PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pirates first-round pick Paul Skenes set the record straight off his start Thursday in AAA. He wasn't annoyed with the Pirates at being pulled after 3.1 innings with eight strikeouts and two walks on 65 pitches. He told The PM Team on 93.7 The Fan on Friday, he was upset he wasn't better.
"The final stat line, you can say what you want about it, but 65 pitches in 3.1 is not ideal," Skenes told Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller on 93.7 The Fan. "That's going five innings in a start. That's the thing I was most upset about with the outing (Thursday). It's just kind of an adjustment I continue to make about attacking hitters and doing so more efficiency."
Skenes said it just came out wrong, but it was more about himself. He told 93.7 The Fan he doesn't think the change from pitching every seven days to every five is a big deal, he's actually excited for the opportunity to pitch more. The 21-year-old admits it's a box he needs to check before he gets promoted.
His mindset right now is to throw his stuff and let it play. He knows it's going to be different with Major League hitters than it is currently in AAA. The right-hander understands he hasn't figured it all out, even though he hasn't given up a run in 12.2 innings this season with 27 strikeouts and four walks.
"It's important to work on everything because I'm going to need all of those tools when I get to the big leagues," Skenes told The PM Team on 93.7 The Fan. "I might get some swings with these hitters that I won't get in the big leagues. It's tough to see through that."
What else he is understanding is ideally this is just a short part of his career. He needs to think of this with a big picture mindset.
"The goal is to win baseball games for a long time," Skenes told Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller on 93.7 The Fan. "I understand that and that's my goal as well. Whatever that looks like."
"I've talked to some guys that are in the big leagues now, and some coaches. Whenever we are in October and we are in the playoffs, you are going to forget you started the season in Indianapolis.
It feels long as I'm going through it, but I understand there is a bigger plan in place."
Other notes from the interview on 93.7 The Fan
· Skenes said he would out-stare anyone.
"I don't know if there are a whole lot of guys anywhere that could beat me in a stare-down, that's just my personality. You can use everything as a weapon on the mound. You have the ball, that's a weapon, make it one."
· He's a fan of Jared Jones
"Just how he competes. With a guy like him it's not a surprised. Granted I haven't been here long, but Jones, I've played against him for awhile and I've known about who he is for a while. The dude is just a competitor in everything he does and how he goes about his work. I'm not surprised at all. It's something I want to watch as much as possible."
· He misses hitting and catching, but is also pretty happy with where he's at right now
· Not a fan of the automated strike zone, he said he likes it when a catcher is able to steal a strike.
He's scheduled to pitch again Wednesday for AAA Indianapolis.
