- 1977 - The Pirates were part of a Rube Goldberg four-team deal: The Bucs sent OF Al Oliver and SS Nelson Norman to the Texas Rangers. The Atlanta Braves sent 1B Willie Montanez to the New York Mets. The Texas Rangers sent P Tommy Boggs, P Adrian Devine and OF Eddie Miller to the Atlanta Braves, OF Ken Henderson and OF Tom Grieve to the New York Mets, and P Bert Blyleven to the Pirates. The New York Mets sent P Jon Matlack to the Texas Rangers and 1B/OF John Milner to Pittsburgh. From Pittsburgh’s standpoint, they traded Oliver and Norman for Blyleven and Milner. While the trades were byzantine to pull off, Oliver-to-the-Rangers had been on the front burner of the hot stove rumors, stoked after Texas had inked Richie Zisk and Doc Medich in free agency and began showing public interest in Scoops.
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| Bert Blyleven 1978 Hostess |
- 1992 - The Barry Bonds era ended after playing seven seasons in Pittsburgh when he signed a FA contract with the San Francisco Giants worth a then-record $43.75M over six years, turning down a five year/$36M offer from the Yankees. Bonds' contract with the called for a $2.5M signing bonus and yearly guarantees of $4M, $4.75M, $7.75M, $8M, $8.25M and $8.5M. His sweeteners were a hotel suite when the team was on the road, bonuses for postseason awards and $500,000 deferred from each year's salary at 9% interest, starting in 1999.
- 1993 - The dismantling of Jim Leyland’s clubs by the Bucco suits starting making its impact. The Post Gazette wrote that “The Pirates Great Salary Unloading seems to have worked. The MLB Player’s Associated reported that the Pirates fell from eighth to 21st in salary average, dropping from $1,206,012 to $761,073.” The Pirates went into 1993 without Barry Bonds, Doug Drabek, John Smiley, Jose Lind, Neal Heaton, Danny Jackson and Steve Buechele, all who had been on the 1992 roster. Bobby Bonilla had left after the 1991 season; Andy Van Slyke would leave after the 1994 campaign.
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| Jon Lieber 1995 Bowman |
- 1997 - The Pirates and RHP Jon Lieber agreed on a two-year contract worth $3.5M, bypassing his first two arbitration seasons. Lieber had 20 wins between 1996-97 to earn the deal, but after 8-14, 4.11 1998 campaign, he was traded to the Cubs for OF Brant Brown.
- 2000 - The Pirates announced the signing of LHP Terry Mulholland from Uniontown and Laurel Highlands HS to a one-year, $2.75M deal, pending his physical. Terry got into 36 games for the Buccos and put up a 3.72 ERA in ‘01 before being flipped to the LA Dodgers at the deadline for Mike Fetters & minor leaguer Adrian Burnside. For Terry, it was just a couple more frequent traveler miles to add to the collection. He tossed for 11 teams over a 20-year career.
- 2003 - The Bucs declined to offer salary arbitration to a boatload of players: P Julian Tavarez, OF Reggie Sanders, OF Matt Stairs, IF Pat Meares, IF Pokey Reese and IF Jeff Reboulet. None were brought back by the team.
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| The Mayor 2006 Topps Heritage |
- 2005 - The Reds traded 1B Sean Casey to the Pirates for LHP David Williams. “The Mayor” (he picked up the title in Cincinnati, where he was so popular he could have been elected mayor) was beset by injuries, but hit .296 with three home runs and 29 RBIs in 59 games for his hometown Bucs (Casey graduated from Upper St Clair HS) before being moved to the Tigers at the deadline. Williams won five games over the next two seasons, had surgery for a herniated disk and never returned to the majors while Casey retired after the 2008 campaign.
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