First Call: Pirates may 'earn' MLB top draft choice; NFL mask fines; former Penguins are NHL buyout targets - TribLIVE

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Wednesday’s “First Call” shows us that the Pirates may be in line for Kumar Rocker atop the MLB draft after all. We try to figure out when the NBA and NHL may restart for next season. And the NFL keeps handing out mask fines for coaches.

Ready to Rock?

ESPN’s Jeff Passan is reporting that the MLB draft order will likely be based on order of finish in the MLB standings.

From worst on down.

That’s usually the case, but there was some confusion about the process this year given the shortened season.

There had been a thought a weighted lottery may go in its place. But as Passan reports, “a source familiar with the league’s thinking said that the clause written into MLB’s March agreement with the players’ association that gave the league the right to determine draft order was a contingency in case the season was canceled well before records were indicative of much. Even though 60 games doesn’t give the full picture of who’s really good and who isn’t, the source said it’s highly likely that the draft order will be determined by this year’s record.”

Hmm, I don’t know about that last part. It’s a pretty clear picture to me that the Pirates aren’t good. And none of us needed 60 games to figure that out.

If Passan’s source is right, this means the Pirates are in prime position to select Vanderbilt star pitcher Kumar Rocker as the first pick in the draft. So maybe something good will happen for the Pirates in 2020 after all.

NO-HITTER.
19 STRIKEOUTS.

VANDERBILT’S KUMAR ROCKER JUST MADE HISTORY! pic.twitter.com/Q05eYikbbR

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) June 9, 2019

Passan lists fellow Vandy right-hander Jack Leiter and Commodores recruit Jordan Lawlar as the top prospects in the draft.

As of now, the Pirates have the worst record in baseball at 16-39. That’s a .291 win percentage. The Texas Rangers are the next team in the pecking order at 19-36.

Best buyouts

The Athletic came up with a list of the top NHL buyout candidates. In fact, they found 22 of them.

However, no Penguins are on the list. No, not even defenseman Jack Johnson.

Two former Penguins are mentioned, though — winger James Neal and defenseman Olli Maatta.

For Neal, his existing cap hit is $5.75 million the next three seasons in Edmonton. The buyout cap hit would be $1.917 million the next six seasons.

As for Maatta in Chicago, the current cap hit is $4.083 million for the next two years, or a $680,600 hit for the next four years.

More mask money

The NFL is fining more coaches for not wearing a mask on the sideline. As predicted, it’s New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton and Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden.

They were spotted failing to wear a mask during the “Monday Night Football” game. Gruden says he’s trying hard to wear it as often as possible because he is sensitive to the topic since he had the virus.

Gruden apologizes for not wearing mask: 'I'm doing my best, I've had the virus' https://t.co/GsqbKjPh9A pic.twitter.com/odBpoiA2ex

— theScore NFL (@theScoreNFL) September 22, 2020

Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports that the two teams were each fined $250,000 and the two coaches were fined $100,000. The San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos were fined after Kyle Shanahan, Pete Carroll and Vic Fangio were seen without masks Sunday.

So far, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has avoided a fine.

Don’t hold your breath

While the Stanley Cup Final is underway, the NBA is still in its conference finals.

And commissioner Adam Silver isn’t expecting a return to play for next season until 2021.

Silver told CNN on Tuesday that his “best guess” is next season will begin sometime in January at the earliest. His goal is to have a full schedule. That schedule, he hopes, will be played at home arenas in front of fans.

From the NHL standpoint, the gate is crucial. And at full capacity, too. So don’t be stunned if the league waits as long as possible into 2021 to make that happen.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman suggested this week that the start date could be pushed into January as well, but he still wants a full 82 games.

I wouldn’t be optimistic about that either. If it takes until a February or March start date — with a shorter season to balance the books (such as the 48-game slate we saw in 2013) — so be it.

And that may be what has to happen.

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.

Categories: NFL | NHL | Pirates/MLB | Sports | Breakfast With Benz