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Notes and observations as the second half of the Major League Baseball season begins:
n The 2023 MLB amateur draft is history, and the Pittsburgh Pirates made the best choice that they could have by drafting LSU right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes with the very first pick.
It was not just the best choice for the Pirates -- realistically, it was the only choice, despite all the suspense leading up to it.
In order to have a realistic shot at success, a team needs a minimum of two quality top-tier pitchers -- and probably three -- leading its rotation.
The Pirates currently have one in All-Star Mitch Keller, and Skenes gives them a pitcher who could very well be a franchise-changing addition.
At 6-foot-6, 235 pounds and possessing a fastball that tops out at 102 miles per hour to go with a knee-buckling slider, deceptive changeup and pinpoint control, Skenes boasts physical and mechanical attributes that just can't be taught.
There are no guarantees in baseball, but picking up Skenes could very well be the biggest catalyst in fast-tracking the Pirates into postseason competition as quickly as next season.
n The Pirates sorely needed a front-line pitcher and were unlikely to be able to compete with large-market teams like the Yankees and Dodgers to win a bidding war and sign one this coming offseason.
Skenes is a great solution to that problem.
Draft and development are the keys for the Pirates, who made pitchers 14 of their 21 picks in this year's draft.
Not all of those pitchers will be starters, and not all of them will pan out in the long run. But this year's draft, combined with the several talented arms that the Pirates have already stockpiled among their minor league affiliates, should put the organization on firm footing over the next five-plus seasons.
n Skenes may not be major-league ready at this point, but the other-worldly statistics that he compiled in helping spark LSU to the 2023 College World Series title suggest that he is not far away.
In 19 starts this past season, Skenes -- who was named the College World Series Most Valuable Player -- compiled a 13-2 record with a 1.69 earned run average while striking out 209 batters in 122ª innings pitched this season, walking a total of just 20, and allowing a total of just 28 runs.
Those numbers indicate that, while bringing up Skenes to the major leagues for a cameo appearance later this season might not be the Pirates' first order of business, he certainly doesn't need much seasoning.
At the very worst, Skenes should start the 2024 season at Class AAA Indianapolis out of spring training and reach the major leagues by mid-summer.
Starting the 2024 season as a member of the Pirates' rotation after a stint in, say, the Arizona Fall League later this year is also an option that would very much reasonably be in the cards for Skenes.
n It was written in this space a few weeks ago that the Pirates' postseason prospects, or lack thereof, would become much clearer by the All-Star break, and they have.
The Pirates dropped from first place in the National League Central with a one-game lead just a month ago, to fourth place at the break, 8¢ games behind surprising division leader Cincinnati and 7.5 games behind second-place Milwaukee.
A 10-game losing streak from June 13-22 dropped the Pirates into fourth place, 5.5 games back, and they followed that up by losing seven of eight games from July 1-8.
Consequently, unless things change drastically for them over the next two weeks, the Pirates are very unlikely to be buyers before the upcoming Aug. 1 trade deadline and more apt to be selling off veterans in exchange for prospects.
Among the most likely to be moved are 43-year-old starting pitcher Rich Hill, catcher Austin Hedges and one of two first basemen, Ji-Man Choi or Carlos Santana.
There have been rumblings that the Pirates could also trade All-Star closer and hometown favorite David Bednar for the right price, particularly since the odds are now against the team contending for a playoff spot this season.
However, the Pirates have several years of club control left on Bednar's contract, and they would be looking for, and deserve, a king's ransom in exchange for his services.
But that might be worth it to a team that needs back-end bullpen help and will likely be playing in October.
n Not a fan of either of the bland uniforms worn by both the NL and AL All-Star teams at Tuesday night's midsummer classic in Seattle.
Having the players decked out in the uniforms worn by their respective teams is so much more suitable and appropriate.
John Hartsock can be reached at jhartsock@altoonamirror.com.