Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes is trying to take his burgeoning fame in stride. The 22-year-old became an instant sensation from the moment he made his big-league debut last May.

The magic of Paul Skenes is obvious, visceral. Pittsburgh’s superstar hurler is a goliathan who can throw a baseball abnormally hard. In other words: one does not need a deep, sophisticated understanding of pitching to appreciate the entertainment value of a Paul Skenes heater.

Most MLB teams, including the Pittsburgh Pirates, reached the midway point of their spring training schedule this week. Players and coaches have settled into th