When you're one of the most electric young arms in baseball, you might expect a pitcher to want total control over every pitch. But Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes? He's taking a refreshingly different approach—and he's not afraid to joke about it.

During a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Skenes was asked how much he takes charge of pitch-calling during his starts. Instead of painting himself as a master strategist on the mound, the flamethrower gave a hilariously honest answer: "Yeah, catcher. I don't shake a ton, you know, I'm too stupid to call my own pitches, so I just let him do it. He's got my career in his hands every fifth day."

The self-deprecating humor was clear, but beneath the joke lies a smart, team-first mentality. While many pitchers with elite stuff might demand full control, Skenes trusts his battery mates to handle the chess match behind the plate. He rarely shakes off signs, preferring to focus on execution rather than overthinking the game plan.

Skenes also revealed that the Pirates aren't using a dugout-to-catcher communication system. Instead, catchers like Henry Davis, Joey Bart, and Endy Rodríguez are calling the game entirely on their own. "It's all him," Skenes explained. "Some teams are doing the, you know, from the dugout stuff, but we do it where Henry calls the game... they all call the game for themselves."

That puts significant responsibility on Pittsburgh's catching group—and Skenes wouldn't have it any other way. For a young ace, this kind of trust is invaluable. It keeps him locked in on his mechanics and execution while letting his catcher read hitters and set up sequences.

Skenes may have joked that he's "too stupid" to call his own pitches, but the reality is far smarter. He knows exactly where to take control and where to lean on his teammates. That partnership—and that humility—might be just what makes him even more dangerous on the mound.