Podcast appearances and mentions of jason mackey

Jason gives it a 35-40% chance the Pirates bring back Brandon Lowe. Lowe is going to go to free agency. Jason said Lowe told his agent to shut down negotiations, but Lowe would come back to Pittsburgh. Jason thinks trading Mitch Keller would need to include a player like Edward Florentino or a top 100 prospect! Jason thinks Braxton Ashcraft is the player he would realistically try to extend in the offseason. 

Hour 4 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com joined the show. Browns fans are feeling much better about Deshaun Watson after he threw the game-winning touchdown against the Panthers. Watson is in a much better spot right now with the surrounding pieces and Watson's health. Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason gives it a 35-40% chance the Pirates bring back Brandon Lowe.

In this hour, Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson address more rumors surrounding the ongoing contract dispute between the Steelers and CB Joey Porter Jr. Also, former Penguin Tyler Kennedy and Pirates insider Jason Mackey each come on The Fan Hotline. September 29, 2026, 9:00 Hour

Pirates insider Jason Mackey comes on The Fan Hotline to provide a final wrap on the team's season, and he also shares what they could do in the offseason to improve with Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson.

Even though the Pirates are going to finish better than .500, they will miss the playoffs. Let's go back to March though and see if people's expectations changed. The offense was fantastic in the first half of the season, but couldn't overcome injuries in the second half. Can Konnor Griffin reach MVP levels next season? Are we already counting them out on re-signing Brandon Lowe? Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason isn't sure if the Pirates will give Brandon Lowe a fair offer, but expects multiple teams to ‘get stupid' and give him a monster deal. Would it be stupid? Jason is glad Paul Skenes finally blamed the World Baseball Classic on why 2026 didn't go as planned. Konnor Griffin doesn't have to be the MVP, but Jason thinks he needs to be at least an .800+ OPS player because they will need a step up assuming they lose Lowe. Jason said the Pirates need power if they lose Lowe and can't go into the year thinking Jared Triolo is their everyday 3B. Jason said the Pirates should be a playoff team in 2027 based on the steps taken this season. Camilo Doval was DFA'd because there was ‘no shot' he would be tendered in the off-season. Jason said they would have kept Doval, but his production wasn't worth the price they would be paying in arbitration. Jason gave his take on a few young guys finishing the season strong. Where will Spencer Horwitz and Ryan O'Hearn fitting into things next season? Joey Porter Jr. was listed as ‘limited' with a ‘conditioning' diagnosis on Thursday's Steelers practice report. /// Manager's Minute – What did Don Kelly say to the media after the Pirates win?

Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason isn't sure if the Pirates will give Brandon Lowe a fair offer, but expects multiple teams to ‘get stupid' and give him a monster deal. Would it be stupid? Jason is glad Paul Skenes finally blamed the World Baseball Classic on why 2026 didn't go as planned. Konnor Griffin doesn't have to be the MVP, but Jason thinks he needs to be at least an .800+ OPS player because they will need a step up assuming they lose Lowe. Jason said the Pirates need power if they lose Lowe and can't go into the year thinking Jared Triolo is their everyday 3B. Jason said the Pirates should be a playoff team in 2027 based on the steps taken this season. Camilo Doval was DFA'd because there was ‘no shot' he would be tendered in the off-season. Jason said they would have kept Doval, but his production wasn't worth the price they would be paying in arbitration. Jason gave his take on a few young guys finishing the season strong. Where will Spencer Horwitz and Ryan O'Hearn fitting into things next season?

Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason gives it around a 30% chance to be back next year. Jason thinks a team will give him insane money to sign somewhere. Jason thinks an offer starts at three years, $15-20 million per year as a starting point. He doesn't know if it makes sense to sign him for more than $20 million. Jason thinks Nick Gonzales may be traded if the Pirates sign Brandon Lowe. 

Hour 4 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: Michael McKenry said a deal for Brandon Lowe makes sense for around $20-25 million. Lowe likes being in a small market. Matt Clement heard that Lowe likes it here and is a good thing in negotiations. Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason gives it around a 30% chance to be back next year. Jason thinks a team will give him insane money to sign somewhere. Jason thinks an offer starts at three years, $15-20 million per year as a starting point.

Pirates insider Jason Mackey comes on The Fan Hotline to reflect on the team's season now that they have been eliminated from the playoffs with Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson.

In this hour, Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson react to some recent comments made by former Steelers' head coach Bill Cowher regarding how the team lacks an identity on offense right now. Also, Pirates insider Jason Mackey comes on The Fan Hotline. September 22, 2026, 9:00 Hour

Is Ben Cherington really coming back for Year 8? Reports from Buster Olney and Jason Mackey suggest the Pirates could retain Cherington for 2027, despite seven seasons without a winning record or postseason appearance. DiNardo, Jim and Tyler debate what progress in 2026 actually means, whether Cherington has done enough to warrant another season, and how much the final nine games should matter. Plus, does finishing .500 mean anything at this point? And the crew looks ahead to the Pirates prospects headed to the Arizona Fall League, including Wyatt Sanford and Easton Carmichael. Download our app! : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/north-shore-nine/id6771171000 : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.northshorenine.app Use Promo Code NS930 for 30% off your first order at https://www.defer.coffee Use Promo Code NORTHSHORENINE for $20 off your first order at https://www.seatgeek.com LIKE and SUBSCRIBE with NOTIFICATIONS ON if you enjoyed the show! NS9 MERCH: https://northshorenine.myshopify.com ►Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NorthShoreNine ►Website: https://www.northshorenine.com ►Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/northshorenine ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@northshorenine ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northshorenine ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northshorenine ►Discord: https://discord.gg/3HVYPg544m #pittsburghpirates Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason said Ben Cherington has a 99.9% chance of returning in 2027. Jason doesn't have much confidence in Brandon Lowe returning after he became the first Pirate since 2019 to hit 30 home runs in a season. Jason said Paul Skenes needs a full off-season and told us the World Baseball Classic threw him off his routine a bit right before the year.

Buster Olney said today that it would be a surprise if Ben Cherington is fired. Jason thinks Cherington will be back, barring something unforeseen late in the year. He thinks the end-of-season win total matters. Tony Beazley had a bad send of Nick Gonzales where he didn't see the ball and the Pirates didn't score with Gonzales staying at third base.

Hour 4 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: Joe thinks the Pirates need a veteran manager. Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Buster Olney said today that it would be a surprise if Ben Cherington is fired. Jason thinks Cherington will be back, barring something unforeseen late in the year. He thinks the end-of-season win total matters. Jason is surprised by how the Pirates shut Braxton Ashcraft down and was originally being cautious, but the Pirates are waiting a few days to get more information on Ashcraft.

In this hour, Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson discuss which Steelers players are trending upward after the game against the Atlanta Falcons and which are trending downward. Also, how did Steelers' DC Patrick Graham maximize the impact of the defense on Sunday? And Pirates insider Jason Mackey comes on The Fan Hotline. September 15, 2026, 9:00 Hour

Pirates insider Jason Mackey comes on The Fan Hotline to discuss the latest involving the team with Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson.

Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. How do the Pirates have to finish the season for it to be deemed a success? Even a strong finish but no playoffs should force questions about the GM putting together the best team possible after several blown games in the first half. Jason credited Ben Cherington for building the offense, but said he deserves criticism for the lack of bullpen early on. Is the front office going to use Paul Skenes as an excuse after he put together a subpar season? What will the plan be to replace Brandon Lowe assuming he leaves after a historic season? Jason thinks this season was absolutely a step in the right direction for Oneil Cruz, even with an injury that spurred things in the middle. Jason said Don Kelly is in a ‘unique' and ‘difficult' position because of the strong push in the direction of analytics that may go over his head. Jason added that Kelly is an asset to them. Jason reported to us that Ryan O'Hearn will be activated tomorrow and start for the Pirates this weekend at Wrigley Field. Jason thinks the Pirates will need 86 wins to make the playoffs, which means a 13-3 finish.

BREAKING: Tua Tagovailoa injured his back in practice today and is now questionable for Sunday. The Steelers are already benefiting from facing a pretty average QB and may benefit even more if Cooper Rush is called upon. Is this turning into a must-win in the sense of difficulty level? The Patriots lost last night after 3 Drake Maye interceptions. The Pats also lost AJ Brown to a high-ankle sprain, which means he will miss the Week 2 matchup. Are you feeling better about the Steelers season now? Chris doesn't think Aaron Rodgers will change much this year and a deeper dive into the numbers shows he was bottom tier of the league in 2025. Do we see the Steelers as a playoff team as they receive some early-season schedule luck? Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. How do the Pirates have to finish the season for it to be deemed a success? Even a strong finish but no playoffs should force questions about the GM putting together the best team possible after several blown games in the first half. Jason credited Ben Cherington for building the offense, but said he deserves criticism for the lack of bullpen early on. Is the front office going to use Paul Skenes as an excuse after he put together a subpar season? What will the plan be to replace Brandon Lowe assuming he leaves after a historic season? Jason thinks this season was absolutely a step in the right direction for Oneil Cruz, even with an injury that spurred things in the middle. Jason said Don Kelly is in a ‘unique' and ‘difficult' position because of the strong push in the direction of analytics that may go over his head. Jason added that Kelly is an asset to them. Jason reported to us that Ryan O'Hearn will be activated tomorrow and start for the Pirates this weekend at Wrigley Field. Jason thinks the Pirates will need 86 wins to make the playoffs, which means a 13-3 finish.

Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Dennis Santana has allowed only one earned run in eight appearances for Arizona. Mason Montgomery is the same type of person every day. Jason likes how he conducts himself.

Hour 4 with Bob Pompeani, Joe Starkey, and Matt Clement: Callers ask Matt Clement who should start in their fantasy leagues. Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Dennis Santana has allowed only one earned run in eight appearances for Arizona. Mason Montgomery is the same type of person every day. Jason likes how he conducts himself.

Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason told us Konnor Griffin will be activated and play tomorrow, as far as he understands. Jason expects Griffin to play at SS, but we could also see some games at DH. How possible is it for Griffin to come back and help this team to the postseason? The guys asked about Khristian Curtis and why we don't see him much despite good results. Jason thinks the Pirates need to have 85 wins to make the playoffs, which would mean a 16-5 finish. Jason said left-handed pitching has been a reason why the team hasn't put together a nice winning streak because facing them has been such a bugaboo. How can the Pirates configure things in the field since Nick Gonzales is such a liability at 3B while carrying a good bat? If the Pirates get to 82-80 or 83-79, Jason believes Bob Nutting will be ‘OK' with the season's result. Does Jake Mangum help the Pirates win more than Esmerlyn Valdez right now?

Is it possible for a team to rally from 5 games back at this point in the season? The Guardians were 10.5 games out this time last year and not only did they make the playoffs, they won the AL Central. The Tigers were 9.5 games out in September 2024 and made the postseason. But those teams went on monumental winning streaks that we haven't seen from the Pirates all season. The Pirates have the worst team in baseball coming into PNC Park this weekend – do they have to sweep? Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason told us Konnor Griffin will be activated and play tomorrow, as far as he understands. Jason expects Griffin to play at SS, but we could also see some games at DH. How possible is it for Griffin to come back and help this team to the postseason? The guys asked about Khristian Curtis and why we don't see him much despite good results. Jason thinks the Pirates need to have 85 wins to make the playoffs, which would mean a 16-5 finish. Jason said left-handed pitching has been a reason why the team hasn't put together a nice winning streak because facing them has been such a bugaboo. How can the Pirates configure things in the field since Nick Gonzales is such a liability at 3B while carrying a good bat? If the Pirates get to 82-80 or 83-79, Jason believes Bob Nutting will be ‘OK' with the season's result. Does Jake Mangum help the Pirates win more than Esmerlyn Valdez right now? Manager's Minute – What did Don Kelly say after the Pirates win?

Hour 4 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: Jeremy Fowler is reporting Joey Porter Jr. doesn't feel like a priority. Keeanu Benton and Nick Herbig signed deals instead of JPJ. Jason thinks the Pirates need to take 5/6 or sweep to actually be able to discuss a chance the Pirates could make the playoffs. Ryan O'Hearn could even return.

Jason doesn't think the Pirates were making a point by taking out Paul Skenes with 4.2 innings and not let him pitch out of the fifth inning. Jason thinks the Pirates need to take 5/6 or sweep to actually be able to discuss a chance the Pirates could make the playoffs. Ryan O'Hearn could even return. Jason doesn't think that people should use injuries as an excuse for the fact the Pirates are below .500 and way out of the playoffs. 

Pirates insider Jason Mackey comes on The Fan Hotline to address the latest involving the team with Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson.

In this hour, Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson react to some comments made by Steelers' GM Omar Khan about why he wanted to keep QBs Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar all on the active roster at the same time. Also, Pirates insider Jason Mackey comes on The Fan Hotline. September 1, 2026, 9:00 Hour

Jason Mackey joins the show! The Pirates lost yesterday by a final score of 3-0. Jason doesn't think Bill Murphy's job security is threatened at all. Jason brings up the team's hitting performance, comparing Matt Hague's stats from last year versus this year. Who will be fired if they end the season horribly? How can Ben Cherington keep his job, if he can at all? Jason says it's a 33% chance that Brandon Lowe is in Pittsburgh next year.

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Jason thinks it would take upwards of $200 million to sign Oneil Cruz. Dan thinks the Pirates won't be comfortable signing Cruz to that and doesn't nearly see a pathway. Paul Skenes felt his body was more in sync. He said he's made adjustments in the past that haven't led to velocity dip, but the velo was back up and he threw 15 of 21 first-pitch strikes. Cruz and the Pirates talked extension a few years ago, but never got off the ground because he wanted a big deal.

Hour 4 with Joe Starkey: Jason thinks it would take upwards of $200 million to sign Oneil Cruz. Jason thinks the Pirates won't be comfortable signing Cruz to that and doesn't nearly see a pathway. Paul Skenes felt his body was more in sync. He said he's made adjustments in the past that haven't led to velocity dip, but the velo was back up and he threw 15 of 21 first-pitch strikes. This date in sports history: August 26th, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE!

In this hour, Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson react to Steelers' head coach Mike McCarthy recently addressing a published report that the team has already decided to keep all four of their current QBs. Also, Pirates insider Jason Mackey comes on The Fan Hotline. August 25, 2026, 9:00 Hour

Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Is the Paul Skenes problem simply come down to a mechanical fix? Is Skenes pushing too hard since he knows things haven't gone well for him this season? The guys asked Jason about how much blame/credit Bill Murphy deserves, and he thinks it's a little bit too much on both sides. Jason thinks the most valid complaint from fans is Skenes being hard against the salary cap in baseball because that doesn't go over well with fans, especially in Pittsburgh. Jason thought the Pirates had a pretty good pitching program in place with Oscar Marin at the helm. The guys credited Andrew McCutchen for being an MVP that loved being part of Pittsburgh and with the Pirates, where as Skenes feels like a hired-gun or a mercenary. Why was Ben Cherington suggesting Skenes was having an ‘excellent' year?

Another labor job for Paul Skenes yesterday in a Pirates win. Poni feels like the public sentiment toward Skenes this year has become very personal and visceral. Is it deserved? Has it gotten as bad as Poni thinks? People are calling in saying he needs to change his diet and dump his girlfriend. Why might the turn be so rotten? The guys pointed out some comments Skenes has made over the course of the season on topics like the World Baseball Classic, the pending work stoppage and his overall performance. The Morning Show was ignored by Curt Schilling today. Calls about Paul Skenes. Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Is the Paul Skenes problem simply come down to a mechanical fix? Is Skenes pushing too hard since he knows things haven't gone well for him this season? The guys asked Jason about how much blame/credit Bill Murphy deserves, and he thinks it's a little bit too much on both sides. Jason thinks the most valid complaint from fans is Skenes being hard against the salary cap in baseball because that doesn't go over well with fans, especially in Pittsburgh. Jason thought the Pirates had a pretty good pitching program in place with Oscar Marin at the helm. The guys credited Andrew McCutchen for being an MVP that loved being part of Pittsburgh and with the Pirates, where as Skenes feels like a hired-gun or a mercenary. Why was Ben Cherington suggesting Skenes was having an ‘excellent' year?

Hour 2 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: If Paul Skenes pitches poorly and the Pirates lose, Jason Mackey thinks there's a chance he's shut down. He thinks it would be tough for the Pirates to keep Ben Cherington if they finish last. Could the Steelers trade Mason Rudolph? McCarthy said he knows what he has in Rudolph, and maybe that means he gets traded.

If Paul Skenes pitches poorly and the Pirates lose, Jason thinks there's a chance he's shut down. Ben Cherington said Skenes has been excellent, and Skenes is still top 10 in pitcher WAR, but Jason doesn't think it's been a terrible season. Jason wishes Braxton Ashcraft would have had another complete game. Jason believes Konnor Griffin will be back when eligible on Sept. 4.

In this hour, Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson discuss some players they would consider shutting down if the Pirates fall too far to recover for a playoff spot. Also, Pirates' broadcaster Neil Walker and Pirates insider Jason Mackey each come on The Fan Hotline. August 18, 2026, 9:00 Hour

Hour 4: Poni reveals a Ben Cherington rumor that someone texted him earlier today. Jason Mackey joins the show to go through the latest news with the Pirates and Paul Skenes. And are there too many movie remakes these days?

Hour 1: The guys react to Drew Allar's Steelers debut last night. Who will be the Steelers' starting QB in 2027 now? And Nick Farabaugh joins the show to break down yesterday's preseason game. Hour 2: Is it time for the Steelers to move on now from Mason Rudolph? Was Aaron Rodgers almost forced to play in last night's preseason game? Dom details his Acrisure Stadium experience yesterday with “Harry” Callas. And Dom says everyone is embarrassing themselves with their Drew Allar hype. Hour 3: Mark Kaboly joins the show in-studio for the full hour! Poni shares a crazy Kevin Costner story. Could Drew Allar start games for the Steelers this season? And are the Steelers trying to cleanse themselves of Mike Tomlin? Hour 4: Poni reveals a Ben Cherington rumor that someone texted him earlier today. Jason Mackey joins the show to go through the latest news with the Pirates and Paul Skenes. And are there too many movie remakes these days?

Hour 4 with Bob Pompeani: Matt Clement wants the starting pitchers to taste meaningful games in August and September and be able to extend inning counts. Paul Skenes is not concerned about velocity and Jason would argue he does need more than 96 mph. Pirates insider Jason Mackey thinks taking Skenes out after 65 innings shows they think Skenes is fatigued.

Don Kelly said no one is healthy now and the players are grinding through things. Paul Skenes is not concerned about velocity and Jason would argue he does need more than 96 mph. Jason thinks taking Skenes out after 65 innings shows they think Skenes is fatigued. Jason doesn't think Skenes eases off at any time during the season or in the offseason with his strong training. He needs rest.

Pirates insider Jason Mackey comes on The Fan Hotline to address the latest issues surrounding the Pirates with the team on the brink of losing a chance at making the playoffs.

In this hour, Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson discuss where former Steeler Ben Roethlisberger ranks all-time among the best QBs in the history of the NFL. Also, Pirates insider Jason Mackey comes on The Fan Hotline. August 11, 2026, 9:00 Hour

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Jason Mackey joins the show! Jason doesn't think this stretch will sink their season. Cruz is starting his rehab assignment tonight and Jason thinks he will back the later part of next week. Jason is more confident in the offense getting back on track at this point in time rather than the starting pitching. Jason says they have enough starting pitching to compete but the question remains the bullpen. If the offense and starting pitching can be better than bottom five in the league, they should still be in the race. Jason confirms that Henry Davis' name was mentioned in trade talks, but the team wasn't looking to unload him.

Pirates insider Jason Mackey joined the show. Jason doesn't think that Marcell Ozuna will sign with another team. He believes the Pirates gave Ozuna plenty of chances to be in their lineup. Jason said Paul Skenes is NOT hurt. He thinks Skenes is training too much and needs to save some of himself for games. He thinks Skenes needs to throw a little bit harder and not throw his secondary pitches as much.

Hour 4 with Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey: Matt Clement thinks the Marlins and Nationals are not a part of the wild card race after selling. Austin is going to his huge wiffleball tournament this weekend and his team has raised over $10,000 for Type 1 Diabetes. Jason doesn't think that Marcell Ozuna will sign with another team. He believes the Pirates gave Ozuna plenty of chances to be in their lineup. Jason said Paul Skenes is NOT hurt. He thinks Skenes is training too much and needs to save some of himself for games.

In this hour, Adam Crowley continues talking to Matt Clement, and they discuss what they think could be causing SP Paul Skenes to have such an underwhelming season. Also, Pirates insider Jason Mackey comes on The Fan Hotline. August 4, 2026, 9:00 Hour

Pirates insider Jason Mackey comes on The Fan Hotline to react to the team's moves that were made at the MLB Trade Deadline on Monday with Adam Crowley.

Hour 3 with Joe Starkey: Jason Mackey said that the Pirates are interested in Luke Weaver but imagines it would take a player like Murf Gray. He thinks Murf Gray would be the right move to trade for Weaver. Jason thinks for the right deal, the Pirates will trade anyone not named Seth Hernandez. The Penguins signed Tommy Novak to a three-year extension for $4.65 million per season. Should the Pirates pursue Robbie Ray??