Friday, April 6, 2018

4/6 From the 80s Forward: Camacho Deal; AVS Signs; Brrrr; Boo-Boos; Studio 21; Game Stories

  • 1981 - The Oakland Athletics sent a PTBNL and cash to the Pirates for RHP Bob Owchinko; four days later RHP Ernie Camacho was sent to Pittsburgh. Ernie spent most of the year at AAA Portland and was traded to the White Sox in early 1981. Owchinko tossed for parts of five more years with a brief return to Pittsburgh in 1983, when he worked mainly AAA and faced two batters as a Bucco. Camacho went 0-1, 4.98, in seven games for the Bucs, simmered in the minors and then pitched eight more big league campaigns, spending five years with the Tribe. 
Ernie Camacho (photo via Mainline Autographs)
  • 1982 - The Bucs’ home opener at TRS against Montreal was canceled after an April blizzard rolled across the mid east. The Atlantic Coast was buried in an unseasonable snowfall, canceling several games, and though Pittsburgh avoided the worst, the Nor’easter pelted the town with 39 MPH winds and swirling snow. The weather was so unforgiving that the Opener was cancelled on three straight days, pushing back the Buccos Home Opener date to April 16th. 
  • 1988 - Bobby Bonilla went long from both sides of the dish in a 14 inning 6-5 loss to the Phils at Veteran’s Stadium. It was the second time he’d done it, and only he and Dale Sveum have pulled off that feat for Pittsburgh. Bonilla went 4-for-7 with five RBI; the rest of his teammates stranded 13 runners. 
  • 1989 - In a three-day span, the Pirates lost closer Jim Gott (elbow) and first baseman Sid Bream (knee) for the season, while CF’er Andy Van Slyke pulled his rib cage, losing a month and limiting his swing all year. A week later, catcher Mike LaValliere went down and missed much of the season, and the hobbled Pirates finished the campaign with just 74 wins. 
  • 1991 -The Pirates and OF Andy Van Slyke reached agreement on a three-year contract extension for 1992-94 worth $12.65M, the fourth-richest pact in MLB at the time. The average of $4,216,667 per year fell behind only Roger Clemens, Dwight Gooden and Jose Canseco’s deals. AVS was inked for a $750K signing bonus and salaries the first two years of $4M and $4.6M, leaving $3.3M at risk in 1994, a potential lockout/strike year (and there was an August strike, so the front-loading paid off for Andy). 
Andy Van Slyke 1991 Fleer Ultra
  • 1992 - Doug Drabek outdueled Montreal’s Dennis Martinez to earn the Pirates to a 2-0 win over the Expos in the Bucs home opener. Drabek helped his own cause with a two-out, RBI single in the second that along with Spanky LaValliere’s sac fly provided the margin of victory. 
  • 2000 - The Pirates beat the Astros 10-1 at TRS. Brian Giles went 5-for-5 with two homers, a triple, four RBI and three runs scored. Francisco Cordova didn’t give up a hit until after one was out in the eighth inning. 
  • 2003 - Kris Benson, with late help from Scott Sauerbeck and Mike Williams, shut out the Phillies 2-0 at Veteran’s Stadium on six hits and ended Jim Thome’s streak of 60 consecutive games on base, the longest since Mark McGwire reached base 62 games in a row in 1995-96. In a well-pitched game (Philadelphia’s Brett Myers K’ed 11), Brian Giles and Pokey Reese drove in the Bucco runs. Giles’ came on a potential double play ball that the Phils couldn’t turn because of Jason Kendall's take-out slide and Reese’s on a broken-bat flare to right.
  • 2009 - Down a pair in the ninth at Busch Stadium, the Pirates rallied with two outs against Jason Motte to beat the Cardinals 6-4. With two away and Freddy Sanchez aboard, Adam LaRoche singled and pinch-hitter Eric Hinske doubled home Steady Freddy. Brandon Moss got plunked to jam the sacks, and Jack Wilson banged a three-run double to unjam them. Matt Capps came in to get the save for John Grabow’s win in the season Opener. 
AJ Burnett 2013 Topps
  • 2013 - AJ Burnett lost a pitching duel to Clayton Kershaw 1-0 at Dodger Stadium. Burnett gave up the only run in the third on an infield single, stolen base and two-out grounder through the SS hole. Four Buc pitchers combined for 11 K, but Kershaw and friends countered with a two-hitter. 
  • 2015 - “MLB Central” debuted on MLB Network. Not only was it the network’s first original content morning show, but it was the first to be aired from the channel’s state-of-the-art, 8,000 square foot Studio 21, named in honor of Roberto Clemente and his number 21 which was retired on this date in 1973.

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