PITTSBURGH — Wait a second. This hasn't even happened yet, and we're already talking shelf lives?

You bet we are. That's the point. That's what Pirates owner Bob Nutting should be talking about. And acting upon. His franchise is about to embark on one of the most potentially exhilarating and unique eras in its 143-year history. He must capitalize on it.

The Pirates will soon unveil a one-two pitching punch unparalleled in their modern history, if we're talking homegrown talents. The two will be the hottest topic in baseball.

As a Pirates fan, if you're ever going to dream big, this is the time. Baseball America has Paul Skenes, 21, and Jared Jones, 22, ranked one-two among top MLB pitching prospects. Jones is already here and baffling major league hitters, doing things we have not seen before. Skenes will make his major league debut Saturday against the Chicago Cubs after annihilating Triple-A hitters with a devastating arsenal that has included dozens upon dozens of 100-mph heaters.

I don't think it's unreasonable to at least wonder if these two could form a historically great duo. I'm not sure we're talking Sandy Koufax-Don Drysdale, the duo by which all others are measured, but I did say we're dreaming big, right? How about a little Tim Lincecum/Matt Cain from the Giants' renaissance, or Tim Hudson/Barry Zito of Oakland A's "Moneyball" times?

How about Kerry Wood and Mark Prior from the early 2000s Cubs? They were the No. 2 and 4 overall picks in different years and helped the Cubs win a division title and nearly make the World Series in 2003, before Steve Bartman interjected. The two struck out a combined 511 batters that season.

But they also provided a history lesson: Pitching is a precarious profession, and it's no more secure now than it was when Prior and Wood quickly saw their careers decline on account of injuries. It's likely worse. One cannot go a day without reading of another young power pitcher who has succumbed to injury.

You can't predict health, and you can't predict performance. And even if all goes well on those two fronts, Jones and Skenes are in Nutting Country. Therefore, their Pirates futures could be limited even if and maybe especially if they become stars. The smart bet is that they will become trade candidates before they hit free agency.

Think of Gerrit Cole, who spent five years here before he was dealt. It's possible the Pirates could try to lock up Jones and/or Skenes with one of these early-career, long-term deals we've seen across baseball, but those don't usually apply to pitchers because of the obvious risk involved.

Listen, if the Pirates get five good years of Skenes and Jones, I'd be happy — and that short window is about to open. We should enjoy every second of it. This is not meant to be a bummer of a column. It's meant to convey the urgency here.

Which brings us back to our original point: Nutting needs to capitalize, and quite frankly, he has already failed on that front. Jones and Skenes are coming to a club with a popgun lineup, handcuffed by an offseason shopping trip that was limited to flea markets and the Dollar Store.

Somebody needs to tap Nutting on the shoulder and let him know: The time is NOW, Bob. This is it. This is your golden opportunity. Your golden geese are here, or about to arrive, and there is no telling when the window shuts.

It's pro sports. It's pitchers. It's Pittsburgh. Those three factors don't exactly scream longevity. So spend more. Make that investment. Order your GM to find offense by any means necessary because the dire lack of it, from the major leagues on down, could undermine everything.

Shamefully, it has been nearly a decade since a baseball game of real significance has taken place at PNC Park. It took more than a decade for that to happen once the place opened, as well. We're constantly waiting for "now," and I'm here to tell you that "now" has arrived.

Maximize it.

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