8/21 From the 70s Forward: Rennie Breaks Leg; Reuschel & Joey Bats Deals; Tabata Contract; HBD Lou, Ramon, Jesse & Jeff

• 1971 - Dock Ellis was featured on the cover of The Sporting News for the story “Sound Off.” That’s the year Ellis told the media that NL All-Star Team manager Sparky Anderson would "never start two brothers against each other" as Vida Blue was starting for the AL. Anderson surprised Ellis (or played into his hand) by naming him the starter. Dock was the losing pitcher in the game, giving up a titanic shot to Reggie Jackson. 

Lou Collier 1997 Donruss Limited

• 1973 - IF Lou Collier was born in Chicago. He began his eight-year career as a Bucco in 1997-97, hitting .235 after being selected in the 31st round of the 1992 draft from Kishwaukee College. He spent two years in Korea after his MLB days and retired from baseball in 2007. He founded the Lou Collier Baseball Association, recruiting Chi-town kids out of rec center/little league teams and getting them some tournament prime-time to showcase their skills. He’s also an area scout for KC. 
• 1976 - IF Ramon Vazquez was born in Aibonito, Puerto Rico. He spent the final campaign of his nine-year career with Pittsburgh in 2009, hitting .230. Since retiring, he’s coached for San Diego and Houston, along with managing Santurce (Roberto Clemente’s old club) in the Puerto Rican League. 
• 1977 - Rennie Stennett broke his right leg sliding into second against the Giants at TRS. Stennett never recovered fully, and his best BA after the accident was just .244. To rub some salt into the wound, the Bucs lost the game 5-4. And Stennett, who was leading the league in batting, fell 12 at-bats short of qualifying for the title, though his .336 BA would have been nosed out by the eventual winner, teammate Dave Parker, who hit .338. 

Jesse Chavez 2009 Topps Heritage

• 1983 - RHP Jesse Chavez was born in San Gabriel, California. He started out with the Pirates in 2008-09, going 1-5, 4.48 from the bullpen after arriving as the return from Texas for Kip wells. The Bucs sent him to Tampa Bay in 2009 for 2B Akinori Iwamura. Jesse is still pitching, now with the Angels, and as a starter; Oakland had converted him to the rotation, though most clubs (he’s been on seven teams) prefered him as a long man. 
• 1983 - 1B Jeff Clement was born in Marshalltown, Iowa. He was a highly touted power hitter from Southern Cal and was taken third overall in the 2005 draft by Seattle.The Pirates got him from the Mariners in 2009 as part of the return for Ian Snell and Jack Wilson. Jeff got a look-see in 2010 and again in 2012, putting up a .193 BA, and retired from baseball in 2014. 
• 1987 - Vet Rick Reuschel was sent to the Giants for two pitchers, Jeff Robinson and Scott Medvin. Reuschel had two strong years on the Bay, winning 36 games and earning an All-Star berth. Robinson lasted three years in Pittsburgh as a fairly solid reliever/spot starter while Medvin put in one season for the Bucs. 

Joey Bats 2008 Upper Deck

• 2008 - Jose Bautista was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for a PTBNL, who ended up being C Robinzon Diaz. Bautista bloomed as a slugger in Toronto and while no one saw it coming at the time, it ended up among the worst deals in Bucco history. A side note: the Pirates were trying to pry C Brian Jeroloman loose for Jose, not Diaz. Jeroloman, a prospect that never reached MLB, did eventually end up a Bucco, tho, when he was sold to the club in 2013 just before the season started. He was traded away in May to the Nationals. The FO had its eye on Jeroloman for awhile before that - they claimed him off waivers in 2011, but DFA’ed him three days later. 
• 2011 - The Pirates announced a six year extension of Jose Tabata’s contract. It guaranteed him $15M and included three club option years. JT’s advisers quit, believing the terms were too team friendly; they were wrong. JT logged lots of minor league innings from 2012-15 before being traded to the LA Dodgers at the 2015 deadline; they released him in 2016.