It's not often that you get a direct look into what the future holds. In those rare instances, it can be frightening, but also enlightening. If you play your cards right, you can learn exactly what pitfalls to avoid, without having to go through the experience yourself.
That's exactly where the Pittsburgh Pirates stand as they watch the arbitration drama unfold between Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers, knowing full well that if they mess up, they could end up in the exact same spot with Paul Skenes.
Skubal's case is unprecedented and could break the system as we know it.