things were there for the longest time," Bell told me. "Maybe it worked for some guys, but I barely noticed. It depends on the person and what people are trying to work on. It creates a good visual, optimal angle to get balls up." -- Lysowski
• Starling Marte's already walked 20 times, and it's still snowing. He drew yet another last night in Philadelphia. A year ago, with his season cut in half by the steroids suspension, he drew a total of 20 over 339 plate appearances. He's never drawn more than 33 in any season, that coming in 2014. And it isn't an accident. Marte had told me twice, back in Bradenton in early March and again in Detroit on opening weekend, that he was going to be "much more patient." I told him, and not really joking at all, that I'd believe that when I saw it. "You'll see," came the reply with a bit of a scowl. OK, OK, we're seeing. -- Dejan Kovacevic
PENGUINS
• It appears that Kris Letang’s short stint on the No. 2 power play could be coming to an end. Justin Schultz was still the QB during the Penguins’ first power play in Game 4 but by game’s end, it was Letang working again with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel and, for now, Jake Guentzel. Letang played 3:02 on the power play to 2:12 for Schultz, marking the first time in the series Letang played more than Schultz with the man advantage. When you have two capable defensemen such as Letang and Schultz, it’s a good problem to have. The decision is made even easier when Letang is playing well. By all accounts, the 30-year-old Letang appears at least somewhat rejuvenated in the playoffs after missing all of last season’s postseason run and following a very uneven 2017-18 regular season. — Chris Bradford
• Jamie Oleksiak is a big body and can play a very physical game, but if you’re looking for a stay-at-home, shot-blocking defensive defenseman, that might not be him. Among Penguins' blueliners, his three blocked shots this postseason ranks sixth (out of six). In Game 1, Oleksiak played 2:20 short-handed, but that time was cut down to :41 in Game 2, :43 in Game 3 and :00 in Game 4. Among the defense corps, only Schultz doesn’t play short-handed. That can be viewed as a slight toward Oleksiak. Either that, or the days of managing Letang’s minutes are done. — Bradford
• Thursday’s brief injury scare with Matt Murray was another reminder of what can go wrong, even in a practice. The better question is why were the Penguins practicing? Up 3-1 in an infinitely winnable series against the Flyers, with possibly a week-long layoff coming up as the Columbus and Washington series looks destined to go the distance, Thursday seemed to beg for an optional skate, at best, or a day off. The guess is that given a choice between a practice or a morning game-day skate, the coaches — and most players — will take the practice every time. — Bradford
• Bob Clarke, the player formerly known as Bobby Clarke, was seen smiling while walking around the bowels of the Wells Fargo Center with current Flyers GM Ron Hextall prior to Game 4. Meanwhile, Paul Holmgren took the game in from the press box (as did Danny Briere and Kimmo Timonen in Game 3). You can respect the “once a Flyer always a Flyer” mantra that has carried over from late owner Ed Snider, and it’s commendable the organization wants to take care of its own, but at some point you have to move on. Hextall has done strong work in bringing the team into the 2010s, building it properly through the draft without looking for a quick fix (something Snider would have never allowed). But having his two immediate predecessors — Clarke is now a senior vice president, while Holmgren serves as team president — hovering around him just isn't a healthy situation. — Bradford
• While there is not a lot of love between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia fans, the teams' staffs are apparently quite cordial. As we were walking out of the Wells Fargo Center the other night following Game 3, we noticed the door to the laundry room was open and in it you could see jerseys and socks from both teams were spinning happily together in an industrial-sized washing machine. — Bradford
STEELERS
• I'm told some people in the organization don't have a first-round grade on any of the safeties beyond Minkah Fitzpatrick and Derwin James. That's interesting because the Steelers aren't going to have a shot at either of those two players, who should be gone in the first dozen picks. That doesn't mean, however, the Steelers won't take a safety in the first round. After all, there are only about 15 or so players who are going to have absolute first-round grades in this draft. And then there will be 25-40 players who have a first-to-second-round grade. And the final word on any Steelers' draft pick comes from the triumvirate of Art Rooney II, Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert. They get the final say and if they say the best player available is a safety, the pick will be a safety. -- Dale Lolley
• How much does Joe Haden love playing football? He was back training just one week after the Steelers' season-ending playoff loss at his home in Los Angeles. "I just love the game," Haden said. He also hadn't been able to train during the offseason the previous two years because of injuries while in Cleveland. -- Lolley
• There are a lot of rumors circulating regarding the draft this time of year. Some of them are smoke and some are fact. The latest involves linebacker Leighton Vander Esch and a potential neck injury. According to the rumors circulating, Vander Esch has a neck issue that caused some teams to red-flag him medically. I'm told the Steelers are OK with him medically. I can tell you that there were more players red-flagged for medical issues at this year's NFL Scouting Combine than in previous years. So if you start to see players dropping for no apparent reason -- it happens every year -- that's probably why. -- Lolley
PITT
• Pat Narduzzi spent about 15 minutes (of a scheduled 10) on the ACC Football Coaches Teleconference on Thursday and hit on some topics that hadn’t been discussed this spring. He talked about the addition of safeties coach Cory Sanders as the team’s 10th assistant coach — a new position allowed this year under NCAA rules — and said among the factors that went into adding that particular role on the staff was to address an area of weakness from a year ago (the secondary) and to have five assistants on each side of the ball to make an even coach-to-player ratio. — Matt Grubba
• Also on the call, Narduzzi said he has been conducting one-on-one interviews with each player before they leave for summer, and his defensive players have been positive across the board about new defensive coordinator Randy Bates. “The thing I continue to get back is our players love his attitude, love his energy and love their relationship with Coach Bates at this point. … I see a different defense this spring. I see guys playing with a little bit more edge and attitude, and he's brought some great things to our program. Defensively, they are probably about 70 percent similar to what we are, and then there's that 30 percent new little things that, I think, can add into our defense that can make us an elite defense.” — Grubba
• Jeff Capel and assistant Tim O’Toole have been doing the New York circuit this week, and both are reconnecting with some players they had been recruiting to Duke and California, respectively. Among the top rising seniors Capel already has made offers to are 6-foot-7 St. Benedict’s Prep (N.J.) forward Precious Achiuwa and 6-10 forward Aidan Igiehon of Woodmere Academy (N.Y.). Achiuwa is a consensus five-star recruit, and both are ranked as national top-50 prospects. Both have more than a dozen offers already, but there at least is a Pitt connection with Igiehon — his AAU coach is former Pitt assistant and Robert Morris head coach Mike Rice. — Grubba
PENN STATE
• Look for Pat Chambers' contract to be extended soon, athletic director Sandy Barbour said Thursday. This support shouldn't come as a surprise after the team won the NIT, but what is somewhat surprising is that the decision to extend Chambers was made before Penn State even went on their NIT run. This means the administration was content with the regular season, largely because of the homestretch. Being competitive around here despite not making the tournament seems to be enough for job security for the time being. The other thing they're content with? The Bryce Jordan Center. Filling the BJC was good enough for Barbour to not consider going after a new arena, she said Thursday. However, that decision to me was made loud and clear by the facility master plan released last year that didn't include a new arena. Winning helps in all areas, even with an arena certainly not built with college hoops in mind. - Audrey Snyder in State College
• Penn State's backfield won't be back-by-committee, running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider told me this week. They need an "alpha dog" and by all accounts that will be Miles Sanders' role unless someone somehow supplants him. Ricky Slade arrives this summer, though Seider didn't want to put any expectations on the five-star back just yet since nobody can project how he'll pick up the playbook and the speed of the game once he arrives in June. - Snyder
• There will not be a concert in Beaver Stadium again this summer. This comes after Penn State's vow to use the stadium as much as possible to try and increase revenue. This should tell us how the first show went last summer financially, one where a final crowd estimate was never released. - Snyder
RIVERHOUNDS
• Riverhounds backup forward Kay Banjo is away from the team after his family’s home in Maryland was destroyed by a fire Sunday morning. Fortunately, no one was harmed in the blaze, but Banjo’s family now is trying to rebuild. To assist, the Hounds are promoting a GoFundMe page to benefit his family’s recovery, and the team will have additional fundraising efforts at their next home match, Saturday, April 28 against Atlanta United 2. — Grubba