Wednesday, November 20, 2013

11/19-20: Groat Traded, Bonds MVP, Chico, Reuschel Comeback Player, Leyland Hired, Jeff Locke...

Groat Traded, Bonds MVP, Chico, Reuschel Comeback Player, Leyland Hired, Jeff Locke...

  • November 19, 1962 - Dick Groat was traded with P Diomedes Olivo to the St. Louis Cardinals for P Don Cardwell and IF Julio Gotay. Groat played five more years, making two All-Star teams, finishing second in the MVP vote in 1963, and won a World Series. Traded as part of a Joe Brown youth movement, Groat was stunned by the deal - he was born in Wilkinsburg - and didn’t associate with the team again until a 1990 reunion of the 1960 World Series Championship team.


  • November 19, 1990 - LF Barry Bonds won the NL MVP, easily outdistancing teammate and runner-up Bobby Bonilla. Bonds hit .301 with 23 HR, 114 RBI, and 52 stolen bases.
  • November 19, 1992 - The Pirates traded 2B Jose Lind to the KC Royals for pitchers Dennis Moeller and Joel Johnston. Chico was beset with personal problems and was out of baseball after the 1995 season. Johnston, once the Royals top prospect, had a strong 1993 season but quickly faded and was out of baseball after 1995; Moeller made ten appearances in Pittsburgh to end his MLB days.
  • November 20, 1985 - Rick Reuschel was named the NL’s Major League Comeback Player of the Year by United Press International. Reuschel went 14-8 with a 2.27 ERA after starting the year in the Pacific Coast League.
  • November 20, 1985 - Syd Thrift hired Jim Leyland to manage the Pirates, replacing Chuck Tanner.
  • November 20, 1987 - LHP Jeff Locke was born in North Conway, New Hampshire. He joined the Bucs in 2009 as part of the Nate McLouth trade, and the Redstone Rocket - Redstone is his home neighborhood - made his debut in 2011, joining the rotation full-time in 2013 and earning an All-Star berth that season.

The image is from the Pittsburgh Baseball Hero Decks, available at: - Heinz History Center - Sportzburgh, Pittsburgh Airport & Settlers Ridge Shopping Center - Hall of Cards, 300 Mt Lebanon Blvd - Allegheny General Hospital Gift Shop - Morini, The Mall at Robinson - Do It Best Hardware, Ambridge, PA - Washington Hospital Gift Shop - Synders Gateway Travel Plaza, Breezewood, PA

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