Bobby Bonilla delivers blunt message to Pirates about Paul Skenes

Bobby Bonilla knows a thing or two about Pirates greatness. While the wider world may remember him as the guy with the wildest contract in sports, Pittsburgh will always picture Bonilla alongside Barry Bonds and Andy van Slyke as perhaps the greatest outfield trio in franchise history. As a member of the Pirates’ last truly great run, he has a few thoughts on how the current club can find success, starting with retaining Paul Skenes.

In an interview with Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Colin Beazley, Bonilla reminisced about his time in Pittsburgh, his relationship with recent Hall of Fame inductee Jim Leyland, and his thoughts about the current state of the franchise. One message, though, rang loud and clear: Keep Paul Skenes. The remark was a breath of fresh air in an offseason filled with trade rumors about the star pitcher.

Former Pirates slugger Bobby Bonilla implored the Pirates to keep Paul Skenes.

For his part, Skenes has made his priorities loud and clear. He wants to win a World Series, and he wants to be a leader in that effort both on the field and off. He hasn’t been content with filling out his awards cabinet and becoming a superstar; he wants to win.

If the Pirates intend to follow Bonilla’s advice, they’ll need to give Skenes what he clearly wants: a contending team. Bonilla knows a thing or two about that as well. In order for the fifth-place 1989 Pirates to come within a few wins of the World Series in 1990-92, Pittsburgh had to make some shrewd moves, including shifting Bonilla to the outfield to make way for Wally Backman at third base. The Pirates also had to part ways with promising prospects, such as first-rounders Willie Greene and Moisés Alou, who brought in starter Zane Smith.

The Pirates can learn quite a bit from looking back at the past and listening to the heroes of yore. The early 1990s Pirates teams had something special in part because they had someone special. If Pittsburgh had traded Bonds, as almost happened prior to the 1992 season, the team would have likely landed in the same 20-year postseason drought that started in 1993. Either try to win with a superstar, or accept losing without one.