Pirates Make Shelton Walk Plank; Name Kelly New Skipper

(Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press)

The Pittsburgh Pirates have fired manager Derek Shelton following a 12-26 start to the 2025 MLB season and are currently on a 7-game losing streak, 10 games back of the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.

Shelton had been hired as the Bucs skipper prior to the COVID shortened 2020 season. After a 19-41 record in 2020, the Pirates had back-to-back 100 loss seasons in 2021 and 2022. Things appeared to have taken a step in the right direction in 2023 when the Bucs improved by 14 games to a 76-86 record. They would have the same record last year. The Pirates were 306-440 during Shelton's tenure. 

Shelton is being succeeded by the team's bench coach, Don Kelly who has served alongside Shelton during his entire tenure. Kelly, who spent 10 seasons in MLB as a utility player with the Pirates, Detroit Tigers and Miami Marlins, was viewed as a manager material. Following a stint as a scout with the Tigers organization, Kelly became the first base coach for the AL champion Houston Astros in 2019 before joining the Bucs.

I'm not sure how much difference Kelly will make. Don't get me wrong. He has his defenders. The Pirates are very thin right now. They do have a bonafide ace in Paul Skenes while O'Neil Cruz leads the NL in stolen bases with 15. But Andrew McCutchen is a decade past his prime and most on the roster will never know the heights of McCutchen's past success. Pirates owner Bob Nutting is skimpy with spending and it shows.

Sadly, the Pirates 2025 season will probably be best remembered for a fan falling out of the stands. Fortunately, he survived the fall, but his recovery will be long. The Pirates' recovery might very well be longer.

With that said, Kelly will make his managerial debut tomorrow night as the Pirates host the Atlanta Braves for a three game weekend series.

Chet Lemon Jetted His Way in Centerfield with the White Sox & Tigers

I am saddened to learn of the passing of former MLB outfielder Chet Lemon who played with the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers for 16 seasons at the age of 70.

Towards the end of his playing career, Lemon was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder called polycythemia vera. Over the years, Lemon suffered numerous blood clots and strokes eventually rendering him unable to walk or speak. However, Lemon was able to attend celebrations commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Detroit Tigers' 1984 World Series title at Comerica Park last September.

Born in Mississippi and raised in Los Angeles, Lemon was a first round draft pick by the Oakland A's in 1972. During the 1975 season, the A's sent Lemon along with pitcher Dave Hamilton to the Chicago White Sox for pitchers Stan Bahnsen and Skip Pitlock. Lemon would make his MLB debut with the Chisox later that season as a third baseman.

By 1976, Lemon was moved to the outfield where he would remain for the rest of his career playing primarily in centerfield earning the nickname The Jet. In 1978 and 1979, Lemon would bat .300 or better earning back-to-back AL All-Star Team selections. Lemon's 44 doubles led the AL in 1979. It would also mark the first of four times that Lemon led the league in getting hit by a pitch. During his MLB career, Lemon was hit by a pitch 151 times which is 25th on the all-time MLB list.

Prior to the 1982 season, the White Sox dealt Lemon to the Detroit Tigers for outfielder Steve Kemp. This has to be one of the most lopsided trades in Tigers history. While Kemp had a good season on the South Side of Chicago in 1982 but would sign with the New York Yankees as a free agent the following season and was never quite the same player after leaving Chicago. 

Meanwhile, Lemon would spend 9 seasons with the Tigers. Aside from earning a World Series ring in 1984, Lemon would earn another AL All-Star Team selection. Although he never won a Gold Glove, Lemon was a solid defender in centerfield with a reliable bat. In 1988 career games, Lemon collected 1875 hits for a lifetime batting average of .273 with 215 HR and 884 RBIs. Of his 215 HR, 142 were hit in a Tigers uniform good enough for 20th in franchise history.

Lemon remained in baseball as a high school baseball coach in Florida guiding his teams to several championships. 

On a personal note, Chet Lemon is among the first baseball players whom I ever took notice. At first, it had to do with his last name. But years later I got watch a lot of Detroit Tigers game on WDIV. I fondly remember a commercial which featured a clip of Lemon robbing Rod Carew of a home run. In the commercial, Lemon stops to tell the viewer, "You probably think the ball is out of here. No way." He then proceeds to make the catch. As he's running back, he turns to the camera and says, "Hey, that's what they pay me for."

At the risk of sounding cliche, a piece of my childhood is gone. R.I.P.

A Few Thoughts About Pope Leo XIV - The American Born Pontiff

When I learned of the election of the American born Robert Francis Prevost, now forever to be known as Pope Leo XIV, to the papacy I could not help but wonder if the College of Cardinals was making a gesture to President Trump.

They might have well been, but the gesture appears to be not so friendly toward Trump. Like Pope Francis before him, the new pontiff has championed immigrants whatever their legal status having spent much of his clerical career in Peru and gaining a citizenship there a decade ago.

The former Cardinal Prevost criticized VP Vance directly after he made comments earlier this year about his interpretation of the Catholic doctrine of ordo amoris:

There's this old school—and I think it's a very Christian concept, by the way—that you love your family and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens and your own country, and then after that you can focus and prioritize the rest of the world.

The future Pope took to X share a National Catholic Reporter article featuring the headline, "JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others."

During Trump's first term, he shared article signaling his opposition to the Muslim ban and family separation.

If Trump and Vance are displeased, they haven't said so thus far. Trump, who spread an image of himself in papal garb, called the election of an American born Pope "such an honor". Vance congratulated him on similar grounds. I suspect their future comments toward the Pope, American or not, will not be so kind.

While I don't expect the new Pope to champion Israeli military operations in Gaza, I hope he can avoid the use the word of "genocide" as well as adorning a baby Jesus with a kaffiyeh. 

Of course, I am not a Catholic and barring any egregious acts or statements, I plan to leave it to those of Catholic faith to judge the Pope. 

For now, I wish Pope Leo XIV luck in leaving the Catholic Church a better place than he found it and making a positive influence on the world outside his faith.

Former Tory Leader Scheer to Lead Opposition as Poilievre Awaits By-Election

Andrew Scheer finds himself in a familiar place - at least for a little while.

Yesterday, Conservatives named Scheer Leader of the Official Opposition on an interim basis. That is until a by-election is held in Alberta for Pierre Poilievre to get another try to win seat in the House of Commons after he was defeated by Liberal Bruce Fanjoy in a stunning upset in his Ottawa area riding in last week's federal election.

Scheer was previously leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Official Opposition between 2017 and 2020. Under his leadership, the Tories actually won the popular vote in the 2019 federal election, increasing the party's seat total by 26. But Justin Trudeau's Liberals managed to secure a minority government and Scheer was soon forced to step down.

Now, Scheer is back in the spotlight, if only briefly. But who knows? Maybe Scheer will prove to be an effective leader and hold his own with Prime Minister Carney over the next several months. If he does, then maybe Scheer will get better poll numbers than both Carney and Poilievre and he might decide to stay.

Mind you, this is a remote possibility. Scheer and Poilievre were both originally elected to the House of Commons in 2004 when they were all of 25-years-old. Scheer is exactly two weeks older than Poilievre. Scheer has stood up for Poilievre and the odds of any opposition party pulling off in Battle River-Crowfoot what Fanjoy pulled off in Carleton are very, very small. I am sure there are those who would argue the possibility of Poilievre beating defeated in rural Alberta as sheer madness. Or perhaps Scheer madness.

But what would happen if Poilievre did somehow lose in rural Alberta? Then Poilievre would be toast. Would the Tories give Scheer a second chance at the job permanently? Or would the memories of 2019 be enough for the Tories to demand yet another leadership convention?

Needless to say, the Tories do not want these questions to come to pass. They merely want Scheer to keep Poilievre's seat warm.

Carney More Than Held His Own Against Trump

 

Canadian Prime Minister walked into the White House to meet with President Trump and walked out with his head held high.

Despite fears of Carney getting the Zelensky treatment from Trump, this did not come to pass.

When Trump was asked by reporters if Canada should be the 51st state, he waffled a bit stating, "No, no. Well, I still believe that, but it takes two to tango, right?"

Trump then brought up his experience in real estate:

You know, as a real estate developer… You know, I’m a real estate developer at heart. When you get rid of that artificially drawn line… somebody drew that line many years ago with like a ruler, just a straight line right across the top of the country. When you look at that beautiful formation, when it’s together… I’m a very artistic person. But when I looked at that beauty, I said, that’s the way it was meant to be.

It would seem Trump is about as familiar with the Treaty of Ghent which ended the War of 1812 as he is with art. 

To which Carney had the most artful response. 

CARNEY: Well, if I may. As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale. 

TRUMP: That’s true. 

CARNEY: We’re sitting in one right now. You know, Buckingham Palace that you visited as well. 

TRUMP: That’s true.

CARNEY: And having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign last several months, it’s not for sale. Won’t be for sale, ever. 

Trump did tell Carney to "never say never", but Carney made it clear this would never happen.

Naturally, this is but the first salvo. Indeed, Carney himself, referencing the forthcoming selection of the new Pope, stated a few days ago, "Do not expect white smoke."

But Carney acquitted himself well and got a money shote.

Trump will find him a formidable adversary. 

Tougher days will follow, but Canada made the wise choice when it comes dealing with Trump as well as for Canada's future.

Kemp Keeps Out of Georgia Senate Race Against Ossoff Where MTG Looms Large

Two-term Georgia Republican Governor Brian Kemp announced yesterday that he would not seek his party's nomination for the U.S. Senate and challenge Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff. 

Had Republicans seen fit to nominate Kemp, methinks he would have ousted Ossoff. The most recent polls gave Kemp a 3-point lead over Ossoff.

However, there was no guarantee that Kemp would have garnered the GOP nomination. President Trump, who insulted Kemp every chance he got including his wife last summer. 

For his part, Trump has championed the candidacy of Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. I don't think Kemp had the stomach for such a bruising a primary even if he somehow prevailed and went on to beat Ossoff. Kemp doesn't want to be a punching bag for Trump. Although he might bide his time for a presidential bid in 2028.

So long as the Republican Party is wedded to Trump or successor Trump anoints, Kemp will need to lose any interest he has in running for President. Republicans might excise Trump one of these days but I don't think that day will arrive in 2028.

As for Ossoff, they are undoubtedly tickled pick because they would rather run against Greene than Kemp. I know. I've been getting fundraising emails and texts from the Ossoff campaign telling me about it.

Yes, I voted for Ossoff and Raphael Warnock while I lived down in Georgia. I was even interviewed by the Christian Science Monitor about my vote.

While voting for Ossoff and Warnock were key in getting COVID spending passed, I have soured on both with their recent anti-Israel stances. Then again, Greene was leading the charge to have the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act amended so that Christians who claim Jews killed Jesus wouldn't be considered anti-Semitic.

Oy vey!!!

Then again, Greene might opt to launch a gubernatorial bid in Georgia.

All things considered, I am glad I live in Massachusetts.

Carney Should Walk Out of The White House if Trump Pulls a Zelensky on Him

Tomorrow, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is due to meet President Trump at the White House just over a week after being rewarded by voters with a Liberal minority government. 

While Trump has not referred to Carney as Governor as he did with his predecessor Justin Trudeau that could easily change in a meeting watched by the whole world. In which case, Trump might pull a Zelensky and berate both Carney and Canada. Perhaps VP Vance will get in a few kicks. The thought has crossed the mind of many a Canadian including some pro-Trump Canadians who are gleeful at the thought.

Carney was asked about this directly to which he replied:

Look, I go there with the expectation of constructive, difficult, but constructive discussions. That's the spirit of the conversations the President and I had. You go to these meetings well prepared understanding the objectives of your counterpart and always acting in the best interests of Canada and we'll go from there.

The problem here is that it is clear that Carney is entering this discussion in good faith. The same cannot be said for President Trump. 

In the event that President Trump refers to Carney as Governor, calls Canada the 51st state, states that the U.S. does not need Canadian lumber, energy or anything else, then all Carney needs to do is stand up, offer to shake hands and politely tell Trump he will take Canada's business elsewhere adding that he is free to make a call if he is serious about negotiating. 

And then walk away.

In so doing, he would walk away a winner. 

I write this in the hope that this doesn't come to pass. I sincerely hope that Trump will refer to Carney by his proper title and say the two had a productive conversation and look forward to negotiations. 

But this is Trump we are talking about. Trump didn't get to where he is by being nice and polite. 

As such, Carney needs to prepare for the worst and that means being prepared to walk out on President Trump in front of the whole world.