HOLLY SEYMOUR
Problems in Pittsburgh? Steelers have issues on and off the field
Sep 18, 2018, 12:16 pm
The Pittsburgh Steelers have yet to win a game. Unfortunately, on top of taking L’s, they have even bigger issues. The locker room.
On Monday night, Antonio Brown responded to a tweet from a previous member of the Steelers organization.
“AB needs to thank his lucky stars, because he was drafted by a team that had Ben. And Ben got AB paid. You know darn well he wouldn't put up those numbers for other teams.” -Ryan Scarpino.
AB’s response? “Trade me let’s find out.”
The result? AB doesn’t show up to work.
I’m not sure which I find worse… The fact that Antonio even responded to this, or the actual opinion Scarpino threw out there.
AB is the best receiver in the NFL. Big Ben may have made his job somewhat easier, but I can think of a handful of other offenses to throw Brown in and I am positive he will be more than capable to “put up those numbers.”
Let’s not forget that just two weeks ago several of the Steeler’s offensive line made sure the entire NFL fan base was aware of their thoughts on teammate LeVeon Bell. Let’s RE-READ that key word, TEAMMATE. Some remarks made were out of line. It’s almost as if these guys live for this ridiculous drama. Are we REALLY comparing salaries and playing tug of war with whose work ethic is better?
No matter if you are Team Bell or Team Steeler… this entire scenario is uncalled for. These players need to grow up and show some professionalism. Being a sensitive Sally and reacting to every negative comment thrown your way on social media is ridiculous.
And has anyone seen Mike Tomlin? Is he off partying on yachts with LeVeon? If you’re not winning games… and you’re not able to check your players, why are you even on the payroll?
The Steelers host Monday Night Football against Fitzmagic and his hyped up squad this week. Will this team be able to get it together by kick off, or will we continue to see the problems stack up for Pittsburgh?
The Houston Astros (37-30) aim to close out their series against the Chicago White Sox (23-45) on a high note Thursday night at Daikin Park. The three-game set is currently tied 1-1, and with a chance to secure their 11th series win at home, the Astros will send left-hander Framber Valdez to the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET.
Valdez (6-4, 3.07 ERA) has quietly been one of the most consistent arms in the American League. Known for his heavy sinker and ground-ball inducing style, he enters the night with a stellar 1.06 WHIP and 84 strikeouts. With the Astros bullpen having absorbed some heavy usage earlier this week, Valdez will be counted on to give Houston quality length.
Opposing him will be right-hander Davis Martin (2-6, 3.62 ERA), who has pitched better than his win-loss record suggests. Martin has maintained a 1.21 WHIP and will try to quiet an Astros lineup that broke out for 10 runs in Wednesday’s win.
Houston’s offense has been led lately by Jeremy Peña, who is batting .439 over his last 10 games with five doubles, two homers, and six RBIs. Isaac Paredes continues to be a steady power threat, leading the team with 14 home runs and a .468 slugging percentage. José Altuve, fresh off his 2,300th career hit, adds veteran stability to the top of the order.
The Astros are 23-13 at home this season and have gone 6-4 over their last 10 games. When they avoid giving up home runs, they win — as shown by their 20-4 record in games where they keep the ball in the yard. That will be a key Thursday against a White Sox team that’s light on power but capable of grinding out runs when they out-hit opponents (16-9 when doing so).
Chicago, meanwhile, has struggled mightily on the road, going just 7-27 away from Guaranteed Rate Field. Still, they’ve had unexpected success against the Astros this season, winning three of the first five matchups. Andrew Benintendi and Mike Tauchman have been among the few bright spots in a lineup that’s hit just .227 over its last 10 games and been outscored by six runs.
With the series on the line and the division-leading Astros looking to stay hot, Thursday night offers a chance to assert their edge with a trusted ace on the hill and momentum building in the lineup.
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