Steel City Jim

Goodness. Golly. Gracious me. Did you see that machine called Ravens last night? Forget the final score. After the vets sat down, the has-beens and never-wuzzes took the field. But when the first-team Ravens were playing, they were slick as could be in all phases of the game. They look not only to be in mid-season form, but in playoff mode.

Joe Flacco is the real deal. He was zipping the ball all over the place. And, to think, he couldn't make a mediocre Pitt squad several years ago and transferred to Delaware! Could he be the most embarrassing Pittsburgh cut since the Steelers dismissed Johnny Unitas? And where did they both end up ... in Baltimore.

The Ravens defense didn't look like it was missing much even though its vaunted defensive coach, Rex Ryan, defected over the winter as did some key Ravens players. It looks like the Ravens very successfully replaced both Ryan and those players. They were all over poor Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez who looked like a deer in the headlights.

To boot, Ravens didn't have a full game plan in effect. They were essentially playing street football. I think you can say that the Jets aren't really going anywhere this year. But Ravens sent out a clear signal that they were be reckoned with, and the Steelers better pay heed. If there is anything the Ravens want in 2009, it is revenge for those squeaky three losses to the Steelers last year.

In the meantime, the Steelers looked anything but wonderful on Saturday night against the so-so Redskins. A few guys showed some flashes. Interestingly, guys who showed the most were two free agents who were under-the-radar signings over the winter. Nobody knew about them. Keiwan Ratliff, who had short stints with the Bengals and Colts, had an interception. The other is diminutive Stefan Logan, a former Canadian league star who had over 200 return yards on kickoffs and punts. Compared to the returners the Steelers had last season -- Carey Davis and Najeh Davenport struggled as they lumbered toward the 20-yard line -- Logan was a streak, a much-needed swifty. Rookie Joe Burnett, a fifth-round pick from Central Florida, was supposed to be a returner, but he has already fumbled kicks twice in exhibition games. That won't get it done, son.

Of course, the whole town went down in a funk when Big Ben's ankle was hurt. But then a loud collective sigh came over the Alleghenies when we found out the injury wasn't serious. Then third-string quarterback Dennis Dixon, who has improved markedly this year, went down with a separated shoulder. It's not serious, and, while he might miss some practice, he'll be back in a week or so. In a long NFL season, teams need their three quarterbacks as the front runners take their nicks.

Some thoughts on baseball: In case you hadn't noticed, the Pirates put together a five-game winning streak this past week. OK, it was against Milwaukee and Cincinnati, not exactly premier teams. But it was good to see some decent pitching and some timely hitting, with a glimmer of power at times. Now the Pirates play the Phillies and reality will set in again. It's like sending up the boys to play men. It's gonna be painful to watch.

I've been thinking about the relative brilliance of the Yankee brass. It got me thinking. Last year the Pirates gave up Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte for Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Karstens, Jose Tabata and Daniel McCutchen. Nady hasn't meant much to the Yankees. I don't know where Marte disappeared to.

But Ohlendorf has been stellar so far for the Pirates. He and Zach Duke have been their most consistent performers. Karstens has been quite effective out of the bullpen in middle relief. Tabata is tearing up AAA ball at a .353 clip and is tabbed as a future outfield fixture. And McCutchen, a pitcher, is progressing.

Now, I don't want to take anything away from the Yankee management and its usurious $200 million-plus payroll, because the Yankees are leading their division by seven games. But maybe, just maybe, the Pirates' officials aren't as stupid as they appear. I think I will take the Nady trade and I hope the Yankees make more of them.

But when the Yankees can make a pretty lousy trade and still lead their division, face it, baseball still sucks.