3/24: Jeter Joins, Roberto Rocket, Kiner #4 Remembered, Bo Confab, Hank Stamp; RIP Mace & Mike, HBD Chris, Corey, Gus, Pat, Gentlemen George, Mike, Roy & Al

• 1869 - RHP Al Lawson was born in London, England. His MLB career consisted of three 1890 starts, two with the Alleghenys. He wasn’t exactly a poster boy for Brit baseball; he went 0-2, giving up 20 runs (10 earned) in 10 IP on 15 hits and 10 walks. Al played pro ball from 1888-95 and then managed in the minors from 1905 to 1907. In 1908 he started a new baseball league known as the Union Professional League, which quickly floundered (His brother George founded the United States League in 1910, which also died a rapid death). But he had a second career as an aviation advocate, publishing air industry magazines, founding Lawson Aircraft, and credited by some as the guy who came up with the idea of commercial airliners. Moving on, he later wrote books and developed an out-there science known as “Lawsonomy” that evolved into a religion, all of which were fairly popular for a spell (he even founded a college) in the Upper Midwest. 
• 1874 - OF Roy Thomas was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania. A speedster who played mainly for Philadelphia, the Pirates brought him aboard in June, 1908. The top of the order guy had a .348 OBP and scored 52 runs in 102 games starting in center, then went on to Boston the following year after missing the start of the season because of a college coaching commitment at Penn, his alma mater. He retired as a Phillie in 1911. He had a 13-year career and was adept at spoiling pitches; he led the league in walks seven times with a .416 lifetime OBP. 
• 1884 - 3B Harry “Mike” Mowrey was born in Brown's Mill, Pennsylvania. Mike had a 13 year MLB career, spending a pair of seasons in Pittsburgh. He hit .254 as a Pirate in 1914 and .280 for the Federation League’s Pittsburgh Rebels the following year. Mowrey’s forte was as a defender; he was considered the most accomplished hot corner fielder in baseball and especially sharp against the bunt, a major offensive tool during the dead ball era. Harry became Mike thanks to his brother. Mowrey’s dad was sheriff and ran the jail; vagrants were often housed in the cells overnight. Young Harry was friendly with one of his dad’s more frequent guests named Mike and so his brother called Harry “Mike the Hobo” after his incarcerated bud from that time forward. 

Mike Mowrey - 1914 pennant

• 1893 - “Gentleman George” Sisler was born in Manchester, Ohio. After a Hall-of-Fame career at 1B mainly w/the St. Louis Browns, he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1942 as a coach and evaluator. When Branch Rickey made the jump to the Pirates in 1951, Sisler tagged along. He helped coach several hitters, notably Roberto Clemente, whom he counseled to keep his head quiet and to use a heavier bat; it seems to have been good advice. Sisler stayed on with the Pirates after Rickey left as a roving hitting instructor. His sons, Dick & Dave Sisler, were MLB’ers. Dick spent eight years in the show and later managed the Cincinnati Reds while Dave had a seven-year career as a pitcher. George got his nicknames of “Gentleman” and “Gorgeous” because of his demeanor and looks; he was also known to a lesser degree as “Sizzler” and “The Picture Player.” 
• 1906 - C Art “Pat” (Patrick was his middle name) Veltman was born in Mobile, Alabama. Veltman had a six-year MLB career that consisted of coffee klatches; he played just 23 games over that span, his final dozen as a Pirate in 1934, going 3-for-28 (.107). He was released in midseason to allow for his return to the Pacific Coast League Oakland Oaks (the team the Pirates drafted him from after the 1933 campaign), where he finished out the season as manager. He played three more years in the minors and then retired from baseball. 
• 1907 - 1B/OF Augustine “Gus” Dugas was born in St. Jean de Matha, Quebec. The reserve hit .250 in 1930 and 1932 (he broke his jaw in 1931) as a Bucco before he was sent to the Phillies as part of the Freddie Lindstrom trade. “Lefty” (he was a southpaw), along with fellow Quebec-born major leaguers Tim Harkness, Raymond Daviault, Georges Maranda, Ron Piché, Claude Raymond, and Jean-Pierre Roy, threw the ceremonial first pitch before the inaugural Montreal Expos game at Olympic Stadium (aka Stade Olympique) on April 15th, 1977. 
• 1965 - OF Johnny Jeter was selected off waivers from the Baltimore O’s; he had originally been signed by the Pirates in 1964 out of Grambling and then lost to the Birds in November. Johnny was unfortunately a guy who went downhill at the plate the more he batted. He played two years for the Bucs and six overall in the show: during the three seasons that he batted fewer than 100 times, he hit over .300, but in the three campaigns with 100+ at bats, he never hit higher than .240. 

Johnny Jeter - 1965 Topps

• 1966 - Roberto Clemente told people he wasn’t a big home run hitter only because he thought it helped the team to hit for average, but always maintained that he had the chops to be a muscle guy. He proved it on this date when he became just the third man to homer over Terry Park’s 30’ wall in Fort Myers. The blast, estimated to be 500’ by the Post-Gazette’s Al Abrams, proved the game-winning tally in the Pirates 7-5 victory over the Mets in Grapefruit League action. Willie Stargell and Bill Mazeroski also homered. 
• 1982 - 1B/OF Corey Hart was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Pirates signed Hart to a one-year/$2.5M contract for the 2015 campaign, taking a risk that he would recover from microsurgery on his knee and fill a hole at first base. The club rolled snake eyes; Corey got into just 35 games while battling shoulder & knee injuries, batted .222, and retired prior to the 2016 season. The two-time All-Star then spent time as a minor league hitting coach for Toronto. The father of four is now Phoenix College’s hitting coach. 
• 1991 - The Pirates president, Carl Barger, GM Larry Doughty and skipper Jim Leyland held a three-hour, closed door meeting discussing the Bucs “State of the Union” per the report of Bob Hertzel of the Pittsburgh Press. A major topic was the future of Bobby Bonilla, who was in his walk year and could be signed, traded, or lost to free agency. Hertzel said the rumor mill was buzzing, with the Yankees’ 1B Kevin Maas & OF Roberto Kelly, the Mariners’ 1B Tino Martinez & old Bucco property OF Jay Buhner, the Braves’ P John Smoltz & OF Dave Justice and, a couple of days later, the Cubs’ Mark Grace & Jerome Walton, all guys that the Pirates’ were targeting to bundle into a Bo package. But the FOs high hopes overshot the market and Bobby Bo left the Bucs empty-handed after putting up an All Star line of .302/18/100 in ‘91 to sign with the Mets. 
• 1993 - Utilityman Chris Bostick was born in Rochester, New York. A well-traveled minor league depth guy, Pittsburgh became his fourth organization in 2017 and after some good stick work at Indy, he got his first call to the show for a May cup of coffee, then a longer September look, batting .296 overall in 20 games for the Pirates. He got a couple of more tastes in ‘18 before going to Miami and then to the Orioles; 2019 was his last pro season with the O’s AAA Norfolk club. 

Mace Brown - 1940 Play Ball

• 2002 - RHP Mace Brown passed away in North Carolina at the age of 92. Brown was one of the earliest dedicated relievers for the Pirates, appearing 207 times from the bullpen from 1935-41. He also started 55 games over that span and ended up credited retroactively with 29 saves as a Pirate (a closer wouldn’t be an everyday thing for several more decades; a save wasn’t even kept as a stat until 1969) to go with 55 wins, 18 complete games and two shutouts. 
• 2006 - At Mickey Mantle's Restaurant & Sports Bar in New York City, the U.S. Postal Service unveiled the "Baseball Sluggers" postage stamps which were issued on July 15th at Yankee Stadium prior to the game against the White Sox. The four Hall of Famers featured in the set had roots in New York with Mickey Mantle (Yankees), Mel Ott (Giants) and Roy Campanella (Dodgers) playing their entire careers in the Big Apple, while the fourth philatelic honoree, Hank Greenberg, had set schoolboy records at James Monroe High School in the Bronx. Greenberg spent his final season (1947) in Pittsburgh where he passed the big bopper torch to 24-year-old Ralph Kiner. 
• 2014 - The Pirates announced that the team would wear #4 patches all season to commemorate Ralph Kiner, who died on February 6th. Kiner led the NL in home runs for seven straight years (1946-52) and MLB for six consecutive seasons (1947-52), both records. He was selected for the All-Star Game in six straight seasons from 1948-53, and entered the Hall of Fame in 1975.

Weekly Report: Camp Done, Konnor Sent To Minors, Cuts & Roster, Spring Breakout, Venezuela WBC Champs, Team & MLB Snips

Getting closer by the minute...

Pirates Stuff: 

• Hot OF prospect Edward Florentino is back to full baseball activities after he suffered an ankle injury in late February, although as a precautionary move he was held out of the Spring Breakout game.
• RHP Chris Devensi, who took a liner off the head while pitching last week, was diagnosed with a concussion and rehabbing. He's now in the concussion protocol and tossing the ball around with no return date determined.
• Konnor Griffin contract talk has been resurrected per MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo, so we shall see...

Konnor Griffin missed the cut - 2026 image/SportsNet Pgh.

• Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com ranked the Top 10 Pitching Staffs heading into 2026; he has the Pirates at #6,
• September 15 is Roberto Clemente Day. The Bucs are hosting the Brewers and spicing up the usual Clemente Day of Service recognition by handing out Roberto bobbleheads to the first 21,000 fans.
• New hang out spot: Legacy Hospitality Partners announced that The Plaza at North Shore, along with the restaurant SugarBird, will open on April 2, the day before the Home Opener. The 30,000-square-foot  space will have two stages and a 40-foot LED screen to air games, movies, etc. The Plaza is at the corner of Mazeroski Way and General Robinson Boulevard, across from PNC Park.
• Seems like it was a long time coming, but the next report will finally include news of games that count (the last spring game is today) The season opens on March 26 at NY v the Mets; Paul Skenes takes on Freddy Peralta.

Camp/Game Stuff:

• IF Enmanuel Valdez was optioned to Indy and OF Dominic Fletcher was assigned to minor league camp. The next day, LHP Evan Sisk was optioned to Indy while RHPs Beau Burrows, Michael Darrell-Hicks, Noah Murdock & Noah Davis along with C Shawn Ross were sent to the minor league camp. C/1B Endy Rodriguez was optioned to Indy on Thursday; he had a nice camp coming off a lost year, but will get to play everyday for the time being. The big weekend news was that SS Konnor Griffin was assigned to the minor league camp; the Pirates believe he needs a more gradual break-in after posting a .184 BA/32% K rate in the spring. A couple of other guys  were also sent down on Saturday as red-hot OF Jhostynxon Garcia (another guy moved to get regular PT) and IF Tyler Callihan went to Indy. On Sunday, the Pirates reassigned IF Alika Williams alon with RHPs Chris Devenski, Carson Fulmer & LHP Joe La Sorsa to minor-league camp while C/1B Rafael Flores and RHP Cam Sanders have been optioned to Indy There are now 28 players left on the roster.
• The roster going north (barring last minute trade/waiver/opt out pickup): Braxton Ashcraft, Joey Bart, Bubba Chandler, Billy Cook, Oneil Cruz, Henry Davis, Nick Gonzales, Spencer Horwitz, Mitch Keller, Justin Lawrence, Brandon Lowe, Jake Mangum, Isaac Mattson, Carmen Mlodzinski, Mason Montegomery, Ryan O'Hearn, Marcell Ozuna, Yohan Ramirez, Bryan Reynolds, Dennis Santana, Paul Skenes, Gregory Soto, Jared Triolo and Nick Yorke, plus 2-of-3 of Hunter Barco, Mike Clevinger & Jose Urquidy, with Jared Jones on the IL. 

The starting rotation - Skenes, Keller, Mlodzinski, Ashcraft & Chandler - image Pirates

• The Pirates rotation will be Skenes, Keller, Mlodzinski, Ashcraft and Chandler. The lineup starts Gonzales/Yorke 3B, Triolo SS, Lowe 2B, Horwitz 1B, O'Hearn, Cruz &  Reynolds OF,  Bart/ Davis C, Ozuna DH and Mangum/Cook off the bench, with Gonzales and O'Hearn playing multi-roles.
• Weekday Games - The Twins started the Bucs off on the bad foot, winning 5-1. The bullpen put up four zeroes, but a three-run homer off starter Noah Davis was the gamebreaker. More ouches on Tuesday as the Astros beat up on Mitch Keller (his control & the wind conspired against him) and romped to a a 10-2 win. Wednesday saw another strong outing from Braxton Ashcraft, who went 5-1/3 IP, giving up an unearned run on five hits with no walks and eight K. Tyler Callihan went deep for insurance in the 3-1 dub. The Orioles stopped the Pirates on Thursday, 5-2, behind three dingers. Hunter Barco went two scoreless frames with three K after coming in from the pen.
• Weekend Games - Well, Friday started the weekend on a sour note as the Bravos belted the Bucs, 8-1. Paul Skenes started Saturday against the Blue Jays in his final tuneup before the Opener. He was a little wild, walking three in four IP, but gave up no runs, one hit (off a glove) and fanned five on 65 pitches. Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz homered in an 8-3 victory. Boston put the Bucs back on the losing track, 6-3, on Sunday despite long balls by Henry Davis and Shawn Ross.

WBC/Spring Breakout Stuff: 

• The Cinerella run by Italia came to end on Monday night as they dropped a 4-2 decision to Venezuela, who punched their ticket to meet the USA for the WBC crown the next evening. It had a dramatic finish: Bryce Harper's two-out, two-run homer in the eighth tied it, 2-2, then Eugenio Suarez countered, doubling in a final-frame run to regain the lead. Daniel Palencia tucked in the USA in the ninth, fanning a pair during a 1-2-3 inning to nail down Venezuela's first title, 3-2. Kansas City 3B Maikel Garcia won the WBC-MVP, batting .385 w/seven RBI for the champions. Paul Skenes did get a consolation prize from his two starts: he was named to the All-WBC team.

Tony Blanco Jr. granny - image/MLB.com

• The Spring Breakout game was played on Friday night, with the Pirates top pups v Motown's youngsters at LECOM. 2025's top Bucco pick, righty Seth Hernandez, got the start. He worked a scoreless frame and the youngsters held off the Tiger cubs by an 8-7 score; Tony Blanco Jr hit a grand slam and Easton Carmichael added a solo shot while the Pirates burned through nine pitchers with varying degrees of success.

MLB Stuff:

• Gerrit Cole missed all of last season after elbow surgery. He made his return to the mound this week, working a couple of innings in a spring exhibition. Cole Train expects to be back in action with the NYY in late May/early June.
• LHP Tim Mayza re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. He started last season with the Bucs, was hurt, got into seven games and was waived; Philly claimed him and they decided to reunite..
• 1B/DH Rowdy Tellez signed a minor league deal with Atlanta; he gets $1.25M if he makes the big team.
• LHP Ryan Borucki reported has signed with the SF Giants after being released by the White Sox.
• C Reese McGuire opted out of his Brewer contract; he was unlikely to break camp with Milwaukee. Reese was the Pirates #1 pick in 2013, although he never suited up for Pittsburgh. He didn't sit still for long; the Chicago White Sox signed him to an MLB deal on the next day for $1.2M.

3/23: Bunning Cover Boy, RIP Don, HBD IKF, Lanny, Johnny, Wendell, Hooks, Frenchy, Slappy, Danny, Mike & Farmer

• 1865 - C/OF Bill “Farmer” Weaver was born in Parkersburg, West Virginia. He split 1894, his final MLB season, between Louisville and Pittsburgh after spending six years with the Colonels, where he was one of the earliest players to hit for the cycle in 1890. He swung the bat well in his short stay with the Pirates (.348 w/24 RBI in 30 games), even filling in at SS, but it wasn’t enough to earn an invite back. Farmer (he got his nickname from a “Farmer Bill Weaver” newspaper article) played in the minors through 1910, then spent the next three years playing prison ball due to an affair with an underage girl before moving to Akron and going to work for Goodyear Tire & Rubber. 
• 1868 - OF/P Elmer “Mike” Smith was born in Allegheny City (Pittsburgh’s North Side). Smith was a pitcher who was converted to the OF after his arm wore down. He played for the Pirates from 1892-97, then returned in 1901. He was a good hitter with a .325 BA, .415 OBP and 136 OPS+ during his Bucco years. In 1893 he scored 121 runs and drove in 103 runs. Mike led the team in 1894 with a .357 BA and, in 1896, he hit .362 with a .454 OBP. Smith, converted to the OF by his Bucco time, also tossed for the Pirates in 1892, going 6-7/3.62. He remained a local boy after his 14-year career in MLB (he kept a North Side home on Madison Avenue) working as an inspector for the Pittsburgh Bureau of Highways. He passed on in 1945 and was buried in North Side’s Union Dale Cemetery. 
• 1885 - OF Danny Moeller was born in DeWitt, Iowa. Danny began his career by playing 47 games in 1907-08 for Pittsburgh, batting .219. He sharpened his skills in the bushes afterward (and picked up the nickname “Rochester Rambler” for his time spent with that club), returning to the show in 1912 to begin a five-year run with Washington and a brief stint with Cleveland. He started four years for the Senators, batting leadoff while sporting a soft glove and strong arm, although he became the first MLB player to strike out 100 times in a season when he collected 112 whiffs in 1912. Danny’s career was cut short by a chronic shoulder dislocation. 

Danny Moeller (Washington) - Harris & Ewing/Library of Congress

• 1886 - RHP Cy “Slappy” Slapnicka was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He pitched pro ball from 1906-20, working 10 games in MLB. His last stint was with the 1918 Pirates, who bought his contract from Birmingham of the Southern Association in late June. Slappy, then 32, went 1-4/4.74 in seven outings (six starts) and was released. He had a long and solid career in the bushes as an administrator and manager, but made his mark after he retired as a big-time scout for the Indians, signing Bob “Rapid Robert” Feller, Roger Maris, Herb Score, Lou Boudreau, Bobby Avila and several other A-Listers. 
• 1893 - RHP Remy “Ray/Frenchy” Kremer was born in Oakland, California. Kremer pitched 10 seasons for the Pirates (1924-33), his only MLB club, and went 143-85-10/3.76, winning 20 games twice, leading the NL in ERA in 1926 and 1927 and claiming a pair of victories in the 1925 World Series. What's more amazing is that he didn't make his major league debut until he was 31-years-old after spending nine campaigns in the Pacific Coast League! But he didn’t come with a senior discount; the Pirates, in battle with the Cubs for his services, sent pitchers George Boehler and Earl Kuntz, infielder Spencer Andrews, and a reported $20,000 to the Oaks in exchange for Kremer, who also got a little slice of the pie after he threatened to hold out after the deal. Known to enjoy a nip or three, Kremer was notorious for his off-field antics. 
• 1905 - OF Harold “Hooks” (he had noticeably bowed legs) Tinker was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but moved to Pittsburgh with his family in 1917. He played sandlot for the Edgar Thompson team before moving up to the Pittsburgh Monarchs. Hooks joined the Crawfords in 1928, playing center field as an assistant player-manager of the team; he was also said to have discovered Josh Gibson. Tinker was on the team when it was sold to Gus Greenlee in 1931, but when faced with Greenlee's decree to "work or play," Tinker chose to keep his mill job to support his family. Hooks later answered to a higher calling and became a well-respected reverend in the Hill District. 

Wendell Smith - photo/Teeny Harris

• 1914 - Writer Wendell Smith was born in Detroit. After his graduation from West Virginia State in 1937, where he pitched and played basketball, Smith began his career with the Pittsburgh Courier, then perhaps the most influential black paper in the country. Smith, as a baseball writer and sports editor, covered the Homestead Grays, Pittsburgh Crawfords and the Pirates. In 1947, he went to the Chicago Herald-American and later, the Sun-Times. He also became a WGN-TV sports anchor. He chronicled the early days of Jackie Robinson and was reputed to be one of the industry insiders to recommend Jackie to Branch Rickey. Wendell also was a tireless advocate of baseball integration, pushing teams (including the Pirates) to try out Negro League players such as Josh Gibson. He was recognized by the BBWAA Spink’s Award in 1993. In a bit of irony, the group had turned down Smith’s membership application while he was with the Courier, though in 1948 they finally relented and admitted him as one of its earliest black members, behind only Sam Lacy. He passed away of cancer in 1972. In 2014, was the posthumous winner of the Associated Press’ Red Smith Award. 
• 1926 - IF Johnny Logan was born in Endicott, NY. Logan finished his 13-year career with the Pirates (1961-63), appearing in 152 games and batting .249. Playing mainly as a Brave, Logan batted .268 with 93 home runs, 547 runs batted in and 651 runs scored. He was a four-time All-Star selection, including three berths in a row from 1957-59, and was on Milwaukee’s 1957 World Series-winning club. Johnny finished his career in Japan, then did some broadcasting, scouting and took a gig welding on the Trans-Alaska pipeline in the 1970s, which provided a better payday than any baseball salary he had ever received. 
• 1948 - Pirate announcer Lanny Frattare was born in Rochester, NY. Lanny was the voice of the AAA Charleston Charlies in 1974-75, and got in the booth for a couple of Pirates games after the minor league season at Bob Prince’s invitation, getting to announce an inning or so. He was officially part of the Pirate broadcasting team from 1976-2008, starting out as Milo Hamilton’s color man, and announced over 5,000 Bucco games during his 29 seasons as the alpha broadcaster ("...and there was no doubt about it"), becoming the Pirates longest-tenured voice before moving on to academia at Waynesburg University with some local side gigs sprinkled in. In 2008, he was nominated for the Ford Frick Award, given by the Baseball Hall of Fame for excellence in broadcasting. He kept his hand in the game, still broadcasting WVU baseball and scholastic games. 

• 1968 - Jim Bunning was featured on the cover of The Sporting News for the story “Bucks In Pirate Bank.” The season didn’t work out quite as expected, though. Injuries to his groin, ankle and hip led Bunning to win just four games as he came in with his worst major league season to date with a 4-14 record with a 3.88 ERA, and he was sent to the Dodgers at the ‘69 deadline. 
• 1979 - Coach Don Osborn, 71, passed away in Torrance, California. After a minor league pitching career and some managing on the farm for the Cubs and Phils, he joined the Pirates in 1957 as a roving minor league coach and pitching mechanic. In 1963, Osborn was named Bucco pitching coach, and he served three stints in that post (1963–64, 1970–72, and 1974–76) mostly under Danny Murtaugh, with minor league duties in between big league gigs. Osborn was named pitching coach one last time after the 1978 season by Chuck Tanner, but failing health led to his resignation, and he died a year later. 
• 1990 - The umpires union announced a boycott, upset that they weren’t consulted over MLB schedule changes made after the lockout even though the new CBA wasn’t hammered out until March 19th. They got over it quickly enough and returned to work on April 1 while pay, work schedule input, and other conflicted issues were being addressed through binding arbitration. 
• 1995 - IF Isiah Kiner-Falefa was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. A seven-year vet (Pittsburgh was his fourth team) with a strong, versatile glove and career .264 BA, Toronto traded him and cash to Pittsburgh at the 2024 deadline, with the Corsairs sending Altoona OF Charles McAdoo to the Jays. Kiner-Falefa had a 2024 slash of .292/.338/.420 with seven home runs in a breakout offensive year while McAdoo was among the top Pirates prospects and one of the few pure hitters in the system. IKF was rehabbing his knee at the time, delaying his Pirates debut by a few days before he was plugged into second base as Nick Gonzales was out for an extended period. IKF was the leader in the early mix to start at short in ‘25 with Oneil Cruz’s full-time move to center field (Isiah started 26 games at SS in ‘24) and broke camp as the starter at the position, a spot he held with some 3B time through August. He was released at the end of the month and claimed by his former club, Toronto. He became a free agent at the end of the year and signed with the Boston Red Sox in February.

3/22: Dann Deal, Spring Dance, '22 Class Signed & Cuts, Umps Walk; HBD Andrew, Ike, Michael, Jason, Ramon, Moose & Goldie

• 1902 - Coach Goldie (his given first name was Golden) Holt was born in Enloe, Texas. Holt played 23 years of minor league ball, serving as a player/manager for six of those seasons. He finally reached the majors as a Pirates coach under manager Billy Meyer from 1948–50, then scouted and managed in the farm system for the Dodgers from 1951–58. He switched to the Cubs' organization as a member of its College of Coaches experiment from 1961–65 (a disastrous rotating coach gimmick conjured up by owner Phil Wrigley), then returned to the Dodgers as a scout through the early 1980s, where he was credited with teaching Charlie Hough how to throw a knuckleball. 
• 1906 - OF Julius “Moose” Solters was born in Pittsburgh. He never played for the Pirates but was one of the better local ballplayers with one of baseball’s sadder stories. Moose (he was 6’1”, 190 lbs), the son of a Hungarian immigrant who worked at J&L Steel, went to Fifth Avenue HS. Solters played nine years in the AL for four clubs, slashing .289/89/559 and put up five double-digit homer seasons along with four 100+ RBI campaigns. In 1941, he was hit by a ball during pregame fielding drills after he had turned to wave to his in-laws in the stands. Solters suffered headaches and double vision afterward, effectively ending his baseball career, and slowly began losing his vision. He returned to his native Beltzhoover and ran a bar. Solters was also a key figure, along with Frankie Gustine, in planning and fundraising for Frank Vittor’s 1955 Honus Wagner statue. He passed away in 1975 and is buried in Hazelwood’s Calvary Cemetery. 
• 1968 - RHP Ramon Martinez was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. His 14-year career, spent primarily with the Dodgers, ended as a Pirate in 2001 with four largely forgettable outings before retiring. He won 135 games over that span but was bested for family honors by his little brother, Pedro. Ramon is now pitching coach/Latino advisor for the Orioles. 
• 1974 - RHP Jason Phillips was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Jason was drafted out of Hughesville HS in Lycoming county by Pittsburgh in 1992 in the 14th round and had 17 MLB outings over parts of three seasons. He made his debut with the Pirates in 1999 with six appearances and an 11.57 ERA. The Bucs released him in 2001 and he subsequently got a couple of stints with the Indians. He ended his pro career in 2004 after a couple of years of work in Japan. 

Jason Phillips - 1999 Skybox

• 1982 - 1B Michael Morse was born in Fort Lauderdale. “The Beast” (he’s 6’5”, 245 lbs) was a third round selection of the White Sox out of high school in 2000 and the Pirates picked him up in 2015 in a trade with the Dodgers. The Pirates were the 11-year vet’s seventh team, counting LA, who flipped him before he ever played a game for them. He hit .275 in 2015 and after one outing in 2016, he was released in April. He lost most of the 2017 season with the Giants due to a freak concussion after he and Jeff Samardzija accidentally banged heads during a May brawl. The next season, he hung up the spikes, took a broadcasting gig and is a youth coach. 
• 1987 - The Bucs purchased C Dann Bilardello from the Montreal Expos, and after a minor league stint at AAA Buffalo, he was sold back to Montreal in July. The Bucs then brought him back as a free agent signing in 1989 and he hit .225 as a bench guy. He was released after the year, signed again, and then released for good after the 1990 campaign when he hit just .054, spending both years mainly in AAA. In all, Dann appeared in 52 games for Pittsburgh, batting .171. 
• 1987 - 1B Ike Davis was born in Edina, Minnesota. The Bucs were hoping that Ike, who they got from the Mets in mid-April for a couple of prospects, could plug the hole at first in 2014, but 10 homers/.235 BA in 94 starts with 397 plate appearances didn’t cut it. The Pirates sold his contract to Oakland after the season and announced that Pedro Alvarez would be their 1B in 2015. After stints with the A’s and Yankees, Ike spent 2017 pitching (he was a standout reliever at Arizona State) in the Dodger system, but that was too little, too late, and he retired. 
• 1989 - It was only spring training, but when the Phils Don Carman served up some chin music to Bobby Bonilla, the two teams erupted into a bit of basebrawl (Carman had a history with the Bucs, having bopped several in recent seasons). It was mostly a dance and debate; as Benny DiStefano said “I was looking for a fight but I couldn’t find one.” Still, plate ump Bob Davidson found reason to toss Philadelphia’s Dickie Thon (Bob Dernier had been ousted earlier for griping about a strike three call) and a boatload of Bucs - Bobby Bo, Barry Bonds, RJ Reynolds and skipper Jim Leyland. As fate would have it, the instigator, Carman, escaped the thumb. Though a couple of Killer B’s shy, the Bucs won the match, 7-6, behind Gary Redus’ three-run, seventh-inning homer. 

Bobby Bo - 1989 Donruss Pop-Up

• 1990 - C Andrew Susac was born in Roseville, California. A second round draft pick of the Giants out of Oregon State in 2011, he played in parts of five seasons for San Francisco, Milwaukee and Baltimore. He spent 2019 in KC’s system, and in early 2020, Susac signed a minor league deal with the Pirates. He spent most of the year in the minors before being a late September call up; he got into one game, went 0-for-2 with two walks and was outrighted off of the 40-man three days later. He signed another minor league deal, played in 2021 for Indy, selected free agency at the end of the year and retired from the pro ranks shortly afterward. 
• 1990 - The umpires union announced a boycott, upset that they weren’t consulted over MLB schedule changes made after the lockout even though the new CBA wasn’t hammered out until March 19th. They got over it quickly enough and returned to work on April 1 while pay, schedule consultation, and other related issues were being addressed through binding arbitration. 
• 2022 - After having settled earlier with arb-eligibles SS Kevin Newman ($1.95M) and OF Ben Gamel ($1.8M), the Bucs had split results with the two remaining members of the class at the deadline. RHP Chris Stratton signed on the dotted line for $2.7M, but building block and Super Two CF Bryan Reynolds didn’t strike a deal and filed for arbitration (he signed for two years/$13.5M in April and hit the jackpot a year later). They signed all 34 pre-arb players two days later. 
• 2022 - The Pirates began their camp cutdown by optioning OF Travis Swaggerty to AAA Indy. Other top prospects joined him before the week was over: SS Oneil Cruz (he was widely considered a service time casualty), C/OF Endy Rodriguez, C Henry Davis, 2B Nick Gonzales & Ji-Hwan Bae, OF Matt Fraizer, IFs Jared Triolo & Rudolfo Castro and Ps Roansy Contreras, Adrian Florencio, Carmen Mlodzinski, Cody Bolton, Kyle Nicolas, Mike Burrows, Quinn Priester, and Tahnaj Thomas.

3/21: Steven & Esteban Sign, Vance-Ross & Duke-Lefty Swaps, Undone Deal, '06 Reboot, PA Buys Bucs, Revenue Sharing; HBD Shawon, Pablo, Manny, Bill & Mysterious

• 1884 - RHP Frederick Mitchell “Mysterious” Walker (his moniker came from pitching under a fake name for the San Francisco Seals) was born in Utica, Nebraska. He didn’t play much or well in Pittsburgh: in 1914, Walker pitched for the Rebels of the outlaw Federal League and appeared in 35 games, tossing a career-high 169-1/3 innings with a record of 4–16 and a 4.33 ERA. He made more of a name for himself locally in football. He was Carnegie Tech’s head coach from 1912-13 and in 1914 served as an assistant football coach at W & J College. 
• 1893 - The Pirates traded C Duke Farrell and $1,500 to the Washington Nationals for LHP Frank “Lefty” Killen in a win-win deal for both clubs. Farrell banged heads with manager Al Buckenberger and played 13 more years after leaving town as one of baseball’s better hitting catchers, retiring in 1905 with a career .277 BA. Killen tossed six seasons for the Bucs with an 112-82/3.71 line and set the team record for wins with 36 in 1893, one of two 30-win seasons he spun for Pittsburgh. 
• 1915 - RHP Bill Brandt was born in Aurora, Indiana. Brandt spent his brief career (1941-43) as a Pirate, going 5-3 with a 3.57 ERA while getting just 80-2/3 IP over that time (he was a call-up for the first two campaigns, getting his only full season in 1943). After serving his country from 1944-45, Bill came back, playing a final year of farm ball at Chattanooga and Hollywood before retiring. 
• 1944 - Pirate C Manny Sanguillen was born in Colon, Panama. In 12 years with the Bucs, he batted .299 and was on three All-Star teams, which was quite a feat during the Johnny Bench era. Manny hit .282 in two World Series and five NLCS bouts. Noted for never seeing a pitch he didn’t like, the free swinger’s lifetime batting average of .296 is in the Top Ten for catchers in MLB history. Like many Buccos, he was dubbed by Bob Prince; his nickname was "The Road Runner" because of his surprising speed as a catcher. The ever-smiling Manny continues on as a popular Pirates figure with a ballyard eatery and appearances at spring camp and good will team events. 

Manny Sanguillen - 2024 Pirates Hall of Fame

• 1945 - SS/OF & scout Pablo Cruz was born in San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic. Pablo never played for the MLB Bucs, although he spent all 14 years of his pro career (1965-’78) in the Pirates farm system. He was a good stick, so-so glove SS who had the bad luck to play during the Gene Alley era and then lost out to younger prospect Frank Taveras in the seventies. After his playing days, Cruz became a full-time scout for the Pirates and lassoed a corral full of Latino talent like Moisés Alou, Tony Peña, Aramis Ramírez, Félix Fermín, José Guillén, José Lind, Orlando Merced, José de León, Cecilio Guante, José Castillo, Ronny Paulino and Rafe Belliard. He scouted for several teams after the Bucs, and his son Ismael also became a Pirates bird dog for a spell. 
• 1950 - A visit by scout Ted McGrew to the Phillies camp launched a rumor that the Bucs were sniffing for a deal with Philadelphia, with the Phils said to be asking for OF Wally Westlake and C Ed Fitz Gerald in exchange for C Ed Seminick and 1B Dick Sisler. Pittsburgh was thought to have interest in Seminick, but considered Westlake too valuable to include, killing the potential swap. Wally played through the 1950 season and hit .285 with 95 RBI, then was dealt to the Cards in June of 1951 in a six-man swap for pitching rather than catching. 
• 1963 - SS Shawon Dunston was born in Brooklyn, New York. Dunston was the Numero Uno selection in the June 1982 amateur draft and a 13-year vet when on August 31st, 1997, the Cubs sent him to Pirates, who lost two shortstops to injuries, Kevin Elster and Kevin Polcovich. He hit two long balls in his first game with the Bucs during that “Freak Show” season and hit .394 with five homers and 16 RBIs in 18 games though the club fell 3-1/2 games short of the flag. After his short stint, Dunston signed on with the Indians. He retired in 2002 and coached in the Giants organization through 2019. 
• 1982 - The Pirates traded SS Vance Law and RHP Ernie Camacho to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for pitchers Ross Baumgarten and Butch Edge. Law played nine more MLB seasons, once as an All-Star, and Camacho pitched for eight more years. Baumgarten and Edge never panned out for the Bucs. Baumgarten got 10 starts, posted a slash of 0-5/6.55, and was released the following spring to end his MLB stay while Edge, who had pitched for Toronto in 1979 as his only big league campaign, never escaped from the minors and retired after the 1983 campaign. 

Ross Baumgarten - 1983 Topps

• 1986 - The Pittsburgh Associates, a coalition of 13 public and private investors, formally purchased the Pirates from the Galbreath family for $21.8M in a deal that had been essentially hammered out in the previous fall. The Associates were led by Mayor Richard S. Caliguiri along with Westinghouse, Alcoa, PPG, USS, PNC, Mellon, CMU and Ryan Homes. Private investors included Chicago real estate developer Harvey Walken, contractor Frank Schneider, businessman Frank Fuhrer and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette publisher William Block. The local angels consortium assured that the club would stay in Pittsburgh while a new long-term buyer could be found to keep the club in the city and avoid the circling vultures like Denver, Portland and New Orleans. 
• 1991 - RHP Esteban Loaiza was signed by the Bucs as a 19-year-old pitcher for the Mexico City Reds. He worked from 1995-98, with Pittsburgh (27-28-1/4.63) and had a 14-year career in MLB with a pair of All-Star selections and 126 wins. Loaiza was arrested in San Diego in 2018 for transporting 20 kilos of cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to three years with the proviso that he be deported to Mexico after his release. He became a pitching coach in 2023 for Veracruz. On the same day, the Bucs sent IF Tommy Shields to the O’s for IF Tony Beasley. Shields had a couple of brief MLB visits, while Beasley spent his time in the Pirates minors, eventually managing for the Bucs farm system and topping out with a four-year run as a coach for John Russell, later working for the Nats and now the Rangers. 
• 1996 - MLB approved revenue sharing at its meeting in Phoenix by a 26-1-1 verdict after years of sometimes acrimonious debate. As the owner of a small revenue club, Kevin McClatchy welcomed it with open arms, estimating that the policy could boost the Bucs’ financial position by $4M and could double that amount in the coming years. The interim plan became part of the CBA and was tinkered with a bit in 2002 to take its current form. 

Gorzo - 2009 O-Pee-Chee

• 2006 - The Pirates cut four players who had once loomed large in their plans for the future - LHP Tom Gorzelanny, LHP Sean Burnett, CF Rajai Davis and 1B Brad Eldred. Of the four, none ever became the building blocks they were touted to become, and only Gorzo became a regular, rejoining the team in August and pitching here until 2009, when he was dealt to the Cubs for Josh Harrison. Davis also played in ‘06, but was shipped to the Giants in 2007 for Matt Morris. Burney and Brad both spent the year in the minors, later making brief stops in Pittsburgh before moving on  - Burnett lasted until 2016, posting four solid years with the Nats (2009-12) while Eldred was done in 2012, playing in fewer than 100 MLB games. 
• 2021 - The Pirates announced that they signed 36-year-old ex-BoSox RHP Steven Wright to an NRI contract as a depth option. The knuckleballer didn't pitch in 2020 after making 26 outings in 2018-19 while serving two suspensions to go along with elbow and knee issues, all of which were supposed to be behind him. GM Ben Cherington knew Wright from their Red Sox days, and the flutterer had been an All Star in 2016, so BC chanced a low-risk roll of the dice. Wright’s comeback didn't make much headway at Indy, where he posted a 4-7/6.68 line in 18 starts and was released in August. He’s been out of baseball since the Pirates let him go.

3/20: Alejandro Signs, Mac Deal, Roberto HoF, Max Done, Josh & Judy Join Grays, SI Clint, Card Ka-ching; RIP Jughandle Johnny, HBD Blas, Rick, Walter, Tom & Pete

• 1864 - 3B Pete McShannic was born in Pittsburgh. Fittingly, he played his only MLB season (26-games) for the hometown Pittsburgh Alleghenys in 1888, batting .194 before closing his ball-playing days in 1890 in the minors. During his career and into retirement, McShannic was also a portrait and scenic artist. When his paintings failed to pay the rent (“starving artist” syndrome existed even in those days), he began working in a factory but continued painting throughout his life. 
• 1882 - IF Tom Stankard was born in Waltham, Massachusetts. He played college football and baseball at Holy Cross, compiling a .412 BA for the baseball team while also a gridiron captain who was named to Walter Camp’s All-America Team, the first A-A in Crusader history. In July of 1904, he appeared in two games with the Pirates, going 0-for-2. It was his only MLB action, though he spent 11 seasons in the minors, almost all in eastern leagues, before hanging up his mitt. 
• 1887 - C Walter Schmidt was born in London, Arizona. He donned the tools of ignorance for Pittsburgh from 1916-24, hitting .257. In 1921 Walter led all NL catchers in fielding percentage with a .986 average in 111 games behind the plate. Schmidt went through the unusual transaction of buying his own release from the San Francisco Seals after the 1915 season for $3K and then negotiated a deal with the Bucs. He took that road because he suspected that the Seals had turned down previous offers made by MLB clubs for him and didn't want to miss the boat to the show. His older brother, Charles “Boss” Schmidt, was also a big league catcher for the Detroit Tigers from 1906-11. 
• 1937 - The Homestead Grays added future Hall of Famers Josh Gibson and Judy Johnson to its roster for $2,500 in cash and a pair of journeymen after Pittsburgh Crawfords owner Gus Greenlee was forced to unload his stars as salary dumps. While the amount seems paltry now, the deal was thought to be the largest cash transaction in the history of the Negro Leagues. It wasn’t enough to save Gus. By the end of 1938, the Crawford’s Greenlee field was razed to give way to the Bedford Dwellings housing project, and Greenlee sold the Crawfords to Toledo businessmen (the team folded after two more seasons), leaving the Grays as the only pro black team in town. 

Max Butcher - 1993 TSN/Conlon Collection

• 1946 - The Pirates released 35-year-old RHP Max Butcher. After a so-so five-year career with Brooklyn and Philly, the Pirates got him during the 1939 campaign for Gus Suhr. Max gave them seven pretty good years, slashing 67-60-5/3.34. But age and the end of the war, which freed up a mob of ballplayers from the service, did him in. He finished the year in the minors and his pro career came to an end. 
• 1952 - RHP Rick Langford was born in Farmville, Virginia. Signed by the Pirates in 1973 out of Florida State, he worked briefly for the club in 1976, getting in 12 games with an 0-1/6.26 line before being shipped to the A’s as part of the Phil Garner trade in early 1977 (it was big - the Pirates traded Langford, Tony Armas, Doug Bair, Dave Giusti, Doc Medich and Mitchell Page to the Athletics for Phil Garner, Chris Batton, and Tommy Helms). He went on to have a solid 10-year career with Oakland, once winning 19 games and leading the AL in complete games in back-to-back seasons while tossing over 200 frames four times. In 1980, he threw 22 consecutive complete games while piling up over 290 innings, but an elbow injury in 1983 caused by a liner through the box ended his effective pitching days. He retired in 1988 and has been a pitching coach of varying titles with the Blues Jays since 1996, serving at the MLB level a couple of times. 
• 1966 - RHP Blas Minor was born in Merced, California. Working out of the Buc bullpen from 1992-94, he had an 8-7-3 record for Pittsburgh with a 4.76 ERA. Minor also pitched for the Houston Astros, New York Mets & Seattle Mariners, and got to live out every boy’s childhood fantasy - after being a major league ballplayer, he retired to become a fireman. 
• 1966 - “Jughandle Johnny” Morrison passed away at age 80. Morrison picked up his nickname because it was said that his curveball bent like a jug handle. He spent from 1920-27 with the Bucs and was a member of two World Series squads, the victorious 1925 nine (no decisions w/2.89 ERA in three outings) and runner up 1927 club (he said he was hurt in mid-season, left the team and got suspended for the year in July, effectively ending his Pirates career). Jughandle led the National League in shutouts twice as a Bucco, in 1921-22. He slashed 89-71-14/3.52 as a Bucco before closing out his career in Brooklyn in 1930. 

Jughandle Johnny - 1927 Press/Reichhold

• 1973 - In a special election held by the BBWAA after the Board of Directors had waived the five-year eligibility period, Roberto Clemente was overwhelmingly voted (he won 393 of 424 votes cast; the naysayers were opposed to the waiver grant rather than Roberto’s credentials) into the Hall of Fame. He was inducted on August 6th as the first Hispanic player to enter Cooperstown, having posted a .317 lifetime BA while earning 12 All-Star nods. Roberto was a trailblazer as the first Latino/Caribbean player to win a World Series as a starting player (1960), to receive an NL MVP Award (1966), and to earn a World Series MVP Award (1971). 
• 1978 - The KC Royals Clint Hurdle made the cover of Sports Illustrated as the poster boy for the article "This Year's Phenom." He did well enough in ‘78, hitting .264 w/seven long balls and a 108 OPS+. The corner IF/OF utility guy cobbled together a four-team, 10-year career with a .259 BA/106 OPS+ before leaving MLB as a player following the 1987 campaign and eventually going on to manage in Colorado and Pittsburgh. He now works in Colorado’s front office. 
• 1993 - After signing a $1.35M contract in December, 33-year-old RHP Alejandro Pena ended up with surgery due to a torn ligament in his elbow, although his arm had passed an earlier physical by Doc James Andrews after a bout of tendonitis. Pena made things right by restructuring his deal over two years, reducing the guaranteed money and loading up on incentives, both for undisclosed amounts. He never recovered his mojo with Pittsburgh, missing ‘93 and working just a couple of dozen games in ‘94, going 3-2-7/5.02. Pena was released in June, but had a last hurrah with Atlanta in 1995, going 2-1 in eight outings and giving up one run in seven frames during the postseason. Alejandro retired after a final sip of coffee with Florida in 1996 to close a 15-year career. 
• 2013 - The Pirates got sweet-fielding vet IF John McDonald, 38, from Arizona on a conditional deal. The Bucs got off easy if the condition had anything to do with his hitting; he went 2-for-31 in Pittsburgh. Mac was shipped to Cleveland in June, then Philly and finally to Boston, all by August 31st. He finished out his 16-year career the next season with the Angels of Anaheim. 
• 2024 - Look out, Honus! The Paul Skenes 1/1 Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card sold at auction for $1,110,000. Of all active MLB players, only Mike Trout has ever had a card go for more. DICK's Sporting Goods was the winning bidder and it will put it on display at its House of Sport store in Ross Park. BTW, that's the same card the Pirates offered season tickets and a goodies grab bag for after its release.

3/19: O'Brien Twins Sign, Bye-Bye Bill, SI Snarks Josh Bell, Hide & Seek; RIP Frank, HBD Jose, Tom, David, Angel, Paul, Rab Roy & Billy

• 1862 - C Billy Colgan was born in East St. Louis, Illinois. Colgan joined the Pittsburgh Alleghenys in 1884, played in 48 games and was let go after batting .155 in what would prove to be his only MLB campaign. He played for 11 different clubs while on the minor league circuit, lasting until 1892 before getting a job on the railroad, where he was killed in a track accident in 1895. 
• 1910 - C Robert “Rab Roy” Gaston was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He played for the Homestead Grays from 1932 to 1949, mainly as a reserve. He was a starter for just two of those many years, serving as a caddy for Hall-of-Famers Double Duty Radcliffe and Josh Gibson. Rab Roy was one of six former local Negro league players who took part in the ceremony that unfurled championship banners recognizing the Grays and Crawfords at TRS in 1993. 
• 1931 - 1B/OF Paul Smith was born in New Castle and raised in Wilkinsburg. He was used sparingly in his Buc career though his stick was solid, hitting .275 for Pittsburgh. He was among the local boys such as Ron Kline, Ron Neccai, Tony Bartirome and Bobby Del Greco that Branch Rickey brought to camp to try out for a spot on the club in 1952 and cracked the roster the following season, hitting a career-best .283 in 110 games. Paul then spent three years on the farm, returning for the 1957-58 campaigns. He had a good eye for numbers, wearing a pair that were Hall-of-Fame worthy and eventually retired by the team. In 1953, he sported #21, made famous by Roberto Clemente, and when he came back from the minors in 1957, he wore #11, Paul “Big Poison” Waner’s number. 
• 1947 - OF Angel Mangual was born in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico. The 19-year-old was signed in 1966 by Puerto Rican scout “Pancho” Coímbre, and after a slow minor league start looked like a breakout player. He sniffed the bigs in 1969 with the Pirates (1-for-4 in six games) and in 1970 was sent to the A’s in exchange for Mudcat Grant. Angel never became an everyday player (his lifetime BA was .245), but he spent six seasons as a bench member of the three-time World Series champion Oakland clubs, playing in 20 postseason games. 

Angel Mangual - 1970 Topps NL Rookie Stars

• 1953 - The Pirates signed bonus baby twins Eddie and Johnny O’Brien, multi-talented basketball (they were both All-America hoopsters who led their team to a pair of tournaments, once even beating the Harlem Globetrotters!) and baseball stars at Seattle University for a reported $40,000 each. They could both pitch and play infield, but neither left much of an MLB mark. 
• 1964 - GM Joe Brown admitted that four pitchers they had signed in 1963 - Bill Rohr, Jerry Hinsley, Pete Wade and Harvey Chaffin - were held out of minor league play for the season in an effort to keep them from being lost in the First Year Player Draft, but drew the line at reports that he had told the hurlers to claim they had sore arms. The Bucs did lose three of the four - only Chaffin made it safely through the process - but it was ultimately much ado over nothing, as only Rohr and Hinsley made it to the majors with 38 appearances between them. The rule was in effect from 1959-64 in an effort to offset bonus signings but was then modified when teams began losing too many prospects. 
• 1977 - C David Ross was born in Bainbridge, Georgia. After spending three years with LA, the Bucs bought Ross in 2005 to back up 35-year-old Raul Chavez. He got into 40 games, hitting .222, and was flipped at the deadline to San Diego for JJ Furmaniak. Ross never did hit much better - his lifetime BA is .229 - but he carved out a solid 15-year career on defense and the ability to handle a pitching staff. He retired after winning a ring with the Chicago Cubs in 2016 and has since been on “Dancing With the Stars,” ESPN and landed the Cubbies manager gig from 2020-2023 after serving a stint as special assistant. 
• 1978 - Scout Tom Gillespie was born in Iowa. He’s been a Buc scout since 2012, coming over from Oakland, and when you hear of an off-the-wall prospect signing, his hand is probably involved. He’s an international scout, focused on evaluating baseball talent in Europe, Africa, and Japan. Tom also is a director of a couple of baseball nonprofits that support international play. 

Jose Castillo - 2003 Donruss Studio

• 1981 - 2B Jose Castillo was born in Las Mercedes, Venezuela. Signed by Pittsburgh in 1999 as a 16-year-old, he was considered the long-term answer at second (he was the Pirates top-rated prospect and played in the Futures game). The Bucs may have jumped the gun by promoting him straight from AA and awarding him the big league job in 2004, as after four years and a .256 BA, he was released, plagued by injury, weight and fielding problems, and replaced by Freddy Sanchez. He closed out his 21-year pro career in Taiwan, Japan and Mexico. 
• 1983 - Frank Oceak passed away in Johnstown at the age of 70. Frank was a Bucco coach from 1958-64, again from 1970-72 and finally briefly in 1976, replacing an ill Don Leppert, spending most of his days as Danny Murtaugh’s third base coach (he’s #44 jogging along with Maz after his 1960 Yankee-killer homer and was also the coach who flashed the bunt sign that Bob Robertson missed, instead homering against the O’s in the ‘71 Series) and infield instructor. Frank managed in the minors for Pittsburgh from 1942-57, and again from 1966-69 between his big league coaching gigs. He retired and ran a Johnstown bar, called (what else?) The Third Base Inn. 
• 1992 - The Pirates released RHP Bill Landrum, who had won 13 games and saved 56 more over the prior three seasons, tossing to a 2.39 ERA. He was due $1.7M, and by releasing him this early in camp, the Bucs were on the hook for just a quarter of his salary. That caused a bit of a media and fan kerfuffle, but Landrum only lasted two more years in the show after his release. A downward trend in performance, along with accumulated wear & tear (he was pitching through shoulder and knee problems) also played into the decision to let him go. 
• 2019 - Sports Illustrated got on GM Neal Huntington’s last nerve in its Pirates preseason review when it quoted an anonymous scout as saying “Josh Bell can’t play...He’s a lump.” Neal defended his first baseman by firing back "These anonymous scouts are hacks. A lot of their criticisms are directed at minorities...we're happy these guys don't work for our organization."

3/18: Solly Hangs In, Braves Move Causes Buc Headache, San Juan Showers, New CBA; HBD Brian, Dick, Elbie, Brute, Marcus & Nixey

• 1874 - Pirate skipper Jimmy “Nixey” Callahan was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Callahan was the Buc manager in 1916 and part of 1917, never sniffing the first division and replaced midway through his second year by Honus Wagner/Hugo Bezdek after compiling an 85-129 record at the helm. He was a nice ballplayer for the White Sox, though he never suited up for the Pirates. In 1902, Callahan pitched the first no-hitter in American League history and is the only pitcher to have collected five hits in a game three times; because of that stick, he was exclusively used as an outfielder in the later stages of his career. Nixey was a childhood nickname of undisclosed origin which Callahan didn’t use as an adult, although newspapers often used it. 
• 1896 - RHP Marcus Milligan was born in Heflin, Alabama. Milligan never tossed in the majors because of WW1. In 1918, as a 21-year-old rookie, he was given a good chance at breaking camp with the big league club after being signed by Barney Dreyfuss in 1916, then having a strong year at Class A Birmingham the following season. But he had enlisted earlier and was claimed in March by Uncle Sam, reporting to the aviation corps. He died in a training accident in September when his biplane crashed at Barron Field in Fort Worth, Texas. 
• 1912 - SS John “The Brute” Lyles was born in St. Louis. He played one of his seven pro baseball seasons with the Homestead Grays in 1934 as a 22-year-old shortstop, hitting .261. He then spent three years with the semi-pro Claybrook Tigers, known as the “Champions of the South,” then came home to the Negro League in 1938, playing through the 1942 campaign. 
• 1916 - 1B Elbie Fletcher was born in Milton, Massachusetts. In between opening and closing stints lasting six seasons with the Boston Braves, he filled in the middle years by playing for Pittsburgh for seven campaigns (1939-43, 1946-47), with two years off during WW2. Elbie put together a line of .279/79/616 as a Bucco, was a six-year starter and earned an All-Star bid in 1943. Fletcher began his big league career in 1934 with Beantown after a contest was held to determine which local high school player was most likely to reach the major leagues, with the winner receiving an invitation to the Braves' spring training camp. With the considerable help of the votes from his large family, Fletcher won, and then made the team. 

Dick Littlefield - 1955 Bowman

• 1926 - LHP Dick Littlefield was born in Detroit. The workmanlike southpaw toiled from 1954-56 for some pretty sad Pirate teams and put up a 15-23 record with a 4.29 ERA. Littlefield was the poster boy for journeymen per Wikipedia - he was one of the most well-traveled and frequently-traded players prior to the free agency era, rostering on 10 of the 16 MLB franchises of his era. 
• 1953 - The Boston Braves request to move to Milwaukee was approved by the MLB owners, the first relocation in 50 years. It became effective at the start of the season, less than a month away. It raised havoc with the Pirates logistics, as they had to switch divisions and schedules with the Braves. At the time, teams in the NL had schedules that differed among the four eastern teams and the four western teams, and the Bucs at the the time were one of the western squads (Boston, the two NY teams & Philly were the eastern reps while Pittsburgh, Cincy, Chicago & St. Louis were considered the western clubs). The Bucs’ Home Opening Day was moved back by two days, they had to reprint their tickets/promo schedules for the season and swap out the old ducats for new ones for the season ticket holders before playing ball for keeps on April 14th. 
• 1962 - RHP Brian Fisher was born in Honolulu. A second round draft pick of the Yankees, the Bucs traded for him in 1987. He was a workmanlike starter for two years, but suffered from knee problems in 1989 and was released by Pittsburgh after posting a Bucco slash of 19-22/4.72 ERA. He lasted in the show until 1992 when his knees finally called it a day. He was a second-round draft pick by the Atlanta Braves and featured a fastball that touched 97 MPH. 

Brian Fisher - 1988 Topps

• 1987 - The Pirates returned from a scheduled three-day, two-game trip to Puerto Rico a day early and with no games in the books. The quick trip to San Juan with the Toronto Blue Jays was rained out when rainstorms, described by Buc coach Ray Miller as “monsoons,” drenched the islands. The field wasn’t protected by a tarp and became an unplayable quagmire. Outside of inconvenience and the chance to play before the Puerto Rican fans, the only casualties were Jim Leyland’s camp pitching rotation and player’s sleep schedules. 
• 1990 - The suits and the MLBPA agreed on a new CBA that ended a 32-day lockout. The main points included increasing the clubs' ante to the pension fund, raising the minimum salary to $100,000 and the introduction of “Super Two” arbitration status. The lockout pushed Opening Day back a week to April 9th and the season had to be extended by three days. 
• 2002 - After taking off five years, mainly to manage in the Dominican, RHP Salomon Torres, 30, signed with the Pirates in December as an NRI. It looked like his comeback dream may have ended on this day when despite a strong spring, he was sent to AAA Nashville. But Solly persevered, kept his eye on the prize, and then got called up for a handful of games in September that turned into a six-year stay in Pittsburgh. He pitched in every role from starter to closer, tying Teke's appearance record with 94 outings in 2006, and posted a line of 26-28-29/3.63 as a Bucco. Torres closed out his career in 2008 with the Brewers.

3/17: Frank Signs, Smiley-Neagle, Danny AS Mgr., Op Shutdown, Pops Back, Latino Revue, Camps Open, Media Moves; RIP Charley & Jewel, HBD Raul, John, Rod, Cito, Pete, Ralph & Huffy

• 1877 - 3B Jesse “Hoffy” Hoffmeister was born in Toledo, Ohio. His one year in the show was with the Pirates in 1897, getting into 48 games and batting .309 while committing an ungainly 31 errors at the hot corner. He then hurt his hand in the offseason, was sick in spring camp and ended up playing for Indianapolis of the Western League. He continued to play pro ball, but never again got a call back to the show and Hoffy retired after the 1906 season. 
• 1894 - 2B/OF Ralph Shafer was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ralph is the Pirates version of Moonlight Graham - he got into one game on July 25th, 1914 as a pinch runner during a 4-2 loss to the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds, and was left aboard. Shafer played for five minor league seasons for five teams, with a four year hiatus between 1917-20, before retiring for good. 
• 1919 - OF Pete Reiser was born in St. Louis. The veteran outfielder spent one season (1951) of his 10-year MLB stint in Pittsburgh, batting .271. He spent the next campaign with the Cleveland Indians before retiring with a bad shoulder. Pete then managed in the Dodger organization and coached at the MLB level for LA, the Cubs and the Angels before passing away at age 62. 
• 1944 - OF Cito Gaston was born in San Antonio, Texas. In 1978, the Pirates purchased Gaston from the Atlanta Braves. The 34-year-old went 1-for-2 in the last week of the season, his last MLB appearances in an 11-year big league career, before spending the next couple of campaigns in the Mexican League and later beginning a long run as the Toronto Blue Jays manager. 
• 1950 - Jewel Ens passed away at age 60 in Syracuse due to pneumonia. He spent his four big league years as a Pirates (1922-25/.290 BA) infielder - he played all four spots - albeit spending most of his time in the minors. Jewel was a Bucco player-coach (1923–25), coach (1926–29; 1935–39) and manager (1929–31). Ens was a member of the 1925 World Series champion Pirates and their 1927 NL champ club. He later went on to coach in the majors for three other teams and spent eight years as skipper of the Reds top farm club at Syracuse. 

Frank Thomas - 1955 Bowman

• 1955 - The Pirate heaved a big sigh of relief when LF Frank Thomas ended his holdout and agreed to a deal. RHP Vern Law had also just ended his walkout and was in camp this day for the first time as Branch Rickey, known as a hard-nosed negotiator (neither contract amount was disclosed), got Fred Haney’s two top weapons to sign on the dotted line and back in the fold. 
• 1956 - LHP Rod Scurry was born in Sacramento. Scurry tossed for the Bucs for six years (1980-85) featuring a nasty curveball, posting a Pirates line of 17-28-34 with a 3.15 ERA before closing out his career with the Yankees and Mariners. The first round pick of 1974, like many players in the 80s, was a nose-candy fan during his playing days, and never could kick the habit even after undergoing rehab in 1984. He died in 1992 of cocaine-induced heart failure at age 36. 
• 1965 - LHP John Smiley was born in Phoenixville, near Valley Forge. He spent his first six seasons (1986-91) in Pittsburgh with a 60-42/3.57 line. 1991 was his best season, going 20-9 with a 3.08 ERA and All-Star selection. In the off season, he was traded to Minnesota for Denny Neagle, and went on to win 126 games in his 12-year career. John retired after breaking his left arm while warming up as a Cleveland Indian in 1997; the injury effectively ended his career. 
• 1972 - The Bucs watered their Latin roots by sweeping a three-game, pre-season series against the Cincinnati Reds in Maracaibo & Caracas, the first time that the Pirates had made a trip to play ball in Venezuela. The final game (today’s battle was the tour opener, a 4-0 Pirates win) was delayed when kids hopped the fence to get Vic Davillo’s autograph during the action. It took about ten minutes to clear the field for play to resume. Beloved in his homeland, “Vitico” (Little Victor) starred in the Venezuelan League before turning pro and returned when his MLB career was done, playing until he was 50 years old. On the other side of the pillow, Dave Guisti was relieved of $200 after the match thanks to a pickpocket who was part of the post-game crowd outside the stadium. 
• 1972 - The Post-Gazette wrote that “Danny Murtaugh received a St. Patrick’s Day gift from another Irishman...” (NL boss Chub Feeney) when he was named the manager of the All-Star team. While it's SOP for the pennant-winning skipper to take the ASG reins, Murtaugh was actually an ex-manager, having retired in November, and was the first non-active field general to earn the honor. 

Danny Murtaugh - 1973 Topps

• 1973 - C Raul Chavez was born in Valencia, Venezuela. Raul was a backup catcher who played for six teams, including a stop in Pittsburgh in 2008 as a 35-year-old. He started 31 games behind the dish and hit .259, but refused a minor league assignment the following season, and signed on for one more big league campaign with Toronto in 2009 before retiring. 
• 1976 - Even though a new CBA hadn’t been pounded out, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn ordered the camps to open. The players had been locked out by the owners on March 1st and those who practiced did so voluntarily at whatever facilities they could find. Even though the camps were opened, the season started without a CBA in place, although no games were lost as the Opening Day was moved back just a tad to April 8th. The MLB/MLBPA eventually agreed on a new contract that included the first framework (a draft) for free agency. 
• 1983 - After retiring the year before, Willie Stargell landed a job as special assistant to the GM (Pete Peterson), and was a counselor at large for the club during camp, then roaming the minors to dish out mechanical and mental advice to his young charges. But the Pittsburgh-Pops connection snapped when Willie was fired after the season (as were Tanner and all the rest of his staff). He was miffed that he hadn’t received an interview for the vacant manager's job, and after the snub, he joined Chuck in Atlanta, where he worked until 1996. In ‘97, he returned to Pittsburgh after Kevin McClatchy reeled him back home, again as a special assistant. Captain Willie didn’t get much coaching done in that final stint - he suffered from a host of medical issues and passed away in 2001 on Opening Day at PNC Park, just two days after his statue was unveiled. 
• 1986 - KBL announced that it would broadcast a minimum of 50 Pirates games over the year, using the on-air team of Mike Lange, Greg Brown and Steve Blass. That was in addition to the 40 games KDKA-TV was covering, using a booth of John Sanders, Alan Cutler, and Blass, a busy man. On the radio side, KDKA’s crew of Lanny Frattare and Jim Rooker called all the games. Neither the stations nor the Bucs gave out the financial details of the contracts. 

Steverino - 1991 Nationwide

• 1992 - The Pirates traded LHP John Smiley (on his birthday!) after a 20-8 All-Star season to the Twins in exchange for LHP Denny Neagle and OF Midre Cummings, sweetening the pot for Minnesota by tossing in $800,000. Smiley told Bob Hertzel of the Pittsburgh Press that “I’m extremely shocked. My contract had to play a little part in this” and was probably right. He had agreed to a guaranteed $3.44M deal, a $2M raise over his 1991 pay, on February 18th, just hours ahead of his arbitration hearing, and was a year from free agency. GM Ted Simmons said no way, telling the paper that “Salary was a non-issue,” and it was just a “daring and aggressive” deal. Smiley, who had been a Pirate since being drafted in 1983, went on to toss six more seasons (66-61/3.99, 1995 All-Star), mostly with the Cincinnati Reds, while Neagle slashed 43-35-3/4.02 in his 4-1/2 year Bucco stint and would pitch until 2003. Hot prospect Cummings ended up a bench player who posted parts of 11 MLB seasons on his resume.
• 2002 - Robert Dvorchak, beat writer for the Post-Gazette, spied OF Derek Bell sitting at his locker, stopped by and asked a couple of questions about the right field competition. Bell was having none of it. He told the writer "Ask Littlefield and ask Mac if I'm in competition. If it ain't settled with me out there, then they can trade me. I ain't going out there to hurt myself in spring training battling for a job. If it is [a competition], then I'm going into 'Operation Shutdown.' Tell them exactly what I said. I haven't competed for a job since 1991." Bell was coming off an injury-bitten 2001 campaign, playing in just 44 games and hitting .173 but still owed $4.5M in salary. He was cut two weeks later, jumped into his yacht and set sail into the sunset of his MLB career. 
• 2014 - Long time (1966-86) Post Gazette Pirates beat writer Charley Feeney, known for calling everyone “Pally” (he didn’t have a good memory for names) passed away at the age of 89. He was inducted into the writer’s wing of the Hall of Fame in 1996. After the news, he told fellow sportswriter Ron Cook that “I'm in and Bill Mazeroski isn't. It's unbelievable." Maz joined him in the Hall five years later.